Welcome the New Year! Ideas for Handmade Kadomatsu
Kadomatsu, often displayed in front of homes and shops during the New Year, serve as markers to guide the Toshigami (New Year deity) to visit each household or business.
In this article, we introduce handmade kadomatsu ideas to help you welcome the new year filled with happiness.
We’ve gathered a variety of DIY kadomatsu options: easy-to-make versions, compact designs that don’t take up much space, and simple creations using materials other than bamboo.
Use these ideas as inspiration and try making your own kadomatsu to suit your display location and personal taste!
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Let’s welcome a great New Year! Handmade Kadomatsu Ideas (21–30)
White bamboo Kadomatsu
A white-painted bamboo kadomatsu is a piece that suits New Year’s interior decor.
The bamboo is carefully coated with layers of water-based paint to achieve a clean, crisp white, and bundles of grasses and pampas bushes are added to lend a soft, airy feel.
By arranging New Year–appropriate plants like ranunculus sprays and nandina in a well-balanced way, you create a space that is both vibrant and serene.
The modern color palette matches beautifully with traditional good-luck ornaments.
With plant selection and placement allowing for personal expression, this piece has a striking presence befitting the start of a new year.
Yarn ball kadomatsu arrangement
This is a cute mascot made by attaching a felt kadomatsu to a yarn ball base.
First, compress aluminum foil into a sphere and wrap it tightly with yarn so that no foil shows.
Once the yarn ball is formed, attach a round piece of felt to the bottom so it can stand, and then add the kadomatsu parts to the top.
It’s important to craft each of the pine, bamboo, and plum components with attention to color gradation, and finish vividly with decorative cords or ribbons.
It’s also recommended to adjust the depth of the felt colors used for the parts to match the yarn ball’s color, which creates a cohesive look.
In conclusion
We introduced some ideas for handmade kadomatsu—what did you think? There were all sorts, from ones that actually use bamboo to versions that substitute other materials for the bamboo itself.
If you want to make a traditional one, use real bamboo; if you’d prefer something easier, go with substitutes and create the kadomatsu you like.
Make and display your kadomatsu, and let’s make it a wonderful year!