Japanese Festival Farm Beauty Contest

Above, various aspects of the traditional Japanese Festival now called 'Childrens' Day' but formerly known as Boys' Day.  It features the tall carp banners called Koinobori, represented by the special temporary crop in Family Farm Seaside.  The Carp is a traditional symbol of good luck and longevity in Japan.  They usually are represented by windsocks made of cloth or paper, depending from a pole, in different colours.

The Japanese Festival Farm Beauty Contest was released to coincide with the Childrens' Day Festival.  The little Japanese Lucky Cat that is offered as a premium decoration is a very popular traditional symbol of good fortune in Japan.

On Kodomo no hi, Koinobori, or cloth carp streamers, are flown on poles outside of public buildings and private houses to bring luck and good fortune to the children inside. Koi fish, or Carp, are believed to be strong, spirited fish and are revered for their determination in fighting as they swim upstream and through powerful waterfalls. Koinobori symbolise the desire for children to become brave and strong individuals.

Within their homes, Japanese families also display kabuto, samurai helmets, and/or gogatsu-ningyo, samurai dolls and their armaments. The samurai dolls often represent traditional folktale characters such as Kintaro and Momotaro who symbolize courage and strength. Children eat kashiwa-mochi, or rice cakes stuffed with bean paste and wrapped in oak leaves which symbolize strength. Chimaki, or dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, are also consumed. Iris flowers, which correspondingly bloom in early May, are symbolically placed in homes to ward off evil. In addition, it is customary to take baths known as syobuyu, which are filled with floating iris leaves.

Celebrated on the 5th of May annually, it is the last day in what is known as the 'Golden Week'.

New Options in Seaside
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A small improvement by developers gives us a preview in the Red Book now a few days in advance.  I therefore can post the Theme list early.  The Contest is due to begin on Friday, I believe.

The three premium Decorations now are in the Special Sales offers when released.  The new Japanese Flag Base is in a message from Felicia.

A new temporary Crop in the form of the Koinobori Plant is available in the Market and is used to forge one of the Base materials.

Japanese Flag Base:  Collect Base in message from Felicia.  To build:

8 Toro (1 RC each)
8 Bonsai (1 RC each)
8 Slate (1 RC each)
8 Flagstone (1 RC each)

All of these items can be forged in the Factory as follows:

Toro:  Use 8 Sakura Candy in Factory
Bonsai:  Use 6 Puffer Fish in Factory (Catch using Bone Hook)
Slate:  Use 100 Koinobori in Factory Plant (special Crop)
Flagstone:  Use 60 Mayonnaise in Factory

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Introduction
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This post is designed to allow you to gain as many Votes as possible from the four characters by maximising your own Farm to achieve the highest number of Votes in every Category.

The Farm Beauty Contest can be confusing and difficult for new player.  Often, they are unaware of their own ability to increase the Votes from the 4 Characters to the point where they can obtain the Reward Decoration without any votes from their Neighbours.  It requires a little planning.  This post was created to show you how to do precisely that.  Every aspect of the Farm Beauty Contest as well as the rules by which each Category operates is covered here.

Remember ALWAYS that the votes you receive from the Characters are based on your current 'Snapshot'.  If you change your farm to obtain more votes, always take a new photograph or Character votes will not change!  You do not need to take a photograph more than once, however, if you set up your farm for maximum Character votes at the very start.

One more point about the 'Snapshot'.  If you play on more than one device, you may see your Photograph only on the device you were using when you submitted it.  Do not fret about this!  It remains valid for the duration of the Contest, even if you do not see it on your other devices.

Theme List now complete with values in terms of Theme Votes as well as where and how to obtain each.  This Contest gives multiple vote values to many old Decorations and each of the new premium Decorations always give multiple numbers of votes for Theme.

The quickest way to maximise theme votes, therefore, especially for a new farmer, is to pay cash for one of the new premium decorations.  They can be expensive, however, and for many farmers, earning the Reward Decoration for 4000 Votes in the Farm Beauty Contest is a long process that requires patience.  Do be aware, however, that the premium Decorations not only count for multiple votes, but give special Rewards often in the form of RC, Yellow or Blue Mystrons as well as giving the best Gift Box both to the host and to the visitor when cleaned.  Sometimes the judicious expenditure of cash in a 'free game' is worthwhile.

