Bright, Unshaken Spirit

A couple dries colorful mochi, part of the process of making Noto Shika Arare bite-size rice crackers, in Shika, Ishikawa Prefecture. Kunio Shirayama, 81, and his wife, Fusako, 82, cut the mochi into 1-centimeter cubes and dry them in wooden boxes, stirring them up once every three days. After about six weeks, when it is dry, the mochi is baked. Last year, production was delayed by about a month and a half due to a water outage caused by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, but this year, shipments are expected to begin in mid-March as usual. “The earthquake did not discourage us. We want to deliver delicious arare, full of gratitude for those who supported us,” said Fusako.