Col. Michael Rothstein, the 35th Fighter Wing commander, pounds mochi Dec. 16, 2010, during the annual mochi pounding ceremony at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force gym on Misawa Air Base, Japan. Mochi is a type of rice cake made by using a large wooden mallet to pound steamed glutinous rice in a large wooden mortar. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Col. John Pearse, the 35th Operations Group commander, pounds mochi Dec. 16, 2010, during the annual mochi pounding ceremony at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force gym on Misawa Air Base, Japan. Mochi is a type of rice cake made by using a large wooden mallet to pound steamed glutinous rice in a large wooden mortar. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Fresh mochi, a type of traditional Japanese rice cake, is sliced and sampled Dec. 16, 2010, by those attending the annual mochi pounding ceremony at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force gym on Misawa Air Base, Japan. The ceremony gave Americans a chance to experience a time-honored Japanese tradition. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Members of Col. Michael Rothstein's family try freshly made mochi Dec. 16, 2010, during the annual mochi pounding ceremony at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force gym on Misawa Air Base, Japan. The ceremony gave Americans a chance to experience a time-honored Japanese tradition. Colonel Rothstein is the 35th Fighter Wing commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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American and Japanese participants eat and converse Dec. 16, 2010, during the annual mochi pounding ceremony at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force gym on Misawa Air Base, Japan. The ceremony gave Americans a chance to experience a time-honored Japanese tradition. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Americans, Japanese pound mochi, strengthen bonds

Published Dec. 16, 2010

Col. Michael Rothstein, the 35th Fighter Wing commander, pounds mochi Dec. 16, 2010, during the annual mochi pounding ceremony at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force gym on Misawa Air Base, Japan. Mochi is a type of rice cake made by using a large wooden mallet to pound steamed glutinous rice in a large wooden mortar. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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