Traditional craft
Yamaga Toro
山鹿灯籠
Lanterns and paper ornaments from Yamaga in Kumamoto, built with no wood or metal, only hand-made washi and a little rice glue.
Key facts
- Officially recognised
- 26 December 2013
- Type
- Other crafts
- Region
- Kyushu & Okinawa
- Official name in Japanese
- 山鹿灯籠
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 山鹿市
Paper, glue, nothing else
Yamaga toro are built into three-dimensional forms using only hand-made washi and glue, with no wood or metal at all, and the main parts are hollow inside. They began as votive offerings and are now also made as ornaments, souvenirs, interior pieces and lampshades. At the Yamaga Toro Matsuri every August, women dance the Sennin Toro Odori wearing gold paper lanterns on their heads. It is made in Yamaga in Kumamoto.
Folded strength
- Gold and silver papers are backed with washi.
- Paper strips called bu-gami are used in the bu-tsuki step.
- Each part is assembled with sokui, a glue made from rice.
- The parts are fitted together, leaving the inside hollow.
Lanterns for the gods
Yamaga lanterns have several origin stories; the craft can be traced with certainty to the mid-17th century. Lanterns have long been made as offerings, and toro-shi, lantern masters trained under a master, still make the votive lanterns presented at the August festival.
Good to know
- Go in mid-August for the Yamaga Toro Matsuri and its thousand-lantern dance.
- Try making a small lantern from a kit at the Google Maps 山鹿灯籠民芸館 (opens in a new tab).
Questions travellers ask
Is there any wood or metal in a Yamaga lantern?
No; it is only hand-made washi and a little glue.
When is the Yamaga lantern festival?
Every August; in 2025 it was held on 15 and 16 August.
Where it comes from
More crafts from the same area
Local foods from the same area
Heritage stories from the same area
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.