Seito San – Chōchin Decorating

Seito San is a Japanese language and culture center in Klaipėda's Old Town, where Japan becomes not just a subject of study, but a living experience.

Founded in 2023 by the Klaipėda Lyceum, the center originally operated mainly as a Japanese language school. Over three years of activity, it has contributed to spreading Japanese culture by the seaside, offering a close look at various aspects of Japanese culture – from staging kabuki theatre performances and cultural lectures to Japanese film screenings, creative workshops and other events.

Today, Seito San seeks to bring together people interested in Japan and to create a space for cultural dialogue between Lithuania and Japan.

When we think of Japanese festivals, what probably comes to mind are spectacular 花火 hanabi (fireworks – literally, "fire flowers") and delicious street food. But another inseparable part of Japanese festivities is lanterns! These charming, glowing lanterns accompany every matsuri 祭り (festival), so it's no surprise their symbolism almost always follows Japanese festivals too.

We invite Bon Odori festival visitors to enrich their experience and, together with a teacher from the Seito San center, decorate a paper lantern – chōchin 提灯. Let your imagination run free and capture the spirit of a Japanese festival on delicate lantern paper.