2026 Japanese New Year Tradition Event Mochi Pounding Tradition! (Omochitsuki) Asian Art MuseumNEW

Mochi Pounding (Omochitsuki)! Celebrate the Japanese New Year with mochi pounding by Kagami Kai and netsuke (charm) painting.

Celebrate the Japanese New Year with Kagami Kai, an acclaimed mochi group, as it presents the colorful and exciting New Year tradition of mochi pounding to make delectably sweet rice cakes, with lively music, energetic dance and traditional attire.

As part of the day, paint a Year of the Rat netsuke (charm) and fold paper cranes for luck and prosperity in the new year.

We invite our blind and vision-impaired community members to engage in a tactile experience as part of this annual celebration. Join us for a touch tour of the equipment Kagami Kai uses to pound mochi and receive priority seating for the celebration. A descriptive tactile and storytelling tour of the newly renovated Japanese galleries follows. Pre-registration required. Email communityengagement@asianart.org to reserve a spot.

The Asian Art Museum is committed to making its events accessible to all. This event is wheelchair accessible and assistive listening devices (ALDs) will be provided. ASL interpretation or open captioning are available upon request; please email visit@asianart.org two weeks prior to the event to request an interpreter.

Date
Jan 11, 2026

Time
11:00 pm

Schedule
11:00 am - 2:00 pm: Netsuke painting
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: Mochi pounding celebration
11:30 am: Touch tour (preregistration required)
1:00 pm: Descriptive and tactile tour (preregistration required)



New Year's Events