Celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Horse at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s family-friendly Winter Festival!
Enjoy art-making activities with family and friends, watch musical and dance performances, and indulge in foods representing a variety of Asian cuisines, available for purchase from local vendors.
While Japan’s official and cultural New Year’s Day now falls on January 1 according to the Gregorian calendar, this was not always the case. Prior to the Meiji Period, Japan observed the New Year in accordance with the lunisolar calendar.
Both in the past and today, the New Year in Japan is a time for setting fresh goals and making heartfelt wishes for the year ahead. One meaningful tradition is writing these wishes on ema—small wooden plaques that are offered at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples as prayers for success, good health, and happiness.
Create your very own ema and write a wish or goal for the year ahead. Your ema will serve as a reminder of your aspirations and encourage you as you work toward achieving them.
JASH needs your help to introduce this Japanese New Year’s tradition to MFAH Winter Festival attendees.
Volunteer with JASH and provide kids of all ages with the opportunity to design and write their own ema.
NOTE: Volunteer Registration is now closed.