Giant Straw Monster in the Japanese Countryside
In Japan, autumn is one of the most beautiful seasons of the year, with stunning scenes of colorful foliage. Every year during this time, the Wara Art Festival takes place in Uwasekigata Park in Niigata prefecture.
Since 2008, the festival has attracted hundreds of artists and art students from Musashino University in Tokyo, who create giant, awe-inspiring straw artworks. These sculptures are made from leftover straw, as Niigata prefecture is known for its high-quality rice and abundant harvests. After the rice is harvested in early autumn, local residents come up with various ways to recycle the remaining straw.

However, despite various recycling methods, there is still a significant amount of leftover straw. As a result, local residents have come up with a creative solution by organizing an art festival to showcase various artworks made from straw.

During this festival, participants weave straw onto sturdy wooden frames to create massive, monumental art pieces. Firstly, the frame is constructed using wooden bars. Layers of straw are then gradually added onto the frame. It takes approximately a week to complete such a large-scale sculpture.

Over the years, the exhibits at the festival have undergone significant changes, featuring a diverse range of animals such as giant snails, ducks, and mushrooms. Now, the festival showcases larger and more ferocious creatures like dragons, ghostly elephants, whales, monkeys, crocodiles, rhinoceroses, and even dinosaurs.
With the beauty of artistic arrangements and the ideas inspired by the surrounding life, especially from a blend of real and mythical creatures, the straw art festival in Japan always captivates numerous visitors who come to explore, have fun, and snap memorable photos.