Fun for adults and kids alike! Home festival ideas to capture the lively spirit of a Japanese matsuri
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!
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[Fun for adults and kids alike!] Home festival ideas to capture that summer fair vibe (11–20)
Target shooting
The shooting gallery at festival stalls is something even adults get hooked on.
If you aim well, you can hit the targets, but actually winning a prize can be pretty tough.
Each stall has its own rules, like the item has to fall over or drop into a designated area.
But if you’re doing a festival-at-home, set the difficulty low so everyone can simply enjoy it.
You can buy shooting stands from online shops, or make one out of cardboard.
As for the guns, check out 100-yen stores—they have various toy gun types to choose from.
Whole cucumber pickles
As a treat for adults, how about offering whole pickled cucumbers at your stall? They pair well with alcohol and are excellent for refreshing the palate after fried foods.
Peel a little of the cucumber skin and soak the cucumbers for about a day in a mixture of water, sugar, salt, vinegar, salted kelp, and dried red chili pepper.
If you want kids to enjoy them too, leave out the chili.
Once the cucumbers are well seasoned, insert a disposable chopstick, and they’re ready to serve.
While it’s an idea geared toward adults, serving a whole cucumber like this might also pique children’s curiosity and make them want to try it.
Super Ball scooping
Didn’t you do this at festivals and street fairs when you were a kid? It’s super ball scooping.
The colorful super balls give the stall a festive, summery feel.
Just like goldfish scooping, you use a ‘poi’ scooper to scoop up the super balls, and you get to keep however many you catch.
These days, it seems the prizes can vary depending on how many you scoop, too.
You get greedy trying to scoop a big ball, and the poi tears right away…
It’s the kind of thing even adults might get really into.
Frankfurt
If you have a hot plate, how about trying Frankfurt sausages? “Trying” is a big word—basically, you just line them up on the hot plate and grill.
They’re sold with sticks already inserted, but it can be fun to start by skewering the sausages together with your kids.
If you’re comfortable using a knife, you can make diagonal slits while keeping an eye on your child’s hands; it will make the casing even crispier when grilled.
For an even more authentic feel, put ketchup and mustard into squeeze dispensers from a 100-yen shop!
Wear a yukata or jinbei
Wearing a yukata or jinbei is one of the fun parts of festivals, isn’t it? Especially these days, when there are fewer chances to wear them, why not take this opportunity to dress someone up in one? That said, some people may feel it’s a waste to buy one, so in that case, making it yourself could be a good option.
Downloading a pattern from the internet will make the process smoother.
If you want to go for a more authentic look, try preparing geta sandals and a uchiwa fan as well.
Putting together an outfit like this will make taking photos even more enjoyable.
ring toss
Wouldn’t it be even more exciting to have a game that anyone—young or old, men or women—can join? A great option is ring toss.
As long as you have rings, all you need to do is set up some suitable objects as targets.
It’s fun to have a rule where you get a prize if your ring lands on a target, and it’s also great for friendly competition between parents and children or among siblings.
You can adjust the throwing distance to create handicaps.
If you’d like to enjoy some crafting as well, try using water-filled plastic bottles as the targets and making your own rings out of cardboard.
[Fun for adults and kids alike!] Home festival ideas to enjoy a festive atmosphere (21–30)
Cardboard craft target game
@ai_paint_diy It flies way farther than expected, so please play near a wall! I'll upload the detailed instructions on Instagram tonight!Target practicefestival#OuchiMonte#EducationalPlay#HandmadeToys#WorkingGirl#CardboardCraftscardboard#StayHomeTime#homeparty
♬ YONA YONA DANCE – Akiko Wada
Roll up long, cut strips of cardboard to make rings, create five of them, and stick them onto a base piece of cardboard.
Write point values inside the rings to complete the target.
This toy launches a ball into the target rings, so make a launcher by stacking and gluing an ice cream stick and a plastic bottle cap onto a clothespin.
Clip the clothespin onto the base to secure the launcher, and use a ball made from crumpled aluminum foil.
Put the ball into the bottle cap, press the ice cream stick downward, and release—it will shoot out with force.