Nanao Candle – L
USD$18.64
Sumac wax candle
Made in Japan
Candle size: ⌀2 x H11cm
Burning Time: 110 minutes approx.
Out of stock
Surrounded by sea and mountains, Nanao is a city close to nature and also the city in Ishikawa prefecture where Takazawa Candle calls home.
Inspiration from nature comes easily around the Noto Peninsula and each of the five candles in this set have a unique shape that represents a different plant that grows in the region. The candles are all named after a letter of the word P-L-A-N-T.
Made from sumac wax with dried rush and washi-paper wicks, these candles produce a bright and powerful flame. This comes as a result of the hollow core of the wick drawing up oxygen from the bottom, thus increasing the combustion power and creating a strong flame.
Recommended to use with the Koma Candle Stand Medium.
Takazawa Candle is committed to preserving the wisdom and ingenuity of traditional Japanese candle making for generations.
To make a traditional Japanese candle, they start with the candle wick. The wick is made by winding dried grass around hollow cord of Washi (Japanese paper).
The hollow core of the wick allows oxygen to be drawn up from the bottom so that the flame consumes more melted wax, thus increasing the combustion power and creating a powerful flame.
Next they create the candle shape by poring melted wax into wooden or metallic molds. After the wax has set, they remove it from the mold and finish shaping by hand with a small knife.
They begin the day at Takazawa Candle factory at 5AM in winter and 6AM in summer by lighting fired under the kettles to melt the wax. They burn firewood, timber that has been thinned from nearby forests on the Noto penisula. They use three big pots and small kettles. They put the raw wax into into each pot depending on which type of candles they’ll be making that day.
TAKAZAWA CANDLE
Since 1892
Ishikawa, Japan
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HISTORY
Legend has it that the first candles, made from beeswax, arrived in Japan with the introduction of Buddhism during the Nara period (the eighth century).
By the Edo period (1603-1868), the cultivation of Haze (wax trees), the raw material used in Warousoku (Japanese candles), flourished on the island of the Kyushu and Shikoku areas in Japan.
Candles provided light for everyday purposes and came to be used in traditional entertainment such as Noh and Kabuki.
The city of Nanao in Ishikawa prefecture flourished during this time as a part of so-called Kitamae-bune, “Northbound ships”, due to its excellent natural settings. Wax from Kyushu and Japanese paper (Washi) from Iwami in Shimane prefecture used for wicks were brought to Nanao to produce traditional Japanese candles. The finished products were then transported throughout Japan by Kitamae-bune.
The guild made by Japanese candle maker called “Rosokuza” continued to exist in Nanao until the late 19th century. Takazawa Candle was established in 1892 and succeeds this tradition over a century.
They value ethical and social contribution in crafting traditional Japanese candles, made from a combination of historical technologies and industries.
Today, the future of craftsmen for these precious works is in danger of existing. By continuing to use natural materials, they contribute to the survival of traditional technologies and to the conservation of the Japanese mountains, plants and nature.
Their candles continue to be widely used in Buddhist temples and many homes as offerings, as well as at meditation and yoga sessions to calm the body and mind.
Shop Location
279 East 6th Ave
Vancouver, BC V5T 1J7
Canada
Phone: 604 423 3679
e-mail: info@itsumo.ca
Shop Hours
Tue ~ Sat: 11:00 ~ 18:00
Sun: 12:00 ~ 17:00
Mon: Closed