Children’s Day Celebrations at Pantechnicon this Bank Holiday weekend

Join Pantechnicon for Children’s Day Celebrations this Bank Holiday weekend, 1 - 3 May 2021.

Flying koinobori koi carp flags is a spring tradition in Japan to celebrate the health and happiness of

children. Children’s Day on 5th May is a public holiday and koi flags are displayed in the month leading up to and on the day. The koi carp flags come in different colours, with each one representing a different family member. Black carp usually represent the father, red or pink the mother, and other colours—like blue, green, and orange—express the children. Carp symbolize determination, strength, and success. As according to legend, if a carp has what it takes to swim all the way upstream, it will transform and become a dragon.

To mark the Japanese Children’s Day holiday Danish illustrator Alfred Bramsen will be working live in The Studio at Pantechnicon on Sunday 2

nd and Monday 3rd May. Watch him as he demonstrates how Japanese Kitpas crayons can be used as both crayons and watercolours to create beautiful koinoboriartworks. Alfred will be using koinobori colouring sheets as the base for his creations. Designed around a koinobori illustration by Alfred, the colouring sheets, pictured above, will be available free to guests (physically and digitally) to take home to create their own koinobori artworks.

The artist studio pop-up will run on a drop-in basis from 2pm-4pm on the Sunday and Monday of Bank holiday weekend (2nd and 3rd May). Guests of all ages are invited to come to The Studio at Pantechnicon and collect a free colouring sheet to create their own koinobori artwork.

Furthermore, to add an extra dose of excitement and celebratory spirit, we will be teaming up with Belgravia to host a ‘free ice-cream’ incentive. From 1st May – 3 rd May we will be handing out 30 of our famous taiyaki fish-shaped waffle cone ice-creams per day to individuals who have liked Belgravia’s Children’s Day post on Thursday, as well as followed both social media accounts and shared Belgravia’s post to their story on either of the bank holiday days. To redeem the free taiyaki ice-cream, visitors must head upstairs to The Studio to collect a voucher (and also pick up their activity pack if visiting on the Sunday or Monday). Our retail team will then inform customers to take the voucher to Sachi Yatai to collect their taiyaki ice-cream delight.

Photo Credits: Top left and bottom right Illustrations by Alfred Bramsen Top right Alfred Bramsen holding the koinobori coloured by Alfred Bramsen and hand made by OHAYO in Japan Bottom left taiyaki ice cream at Sachi Yatai at Pantechnicon