Wood wax archive - CERARICA NODA Co., Ltd.

What is Japanese candle?

Japan wax extracted from goby fruit grown in western Japan , and the core is made from rush, which is used in tatami mats. The wick of a Japanese candle is cylindrical and hollow inside, so the wick absorbs wax quickly and prevents wax from dripping. In historic temples, the soot produced when burning is smooth and easy to remove, so there is no need to worry about staining high-quality Buddhist altar fittings, and the flame is large and beautiful, so it has been used for hundreds of years.
In addition, using expensive natural raw materials, each piece is handcrafted by craftsmen with all their heart in order to maintain its high quality. Therefore, the number of candles that can be made is limited, and they are more expensive than Western candles. But please try lighting a Japanese candle. Before you know it, you will become the main character of a historical drama. Why not turn off all the lights in your house for an hour and talk with your family in the dark, like the annual ``One Million Candle Night'' held nationwide?

What is a Western candle?

It is made from paraffin, which is extracted from petroleum, and the core is thread. For example, those colorful candles that come with birthday cakes are Western candles. I'm sure you've all had the experience of a candle dripping a little on a delicious cake. When Western candles burn, the soot is sticky compared to Japanese candles, so it can stick to Buddhist utensils and damage the surface. However, Western candles can be mass-produced by machines, so the raw materials are cheap and can be mass-produced, so they are commonly used.

Differences in the way Japanese candles and Western candles burn

If you compare the way Japanese candles and Western candles burn, you will find that the flame of Japanese candles is large and sways, as if their souls are connected, whereas Western candles are small and burn quietly.

In this lonely time of the first coronavirus crisis,
why not find some new joy in your heart with Japanese candles?

In our courtyard in central Kanagawa Prefecture, there is a power spot of a goby tree with young leaves and young blue fruits. As a symbol of a long-lived company with a history of 188 years, its vibrant appearance continues to brighten the hearts of CERARICA employees today.
Goby fruit is the raw material for Japan wax , which has long been used in hair care and makeup cosmetics.After the beautiful autumn leaves from autumn to winter, the fruit is harvested, extracted, and purified.large ginkgoOiichōand imperial womenbig hairSmoothIt is also used in the current topic of ``Yellow oak-dyed gokanKorozen no Hou” is a vegetable dyeing using goby twigs.
Haze trees grow in warm regions, and in Japan, they have been cultivated and planted in western Japan, such as Kyushu and Shikoku, for a long time since the Edo period. Even in our company in the Kanto area, the haze tree produces fine fruit like this, so it is perfect for hobbyists to use as a garden tree even in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
As we previously introduced on our website, our employees teach people in Kyushu, Shikoku, and other regions modern know-how about harvesting goby berries that anyone can safely harvest at the ``Haze no Mi School.'' We are proceeding. A new goby tree public relations campaign that aims to expand greenery in line with the United Nations SDGs will once again increase the number of goby trees, which have become a seasonal feature of autumn, across western Japan.This will encourage young people today to look at the often neglected forestry industry from a completely new perspective. Through our activities, we sincerely hope that by increasing interest in and revitalizing the world, we will usher in an era of natural products that will replace petroleum synthesis.