Japanese American New Year Celebration will take place Sunday, January 29, 2006 at the Sylvania Campus of Portland Community College from Noon to 4:00 PM.

Portland area Japanese American New Year celebration, Mochitsuki, is ten years old! Starting from the first public event in the basement of Oregon Buddhist Temple as part of the JACL New Year Celebration, Mochitsuki has grown into a community tradition with close to 30 organizations participating, and attendance at over 1,200.

The goal of Portland area Mochitsuki is twofold. First is to maintain the vitality of traditions in the Nikkei community. That means keeping alive the custom of gathering with friends and family to pound mochi with a heavy wooden mallet, and giving people a chance to experience firsthand the mochi pounding that they may have only seen in folktale books. The vitality comes from recognizing that traditions change, and Nikkei of today also keep mochi traditions alive in churches and family groups, but may use an electric machine.

The second goal is to build strength in the Nikkei community by working together on a common project. In these years, Portland Taiko, Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, Japanese American Citizens League, Porgand State University Japanese Studies Program, and Portland Community College Multicultural Center have gained a closer relationship by sharing in the creation of Mochitsuki. To make the tenth anniversary special, these partners have been joined by the Consul General of Japan, Shokookai of Portland, Nikkei Jin Kai and The Japan America Society of Oregon. We are excited to bring so many organizations together.

To make the event very special, a mochi pounding group from San Francisco, Kagami Kai will perform. They share our interest in building community with mochi traditions, and they use taiko drums and dance-like movement to make mochi pounding a lively performance.

Beloved performers Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo, storyteller, Portland Taiko, Tanuki Taiko, Fujinami Kai and Sahomi Tachibana Dance Company will perform.

Food, hands-on activities and many community performances will make a big cultural fair interesting for all ages. The ice carving team that will represent Portland at the Sapporo Snow Festival will demonstrate, thanks to the Portland Sapporo Sister Cities Association.

Make sure to bring family and friends to enjoy this wonderful tradition.

Download the event flyer (attached PDF) for detailed event information.