Japan wakes to deep snow in Aomori, where women in bright kimonos gathered this week for a ritual rooted in daily life. In Higashidoori Village, dancers performed the Taue Mochitsuki, a rice pounding ceremony held at a local shrine. Five women stood around a small mortar, striking mochi rice with wooden mallets as snow fell steadily.
The dance followed songs sung in front of houses buried under fresh snow. The gestures are simple and repeated, meant to ask for a good harvest and to protect families through the year. The cold made the work harder, especially for newcomers, but the mood stayed calm and focused.
Passed down through generations, the ritual is now recognised as an intangible folk cultural asset. It traces its roots to communal mochi-making, an ancient agricultural tradition linked to prayers for abundant harvests.