[Traditional Performing Arts] Odawara Lanterns: A Symbol of Local Pride

The "Odawara lantern," which gained popularity in Odawara, a post town on the Tokaido road, is still a popular attraction today. A giant Odawara lantern hangs in the premises of Odawara Station, a terminal station served by five railway companies. This time, we interviewed Atsuhisa Inoue, chairman of the "Odawara Lantern Making Volunteer Association," which provides lantern-making instruction to elementary school students and tourists in the city. We focus on this traditional item that remains a familiar presence to the citizens.

Soft light illuminates the city

"Osaru no Kagoya" (The Monkey's Palanquin Bearer), a children's song, has been used as the departure melody at Odawara Station since November 2014. Many people probably find the song, with its cheerful rhythm and the line "Odawara jochin burasagete" (hanging the lantern in Odawara), very familiar and endearing.

Odawara lanterns are said to have been invented in the mid-Edo period by a lantern craftsman named Jinzaemon for travelers crossing the Hakone Pass. Odawara lanterns have three distinctive features known as "Santoku" (three virtues): the top and bottom lids (mageshi) are made from sacred wood from Daiyuzan Saijoji Temple, which is believed to ward off evil spirits on the journey; they fold up to fit in a pocket, making them easy to carry; and the flat bamboo ribs of the central frame provide a wide surface area for adhesion with the washi paper, making them resistant to peeling and strong against rain and fog. In recent years, they have become an indispensable item not only as a craft item for celebrations and gifts, but also as an item that decorates festival venues in the city.

The power of volunteers to support the future

The Odawara Lantern Making Volunteer Association is now in its 35th year. The "Odawara Lantern Festival" and "Odawara Lantern Light Art Fair," community events held every autumn at Odawara Castle Park, are supported by the activities of these volunteers.

—First, could you tell us about the circumstances that led to its establishment?

Our activities began with lantern making, one of the main events of the "Omo-jo Oasis Festival of Lights," planned and operated by the Odawara -Hakone Chamber of Commerce and Industry Youth Division at the time to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Odawara City's incorporation. At that time, we learned that Mr. Kuramochi, the chairman of the Odawara Lantern Preservation Society, had devised a lantern making kit and was holding workshops, so we explained our plan to have elementary school students make lanterns and display the children's Odawara lanterns at the event. He gave us his full cooperation.

Following the success of the event, it was decided to continue the project. From the following year, the Odawara City Tourism Association and the Odawara Hakone Chamber of Commerce and Industry Youth Division co-sponsored the production instruction at elementary schools, but there were limitations to activities during weekday daytime hours. So, they recruited citizens and formed a volunteer group. From the 10th year onward, the project has been carried out jointly by the Tourism Association, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Youth Division, and the Odawara Lantern Production Volunteer Group.

—Who are the current members and what are they doing?

Inoue: We have 80 members, roughly half male and half female. Most are retirees, but we also have company employees, housewives, and university students who joined while still in high school.

Our main activity is teaching fifth and sixth graders at all 25 elementary schools in the city how to make handmade paper lanterns. Every year in June and July, 10 to 20 members visit each school. The crafting sessions, held in the gymnasium, take about an hour and a half, but the children enjoy it without getting bored. We also strive to help them become interested in this as a traditional culture of Odawara.

—It's wonderful that you're so deeply rooted in the local community.

Inoue : Thank you. Approximately 1,600 handmade lanterns, created by elementary school students throughout the city, will be displayed for about a month at the Odawara Castle Ruins Park's main citadel plaza as part of the "Odawara Lantern Light Art Fair." They are beautiful not only during the day but also when lit up at night, so I highly recommend you come and see the artwork that each student has created on washi paper.

—What do you feel while working on these activities?

Inoue: I feel that the Odawara lanterns have become deeply etched in people's hearts because we have continued this project . It has been 42 years since I myself started working on the project. We have supported the production of approximately 65,000 lanterns for school children, and if you include tourists and various organizations, the total is probably over 100,000. There are also many families where two generations of the family have experienced making the lanterns together.

People from Odawara often mention Odawara Castle, pickled plums, and kamaboko (fish cake) as local specialties, but Odawara lanterns are also a source of national pride. We hope to continue our activities to foster local pride in Odawara, the hometown of children, as a symbol of their community.

If you want to learn more about Odawara lanterns

The Odawara Lantern Making Volunteer Association holds lantern-making workshops on the second and fourth Sundays of every month. These workshops are open to families and are popular with tourists. It's a chance to experience Odawara lanterns firsthand, as they are also part of the "Hakone Eight Ri" Japan Heritage site recognized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Why not try making your own lantern in Odawara while reflecting on ancient times?

Text by Mai Shimura (editor/writer)

Odawara Lantern Making Volunteer Group
For inquiries, please contact the Odawara City Tourism Association (TEL: 0465-20-4192).
Odawara Lantern Making Experience: Click here