Family Fun

August 8th is Gachapon Day! Gachapon are capsules filled with toys and other goodies that are popular with children in Japan. Make your own little toy of Japanese animals to keep in your own capsule!

Start off the school year strong with a hachimaki, a Japanese headband!

Beware of flying bats this Halloween! Learn how to fold your own flying origami komori, bat, for a spooky Halloween

Chitose ame are long pink and white candy sticks given to the children to wish for a long and sweet life. These are carried in special candy bags. Make your own chitose ame bag on this special day!

Bring the whole family and delve into the world of Japanese folklore or stories through kamishibai, Paper Theater. Join us for a reading of these classic stories. Reading starts on the hour with a short related activity to follow.

Virtual craft activities for kids of all ages.

Join us throughout the holiday season to create a nengajō, a Japanese New Year’s card, to share with friends and family.

In the Japanese Zodiac, 2026 is the year of the horse. Come celebrate the Year of the Horse, by making your own horse to take home for the New Year.

Celebrate Orchid Weekend at the Morikami and make your own paper orchids to take home.

Girls’ Festival or Doll Festival (Hina Matsuri) is celebrated on March 3rd in Japan. A set of dolls representing the emperor and empress and their court (three ladies-in-waiting and five musicians) is set up in the family home to mark the occasion. Celebrate Hina Matsuri by making a special craft to take home.

Celebrate Orchid Weekend at the Morikami and make your own paper orchids to take home.

Come join us to celebrate the Japanese holiday of Children’s Day (Kodomo no Hi) by making a flying paper helicopter modeled after the Japanese traditional toy, take tombo (bamboo dragonflies) and a flying carp, called koinobori.

Beware of flying bats this Halloween! Learn how to fold your own flying komori, bat, for a spooky Halloween

Make a wish for the Star Festival, Tanabata! Write your wish on a strip of colored paper, or tanzaku, and tie it to a branch of our Tanabata bamboo to celebrate.

Journey through the world of yōkai, Japanese supernatural creatures, through our exhibition and day of fun craft activities and story telling. Make your own yōkai mask for based on spirits and creatures from Japanese folklore and much more! Come dressed as your favorite Japanese yōkai!

Join us for Obon Weekend and make your own special paper lantern to light the night.

The dragonfly, called tombo in Japanese, are known to be abundant in late summer. Design and make your own dragonfly clip to hold together your important papers or a special picture.