Yame Chochin

The art of making Yame Chochin lanterns, fostered by climate and nature

Lanterns praised for their warm light. Those made in Yame are mostly the decorative lights for Japan's special Bon festival. Yame has long been a Japanese washi paper production place and there are also many bamboo groves. It is thought that Yame became a thriving lantern producer because it is blessed with these raw materials. In modern times, the number of lanterns made using thin strips of bamboo and Japanese paper has decreased, but the way of making them has not changed much from long ago. You will feel the history of Yame Chochin lanterns and the high level of artisan skills through the warm lights.

Yame Chochin lanterns express respect and appreciation for ancestors.

About 200 years ago when Yame Chochin lanterns were born, lanterns used for lighting were indispensable to the lives of Japanese people. In modern times, in addition to adding color to shrines and festival venues, they are also used for signs at shops, and their warm light gives off a kind of pathos and sensitivity. Accounting for about 90% of total Yame Chochin lantern production are the Bon lanterns, lit with an austere glow, and it is said that displaying as many as possible is a memorial to ancestors. Flowers and landscapes that the deceased liked were drawn on the lanterns, and it is surprising that one picture can have so much meaning. Together with the traditional craft from the same district - Yame Fukushima Butsudan buddhist altar, it can be called a manifestation of gratitude and respect for ancestors. Such Bon lanterns are also miniaturized according to the modern lifestyle, and various products are made to go with the flow of the times. It may be interesting to notice the completely hand made lamp shades and other products created with the same highly skilled techniques of lantern making.

Bon lanterns are generally used to light the front of a Butsudan altar. The traditional style is to display them in pairs, and the more there are, the more strongly gratitude and reverence for ancestors are expressed.

The Yabe River, a Class A river flowing through Yame city. Being blessed with clean water, a culture of making Japanese paper for lanterns was created. It goes without saying that Yame Chochin lantern making is a traditional craft that was strongly influenced by the natural environment.

A festival with the theme of lanterns is held in Yame, and lanterns are also lit around the town during that period. Lanterns are one of the indispensable things for Japanese festivals.

Lanterns are also made to decorate shrines. The warm lights are well suited to traditional Japanese architecture.

In the past, thin strips of bamboo and Japanese paper were used but in modern times wires and extremely thin silk cloth are substituted. The way of making them is the same, winding wire spirally around a special wooden pattern, and putting the silk cloth over it. Although the material is different, the craftsmen's technique is unchanged.

Yame Chochin lanterns with flowers and the pictures of Japanese landscapes drawn on the surface. As the production volume is large, a technique called fast drawing, in which 10 lanterns are systematically painted at once, is used.

Bon lantern with pictures of the deceased's favorite things, such as pretty flowers for women or landscapes in ink painting style for men. The types of pictures are increasing with the times. Furthermore, it is common to include Japan's unique emblem, "kamon," or family crest, representing family lines and parentage.

Secondary products that make full use of the design of lantern making are also made in modern times. Among the techniques are often used for crafts like lampshades because they are related to lighting. The soft light quality unique to lanterns is optimal for indirect lighting, and the atmosphere of the room can be completely changed by the lighting alone. The watermark patterns and shadows will further direct the harmony of the Japanese style.