SummerHoliday
Activity
PackThe Japan
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FurinSummer is very hot in Japan so the light tinkling sound of a wind chime means
there is a refreshing breeze on the way! That’s why furin, which means wind chimein Japanese, are a symbol of summer in Japan. One of the most common types ismade of glass and bowl-shaped like in the image below.

Photo by Rui Hao Lim on Unsplash

You will often see a rectangular card called tanzaku hanging from a furin. Whenthe tanzaku catches the breeze, it moves the chime to hit against the side of thebowl. Tanzaku have been used in Japan for hundreds of years as cards for writing
poems on, but nowadays they are most commonly seen on furin, or used to write
wishes on during the Star Festival in summer.
Furin can be seen hanging from people’s homes or balconies. Why not try to
make your own furin from recycled materials to hang up at home this summer!

Photo by ncracker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Photo by msucoo93, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

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Step 1– Make a Tanzaku CardYour tanzaku card will hang from your furin and move in the breeze.

You will need
• Coloured paper/Card• Pen• Hole punch			• Scissors• String around 30cm long

1. Cut out a rectangle of coloured

2. Using a hole punch,paper or card. Roughly 7cm x

make a hole in the top

15 cm is a good size. Biggerof the rectangle, aboutcards are easier to write on.

1cm away from theedge.

3. Write a wish or

4. Turn the paper overpoem for peace andand decorate it using any

your name with amaterials you like. Try topen.

link the design with thewish or poem.

5. Thread string (roughly 30cm) through the holeand tie a knot. Keep the finished tanzaku so it canbe attached to the furin wind chime.

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Step 2 – Pick a design for your furin
Because furin are a symbol of summer in Japan, they are often decorated withsummery designs, such as the pictures below.

watermelon

fireworks

goldfishshaved ice

uchiwa fan

What makes you think of summer? Write down or draw things which remind you of thewarmest months of the year below. Choose your favourites to add to your furin!

Add some patterns to your furin! There are many traditional patterns in Japan that were
inspired by nature and animals. Below are some examples.

Karakusa(inspired by vines)

Kikko

Seigaiha(inspired by tortoiseshell)(inspired by waves)

Create your own pattern! Think of animals or things you find in nature around you anddraw their shapes in the box below. Choose your favourites to add to your furin !

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Step 3 - Make your furin
Before you can decorate your furin you will need to ask an adult to create the main
structure of the furin. Find someone to help you using the instructions below.

Preparation for Adults
You will need•

Section of a plastic bottle (any size) or alternatively ayoghurt pot, plastic or paper cup, or similar.

•

Permanent markers or sharpies•

Pre-made tanzaku (tied to a string around 30cm long)•

Small beads and choice of materials for decorating(optional)

Optional decorations•

Craft paint (check it’s suitable for use on your chosen furinmaterial)•Stickers•

Sequins, pom-poms, and glue•

Beads, bells or collected materials to make a ‘chime’

Instructions for adults
If using a plastic bottle, carefully cut to the desired size using a stanley knife orscissors and cover the cut edge with tape.
You will need a sharp and pointed tool, such as a gimlet or awl to make a holein the centre of the furin (see step 4). If your chosen furin is plastic, be awarethat the thicker the plastic, the more tricky this may be.

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Society
Education
Resources| education@japansociety.org.uk| www.japansociety.org.uk© TheJapan|Society(2022)| www.japansociety.org.uk| education@japansociety.org.ukNow you are ready to decorate and start putting everything together on your own!
Just follow the instructions below. If you have trouble with tying the knots or hanging
the furin, don’t forget to ask someone for help!

1. Start with the bottle, yoghurt pot, or cup an adulthas prepared for you. If it’s a plastic bottle, makesure the cut edges are covered with tape.

2. Decorate the furin using permanent markers
and any other materials you like.

3.

Threadbeads

4. Tie a knot roughly

onto the string so

15cm from the top

they sit on top of theof the tanzaku string

tanzaku card.

and then thread it
through the hole inthe bottle.

5. Hang up the finished furin for display!
Pick somewhere it can flutter in the breeze.

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KitesTraditional Japanese kites are toys and also works of art.
They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and many aredecorated with bold designs and brightly coloured tails.
Some kite designs are unique to the area they were madein. The Japanese word for kite is tako.