For a new farmer, the easiest way, however, to raise your Character vote total probably is by obtaining a couple of farm expansions and by raising your Landscape Point total to at least 2100.  I need to confirm the precise number of points now required to maximise your Landscape Point votes, but it really is worth the effort and you need not spend any premium cash to do this.  There are coin paths that will do the job.  See my section on Landscape Points below.

Knowing where you can capitalise on your own Character Votes is key to success.  For a farmer not to improve his/her farm for the Contest and then beg for votes from Neighbours ultimately is not the best strategy.... why not make the most of your own farm first?  At least then you can guarantee that you win the Reward decoration in EVERY Farm Beauty Contest as Landscape Points remain constant as do Farm Expansions.

N.B.  PLEASE BE AWARE THAT YOU NEED ONLY A TOTAL OF 182 VOTES EACH DAY TO OBTAIN THE TOTAL OF 4000 NEEDED FOR THE REWARD DECORATION AND ONLY A TOTAL OF 273 VOTES PER DAY TO OBTAIN ALL REWARDS AT 6000 VOTES.

Changes in the number of days that the contest lasts and some other Character vote values have made it easier for farmers to obtain all necessary votes without having the votes of neighbours.  I request votes for HM. Freyashawk only in order to rank.  For the most part, voting for a farm that has reached 6000 Votes is a waste of your votes.  With a total of 6400, the farm does not even rank in the top 100 for example.  HM. Freyashawk needs at least a total of 10,250 Votes by the end of the contest to rank in the top ten.  Does it matter?  Well, it matters to me, as I consider it a show of support for this site.

I would like to thank every Farmer for every vote I received in the last Contest.  HM. Freyashawk managed to rank 10th, and I am deeply grateful.

This time, there is a new Base called the Japanese Flag Base..  You will find it in a message from Felicia.  Details about forging materials above.

A number of Theme decorations will appear in the Lucky Wheel.  I will try to give details as they appear.

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Note to new Farmers
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I believe that the Farm Beauty Contest still is unlocked at Level 30.  Even at that Level, it IS possible to maximise your Farm to obtain enough votes from the Characters to receive the Decoration Reward for having 4000 Votes.

You must start on the first day, however, with the best possible configuration, if you are at the lower levels and have not played long enough to have acquired many of the Theme items.

Even if you are not that concerned about your own results, you can register and help other farmers with your votes.  Even if you feel you cannot obtain a total of 4000 or 6000 votes, do your best to organise your farm for maximum votes to practice for future Contests.  If you are a low level farmer but are willing to spend a little money, purchase of the new theme decorations should make a big difference in theme totals, which could make all the difference in terms of reaching the goal of 4000 votes by the end of the contest.

COUNT YOUR TOTAL EACH DAY.  Most important are the Character Votes.  If you are reaching a total of 182,  you will obtain the Decoration.  (The required total used to be 200, so now it is easier to reach the necessary total of 4000 before the end of the Contest.)

Tips:  Where Landscape Points are concerned, try to find a Buddy who is at a high level who will send you paths as Gifts.  If you are able and willing to spend RC, the Macaron Path and Pebble Paths can boost Landscape Point totals faster with less effort, but if you can place enough of the other Paths and make certain that your Decorations are within their sphere of influence, you can reach the necessary total for maximum votes in that category.

The theme list is to be found in the little red book in the Farm Beauty Contest Menu.  I publish a list of all Theme items in my post with details as to where and how they can be obtained.  Some Theme items originally were released as Mission Rewards.  In many cases, these old Missions can be activated from the Lighthouse and you can obtain the Decoration without paying RC for it.  Others can be purchased directly from the Gallery using Blue or Yellow Mystrons.  Try to do it at the start, however whenever possible and make certain that, should you improve your farm's configuration, you take a new screenshot immediately!  You do not have to take more than one screenshot during the course of the contest UNLESS you obtain items that improve the Character vote totals.

Every day counts!  Count the total number of votes you receive from the four Characters at the end of the first day of the Contest and then see how you can improve this number if, multiplied by 20 (days), you do not have 4000 Votes as the projected total.

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OBTAINING THE REWARD DECORATION
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You need a total of 4000 Votes by the end of the Contest to receive the significant reward which is the Decoration.  Almost any farmer at Level 50 or above should be able to maximise the Votes of the 4 Characters to obtain this even without a single vote from a Neighbour.  You basically need a total of 182 Votes per day, although the Contest is giving an extra voting period and that reduces the total needed per day.  (It used to be 200 votes per day.)

