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)

Photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel MorseReleased

Americans, Japanese pound mochi, strengthen bonds

16 Dec 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)