Cultural Journal Report:
The giant straw sculptures of Niigata.
author: Michelle Lynn Dinh
date: October. 21, 2013 Click here to read this article! brief summary: To celebrate the end of the rice harvest and use the massive amount of straw that was produced, the people of Niigata used all the straw to build huge sculptures. These towers will entertain and awe the thousands of people who come to visit the people. Some of the sculptures created are shaped like elephants, old-fashion airplanes, a turtle, and even a war tank, among many other sculptures. |
my opinion on the topic:
When I first discovered this article while scrolling through the endless pages of pointless and meaningless articles on the Internet, I was in awe. How could people create such amazing artworks out of straw and some metal? The skill and patience that must be needed to make something of this scale and this beauty is something I cannot comprehend. |
how does this relate to the culture?:
The sculptures are built by college students in the Art and Architecture departments for the Wara Arts Festival, which is the celebration of Autumn. The straw figures and festival take place in Nishikan-ku, which is said to have the largest paddy fields in the country. This is important to the culture because it brings locals and students together to create something beautiful for tourists, locals, and the people of the Internet to view and appreciate. |