If you care about this, register your farm on the first day with maximum votes from the 4 Characters using the guidelines below.

For the Avatar, you need 273 votes per day, but with the recent changes in Character Votes, it is not impossible by any means to reach these totals from the Character votes alone.  If you are receiving 273 votes per day from the four Characters, you will obtain the Avatar by the end of the Contest.  If you have reached Level 90, you should be able to obtain 273 Votes per day from the Characters alone.  This was the case when 300 votes per day were needed, and 273 is a much lower number.

Note that for almost 99% of farmers, ANY VOTES ABOVE 6000 simply are wasted.  Many farmers therefore announce when they have reached 6000 and urge the friends who vote for them to vote for some one else at the end of the contest.  The only reason to vote for a Farmer who has reached 6000 Votes is to try to help that farmer to RANK in the Contest.  I always ask ONLY for votes for HM. Freyashawk throughout the Contest to try to have that farm rank in the top 10.  The name Freyashawk has been associated with the strategy guides I write for a couple of decades.  It always is my hope that a farmer will see the name in the top 10 and then look for a guide for the game if that farmer needs help with Seaside.

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Pet Category
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The total number of Votes that can be given by Grandma for Pets is 12.  Equipment (the collars, scarves and bow ties and so on) that you forge in the Factory each count for 1 Vote.  Apparel counts for the other Votes and it does not matter if it is premium Apparel or Temporary Apparel or even duplicate Apparel.  All will count equally.  A Buddy Pet does NOT count.  That was a glitch.

PETS MUST BE OUTSIDE THE PET HOUSE TO COUNT!

In other words, to gain 12 Votes from Grandma each day for the Pet Category, you need a total of 4 Pets, each wearing a piece of equipment and 2 pieces of apparel.

Formerly, some Pets could not use three accessories.  With the last update, however, the Kangaroo, Meerkat and Hippo were given new equipment.

There is a new item in the Exclusive Store for Pets.  It is the Exclusive Pet Hat and it costs 15 RC.  If you have not bought permanent accessories in the past, you may find this is worth the price.  It will not be available, however, unless you are at a rather high Country Club level.  I believe it requires Level 10, but will conffirm.

For players without premium accessories:  First make certain each has equipment.  Go to the Apparel Menu and find the 7 day hats and accessories for each pet that can be purchased for 100 TC each.  Equip four Pets each with a Hat and whatever other accessory that Pet can use and then let them loose outside.  Take your snapshot for the full 12 votes from Grandma!

Purchasing apparel for a temporary period in order to take a snapshot that will give you more Votes for this category really may be worth the effort if your Country Club Level is not high enough to purchase the permanent Exclusivve Pet Hat.  12 votes per day from Grandma, multiplied by 20 is 240 Votes... I constantly see messages in game chat near the end of the Contest from a player who says he or she is 'short' 200 votes... maximise the Pet Category and you have them.

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High Level Farms
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At Level 136, HM. Freyashawk finally can obtain maximum votes from Dad for 'High Level' Farm.

This has changed a few times through the years but I only know for certain that Freyashawk at Level 117 received 15/18 votes for 'high level farm' from Dad.  At Level 120, HM. Freyashawk received 16/18 votes from Dad for 'high level farm'.   At Level 133, received 17/18 from Dad for 'high level'.  This was NOT the case in the earlier Farm Beauty Contests.  The actual level requirement for maximum votes in this category must be Level 136 as this is the first time HM. Freyashawk received maximum votes.

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Basic Rules
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It is your current photograph of your Farm or 'snapshot' that determines the Votes from the 4 Characters in the game every day.  In previous Contests, a Theme decoration often would be counted if it had been placed on the Farm, even if it had not been registered yet.  I believe this still is true, although it is a good idea to register all theme items as quickly as possible as you do receive rewards for registration.

IF YOUR PHOTOGRAPH DISAPPEARS FROM THE CONTEST MENU, DO NOT FEEL YOU MUST REPLACE IT.  THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN OCCUR WITH ANY GAME UPDATE AND THEY ARE VERY FREQUENT NOW.  THE PHOTOGRAPH THAT YOU REGISTERED STILL COUNTS AND YOUR NEIGHBOURS CAN SEE IT!   Do not waste time nor energy reorganising your farm to maximise votes if the 'snapshot' that you registered GAVE you maximum votes.  It still exists and is used for vote totals.

