村田 健一郎
むらた けんいちろう
Lantern Characters and Jiguchi Illustrations
Lantern lettering is the art of writing characters on lanterns. By the late Edo period, lantern shops specializing in lettering were confirmed to exist. The tracing brush technique used by these shops, along with the double-hook and cage-character techniques, also emerged around this time.During the Edo period, lanterns were widely used as portable lighting devices. They were decorated with characters, family crests, and divine emblems for ceremonies like weddings and funerals, festivals, and also served as shop signs. Even today, they are used not only for ceremonies like festivals and funerals but also for shop signs and other purposes.
Jiguchi-e are caricatures depicting “jiguchi”—pun-based proverbs and sayings. By the late Edo period, it became customary to decorate lanterns with jiguchi-e during the Hatsuuma festival at Inari shrines.
Even today, the custom of displaying jiguchi lanterns at festivals and shopfronts persists, with lantern lettering artisans within the ward preserving this tradition.
About the Craftsman
As the fourth-generation successor to the Taisho-era founded “Namida Bridge Oshimaya,” he carries on the craft passed down from his great-grandfather, Yoshizo; his grandfather, Kinichi (deceased, former holder of the ward’s registered intangible cultural property); and his father, Shuichi. From childhood, he assisted in the family business, painting lanterns and other tasks. Wishing to carry on the techniques passed down by the Murata family, he utilized the Arakawa Craftsman Development Program to apprentice under his father, Shuichi, and undergo rigorous training.He runs the workshop alongside his father, crafting lanterns for local festivals, as well as the paintings for the jikuchi and-o lanterns displayed at the Hatsuuma Festival at Senzoku Inari Shrine (Taito Ward) every February. They also produce lanterns, traditional Japanese umbrellas, and writing implements used as props in Kabuki theater.
Achievements
- Achievements
Contact Us
- Location: 2-29-6 Minami-Senju, Arakawa Ward, Tokyo Namida Bridge Oshimaya
- Hours: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Closed on Sundays and holidays)
- Phone/Fax: 03-3801-4757