Omochio tsukimasho

folk song / traditional, visuals

Info

A “mochi” (もち) is a traditional rice cake especially eaten to celebrate holidays such as New Year, Spring, Children’s Day, and Girls’ Day in Japan. (source)

Lyrics - Rōmaji

(Folk song from Japan)

Omochio tsukimasho, omochio tsukimasho,
Petanko, petanko, petan petan petanko,
Konete, konete, konete, konete, konete,
Ton ton ton, ton ton ton, ton ton ton ton ton ton ton.

English Translation - Let's pound rice cakes

Let’s pound some rice cakes, let’s pound some rice cakes,
Flat, flat, flat, flat, flat,
Knead, knead, knead, knead, knead, knead,
Knock knock knock, knock knock knock, knock knock knock knock knock knock knock

Japanese - おもちおつきましょ

おもちをつきましょう, おもちをつきましょう
ぺたんこ, ぺたんこ, ぺたん, ぺたん, ぺたんこ,
こねて, こねて, こねて, こねて, こねて,
とんとんとん, とんとんとん, とんとんとんとんとんとん

Melody

Hand-clapping

Formation: Two people facing each other

One student claps the steady beat with one hand palm up and the other hand moving up and down to clap that palm. The second student does:

Ms. 1-2 = (on the quarter note beat) clap low, move arms up by moving hands far apart in the middle, clap high (4x)
Ms. 3-4 = hands clap (bottom hand stays in place with palm facing up), top hand slaps air in front, hands clap (2 eighth notes + quarter note)
Ms. 5-6 = Clap on the downbeat (keep bottom hand face up), top hand make circular motion like wiping a table, then clap again
Ms. 7-8 = Clap low, middle, high with the melody