As 2020 comes to a close, we'd like to thank you all for your support during this very tumultuous year. We together worked through many challenges to continue to provide educational and cultural programs to the community! We are pleased to share our short Youtube videos about the Japanese New Year Traditions. On behalf of the Japanese Friendship Garden, we wish you a Healthy and Happy New Year! Kadomatsu demonstration by garden curator, Ben Schrepf Kadomatsu are paired bamboo and pine decorations that are set to the left and right of the entrance ways of a building in order to invite the good sprit of the New Year to bless that location for the coming year. Ben Schrepf (Japanese Garden Curator) will demonstrate how to build a very authentic LARGE sized Kadomatsu in traditional form. This Japanese New Year project is funded, supported, and made possible by a grant from @The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership @ Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix

Happy New Year 2021. We'd like to thank you all for your support during this very tumultuous year. We together worked through many challenges to continue to provide educational and cultural programs to the community! We are pleased to share our short Youtube videos about the Japanese New Year Traditions. On behalf of the Japanese Friendship Garden, we wish you a Healthy and Happy New Year! This Japanese New Year project is funded, supported, and made possible by a grant from @The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership at the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix RoHoEn YouTube Video: Playlist: Japanese New Year - Enjoy learning Japanese Culture! December 31 Kadomatsu Demonstration by our curator, Ben Schrepf https://youtu.be/wop4-uLkfBs January 1 Japanese New Year Traditions https://youtu.be/dWkDpIvtL5g Let’s Sing a Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year) Song https://youtu.be/Lr57mUlRohk Kamishibai Story: How The Year Were Named https://youtu.be/1WX82PW2XD4

RoHoEn YouTube Video: Playlist: Japanese New Year - Enjoy learning Japanese Culture! We are sharing a traditional Story-How the Years Were Named (Kamshibai） Animals are used throughout the world to symbolize special traits. The 12-year animal zodiac cycle originated in China and was used not only for naming years but also for months, hours of the day and to indicate directions. The concept gradually spread throughout East Asia. Japanese People often say “ I was born in the years of tori (rooster) or hebi (snake) or any one of the other zodiac animals. Every 12 years, your year comes round and the birthday celebration is more special. Do you know Kamshibai? Kamishibai (Japanese: 紙芝居, "paper play") is a form of Japanese street theatre and storytelling that was popular during the Depression of the 1930s and the post-war period in Japan until the advent of television during the twentieth century. Kamishibai was told by a kamishibaiya ("kamishibai narrator") who travelled to street corners with sets of illustrated boards that they placed in a miniature stage-like device and narrated the story by changing each image. Enjoy the traditional way of Storytelling! On behalf of the Japanese Friendship Garden, we wish you a Healthy and Happy New Year! This Japanese New Year project is funded, supported, and made possible by a grant from @The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership at Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix Past Kamishibai (Japanese Traditional Story) published by Engawa Summer Kaguyahime (The Bamboo Princess) Story https://youtu.be/C2YK_ad5ib8 Hanasaka Jii san (The Old Man Who Made the Trees Bloom) Story https://youtu.be/PUptbfh8E1o Urashma Taro (The fisher lad) https://youtu.be/tJeyxs7nCAc Momotaro (Peach Boy) https://youtu.be/9q2G7I1xLjk Tanabata Story https://youtu.be/HeqRnI-LK0s

RoHoEn YouTube Video: Playlist: Japanese New Year - Enjoy learning Japanese Culture! Today, January 2. We are sharing a Japanese traditional New Year Song (童謡） Oshogatsu (New Year) Lyric in Japanese もういくつねるとお正月 Mo ikutsu neruto oshogatsu お正月には　凧あげて Oshogatsu ni wa tako agete こまをまわして　遊びましょう. Koma omawashite asobimashou はやくこいこいお正月 Hayaku koi koi oshogatsu もういくつねるとお正月 Mo ikutsu neruto oshogatsu お正月には　まりついて. Oshogatsu ni wa mari tsuite おいばねついて　遊びましょう. Oibane tsuite asobimashou はやくこいこいお正月. Hayaku koi koi oshogatsu Translation How many nights to sleep until it's New Year's? On New Year's Day, let's fly kites and play by spinning tops Come come fast, New Year's How many nights to sleep until it's New Year's? On New Year's Day, let's bounce a ball and play with a shuttlecock Come come fast, New Year's