Mochi-making takes place in early January, and is the last event of the Roppongi Hills rice paddy season. The mochi (glutinous) rice that has been harvested is sprinkled with flour and sweet bean paste to make rice cakes. The rooftop garden reverberates with the cheers of participants who experience the fun of using steamed mochi rice to make actual rice cakes.
February: Straw workshop
To wrap up the rice growing season, a workshop is held using the straw that is a byproduct of the rice harvest.
· 2003 Straw sandals making · Dye making using 2004 rice ear · 2005 making chicks · Making a doll using a straw 2006
Just about the time the first hints of spring are in the air, nature quietly begins making its preparations on the rooftop garden. The soil of the field after the rice has been cut is thoroughly turned and sown with astragalus and canola blossoms to ensure that the soil is fertile for next year’s rice-growing. The streets in springtime are starting to see buds in the cherry trees and the some of the blossoms are starting to open. A new year begins on the rooftop garden with the arrival of spring.