Starting this Sunday, Iowa State will have a taste of the far east with Matsuri, the Japanese Festival of Banners.

The festival will kick off a two week display of authentic Japanese banners painted by Toyohiko Inoue, one of only two Japanese artists that still creates the traditional banners and windsocks.

The banners, which measure 30 feet in length, will be on display in the Design Center atrium.

Priscilla Sage, design professor here at Iowa State, said that the banners are usually flown on very high polls all over Japan for the Festival of Children.

“It’s very symbolic for the festival,” Sage said. She said the festival is a celebration for the children to keep them healthy and strong.

The banners often contain depictions of Japanese legends, Samurai warriors or Koi, which are Japanese carp. “The fish is a symbol of strength,” Sage said. “Everything on the banners represents something.”

All of Inoue’s work is created by a method called resist and dye. “It is very similar to batik,” Sage said. The process involves painting lines on a cloth with a rice paste, which Sage said was very similar to cookie dough. The cloth is then dyed and the lines “resist” the color and stay white. Toyohiko is the sixth generation Inoue to create these colorful banners.

The festival, which will take place on Sunday Oct. 6 from 2- 4:30p.m., will be filled with events throughout the day. The festivities will kick off with a dance called “Embracing the East” followed by an authentic Japanese dance by Jyunichi Kobayashi.

Carole Horowitz, the event coordinator, said every effort has been made to keep all of the events authentic.

“We have been working with Japanese students and the Japanese community to help give the event authenticity,” Horowitz said. Horowitz also said the Japanese students have been instrumental in the planning of the events.

Japanese students weren’t the only people to help in the planning of the festival. Iowa State’s textile and clothing department donated authentic kimonos, a traditional Japanese outfit, for the tea Ceremony. Horowitz said that the tea ceremony is a 30 minute ritual that showcases many ancient Japanese traditions.

Iowa State’s Brunnier Museum also donated its collection of Japanese dolls. Sage said the doll collection contains some of the same symbolism as the banners.

“The festival will be the first time that both the male and female dolls will be displayed together, ” Horowitz said.

Inoue and his banners will definitely be the highlight of the festival, though.

Horowitz hopes that the festival will bring in community members as well as students.

“This event is the University extending itself to the community,” Horowitz said. Sage supported that comment when she said she hoped people throughout Iowa will come and enjoy the experience with Japanese culture.

The banners will be on display Oct. 6-18. The whole event event is sponsored by the College of Design, Iowa Arts Council, Iowa Yamanashi Committee, Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau, Stanley Foundation and the Fisher Fund.