Every year, Japan's Niigita coastal region hosts the Wara Art Festival which features enormous sculptures made from leftover rice-straw, known as 'wara'. After taking a break in 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic and its consequent restrictions, the festival made a big comeback in 2021 to celebrate its 13th anniversary.
This year, the festival features a surprising collection of animal sculptures at Uwasekigata Park. The sculptures resemble a wide variety of animals including, a walrus, squid, eagle and bear.
The event historically stems from a tradition that farmers of the Nishikan Ward (formerly Iwamuro village) had in order to creatively dispose of the straw remains from the harvest of rice. This tradition eventually led to a partnership with Musashino Art University where students design the creatures and the crafters in Nishikan Ward create the sculptures using wood and straw.
The sculptures featured in this year's festival will remain at Uwasekigata Park until the end of October. You can also view the creations from previous festivals here.
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A post shared by Wara Art | わらアートまつり (@wara.art)
A post shared by Wara Art | わらアートまつり (@wara.art)
A post shared by Wara Art | わらアートまつり (@wara.art)
A post shared by Wara Art | わらアートまつり (@wara.art)
A post shared by Wara Art | わらアートまつり (@wara.art)
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[h/t: My Modern Met]
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