Kadomatsu (New Year Pine Decoration) Coloring Pages

An Important Landmark to Welcome the Gods Kadomatsu (New Year Pine Decoration) is a special decoration that you put in front of your gate or entrance for New Year's. People use pine and bamboo because they stay green even in winter. It acts as a landmark so Toshigami-sama, the New Year god who brings happiness, can find your home without getting lost!

Parts of Kadomatsu (New Year Pine Decoration) and Their Meanings

Each plant used in Kadomatsu (New Year Pine Decoration) has a happy and lucky meaning.

• Pine: Its leaves stay green all year and do not fall. So, it stands for a long life. People also say that a god lives in pine trees!

• Bamboo: It grows straight up and is hard to break. So, it stands for strong life energy and growth.

• Plum: It stands the cold winter and blooms first in spring. So, it is a sign of hope and good fortune.

How and When to Display Kadomatsu (New Year Pine Decoration)

• Where to display: You usually put them in pairs on the left and right sides of your entrance or gate.

• When to display: People usually put them out from late December until January 7th (or January 15th in some areas). This time is called "Matsu no Uchi."

• Days to avoid: Setting them up on December 29th sounds like "double trouble." Setting them up on December 31st is called "one-night decoration," which is rude to the god. So, it is good manners to pick a different day!

Here are some tips to make your Kadomatsu (New Year Pine Decoration) look lucky and cool!

Color the bamboo with bright greens and joints

• Base green: Try coloring the main bamboo tubes with bright yellow-green.

• How to draw joints: Add a bit darker green around the bamboo lines (joints). This gives the bamboo a strong, real look!

• Cut ends: Color the slanted cut tops with white or light yellow. It makes them look like real hollow bamboo tubes!

Show the detailed pine needles

• Layering colors: We recommend using dark green or deep green for the pine needles. Think of needle-like leaves and draw lots of short lines over each other. It will make the pine look full and grand!

Make it bright with plum blossoms

• Red and white pops: Try using red, pink, and white for different plum flowers. For white flowers, color the center stem with yellow to make them pop and look happy!

Textures for the base (straw or bamboo barrel)

• Natural brown: Color the base holding the bamboo and pine with light brown or beige. Draw dark brown lines along the rope patterns. This makes the wrapped rope look super real!

A "Signpost" So the God Won't Get Lost

You set up Kadomatsu (New Year Pine Decoration) to welcome a god called "Toshigami-sama," who visits at New Year's time. It is an important signpost to show the god, "This is my home!" when they come down from the sky.

Is the Cut End of the Bamboo "Smiling"?

If you look closely at the bamboo in Kadomatsu (New Year Pine Decoration), a lot of them are cut sharp on a slant. This cut is called "Waraikuchi" (smiling mouth), because it looks just like a big laughing mouth! People say that happiness comes to homes that are full of smiles.

The Super Team of Pine, Bamboo, and Plum

Kadomatsu (New Year Pine Decoration) uses "Pine," which stays green even in winter; "Bamboo," which grows up fast and straight; and "Plum," which blooms before spring comes. They are all strong plants that win against the cold, and they are symbols of good luck.

How Long Do You Keep It Up?

The time you keep Kadomatsu (New Year Pine Decoration) up is called "Matsu no Uchi." It depends on the area where you live, but most people keep it up until about January 7th or January 15th. When you are done displaying it, you take it to a shrine to burn it and say goodbye as the god goes back to the sky.