Preparing to remove the koshiki
Traditionally, rice was steamed in a steaming vat known as a koshiki, placed atop a large cauldron. The craftsman in charge of this process would carefully bring the cauldron to a full boil before allowing the steam to blast through tiny holes in the bottom of the koshiki to steam the rice. The photo shows a worker putting on protective footwear in preparation for removing the koshiki containing the steamed rice.