[Day Service] Setsubun decorations that bring smiles. Ideas for enjoying them with a variety of materials.
As Setsubun approaches, it’s fun to decorate the day-service space.
There are many hands-on projects that let you feel the season, such as 3D rolled sushi (ehomaki) made from origami, egg-shaped red oni, vibrant oni crafted with tsumami-zaiku, and hanging ball ornaments (temari) using chirimen fabric.
You can also recreate the traditional holly-and-sardine (hiiragi iwashi) custom with origami or make tabletop decorations with paper clay—there are endless ways to express yourself.
The conversations that naturally arise while crafting together create warm, heartwarming moments.
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[Day Service] Setsubun decorations that make you smile. Ideas for enjoying them with a variety of materials (31–40)
Otafuku Decorations: Setsubun Crafts
Here’s an idea for making an Otafuku (Okame) face using origami.
Use origami paper to create the hair, cheeks, and a floral hair ornament, then glue them onto a backing sheet.
Finish by drawing the eyes and mouth with a pen.
The key point of this idea is to lightly sketch each part on the origami first and then tear the shapes by hand instead of cutting them with scissors.
This gives the piece a warm, handcrafted feel.
For the floral hair ornament, use origami with traditional Japanese patterns to make it look festive.
You can also write a seasonal phrase like “God of Good Fortune” on the backing to match Setsubun.
Oni made easily with felt
Why not try making a cute oni (demon) mascot with felt? Use a toilet paper roll cut to a length of 6.5 cm as the base, representing the pants on the lower half and the face on the upper half.
For the pants, first cover the entire lower half with yellow felt, then twist and glue three band-shaped felt pieces—yellow and brown strips that you’ve cut and joined—around it.
For the face, attach red felt and glue yarn along the top edge to make the hair, then add pearl stickers for the eyes and cheeks.
Finally, attach felt triangles as horns, and it’s complete!
The demon of accordion folds
In Japan’s old lunar calendar, the year began with Risshun (the first day of spring).
Risshun was considered a very important day, and the day before it—February 3rd, Setsubun—was essentially the equivalent of New Year’s Eve today.
Although Setsubun is a bit different from how it is now, let me introduce a festive ogre (oni) decoration suitable for this seasonal turning point, displayed on a fan.
To capture the fierce look of the oni’s face, the key is to use an accordion fold with origami.
An accordion fold is a method of folding paper by alternating mountain and valley folds like a folding fan.
It allows you to create the oni’s distinctive expression.
Attach the facial parts to the face, and then affix plum blossoms to the fan’s base.
It makes a wonderful piece not only for decorating facility walls but also to take home and display.
square incense box
A kōbako is a box for holding incense and is used as an implement in the tea ceremony and kōdō (the Way of Incense).
Thanks to its ornate appearance and auspicious associations, it would also be perfect for holding Setsubun beans.
This content introduces how to make such a kōbako out of origami.
The design creates volume in the compartment that holds items and features protruding corners on all four sides to give a three-dimensional look.
Because the finished piece clearly shows both sides of the paper, using paper with patterns on both sides—or laminating two sheets of origami before folding—will result in a more striking, decorative finish.
baby ogre
If you create the demons that appear during Setsubun in a cute design, they’ll be easier to incorporate into decorations.
Let’s make a small origami mascot with the theme of a baby oni.
Start with a large triangle as the base, then fold it while adding stepped layers to form the head and body.
A key point is the structure where these layered folds protrude on the back; by adjusting the angle, you can make the mascot look like it’s sitting.
Draw the face, attach separately made pants, and it’s complete.
Try varying the colors you use and the expressions you draw to create a variety of baby oni.
[Day Service] Setsubun decorations that make you smile. Introducing ideas to enjoy with a variety of materials (41–50)
Mini shikishi decorations for Setsubun from the 100-yen shop
This is a wall decoration themed around the oni (ogres) that appear in Setsubun, a traditional Japanese seasonal event.
Why not make a seasonal decoration using items you can buy at a 100-yen shop? Create the oni’s facial parts from construction paper and attach a soft string to both sides of the assembled face.
Represent the beans using Lezac paper or colored paper, adhere them to mini square boards, then use double-sided tape to add the oni parts as decorations.
Scatter beans and other elements used in oni-chasing scenes across the boards, attach a ribbon at the top, and it’s complete.
Working on these detailed steps also helps train fine motor skills by engaging your fingertips.
Recommended for class activities! Draw your favorite demon
When you think of events in February, Setsubun probably comes to mind.
And when you think of Setsubun, you think of oni (ogres).
How about making unique oni crafts as a recreation activity? Staff can prepare the base parts in advance, such as the oni’s face, horns, and hair.
The rest can be drawn or decorated by the seniors, resulting in oni full of each person’s creativity.
Oni with one or two horns, or even a one-eyed oni—each one uniquely made by the participants.
When these oni are displayed on the facility walls and brighten up the rooms, some seniors may feel the season and grow fond of them.
It’s a project that enhances the Setsubun spirit and brings enjoyment.