YOKOSUKA, Japan (Jan. 28, 2026) — U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka hosted a mochitsuki, or traditional Japanese mochi-pounding, cultural exchange event Jan. 28, bringing together U.S. Navy personnel, Japanese medical professionals, and hospital staff to celebrate the Japanese New Year and strengthen relationships across the command.

The event was organized by the Japanese Fellowship Program and provided hospital staff an opportunity to engage with Japanese culture while building connections beyond their daily clinical roles.

“Mochitsuki is a traditional Japanese New Year practice that emphasizes teamwork, trust, and community,” said Dr. Sho Nonoyama, lead Japanese Fellow at U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka. “Sharing this tradition with my colleagues is a meaningful way to introduce Japanese culture in a hands-on way and connect beyond our professional roles. It represents respect, cooperation, and starting the year together as a team.”

During the event, participants worked together to pound steamed rice into mochi, a process that traditionally requires coordination and cooperation. For many attendees, the experience offered a chance to interact with colleagues from across departments in a relaxed setting.

YOKOSUKA, Japan (Jan. 28, 2026) — Dr. Akimasa Takahashi, a Japanese Fellow assigned to U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka, uses a kine (mallet) to pound rice during a traditional mochitsuki ceremony at the hospital. The Japanese Fellows organized the event to highlight cultural partnership and collaboration between U.S. and Japanese medical professionals. The Japanese Fellowship Program is a yearlong graduate medical education program that has trained Japanese physicians at USNH Yokosuka since 1952. (U.S. Navy photo by Daniel Taylor/USNMRTC Yokosuka Public Affairs)


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YOKOSUKA, Japan (Jan. 28, 2026) — Dr. Reika Matsushita, a Japanese Fellow assigned to U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka, uses a kine (mallet) to pound rice during a traditional mochitsuki ceremony at the hospital. The Japanese Fellows organized the event to highlight cultural partnership and collaboration between U.S. and Japanese medical professionals. The Japanese Fellowship Program is a yearlong graduate medical education program that has trained Japanese physicians at USNH Yokosuka since 1952. (U.S. Navy photo by Daniel Taylor/USNMRTC Yokosuka Public Affairs)


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YOKOSUKA, Japan (Jan. 28, 2026) — Personnel assigned to U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka take turns using a kine (mallet) to pound rice during a traditional mochitsuki ceremony at the hospital. The Japanese Fellows organized the event to highlight cultural partnership and collaboration between U.S. and Japanese medical professionals. The Japanese Fellowship Program is a yearlong graduate medical education program that has trained Japanese physicians at USNH Yokosuka since 1952. (U.S. Navy photo by Daniel Taylor/USNMRTC Yokosuka Public Affairs)

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YOKOSUKA, Japan (Jan. 28, 2026) — Personnel assigned to U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka take turns using a kine (mallet) to pound rice during a traditional mochitsuki ceremony at the hospital. The Japanese Fellows organized the event to highlight cultural partnership and collaboration between U.S. and Japanese medical professionals. The Japanese Fellowship Program is a yearlong graduate medical education program that has trained Japanese physicians at USNH Yokosuka since 1952. (U.S. Navy photo by Daniel Taylor/USNMRTC Yokosuka Public Affairs)

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YOKOSUKA, Japan (Jan. 28, 2026) — Personnel assigned to U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka take turns using a kine (mallet) to pound rice during a traditional mochitsuki ceremony at the hospital. The Japanese Fellows organized the event to highlight cultural partnership and collaboration between U.S. and Japanese medical professionals. The Japanese Fellowship Program is a yearlong graduate medical education program that has trained Japanese physicians at USNH Yokosuka since 1952. (U.S. Navy photo by Daniel Taylor/USNMRTC Yokosuka Public Affairs)

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YOKOSUKA, Japan (Jan. 28, 2026) — Capt. Donavon YapShing, deputy director of U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka, uses a kine (mallet) to pound rice in an usu (mortar) during a mochitsuki cultural exchange event at the hospital. The Japanese Fellows organized the event to highlight cultural partnership and collaboration between U.S. and Japanese medical professionals. The Japanese Fellowship Program is a yearlong graduate medical education program that has trained Japanese physicians at USNH Yokosuka since 1952. (U.S. Navy photo by Daniel Taylor/USNMRTC Yokosuka Public Affairs)

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YOKOSUKA, Japan (Jan. 28, 2026) — Cmdr. Katherine Gelenter and Cmdr. Sachiko Ikari, assigned to U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka, enjoy hot soup during a mochitsuki (mochi-pounding) cultural exchange event at the hospital. The Japanese Fellows organized the event to highlight cultural partnership and collaboration between U.S. and Japanese medical professionals. The Japanese Fellowship Program is a yearlong graduate medical education program that has trained Japanese physicians at USNH Yokosuka since 1952. (U.S. Navy photo by Daniel Taylor/USNMRTC Yokosuka Public Affairs)

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“I hope events like this help strengthen relationships across departments by creating opportunities to connect on a more personal level,” Nonoyama said. “Sharing experiences outside of daily clinical work can build trust, improve teamwork, and remind us that caring for one another is just as important as caring for our patients.” Capt. Donavon YapShing, deputy director of U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka, said the event reflected the spirit of the command and its partnership with Japan.

“It was great to see our team come together to share in Japanese culture and enjoy time with one another,” YapShing said. “We operate in a demanding environment, and moments like this give us a chance to step back briefly from the intensity of our work and reconnect as a team. That sense of connection matters when we return to the mission.”

Cmdr. Benjamin Chi, director of the Japanese Fellowship Program, said the event also serves as an important introduction to Japanese traditions for Department of Defense personnel stationed in Japan.

“These cultural exchange events give our staff an opportunity to experience one of Japan’s most meaningful traditions,” Chi said. “Mochitsuki has long been a way for communities to come together to transform a staple food into something shared and celebratory. Taking part in that tradition creates lasting memories for our hospital community.”

For the past four years, the Japanese Fellowship Program has hosted the annual mochitsuki event as part of its efforts to strengthen connections between U.S. and Japanese medical professionals. This year’s event was supported by the Officer Wardroom, Chief Petty Officer Mess, and First Class Petty Officer Association.

“Building relationships across our workforce is essential to how we operate,” Chi said. “As the core medical facility supporting a network of hospitals and clinics across the Indo-Pacific, events like mochitsuki help reinforce unity and esprit de corps among our staff.”

U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka, part of U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Yokosuka, provides medical care to service members, families, retirees, and other beneficiaries while supporting operational readiness in the Indo-Pacific region.