On Tuesday, December 28, 2004 members and friends of the ASCE Hawaii Section YMF were invited to join the Kikuchi family and their friends in making traditional Japanese New Year’s decorations called kadomatsus.  A kadomatsu is an arrangement of bamboo stalks and pine branches, which symbolizes strength and longevity.  These decorations are displayed at the entrance of a home or business to welcome the spirit of the New Year, which is believed to bring good luck and prosperity. 
    Mark Kikuchi, a fellow civil engineer at the City, started this annual tradition with his family over 20 years ago.  Making a kadomatsu is a full day’s work.  On that Tuesday morning, Mark along with family and friends were cutting and gathering bamboo from different locations from 7:30 a.m. until lunchtime.  A great part of the afternoon was spent cleaning and cutting the bamboo to specific lengths and styles for arrangement and the remaining part of the day was spent assembling the kadomatsus.  With the supplies prepared, the YMF members were instructed how to make their own kadomatsu.  They learned where to drill the hole to insert the straw rope, how to arrange the bamboo stalks, how to wrap the bamboo with the rope and where to place the pine branches.  A potluck dinner also took place which included great home cooked dishes, drinks and good company.
    Last year, the permit required for cutting bamboo changed, restricting only one bamboo stalk per person.  This created a limited supply of bamboo for the making of kadomatsus.  Fortunately, with the bamboo donations from Westley Chun, the 2004 ASCE Hawaii Section Past President, members from the YMF were able to make their own kadomatsus for the first time. 
    The YMF would like to thank the Kikuchi family and their friends for their time and effort in preparing the supplies and for teaching us about how to make a kadomatsu.  We would also like to thank Westley Chun for his donation of bamboos for this event.  From the members of the YMF, we wish everyone a Happy New Year!