Misawa community participates in rice-pounding party
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Jan Stilwell, wife of Col. David Stilwell, 35th Fighter Wing commander, pounds rice during the annual Misawa Air Base Rice Cake Pounding Party Dec. 9 at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force gymnasium. The pounded rice was later molded and cut into rice cakes, known as "mochi," which is traditionally eaten to bring in the new year and believed to prevent disaster in the upcoming year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jamal D. Sutter)