Last year around the same time as LoveDen, I also was lucky enough to be asked to do a poster for the Kiku Chikyuu Haku, or the Chrysanthemum Earth Festival, here in Takefu. You can see the old poster here on my blog.

Last year I was asked last-minute to do it, so I was only able to do the front side of the poster, and a university student over here did the back side. This year I there was enough time for me to do both sides, and I think we ended up with a decent poster (I know that sounds awfully cocky, but honestly I improved a lot on what we had last year).

I stuck with the same theme and the same initial painting for the poster as last year, but with a number of tweaks. This is now the 3rd or 4th year of the festival, and its been growing in size quite a bit. Hopefully this year will help it spread across the whole prefecture.

The festival’s theme is ecology, mixed with a lot of local imagery (the chrysanthemum is Takefu’s official flower). It coincides with Takefu’s Chrysanthemum Doll Festival so there should be some cross pollination (see what I did there? ;)) between the two events. Festival-comers are encouraged to bring their own bowls and chopsticks for the concessions there, and there are lots of local crafts and food on sale, including eco-bags made from chrysanthemum fiber. You can also eat chrysanthemum soba and chrysanthemum ice cream, which are very delicious!

The festival takes place in Takefu’s Ajimano-en gardens, which is an incredibly beautiful and large garden nestled in between the tall mountains with a Japanese-style pond, all kinds of flowers, a small waterfall, and a very old, traditional wooden farmhouse where you can rest and eat homemade food. There are even some castle ruins off down an old mountain trail (which I can’t believe I haven’t been to visit yet, considering how much I’ve been researching the old castles in this town).

So anyway, if you can make it to Echizen and you read my English blog, please come to the Chrysanthemum Earth Festival! It’s a great way to enjoy autumn in Japan!

front side (click for bigger image)

back side (click for bigger)