Annual Hokkaido Mochi Pounding Festival in Which a Massive Mortar, Pestle Are Used Begins

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:16 JST, September 14, 2025

An annual mochi pounding festival held to pray for bountiful harvest and thriving business started in Iwamizawa, Hokkaido, on Saturday.

Participants in the festival, called Iwamizawa Hyappei Festival, pounded mochi in a massive mortar, which the city’s tourism association says measures about 2.2 meters in diameter and weighs 5.5 tons. People worked together to lift a pestle, which weighs about 200 kilograms, by pulling a rope. Every time the pestle was dropped on the mortar, it made a loud thumping noise, prompting spectators to cheer.

About 60 kilograms of mochi was pounded at once. Using the mochi, 1,200 servings of sweet red bean soup were made and shared with spectators.

“After watching the powerful mochi pounding, the red bean soup tasted very good,” said a 11-year-old elementary school girl from the city with a smile.

The mochi pounding was also held on Sunday.