Let's make a handmade hagoita! Fun ideas using milk cartons and cardboard
Why not try making your own hagoita (traditional Japanese battledore) for the New Year? In this article, we’ll introduce easy, handmade hagoita ideas that you can try using everyday materials.
By using recycled items like milk cartons, cardboard, or wooden boards from kamaboko fish cakes, you can create a one-of-a-kind original hagoita without spending much on materials.
Try drawing pictures or adding decorations to make pieces that are not only fun to play with but also enjoyable to display.
Enjoy the process of making them while experiencing Japan’s New Year traditions.
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Let’s make a handmade battledore! Fun ideas using milk cartons and cardboard (11–20)
Hagoita made by applying fabric
A hagoita (decorative battledore) we’d love for you to make with Japanese-patterned fabric.
Traditional New Year’s decorations in Japan pair perfectly with washi-style patterns.
Cut Japanese-patterned fabric to match the hagoita board and glue it on.
The choice of fabric will change the style: something bright and festive with pinks and reds, or a chic look using black fabric accented with gold.
Try making one with your favorite Japanese patterns.
Finish by attaching small tsumami-zaiku flowers made from chirimen crepe and some artificial red berries.
A decorative hagoita made using cloth tape
By using fabric tape with an adhesive backing—available even at 100-yen shops—you can easily transform a hagoita into something stylish.
Paint the paddle base black and apply the fabric tape, paying attention to the balance.
Then add artificial flowers.
If you attach them so they create a three-dimensional effect, you’ll end up with a hagoita that feels luxurious.
It might also be nice to use flowers suited to New Year’s, such as camellias, which bloom in January.
Though it’s still a chilly season, depending on the artificial flowers you choose, you can create a hagoita that also evokes the arrival of spring.
A cute battledore decorated with a small ball
A gorgeous piece that combines a decorative ball (temari) and a battledore (hagoita), perfect for celebrating the New Year.
The base is made by cutting thick paper into a hagoita shape and applying Japanese-patterned fabric to create a smooth foundation.
Nishijin-ori and Japanese-style ribbons with gold thread are fanned out for decoration, while mizuhiki cords are arranged like an obi to add splendor.
Braided cords are wrapped to create a temari and positioned like feathers to accentuate the beauty.
Washi paper is applied to the back to give a crisp finish, resulting in a high-quality interior piece.
By thoughtfully adjusting the placement of each component, you can achieve a well-balanced look.
This is an auspicious hagoita idea that will add even more festivity to celebratory occasions.
DIY kit from a 100-yen shop
If you want a hagoita, it just feels right to make one out of wood—but cutting out that intricate shape can be tough.
So why not use a DIY kit? You can find handmade kits online, but I especially recommend the hagoita kits sold at 100-yen shops.
They’re a bit smaller than regular hagoita, but if your child will be playing with it, the size might be perfect.
You can paint pictures on them, or decorate them with origami paper or tape—anything goes! Adding small pieces of chirimen fabric from the 100-yen shop would also look cute.
It’s a sturdy, long-lasting hagoita that you can display even after you’re done playing with it.
Using fish cake boards (kamaboko boards) or ice cream sticks
Kamaboko, the classic fish cake often found in New Year’s osechi cuisine, is something many people eat year-round, so it’s probably easy to collect the wooden boards that become waste.
If you have any left over from the New Year, they’re perfect as materials for making a handmade hagoita (traditional battledore)! While it might be a bit small for a hagoita, you won’t need to cut boards or do extra work, and you can make a sturdy, durable paddle—highly recommended.
The size may actually be just right for small children.
Try using ice cream sticks or disposable chopsticks as the handle, and decorate the board portion in your own way.
You can also draw directly on the board.