FREE ALL DAY!
Welcome the Year of the Boar with with crafts, food, cultural activities, and performances!
Plus, free admission all day to see Kaiju vs Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey through the World of Japanese Toys, Gambatte! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit, and Common Ground: The Heart of Community.
See the complete schedule below.
JANM Members Only reserved seating and express lines!
Activities
Pig Ears Headband
Celebrate the Year of the Boar with some stylish pig ears!
New Year Goal Activity
Gambatte means to do your best and not give up. Write down a goal that you will do your best to achieve in the new year. Then have your photo taken with your goal and decorate the photo. Hang it up at home as a reminder for 2019.
Ruthie's Origami Corner
Learn how to fold a paper boar.
Photo Booth
Grab some fun props and pose for a souvenir photo with friends at the Nerdbot Photo Booth. Express Line for members.
Pig Pen
What could be more fun than being surrounded by plush pig and boar toys? Our boar coloring station is at the pig pen, too.
Scavenger Hunt
Explore the museum, find all of the items on our scavenger hunt list, and win a prize! While supplies last.
Kids' Raffle
Children can enter to win a candy sculpture by Shan Ichiyanagi (Shan the Candyman). While supplies last. Limit one (1) raffle ticket per child. Members receive two chances to win!
Toddler Room
Here’s a place for toddlers to relax or play with other toddlers. NOTE: All children must be supervised by an accompanying adult at all times.
Fukubukuro Sale
Our always popular fukubukuro (lucky grab bags) will be back and available for purchase at the JANM Store.
Schedule
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Lucky Soba Noodles
Kidding Around the Kitchen will give out sample bowls of lucky zaru soba(cold buckwheat noodles) to bring good health in the New Year. Kids can top the soba with their choice of tofu, vegetables, and nori (seaweed). While supplies last.
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Live Art Performance
Ruki: Power of Flow is a collaboration between taiko and Japanese calligraphy. Combining contemporary elements and traditional art forms, Rukipairs the calligrapher’s dance performance with strong taiko beats to celebrate the New Year. You’ve never seen a live art performance like this! Performed by Japanese calligrapher and hip hop dancer Kuniharu Yoshida and taiko player Walter Nishinaka. Reserved seating for members.
11:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Candy Sculptures
Shan Ichiyanagi (Shan the Candyman) will demonstrate the ancient, and now rarely practiced, Asian folk art of candy sculpting. Watch as he makes candy in the shape of boars and the other animals of the Asian zodiac. The finished pieces will be offered as prizes in the Kids’ Raffle; see All Day Activities above.
12:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Osechi-Ryori Tasting
Sample a selection of traditional Japanese new year foods, including various sweets and vegetables, and learn about what each dish means. While supplies last. Express Line for members.
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Artist Conversation
To mark the release of Kaiju vs Heroes artist Mark Nagata’s latest special edition sofubi toy figure—an homage to the character played by Gerald Okamura in the movie Big Trouble in Little China—Nagata will discuss how this project came to fruition. Reserved seating for members.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Toy and Print Signing
Mark Nagata and Gerald “Man of Many Weapons” Okamura will sign figures and a special print of the header art created for the toy following the artist conversation. The figure is hand-painted by Mark and limited to 45 pieces. Express Line for members.
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Mochitsuki Demonstration
Making fresh mochi is a beloved Japanese new year tradition. Join Kodama Taiko for their unique mochitsuki (rice pounding) demonstration, which incorporates taiko drumming, and enjoy delicious mochi samples while supplies last.
Performances at 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm.
