FREE ALL DAY
Join us as we welcome the Year of the Rabbit with cultural performances, crafts, and activities for families and kids of all ages!
- Traditional mochitsuki (Japanese rice pounding ritual) performance by Kodama Taiko
- Candy sculpture demonstrations by Shan Ichiyanagi (Shan the Candyman)
- Koto and calligraphy performances
- Author-led interactive storytimes
- Fun Oshogatsu and Year of the Rabbit-inspired crafts and origami
- Souvenir photos by cre8tive outlets
- Scavenger hunt for prizes
- Free admission all day
…and so much more!
See below for the full schedule of performances and activities!
RSVP to Win
This event is free, but RSVPs are requested. Those who RSVP and show their ticket at the JANM membership table at the Oshogatsu Family Festival will be entered into a drawing for a special JANM gift bag! RSVP NOW
Special Perks for JANM Members
Be sure to check in when you arrive to get a Member sticker so you can take advantage of all the special Member benefits!
Not a current member? Join/renew Now
Can’t join us in person? We’ll be posting select performances and activities on our YouTube channel throughout the day!
Check out our event recap on the JANM blog! View
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Media Sponsor: 
For press inquiries, email mediarelations@janm.org or call 213.625.0414.
Press Photo Gallery
(Password Access Only—contact mediarelations@janm.org for access.)
Activities
Rabbit Headbands
Hop into the New Year! Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit by crafting your own rabbit headband.
Paper Carrots
Make your own paper carrots to cheer on the mochitsuki demonstration and other live performances.
Scavenger Hunt and Raffle
Explore our exhibitions with a Year of the Rabbit themed scavenger hunt and win a special prize! Children who complete the scavenger hunt will also receive a chance to win a candy sculpture by Shan Ichiyanagi through a Kids’ Raffle.
While supplies last. Limit one (1) raffle ticket per child. Members receive two chances to win!
Origami Rabbit
Learn to fold a cute origami rabbit face at Ruthie’s Origami Corner!
This activity is named in honor of JANM volunteer Ruthie Kitagawa (1937-2020), who led origami activities at the Museum for many years.
Photo Booth
Grab some fun props from Cre8tive Outlets and take a souvenir photo with friends and family.
Express lane for Members!
Los Angeles Public Library
Sign up for a library card with friends from the Los Angeles Public Library! Stay for button making and coloring pages!
Fukubukuro Sale
Our always-popular fukubukuro (lucky grab bags) will be available for purchase online and at the JANM Store (while supplies last).
Rabbit Coloring Sheet
Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with this intricate coloring sheet. Color it your way, share your art, and tag us at @jamuseum!
Membership and RSVP Table
Open up or renew your Membership. If you RSVP'd for the festival, check in at the Membership table with your ticket to be entered into a drawing for a special JANM gift bag!
Schedule
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Candy Sculptures
Experience the ancient–and now rarely practiced–Asian folk art of candy sculpting. Watch Shan Ichiyanagi as he makes candy in the shape of Asian zodiac animals and other shapes found in nature. The finished pieces will be offered as prizes in the Kids’ Raffle noted above.
See All Day Activities above.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Koto Performance
Los Angeles-based musician Yuki Yasuda will play the koto, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument.
Reserved seating for JANM Members! This performance will be livestreamed on YouTube (@janmdotorg).
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
“Why Cats Chase Mice” Book Reading
Join author Mina Harada Eimon as she reads from her children’s book Why Cats Chase Mice: A Story of the Twelve Zodiac Signs, a retelling of a Japanese version of the Asian folktale explaining the origins of the animals chosen for the zodiac.
Mina will also sign copies of the book, available in the JANM Store.
Reserved seating for JANM Members!
12:30 PM - 1:00 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.
Reserved seating for JANM Members! This performance will be livestreamed on YouTube (@janmdotorg).
1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
Calligraphy Dance Performance
Calligrapher and dancer Kuniharu Yoshida collaborates with artists to combine sublime arts, merging traditional with the contemporary.
This performance will be livestreamed on YouTube (@janmdotorg).
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Cold Tofu Improv and Comedy Group
Enjoy a performance by the nation's longest running, Asian-American improv and sketch comedy group Cold Tofu as they improvise scenes and games based on audience suggestions.
Reserved seating for JANM Members! This performance will be livestreamed on YouTube (@janmdotorg).
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Los Angeles Public Library Storytime Session
Join friends from the Los Angeles Public Library for a fun-filled storytime session!
Reserved seating for JANM Members!
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Taiko Workshop
Join JANM volunteer Hal Keimi for an energetic lesson in basic taiko drumming
Reserved seating for JANM Members!
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
“Why Cats Chase Mice” Book Reading
Join author Mina Harada Eimon as she reads from her children’s book Why Cats Chase Mice: A Story of the Twelve Zodiac Signs, a retelling of a Japanese version of the Asian folktale explaining the origins of the animals chosen for the zodiac.
Mina will also sign copies of the book, available in the JANM Store.
Reserved seating for JANM Members!
4:00 PM - 4:30 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.
Reserved seating for JANM Members! This performance will be livestreamed on YouTube (@janmdotorg).