Odawara Chochin is a paper lantern from Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, said to have been devised in the mid-Edo period by a local lantern maker, Jinzaemon, for travelers crossing the Hakone mountains. Unlike ordinary lanterns, its body ribs form a single independent ring, so that when folded, the body collapses completely into its upper and lower lids, making it compact enough to carry inside a kimono breast pocket — its greatest feature. The bamboo strips used are shaved into a square cross-section to increase the surface area for gluing, making the lantern resistant to rain and fog, and the upper and lower lids are made from sacred wood from Saijoji Temple on Mt. Daiyuzan, which was also believed to ward off evil on the road. These three advantages — portability, durability, and protection from evil — were promoted as the santoku (three virtues), and in the Edo period the lantern became known nationwide as a souvenir among travelers on the Tokaido. Today only a small number of lantern shops in the city continue to uphold the traditional techniques, and efforts are made to pass on the skills through workshops and other activities.
Origin
Odawara Chochin is said to have been devised in the mid-Edo period by Jinzaemon, a lantern maker living in Odawara, then a post town on the Tokaido. It is said to have begun with a structure designed so that, when folded, the body collapses into its upper and lower lids, making it easier for travelers crossing the mountain pass at Hakone to carry. Unlike ordinary bow-frame lanterns, its body ribs are made as a single ring, allowing it to fold flat, and because it could be tucked into a kimono breast pocket, it was also known as the futokoro-chochin (breast-pocket lantern).
History
With the advertising phrase santoku, promoting its three advantages of being convenient to carry, highly durable, and a ward against evil on the road, Odawara Chochin gained nationwide recognition in the Edo period as a souvenir among travelers on the Tokaido and processions of daimyo on sankin-kotai duty. It was subsequently carried on as one of Odawara's signature local industries, but changes in lifestyle and a shortage of successors have reduced the number of shops that continue to make it. Today it is produced mainly by Yamazaki Chochin-ten, said to have been founded in the Meiji era, where the 4th-generation head has carried on the technique and his eldest son, who will become the 5th generation, continues his training.
Features
Its greatest characteristic is its unique structure: rather than the accordion-like series of ribs found in ordinary lanterns, the body is formed by stacking a single ring-shaped rib repeatedly. When not in use, the body folds down completely into the upper and lower lids, allowing it to be carried extremely compactly. The bamboo strips applied to the body are shaved into a square cross-section, which provides a wider gluing surface than round strips, making the paper less likely to peel even when exposed to rain or fog, and giving the lantern greater durability. In addition, the upper and lower lids are made from sacred wood from Saijoji Temple on Mt. Daiyuzan, which has also long been believed to ward off evil on the road.
Materials Used
Artisans & Workshops
山﨑提灯店
A lantern shop said to have been founded in the Meiji era, today the main maker of Odawara Chochin. It carries on techniques passed down over four generations, hand-painting each piece individually, from Odawara Chochin to festival lanterns and signboard lanterns. Production is mainly made to order, and delivery takes about two months.
How to Buy
- 山﨑提灯店
- A specialty shop that hand-paints Odawara Chochin, festival lanterns, and signboard lanterns. Production is basically made to order, and a reservation is required to purchase. Completion takes about two months.
Hands-on Experiences
小田原ちょうちん製作体験（小田原宿なりわい交流館）
神奈川県小田原市本町3-6-23
A hands-on experience in which participants draw a design or lettering of their choice on washi paper and paste it onto a bamboo-strip frame. Takes about 90 minutes; costs 1,500 yen. Held every Sunday, 10:00–16:00; no reservation needed (groups of 7 or more require a reservation).
View details →FAQ
Q. What is the santoku, the origin of the lantern's advertising name?
A. It is an Edo-period advertising phrase referring to three advantages: being convenient to carry, being resistant to rain and fog and thus durable, and warding off evil on the road. These 'three virtues' helped the lantern become known nationwide.
Q. Can it still be purchased or experienced today?
A. You can order a made-to-order lantern from Yamazaki Chochin-ten, and at the Odawara-juku Nariwai Koryukan you can join a hands-on workshop (1,500 yen, about 90 minutes) where you paint washi paper and assemble your own lantern.