Lovely Play & Recreation

Fun for adults and kids alike! Home festival ideas to capture the lively spirit of a Japanese matsuri

Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”
lighterutatane
A person from the melodic hardcore boom generation who loves music, photography, and eating. I’ve been going to live houses for over 20 years. I’m at the age where summer festivals are starting to feel tough physically. I sometimes try shooting live photos and videos for MVs. I’m not great at English, so I often listen to straightforward Japanese rock that hits directly, but if someone recommends something, I’ll listen to anything—Western or Japanese—broadly and casually. I like cooking while listening to music; it’s a nice way to relieve stress.

Triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have probably found fewer opportunities to fully enjoy themselves outdoors or spend time in crowded places.

There are plenty of fun things to do at home, but lots of kids still look forward to festivals and fair-style events.

However, sometimes festivals aren’t held, or it’s difficult to go where there are crowds.

In times like these, why not host an at-home “Ennichi” fair that you can enjoy with family and friends? Prepare classic festival-style foods and games, and have fun with attractions that are every bit as appealing as the real thing! It’s not just for summer—doing it for your child’s birthday, for example, is sure to make them happy!

Fun for adults and kids! Home festival ideas to enjoy the matsuri vibe (41–50)

mold cutting

Tanukiya at the festival! “If you succeed, you get a Slot Gum~” Slot gumball shop

mold cutting

Katanuki, a game where you battle with a candy made of pink sugar, is one of the must-have stalls at festival fairs.

If you don’t apply pressure just right or poke it carefully with the needle, it quickly cracks and you fail.

Many people probably remember trying again and again after repeated failures.

You can easily get katanuki molds from online shops, so it’s also great for a festival-at-home.

Why not prepare some prizes for when someone succeeds and enjoy it with your kids? You might be surprised to find the parents get even more into it.

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Ramune

[No-Spray] How to Open and Drink Ramune [You Can Take Out the Marble, Too!]

Ramune

Bottled Ramune brings back memories for adults and seniors, and kids can enjoy it too.

Ramune, which you drink by pushing the marble from the bottle cap into the bottle, is one of the highlights of a festival stall.

It takes a little technique to drop the marble without spilling, so parents should show their kids how to do it.

Just in case, it’s a good idea to put something underneath when opening it.

Even if it fizzes over or spills, that will surely become a fond memory too.

Pick up a bottle of Ramune and enjoy the festive atmosphere!

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Aquarium coin pusher

Underwater Coin Drop Game

Aquarium coin pusher

It’s a game where a small dish is placed at the bottom of a large water-filled tank, and you drop coins aiming for the dish.

The appeal is how easy it is to set up: all you need is a large tank, a target dish, and some coins.

As long as you have space to put the tank, you can enjoy it even in a limited area.

Decide in advance how many coins each player can use, and compete to see how many land in the dish—that format is easy to understand.

It’s fun to watch the coins not fall as you expect due to water resistance, and if you stir the water to create a current, you can raise the difficulty and make it even more interesting!

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Treasure Hunt

Treasure Hunt at the Stone House ☆ Aim for the Perfect Match Prize!! [UUUM Serious Play at Yomiuriland Early Summer 2018] himawari-CH

Treasure Hunt

A slightly unusual festival booth idea is a treasure hunt.

When you hear “treasure hunt,” you might imagine roaming around a large area, but it’s actually easy to do even in a small space! A recommended approach is to prepare a container filled with lots of sand, bury the treasures inside, and have participants search for them.

Depending on what you bury, you can put the prizes themselves in the sand, but it’s better to bury colored stones and let the prize vary by the color found.

That way, you don’t have to worry about the prizes getting dirty.

Besides sand, you can also change things up by hiding the treasures in opaque, colored water—feel free to experiment with how you conceal the treasures to your liking.

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In conclusion

You can’t help but think, “I want to copy every single at-home festival idea!” right? Just changing a familiar everyday space into a different situation is sure to be fun not only for kids but for adults too.

Take lots of photos and make your at-home festival a memory to treasure!