On October 29th, the Japanese Cultural Center of Montreal hosted its annual Mochitsuki event. Mochi is a gelatinous rice dough specially prepared for New Year celebrations in Japan. Under the tents, several teams worked together to carry out the various steps of the preparation process: washing and soaking the rice, placing it in baskets for steaming (a true art!), pounding it with mallets (a heroic task!), cutting the dough into small balls with a machine, and finally shaping them by hand—an effort led by dozens of meticulous and busy participants. All of this took place in a lively, buzzing atmosphere where, inevitably, everyone became increasingly dusted with flour as the day went on! The event culminated in a tasting session, where freshly made mochi was served in soups or dishes, seasoned in various ways, and offered in the center's kitchens—a true delight!