for the past nine years, students from tokyo’s musashino art university have showcased their massive sculptures made from rice straw at the uwasekigata park in japan. wara, meanig ‘rice straw’ in japanese, is what is leftover after the rice grains have been threshed out. instead of using it traditionally, like for roofs and livestock feeds, these creative individuals have designed giant straw animals.

giant rice straw animal sculptures invade the 2017 wara art festival
a giant gorilla
all images © wara art matsuri

 

 

the wara art festival started in 2006 when the local district reached out to musashino art university to seek guidance on transforming their abundant amount of rice straw into art, and in 2008, the very first wara art festival was held. since then, every year the school sends art students up to niigata to assist in creating sculptures made out of rice straw. the festivities have ended but the sculptures are on display through october 31, 2017.

 

giant rice straw animal sculptures invade the 2017 wara art festival
a charging bull

 

wara art 2017 time-laps
video © TeYoRy -ch

giant rice straw animal sculptures invade the 2017 wara art festival
a rhinoceros

giant rice straw animal sculptures invade the 2017 wara art festival
a crocodile

giant rice straw animal sculptures invade the 2017 wara art festival
a laying lion

giant rice straw animal sculptures invade the 2017 wara art festival
a charging lion