On Saturday, January 6, JASH together with Levy Park hosted the second annual JAPAN JUNCTION Oshogatsu New Year Celebration.
During the event, hundreds of park visitors enjoyed a variety of traditional Japanese activities to mark the start of the YEAR OF THE DRAGON.
Starting and concluding the festivities from the stage was the energetic Kaminari Taiko performing group. Visitors were also treated to a kamishibai telling of “How the Years were Named” in the Japanese tradition and an interactive sumo demonstration by Shōgeki Sumo.
Throughout the event, JASH volunteers engaged visitors in the traditional games of fukuwarai, daruma otoshi, hagoita, and ton ton sumo. Other booths allowed visitors to claim an omikuji fortune, pound mochi, decorate paper hagoita, create special woodblock prints, fold origami dragons and practice shodo calligraphy. Booths featuring Japanese sweets and works of shodo artworks were also available for the attendees to shop.
Click on the link below to watch KPRC’s Houston Life interview regarding the event.
Through the 3-hour event, JASH together with Zen Calligraphy raised nearly $700.00 in support of relief efforts for those in Japan affected by the devastating New Year earthquake which struck the Noto Peninsula.
Click the button below to learn more about JASH’s pledge to prove that HOUSTON STANDS WITH JAPAN:
Images provided courtesy of Levy Park and night.sky.creative