Japan Society of Fairfield County
Oshogatsu 2006
Before our Oshogatsu began, nature paid us a visit that won't soon
be forgotten. A blizzard struck southwestern Connecticut leaving two to
six inches of snow and taking away trees and electric power. Greenwich,
the home of many of our members, was especially hard hit. The storm stopped
just in time for our event and of the 80 who reserved, 73 safely arrived to
celebrate the beginning of the year of the dog. 
January 15, 2006 was definitely a day for Connecticut's Huskie rather
than the Japanese Shiba or Akita.
Our event began with introductory remarks by Vernon Beck,
president of The Japan Society of Fairfield County, followed by
greetings from Masayuki Takashima, Deputy Consul General
of Japan in Boston.
Harry Sakamaki, vice president, led
us in a champagne toast to the new year, the year of the dog
and the eighteenth year of Heisei. We then enjoyed a fabulous
meal prepared by Hiroyuki "James" Nagata and his staff at the
Plum Tree Restaurant (www.plumtreejapanese.com/index2.html). Table
gifts were provided by Shuichi Tanaka, Chairman and CEO of Zotos
International who was present for the first time.
Ms. Yoriko Endo kindly volunteered to perform the koto.
She is a licensed instructor in the Ikuta school of koto, one
of the two major styles of koto performance. She expertly performed
two traditional pieces. The first was Chidori no Kyoku
(Song of a Plover); which is taken from an old Japanese poem.
The second was Haru no Yo (Spring Night). One night
in early spring, a man in a guest house heard a nice tune from a nearby
room. He sneaked near and found that a beautiful woman was playing a koto
and fell in love with her. 
A superb classical Japanese dance performance of Ayame
(Iris patterned summer kimono) was presented by Alice Kaori
McDonald. The performance was introduced by Kyoko Ohnishi,
her dance instructor.
Classical Japanese dance originated on the Kabuki
stage in the 16th century. The Soke Fujima School has been
a leading force within Japanese dance and its grand masters have
choreographed Kabuki and Kabuki dance-drama for generations.
Kyoko Ohnishi holds a master’s certificate from the Soke Fujima School
and gives lectures, demonstrations, and performances for educational
institutions, and teaches dance in Connecticut and New York.
Harry Sakamaki then led us in a mochitsuki
demonstration. Mochi balls are traditionally made for
the new year from sweet rice pounded into a smooth paste. This
is done in an usu (mortar) using kine (mallets).
Our usu was made from the trunk of a tree and
loaned to us by the Greenwich Japanese School. The steamed rice grains
are first broken up by essentially stirring them with the mallet head.
Vernon Beck and Nobuhiro Osa are shown doing this in the first
photo below. The rice is then pounded to develop the proper consistency.
Koito Karlon has the somewhat hazardous job of turning the mochi between
kine strokes. Vernon Beck and Deputy Consul General Takashima
are shown pounding rice in the right two photographs with the assistance
of Koito Karlon. After pounding, the rice paste is squeezed off
into small balls. In order to prevent the rice paste from sticking
to the hands of the persons working, it is sprinkled with mochitoriko
(rice) flour. Anko (bean paste), prepared
by Atsuko Giampaoli, can be rolled into the center of the mochi ball,
but ours were served with the anko on the side. Plain
balls were also served after being rolled in kinako , which
is a mixture of sugar and ground soy bean. Plain balls were
also served with nori (seaweed). Mochi is best when fresh,
and we were able to enjoy our own freshly pounded mochi this
new year.
Koto and dance photos courtesy of James McDonald
Garden, bento, and mochi photos courtesy Syd Greenberg
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January 15, 2006 was definitely a day for Connecticut's Huskie rather
than the Japanese Shiba or Akita.