Balance and variety always is the key in these contests.  You need a variety of Crops, Animals, Trees, Machines and Theme Decorations on your farm to maximise the votes from the 4 Characters.  If you design your Farm for maximum votes from the 4 Characters, you should not need ANY Votes from your Neighbours to obtain the Theme Decoration Reward that requires a total of 4000 Votes by the end of the Contest.

Duplicates never have counted where Crops, Trees, Animals, Machines and Decorations are concerned.  I doubt that has changed.  The only change really is that duplicates of Pet Equipment and Apparel DO count.

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Crops
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Have at least 16 different Crops on your Farm to obtain maximum Votes from Darryl for 'variety of Crops'.  You may need less but Crops are easy to plant.  They do not have to be mature when you take the photo to count.

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Trees
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Try to have 16 different types of Trees ON YOUR FARM when you take the photograph.  Trees in the Tree Nursery will not be counted.  Again, you may need fewer than 16 types but it does not hurt to be safe to obtain maximum votes from Grandma for 'enough Trees'.

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Animals
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Beehives and Butterfly Houses as well as the Bat House are considered Animals so every different TYPE of Beehive or Butterfly House counts but duplicates of any type of Animal do NOT Count. You should not need a total of 16 different types of Animal to obtain maximum votes from Felicia for Animals but again, if you have 16, use them.

I believe that the  Elephant may not be counted, but cannot confirm.

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Machines
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In Contests in the past, you only needed a total of 12 different machines to obtain maximum Votes from Dad for Machines but this may have changed.  Players claimed that the Salad Machine gave 2 Votes instead of 1, but never confirmed that.  In any case, duplicates do not count and if you can cram 16 onto your Farm before you take the photo, better to be safe than sorry.

It is possible that upgraders boost votes in the Machine category but cannot confirm this.  Again, better to be safe than sorry.

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Expansion
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Both Felicia and Dad give Votes for 'Big Farms'.  The good news is that you do not need many expansions on your original farm to obtain 16/16 from each of them.  A farmer who does not have even the 23 x 23 Expansion will obtain maximum 16/16 votes in this category!

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Gallery Registration
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Register as many items as possible BEFORE you take your photograph to maximise this Category.

Both Darryl and Grandma give Votes for Gallery... furthermore, you obtain rewards from the Gallery when you register any item.

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Landscape
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'Beautiful Paths' is the term for your Landscape Point total.  As three of the four Characters vote for this Category, it is a very good idea to have Paths on your Farm and place as many Decorations as possible within their 'sphere of influence'.  I have covered the details of Paths and Landscaping elsewhere on this site.  The better the Path, the more points you receive when Decorations are placed next to it or near it.  The Macaron Path, Pebble Path and Snow Path each are worth 50 Landscape Points.  The Snow Path no longer is available but the other two can be purchased in the Paths Menu for 1 RC each.  The Wooden Path is worth 35 Landscape Points and costs 50000 Coins.  Next best is the Forest Path worth 25 Landscape Points with a price of 15000 Coins.  If you have Buddies, however, they can send Forest Paths and Stone and Flower Paths to you.  To send, go to the Special Gifts Buddy Menu.  You can send a Stone and Flower Path to a Buddy for 4000 Coins and a Forest Path for 12000 Coins.  You actually can send a Macaron Path to a Buddy for 1 RC.  There are Buddy Level requirements for sending some of the Special Gifts.

Remember that Landscape Point total is the total of the value of ALL the Paths PLUS the Decorations that are close enough to those Paths to boost Points.

In the past, you needed less than 2300 Landscape Points to achieve maximum... not certain what the current requirement is but here are some farmers who have less than that and their results in the current contest:

1059 Landscape Points: 16/24 Votes

1421 Landscape Points: 19/24 Votes

1484 Landscape Points: 20/24 Votes

1720 Landscape Points: 21/24 Votes

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How to Maximise Landscape Points
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First of all, you will not be able to move any Paths or perhaps even set any new Paths now if you have Pets roaming about your Farm.  You must place all of them in the Pet House before you can set new Paths or move existing Paths, including Water Paths as well as those on the land.

Remember that placement of Decorations and Bases is everything.  A Decoration or Base will give additional Landscape Points only if it is placed near a Path that has not used its maximum number of Points yet.  For example, the Macaron Path can give a boost of 50 Landscape Points when Decorations are placed close to it.  Once that amount is reached, however, piling more Decorations or Bases near it counts for nothing.  Use the Move Tool to hover over various spots to see how your Landscape Points will be affected.

