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 matsuri vibe (31–40)
baby castella (mini Japanese sponge cakes)
Baby castella, often seen in the snack aisle at supermarkets, have a gentle sweetness that makes them easy to eat one after another.
So why not add baby castella to your at-home festival? Make the batter by mixing pancake mix, raw cane sugar, mirin, olive oil, and two eggs, then cook it in a takoyaki maker.
Since you stack two pieces baked in the takoyaki maker, it’s also recommended to sandwich your favorite fillings between them to add variety to the flavors.
cotton candy
With its fluffy look and texture, cotton candy really accentuates the fun, bustling atmosphere of a festival, doesn’t it? How about using a dedicated machine to make your own cotton candy at home, letting people imagine the excitement of a festival along with the delicious taste? At festivals, you usually just buy and eat what’s already made, so a big perk of doing it at home is that you can enjoy the whole process from making it to eating it.
And if you use hard candies instead of just granulated sugar, you can add colors, so trying your hand at creating your own original cotton candy might be a great idea.
Beigoma (spinning top)
How about incorporating traditional Japanese games into your booths for a school or cultural festival? For example, with beigoma, people of all ages can play together.
Beigoma is a game where you spin small iron tops without axles on a platform and compete to see whose top keeps spinning the longest.
Since several people spin their tops on the same platform, the tops naturally collide.
Staying on the platform without being knocked off is another key to winning.
Because of this, there are several ways to wind the string for beigoma.
It’s likely to create a friendly atmosphere where everyone teaches each other how to wind the string and shares tips on throwing.
Gem scooping
Shops with scooping games—like goldfish scooping, yo-yo balloon scooping, and super ball scooping—really spark that urge to take on a challenge.
Part of the appeal is how easy they seem: you find yourself thinking, “I could do that,” or “Even I can get one.” That’s why I recommend the glittering “gem scooping.” You’re scooping toy gems, of course, but combined with the festival atmosphere, you somehow end up wanting them.
You can probably source fake jewelry that looks real at a low cost, so it’d be nice to mix a few in as prizes.
Candy shaped like rings would likely be a hit, too!
omikuji (a Japanese fortune slip typically drawn at Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples)
Speaking of food stalls and festival nights, that means the grounds of a Shinto shrine.
And when you think of a shrine… yes, omikuji fortune slips! If you offer a variety of omikuji, they’re sure to become the talk of the town.
Not only store-bought omikuji—making your own is a great idea, too.
Come up with irresistibly fun themes together, like love fortunes, future fortunes, or grade fortunes.
You can also get creative with how you hand them out: have a swimming goldfish choose a fortune, pick one by shooting an arrow, or draw one with a roulette wheel—the possibilities are endless!