Family New Year Origami Workshop - Fold Your Own Lucky Cat!

🐾 Family New Year Origami Workshop - Fold Your Own Lucky Cat! 🐱✨

Start the new year with creativity, good fortune, and a touch of charm!

Join us for a special New Year's Origami Workshop where we’ll be folding the beloved Maneki-Neko (Lucky Cat) — a symbol of prosperity and positive beginnings.

To celebrate the beginning of the year, the JCC is offering is workshop as a donation based event! Whiile the recommendation is $30 per ticket, please contribute what you can.

Skill Level: Perfect for beginners

Using beautifully patterned paper, you’ll learn step-by-step how to fold your own Lucky Cat, complete with its iconic raised paw.

✨ Did you know?
The Maneki-Neko is traditionally displayed at shop entrances to “beckon” good luck and opportunities — especially at the start of a new year. Its raised paw is believed to invite prosperity, making it a fitting symbol for January and new beginnings.

Come enjoy a cozy, creative session and take home a charming origami piece to welcome good fortune into the year ahead.
We hope to see you there! 🐱🍀

About the Artist

Ishita Gupta is an origami artist who celebrates simplicity and the everyday beauty of paper. Focusing on practical and shareable folds—like bags, boxes, and seasonal motifs—she brings origami into daily life through thoughtful design and handmade or patterned papers. A lifelong paper enthusiast, Ishita has folded and volunteered at over a dozen events in the past year, with installations at Anderson Japanese Gardens, DePaul University, and the Japanese Culture Center’s Ikebana Walk. She enjoys teaching both children and adults, inspiring others to find creativity and calm in the art of folding.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Japanese Culture Center, 2940 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, United States

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