Making Mochi Is Bizarre, Violent, and Mesmerizing

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You likely have no idea what crazy, physical exploits go into creating that sticky, creamy blob you know as green tea mochi. But that's why there are videos on the Internet.

Mochi master Mitsuo Nakatani is here to demonstrate all the pounding and screaming that eventually lead to the creation of that prized Japanese dessert. He's been turning sticky rice into mochi for 23 years and says that to him, "Making mochi is like a battle."

After watching the video of his mochi-making, skills courtesy of Great Big Story, you'll understand exactly why "battle" is an accurate metaphor. One guy brutally pounds the substance while another guy mixes it. There's a lot of screaming involved too. These wild calls act as a way to coordinate between the pounder and the mixer, a.k.a they make sure the guy mixing doesn't get a serious hand injury.

If all this sounds ridiculous because you haven't watched the above video, do that now.

And cherish that green tea mochi. It's been through a lot.

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Kara King is a News Writer at Thrillist and will never eat mochi the same way again. Send news tips to news@thrillist.com and follow her at @karatillie.