Dallas-Fort Worth Organizations Announce Free 2026 Mochitsuki New Year Celebration at UT Dallas

The Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth (JASDFW), the Crow Museum of Asian Art, and the Center of Asian Studies at The University of Texas at Dallas, along with collaborating partner the Dallas Japanese Association, have announced the 2026 Mochitsuki New Year's Celebration. The event will take place on Sunday, January 11, 2026, from 2:00–5:00 p.m. at the Edith and Peter O'Donnell Jr. Athenaeum located on The University of Texas at Dallas campus. Admission is free, and all attendees will receive free freshly made mochi, a cherished Japanese New Year treat.

Mochitsuki, the traditional ceremony of pounding rice into mochi, is one of Japan's most iconic ways to welcome the New Year. The celebration symbolizes good health, longevity, and community unity. This annual event invites the Dallas-Fort Worth community to experience this tradition firsthand through demonstrations, tastings, and hands-on cultural activities and performances. Event highlights include live Mochitsuki demonstrations, freshly prepared mochi for all guests, traditional Japanese New Year activities such as calligraphy, nengajo card-displays, kendama, koma, and fukuwarai, cultural performances by local artists, ikebana or bonsai displays, a special exhibit of Nengajo contest winners from JASDFW outreach schools, and a tour of the Crow Museum of Asian Art.

Grant Hiroshi Ogata, President of Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth, stated that the event is a wonderful opportunity for families and individuals to learn, participate, and enjoy cultural exchange in a warm and festive environment at the beautiful new building at the Crow Museum of Asian Art at The University of Texas at Dallas campus. The Mochitsuki New Year's Celebration is sponsored by the Crow Museum of Asian Art and the Center for Asian Studies at The University of Texas at Dallas, whose ongoing support continues to make this vibrant community gathering possible. The venue is the Crow Museum of Asian Art at The UT Dallas Campus, located at 777 Loop Rd. SW, Richardson, TX, 75080. Admission and parking are free, which includes free mochi. To stay connected and reserve a spot for cultural programs like this one, please RSVP by visiting https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mochitsuki-tickets-1975055554330?aff=oddtdtcreator.