Edo Kakudako kite maker prepares for new year in Japan

The Yomiuri Shimbun

A kite maker in Chosei, Chiba Prefecture, is putting the finishing touches on an Edo Kakudako kite, considered good luck charms for the New Year. The kites, which are completely made by hand, feature images of tigers as 2022 is the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac. “This is a piece of traditional culture that has the essence of the Edo style,” said the kite maker Mikio Toki, 71. “I want to make sure it gets passed on to the next generation.”