New Year’s Celebration: Oshogatsu

Enjoy a dynamic, vibrant taiko drumming performance by Taiko Masala with accompanying lion dancing. Following the show, audience members are invited to practice and perform on stage with the troupe of drummers. Before each performance in the theater, there will be a shishimai lion dance procession throughout all of Japan Society. A lucky bite on the noggin will give you luck throughout the whole year!

Make your own ema with this year’s zodiac animal and inscribe your wishes for 2018! Ema, or votive wooden plaques, are offered at shrines in Japan to express one’s prayers or gratitude.

Begin the New Year by learning to write Japanese words and phrases associated with the holiday. Children and parents of all ages will experience the time-honored classics of brush and sumi ink calligraphy art.

Guests pound rice dough in a large mortar (usu) with a wooden mallet (kine) and enjoy this traditional cultural experience first-hand! Then, participants are invited to make decorative mochi called Kagami-mochi from the pounded dough. (Edible mochi, prepared by a local Japanese vendor will also be available for purchase.

Try your hand at top spinning (koma-mawashi) and other fun Japanese wooden folk toys such as Kendama and Daruma-otoshi. Play Fukuwarai, which roughly translates to “Lucky Laugh,” by assembling a face by placing paper cutouts of wacky facial features on a blank face while blindfolded. Observer and players alike get a rise out of this traditional children’s game.

Create your own Daruma to take home—a wishing doll and talisman of good luck. As you color the first eye, make a wish. When the wish comes true, color in the other eye!

Design your own traditional Japanese kite! Assemble the frame from bamboo and decorate it with any number of festive designs to add a personal touch.

Enjoy this traditional form of Japanese storytelling as you listen to popular New Year’s folktales such as “Hats for the Jizos” and “How the Years Were Named”. Stories will be performed in English and Japanese.

Create a New Year’s card (nenga-jo) to celebrate the year of the Boar and share your messages and drawings with friends and family. Learn how to write “Happy New Year” in Japanese and learn about the pervasive use of these greeting cards during the start of the year.