Shikishi carry wishes, blessings and intentions of the new year.
The 21st annual New Year Shikishi Exhibition will take place from Saturday, Jan. 10, to Saturday, Jan. 24, at the George J. Doizaki Gallery, Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo. Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m. Closed Monday.
After an eight-year pause, one of JACCC’s most beloved New Year’s traditions returns. Presented alongside the Cultural Ikebana Exhibition, this year marks the joyful revival of a community ritual that has welcomed artists of all ages to share their hopes for the year ahead.
For generations, shikishi boards have carried the heartfelt wishes, blessings, and intentions of the new year. Through bold calligraphy, delicate illustrations, and deeply personal messages, each piece offers a glimpse into someone’s dreams for the future. This long-awaited return invites all to reconnect with the spirit of renewal, reflection, and cultural artistry that makes this tradition so meaningful.
Information can be found at https://jaccc.org/events/21st-annual-new-year-shikishi-exhibition/
The Ikebana Teachers Association of Southern California will display Japanese flower arrangements on Jan. 10 to 11 from 12 to 4 p.m.
The exhibition opens with a New Year’s ceremony on Jan. 10, beginning at 11 a.m. in the plaza, featuring the time-honored kagami-biraki ceremony, a powerful taiko drum performance by Kodama Taiko, and mochitsuki, the communal pounding of rice to make mochi.
Together, these rituals symbolize harmony, good fortune, renewal, and community, marking the opening of the exhibition as a sake barrel is ceremonially broken to welcome prosperity and unity for the year ahead.
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