In Photos: Hot pot of 'Damako' rice balls, free-range chicken warms up Japan's Akita Pref.

Kuniko Ishii serves "Damako nabe" hot pot at her home in the town of Gojome, Akita Prefecture, on April 16, 2022. (Satoshi Takahashi)

Kuniko Ishii mashes cooked rice until the shape of grains are only slightly visible, at her home in the town of Gojome, Akita Prefecture, on April 16, 2022. (Satoshi Takahashi)

One after another, Kuniko Ishii proficiently shapes ping pong-sized "Damako mochi," or rice balls, at her home in the town of Gojome, Akita Prefecture, on April 16, 2022. (Satoshi Takahashi)

This image shows "Damako mochi," or rice balls, completed by dipping in salt water to prevent crumbling when cooked, at Kuniko Ishii's home in the town of Gojome, Akita Prefecture, on April 16, 2022. (Satoshi Takahashi)

Kuniko Ishii prepares broth for a "Damako nabe" hot pot from chicken carcass, kombu seaweed, dried sardine and bonito flakes, at her home in the town of Gojome, Akita Prefecture, on April 16, 2022. (Satoshi Takahashi)

This image taken on April 16, 2022, shows meat of a chicken that was kept and butchered for a "Damako nabe" hot pot at Kuniko Ishii's home in the town of Gojome, Akita Prefecture. Each life taken is cherished. (Satoshi Takahashi)

Kuniko Ishii, right, prepares a "Damako nabe" hot pot with plenty of locally produced ingredients at her home in the town of Gojome, Akita Prefecture, on April 16, 2022. Added to the basics, Ishii's recipe includes fiddlehead ferns and shiitake mushrooms. (Satoshi Takahashi)

This image shows a boiling "Damako nabe" pot at Kuniko Ishii's home in the town of Gojome, Akita Prefecture, on April 16, 2022. The rich soup flavor seeps into each "Damako mochi" rice ball. (Satoshi Takahashi)

Kuniko Ishii, right, and her grandson, Hideki Ishii, are seen at her home in the town of Gojome, Akita Prefecture, on April 16, 2022. Hideki said, "I want to treasure this traditional local food culture." (Satoshi Takahashi)