Japan wax archives - CERARICA NODA Co., Ltd

What are Japanese candles?

extracted from the berries of the Japanese wax tree (Japan waxRhus succedanea) grown in western Japan, the wick is made from rush grass, the same material used in tatami mats. The hollow, cylindrical wick allows it to absorb the wax quickly, minimizing dripping. In historic temples, the soot produced is light and easy to clean, preventing staining of expensive Buddhist artifacts. The large, beautiful flame also contributes to its continued use for hundreds of years.
Furthermore, to maintain its high quality and use of expensive natural materials, each candle is handcrafted with passion by skilled artisans. This limits the number produced, making them more expensive than Western candles. But try lighting a Japanese candle. Before you know it, you'll feel like the protagonist of a historical drama. Like the annual "1 Million People Candle Night" held nationwide, why not turn off all the lights in your house for an hour and enjoy a quiet conversation with your family in the darkness?

What are Western candles?

They are made from paraffin, a raw material extracted from petroleum, and have a thread wick. For example, those colorful candles that come with birthday cakes are Western candles. You've probably had the experience of a little candle dripping onto the delicious cake. When Western candles burn, they produce stickier soot than Japanese candles, which can stick to Buddhist altar fittings and damage their surfaces. However, Western candles can be mass-produced by machine, so the raw materials are inexpensive and they are commonly used

The difference between Japanese and Western candles in how they burn

Comparing the burning characteristics of Japanese and Western candles, the flame of a Japanese candle is large and flickers dramatically, almost as if a soul is connecting with it, while a Western candle burns quietly and gently. In this

unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, and especially in these lonely times,
why not find a new source of joy in your heart with a Japanese candle?

In the courtyard of our company in central Kanagawa Prefecture, there is a power spot: a hazel tree with fresh green leaves and young green fruit. As a symbol of our long-lived company with a history of 188 years, its vibrant appearance continues to brighten the hearts of CERARICA employees today
The nuts of the Japanese wax tree are the raw material for Japan wax , which has long been used in hair care and makeup cosmetics. After the leaves turn beautiful red in autumn and winter, the nuts turn color and are harvested, extracted, refined, and used to make the wax used in sumo wrestlers' hair care productsLarge GinkgoLarge oak treeand the royal womenLong hanging hairSmoothIt is also used in the currently popularYellow oak-dyed robeKorozen's Law" is a plant dye made from hazelnut branches
Wax trees grow in warm regions, and in Japan they have been selectively bred and planted in western Japan, especially in Kyushu and Shikoku, since the Edo period. Wax trees in our company's Kanto region also produce beautiful fruit, making them ideal garden trees for enthusiasts in the Tokyo metropolitan area
As previously mentioned on our website, we are running a "Haze no Mi School" where our employees teach people in Kyushu, Shikoku, and other regions about harvesting haze berries, providing modern know-how that allows anyone to harvest them safely.We sincerely hope that our new haze tree public relations activities, which aim to expand greenery like the UN SDGs, will help to repopulate haze trees, a symbol of autumn in western Japan, and revitalize the often-overlooked forestry industry with a completely new perspective, sparking interest among today's young people, ushering in an "era of natural products" that replaces petroleum synthetics