Discover Japanese culture with our Family Fun programs! These activities and workshops allow the whole family to enjoy and learn Japanese arts and crafts together, while learning about Japanese culture and customs.
Craft activity for kids of all ages.
Family Fun Day: Shūbun no Hi (CANCELLED)
FREE with paid museum admission. (Unless otherwise specified) Pre-registration is not required.
Make your own firework portrait for Shūbun no Hi, the Autumn Equinox, and learn some Japanese calligraphy for the start of fall.
12:00PM, Sunday, September 22, 2024
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
(CANCELLED)
Educational Programming
NEW Season Starts Today
All programs open for Registration and Ticket purchase(s).
The season runs from October of the present year through the summer of the following year. The season is available for registration and ticket purchases on August 1st every year.
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Video Game Character Magnets
Commemorate the history and impact of beloved video game characters with your own perler bead magnet!
12:00PM, Saturday, October 5, 2024
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Ghost Lanterns
Kekeke! Muahaha! Let’s make our own spooky lantern based on the Japanese lantern ghost, the chōchin obake!
10:00AM, Saturday, November 2, 2024
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
Mori Stories will take place in the Kamiya Room, unless stated otherwise. No reservations needed.
Mori Stories: Kamishibai Folktales
Readings start at 1:00pm (Lasts approximately an hour with the activity.)
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.
11:00AM, Saturday, November 2, 2024
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
1:00PM, Thursday, January 2, 2025
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
1:00PM, Thursday, April 3, 2025
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
Delve into the world of Japanese folklore
Mori Stories: Kamishibai Folktales
Japanese Paper Theater
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.
11:00AM, Saturday, November 2, 2024
Morikami Theater
11:30AM, Saturday, November 2, 2024
Morikami Theater
12:00PM, Saturday, November 2, 2024
Morikami Theater
12:30PM, Saturday, November 2, 2024
Morikami Theater
1:00PM, Thursday, January 2, 2025
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
1:00PM, Thursday, April 3, 2025
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Snow Globe Ornaments
Get festive by decorating a Japanese wintry scene that you can keep inside your own snow globe ornament!
12:00PM, Saturday, December 14, 2024
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
Craft activities for kids of all ages.
Virtual Family Fun Days
Virtual craft activities for kids of all ages.
12:00PM, Saturday, December 14, 2024
Virtual
12:00PM, Saturday, December 21, 2024
Virtual
12:00PM, Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Virtual
12:00PM, Sunday, May 18, 2025
Virtual
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Nengajō: New Year’s Cards
Join us throughout the holiday season to create a nengajō, a Japanese New Year’s card, to share with friends and family.
10:00AM, Sunday, December 15, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Monday, December 16, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Tuesday, December 17, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Thursday, December 19, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Friday, December 20, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Saturday, December 21, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Sunday, December 22, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Monday, December 23, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Wednesday, December 25, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Thursday, December 26, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Friday, December 27, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Saturday, December 28, 2024
Lobby
10:00AM, Sunday, December 29, 2024
Lobby
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Daruma New Year Dolls
Have a New Year’s resolution? Make a daruma, a lucky Japanese doll, and make sure your goal comes true!
12:00PM, Saturday, January 4, 2025
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Flower Keychains
Enjoy the flowers of the season by creating your own pressed flower keychain!
12:00PM, Saturday, February 1, 2025
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Spring Equinox Prints
Celebrate the Spring Equinox, or Shunbun no Hi, by making your own print of Japanese symbols of spring.
12:00PM, Saturday, March 22, 2025
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Mascot Nuigurumi
Kawaii! Build your own plush doll, or nuigurumi, based on Japan’s world-famous adorable mascots!
12:00PM, Saturday, April 19, 2025
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Children's Day
Come join us to celebrate the Japanese holiday of Children’s Day by making a Japanese toy kendama, playing Japanese games, or making a flying carp kite called koinobori!
12:00PM, Saturday, May 3, 2025
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Father's Day Kumihimo
Celebrate Father’s Day by making a lanyard through the Japanese braiding of kumihimo!
12:00PM, Sunday, June 15, 2025
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Tanabata
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.
10:00AM, Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Lobby
10:00AM, Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Lobby
10:00AM, Thursday, July 3, 2025
Lobby
10:00AM, Friday, July 4, 2025
Lobby
10:00AM, Saturday, July 5, 2025
Lobby
10:00AM, Sunday, July 6, 2025
Lobby
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Tanabata Streamers
The Star Festival, Tanabata, is here! Craft your own Tanabata streamer to decorate your home!
12:00PM, Saturday, July 5, 2025
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Gachapon Keychains
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!
12:00PM, Saturday, August 16, 2025
Sakai Room (Library)
Craft activity for kids of all ages
Family Fun Day: Sports Day Hachimaki
Start off the school year strong with a hachimaki, a Japanese headband!
12:00PM, Saturday, September 6, 2025
Kamiya Room (Classroom A)