Explore the cultures of Japan this festive season with a series of free family-friendly activity workshops at Japan House London. During each workshop, participants can enjoy learning about Japan and unleashing their creativity, with activities including crafting a paper shinkansen (bullet train), folding origami, and decorating a nengajō (New Year greetings card) to send to friends and loved ones.

 

Create Your Own New Year Card (nengajō)

In Japan it is customary to send New Year greetings cards (nengajō) to relatives, friends and colleagues. Decorated with special greetings and seasonal illustrations, nengajō are usually delivered on New Year’s Day. Colour in and cut out our selection of pictures associated with the New Year season to decorate your own original nengajō.

Saturday 21 December 2024, 14:30–16:30
Tuesday 24 December 2024, 14:30–16:30
Saturday 28 December 2024, 14:30–16:30
Monday 30 December 2024, 14:30–16:30
Saturday 4 January 2025, 14:30–16:30

 

Make Your Own Paper ‘Series N700S’ Shinkansen

Learn about rail innovation in Japan by creating your own paper ‘Series N700S’ Shinkansen using an activity sheet created by Japan House London in collaboration with Central Japan Railway Company.

The Shinkansen, ‘bullet train’, is an important symbol of Japanese technology and innovation and runs along various lines connecting the country – from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south. Running at 300 kph (186 mph), the award-winning ‘Series N700S’ (‘S’ is for Supreme) Shinkansen, runs along the Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen lines, connecting Tokyo with Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and Hakata, and was introduced in July 2020.

Friday 27 December 2024, 14:30–16:30
Sunday 5 January 2025, 14:30–16:30

 

Origami

Try your hand at origami, Japanese paper folding. Make your own orizuru (folded crane) to wish for peace and hope for the future or fold an origami frog and see how far you can make it jump.

Sunday 22 December 2024, 14:30–16:30
Sunday 29 December 2024, 14:30–16:30