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Theme
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Only Grandma does not vote for Theme, so you have Theme Votes from three out of four farm characters.  The Theme List always can be found in the little Red Book in the Farm Beauty Contest Menu.  I will include a list below as well with the price of each Decoration if you can purchase it and how to do so in each case.

Theme items can be obtained in many different ways.  Those that are 'premium' decorations as well as Bases are the ones that often will give you more than one vote from each of the three Characters who vote for theme.

N.B.  Go directly to the Gallery to see if a Decoration is available for purchase now.  I will add more information later about the Theme items that are available in the Lucky Wheel/Buddy Share Box.  I have listed those that can be found currently in the Wheel but had no luck whatsoever landing on any of them when I spun my Wheel so am collecting prices slowly.

Please be aware that often you can find premium decorations both in a current special sale offer on the top right of your screen AND in one of the Boutique Shops in your Market.  If you see the item in a special sale offer, however, you are best served by purchasing it in that way, as it usually is bundled with other items, including farm aids and/or Stove House Recipes and RC.  These sale offers expire at different times so the items I have listed below may no longer be available in a special sale offer in a day or two.

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Lucky Wheel
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It now is possible to obtain more Tokens for the Lucky Wheel through the rewards given by Darryl and his House on a daily basis.  Most of the Decorations in the Lucky Wheel originally were given as rewards for timed Quests and these Quests often still can be activated from the Lighthouse.

As far as the Wheel is concerned, if you land on the box with the Decoration, you get it free. Otherwise, there is an RC price attached to it.  When you place it in the Share Box, it will have the RC price.

Theme is one of the most difficult of categories for players who are unwilling or unable to spend actual cash on the new premium decorations that are offered with each new Farm Beauty Contest.  If you DO buy the three new Decorations, you usually will obtain maximum votes from the Characters for theme with little difficulty.

New Theme Decorations:
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Japanese Flag Base: 3 votes from each of 3 Characters
  Find in message from Felicia

Girl in Kimono: 3 votes from each of 3 Characters

Boy in Kimono: 2 votes from each of 3 Characters

Japanese Lucky Cat: 2 votes from each of 3 Characters

Coin Decorations:
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There are some Decorations that can be purchased with Coins, as follows:  Carpet Top, Carpet Middle, Carpet Bottom, Wedding Chair.  Prices given in full Theme List below.

Other Premium Decorations:
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Premium Decorations from the past, such as the Chipmunk Bride and Bridegroom should appear in bundled special sales offers in the near future.  Curiously enough, the Chipmunk Bride and Chipmunk Bridegroom are not included in the Boutique Decorations Market as of Wednesday, 1 May, but that could change.

Complete Theme List:
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N.B.  If no vote values are given, it means that the Decoration will give you a total of 3 Votes per day from the Characters (1 Vote each from 3 Characters)

Japanese Flag Base: 3 votes from each of 3 Characters
  Find in message from Felicia and forge materials in Factory

Wedding Base: 2 votes from each of 3 Characters

Guest Sign:

Mum Decoration:

Carpet Top
  In Market for 1500 Coins

Carpet Central Piece
  In Market for 1500 Coins

Carpet (Bottom Piece)
  In Market for 1500 Coins

Wedding Chair:
  In Market for 12000 Coins

Wedding Carpet:
  In Market for 1 RC

Picnic Hamper

Flower Arch

Wedding Chair A:
  In Market for 3 RC

Wedding Chair B
  In Market for 3 RC

Wedding Harp

Girl in Kimono: 3 votes from each of 3 Characters
  In special sale offer

Boy in Kimono: 2 votes from each of 3 Characters
  In special sale offer

Japanese Lucky Cat: 2 votes from each of 3 Characters
  In special sale offer

Chipmunk Bride: 2 votes from each of 3 Characters
  From past;

Chipmunk Bridegroom: 2 votes from each of 3 Characters
  From past;

Wedding Gate
  From past; In Lovely section of Boutique Decoration Market

Wedding LED Background

Mommy Duck: 2 votes from each of 3 Characters

Blue Ducky

Red Ducky

Japanese Temple:
  Reward for attaining 4000 Votes

Bride Mouse

Groom Mouse

Little Dog Deco

Food Basket

Mother's Day Pot

Easter Boots