Designs
Japanese kite designs include: basic geometric shapes, warrior legends, local
symbols or traditional patterns, written Japanese, birds or insects and more! One
popular design is called yakko - it’s the shape of a person.

© 静岡県観光協会© 新潟県観光協会

Kites are traditionally flown at New Year in Japan and there are kite-flying festivals
at other times of year too, including a popular giant kite festival held every year inJapan in the summer.
Japanese kites are usually made from washi (Japanese paper) with a light bamboo
frame, but you can make your own simple kite out of newspaper! Follow theinstructions on the next page.

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Make a Simple Japanese Kite!
Written by Susan Wright, edited by the Japan Society based on a design by Japanesekite-maker, Takeshi Nishibayashi.

You will need•••••

A sheet of newspaper (or A3 paper)
Scissors
TapeA length of string or twine
Two strips of paper or ribbon (Approx 2cm x 45-60cm)

1. Fold an A3 sheet ofpaper or newspaper
along centre andopen out again.

2. Fold outside edges
to centre fold line andopen flat again.

3. Cut off corners as shown andretain pieces. Flip the kite.

2
2

1
1

5. Attach strips of paperor ribbon to wings withglue or tape.

4. Tape cut off pieces to foldlines on back of kite as shown.
Fold these ‘wings’ back andtape again on the other side toreinforce them.

6. Reinforce the kiteedges with tape andpunch a hole on eachside. Tie 2 strings (6070cm) through the holes
with a double knot, thentie ends to form a harness.
*Tie an extra length of string onto the harness
if you want your kite to fly high!

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..

..

Kanji characters
In the Japanese language, words are often written in kanji characters. The word furin,
which means wind charms, is written like this: 風鈴.
Why not try writing it below? Follow the stroke order and trace each character, thenpractice writing them on your own.

風鈴風鈴①②①③⑤⑦④④ ⑥

⑥⑧fu

⑨⑧②

③⑤⑦⑨⑩

⑪⑫

⑬

rin

Well done! Now you can practice writing the characters 夏, for ‘summer’ and 凧, for ‘kites’!

夏夏
凧凧
①

③
⑤
⑥
⑦

②

④

⑨⑧

⑩natsu

②①

④

⑤

③

tako

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Have you ever tried onigiri? They are a common snack in Japan and you might see
them for sale in Japanese shops in the UK too. They are sometimes called rice balls
in English.
Onigiri are simple to make, easy to transport and very tasty, so why not makeyour own and take them for a picnic? Traditional fillings in Japan include umeboshi(pickled plum), kombu (seaweed) and salmon, but you can choose any filling youlike!

Onigiri Recipe
This recipe makes 4 large onigiri or 6 smaller ones.
You will need:•300g cooked short grain rice (have an adult make this)•Bowl of water•Salt•

Sheets of nori (dried edible seaweed) *optional•Your choice of fillings. You could try: tuna mayonnaise, cheese and ham,sweetcorn, egg mayonnaise or anything else you like!

To make:
1. Divide the rice into equal portions (between 4-6). You should be able to hold aportion in one of your hands.
2. To shape the onigiri, wet your hands from the bowl of water and then ask a friendor adult to sprinkle some salt onto them. The water stops the rice sticking to yourfingers!
3. Then pick up one of the portions of rice and make a dent or hole in the middle
using your finger. Place your filling into the hole.
4. Cover the filling with some of the rice and then mould the ball with your hands
into a rough triangle or circle shape. Try to pack it so the rice holds together, but
don’t squeeze it too hard!
5. If you’re using nori you can wrap it around your onigiri or use it for decoration– try cutting the nori into different shapes, or even eyes and a mouth. The onigiri
is sticky so the nori won’t fall off.

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Origami Challenge
You will need• origami or squared colour paper• scissors

Mini Sunglasses*For regular size sunglasses you can wear, usesquared paper measuring between 30-40cm.

1. Fold in half tomake a triangle.

2. Fold up.

4. Cut along
dotted line.

3. Roll down by folding
along the dotted line.

5. Fold down and tuckin both top flaps. Flipover.

6. Fold up both
flaps. Repeat
step 5.

7. Fold backwards.

8. Fold backwards.
9. Done!
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Colour the kite!

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