Traditional Japanese Candle
Photos: Takazawa
It is believed, lighting a candle may call to mind your ancestors or those who are far away. Perhaps the flickering of the flame feels like it is speaking to us..
Wick is made by winding dried grass around hollow cord of Japanese Washi paper which is made from paper mulberry or bush plants. 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. Candle body is made from natural ingredient such as fruit of the wax tree, lacquer tree, and rice brans. Today, the future of these traditional wisdom and ingenuity are in danger of existing affected by global trend of mass production with synthetic materials such as paraffin oil.
In Japan, a few producers continue such tradition and at the same time, preserve nature and mountains by avoiding them unattended to cause natural disasters.
HOW TO BURN A JAPANESE CANDLE SAFELY
Japanese candles burn with a large, bright flame. Keep the candle at a safe distance from other items and do not place flammable items above the candle.
Do not place lit candles close together or near heating device. It may cause melting wax to drop down over the candle stand.
Use a candle stand which is the correct size for candle. Secure the candle up right making sure it doesn’t wobble, and light it in place out of reach of wind and breezes, even if inside of the house. It may cause melting wax to drop down over the candle stand.
While the candle is burning, cut gently the black burnt part of the wick down to adjust the size of the flame and to keep flame stable. Melted wax may splatter, if you extinguish the candle by blowing it out.
While burning, keep candles within your line of sight. Do not leave the room without extinguishing the flame completely.
Do not place candles near any flammable materials, such as furniture, beds, carpets, books, or any other paper materials.
Keep lit candles out of reach of children and pets.