Noto Residents Pound Rice Cakes as they Wish for Recovery; Nearing Anniversary of Noto Peninsula Earthquake

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:11 JST, December 20, 2024

ANAMIZU, Ishikawa — Residents and volunteers on Friday pounded steamed rice in a wooden mortar with a large hammer to make rice cakes at a shopping street in Anamizu, Ishikawa Prefecture, an area hit by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Participants vigorously pounded the rice, wishing for recovery from the earthquake.

About 120 kilograms of local glutinous rice was used, along with 60 kilograms of glutinous rice from the former village of Yamakoshi, now part of Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture, which has recovered since being hit by the 2004 Niigata Prefecture Chuetsu Earthquake. Residents slammed the hammer down as the crowd cheered.

Sanae Oshima, 69, a stationery store employee who seasoned the rice cakes with kinako soybean powder and other seasonings, said, “I loaded the rice cakes with my hope for people to look forward.”