Lan, tell us about your cultural experiences! August 2024 Issue

On July 21st, I took part in a “Paper Lantern Making Experience for Foreigners” workshop organized by the Matsudo City International Exchange Association (MIEA). The workshop was held at Yashima Shoten, a long-established lantern shop that is just a five-minute walk from Matsudo Station.
As we stepped through the door, we were first greeted by an array of hand-crafted items, including lanterns, daruma dolls, and beckoning cats. Then, Mr. Yashima, the owner, introduced us to the shop, and its history. I was amazed to learn that the shop has been around for over 300 years, and he explained how its products have changed over time while he shared old photos and maps that offered intriguing insights into Matsudo City and its history of paper lanterns.

Next, Mr. Yashima explained how to make the paper lanterns, and we started first by writing kanji characters on them. Initially, we planned to write the kanji for our own names, but since that might be challenging for foreign participants, we decided to write the kanji for the city where we live instead. I made a pencil draft before using the brush, but since I had no experience with calligraphy, it was quite difficult to achieve a balanced look. With Mr. Yashima’s assistance, I eventually completed the kanji for “Matsudo”.
Even though we didn’t have enough time to make the lanterns from scratch, the experience was invaluable. It gave us a chance to deeply explore traditional Japanese crafts and learn about local history.

八嶋さんから提灯の作り方について説明を受けたあと、参加者は提灯に漢字を書き始めました。最初は自分の名前に合った漢字を書く予定でしたが、外国人参加者には難しいかもしれないということで、自分が住んでいる街の名前の漢字を書くことになりました。筆で書く前に鉛筆で下書きをしましたが、習字の経験がない私は、バランスよく漢字を書くのに苦労しました。八嶋さんの手助けのおかげでようやく「松戸」の漢字が完成しました。
今回は時間があまりなかったため、提灯を最初から作ることはできませんでしたが、日本の伝統工芸や地域の歴史に深く触れる貴重な体験でした。