By Barry Villamil | MyPearlCity.com
Mahalo to everyone who came from across the island to enjoy a great time at Sunday’s National Mochi Day held at the Pearl City Shopping Center. Over two-thousand Pearl City residents, along with visitors to the Pearl City community, mingled with neighbors and friends to sample, purchase, and share their favorite Mochi treats. A couple dozen specialty Mochi vendors, as well as specialty food and beverage vendors provided delicious items with many vendors selling out throughout the event that ran from 10:00am – 2:30pm. Long lines that were worth the wait.
The event also offered attendees a great selection of specialty craft and gift items from dozens of vendors. National Mochi Day featured two levels of shopping and entertainment at the Pearl City Shopping Center on the upper level of the shopping center near Bank of Hawaii and McDonald’s and lower level near American Savings Bank and Grand Chinese Restaurant.
Mahalo to National Mochi Day Founder Jessica Kaneshiro and 808 Craft & Gift Fair Owner Lauren Mori Ushijma who have found a home and bonding partnership with the Pearl City Shopping Center that unites the community via a fun-filled and memorable experience for all.
Jessica Kaneshiro, Founder of National Mochi Day, Owner of Mochi Mochi Wagashi
“Everyone is here to celebrate National Mochi Day. Thank you so much for the Pearl City Shopping Center for having us here. We had a crazy line a half an hour before opening today. There’s a lot of Mochi vendors here and there’s a lot of Mochi to go around for everybody. If you have a place for Mochi, this is the place to be.”
Lauren Ushijima Mori, Owner of 808 Craft & Gift Fairs (held monthly at the Pearl City Shopping Center)
“Today is National Mochi Day and we have we have the Founder here of National Mochi Day Jessica Kaneshiro with Mochi Mochi Wagashi. If you look around we have tons, I think two thousand people here.
Every first Sunday we are here at the Pearl City Shopping Center from 10:00am to 2:30pm. Thanks to the Pearl City Shopping Center and MyPearlCity.com we’re able to host this I think for over ten years now. Thank you so much.“
Mahalo to Don Quijote, Pearl City Shopping Center Assistant Store Manager Reginald Nartatez for escorting Don Quijote mascot Donpen as the beloved blue penguin visited and posed for pictures much to the delight of National Mochi Day attendees on Sunday.
808 Craft & Gift Fairs are held on the first Sunday of each month at the Pearl City Shopping Center from 10:00am to 2:30pm. 808 Crafts & Gift Fairs and the Pearl City Shopping Center Merchants Association partner each month to present a fun, community-oriented event that welcomes all to the shopping center and to say mahalo for their support of the Pearl City community.
Photos by Barry Villamil | MyPearlCity.com
