Kaminarimon Lantern
This fancy lantern girl was inspired by my old friend, the kaminarimon lantern in the entrance gate to Sensōji temple. I first made a wood girl inspired by the lantern as piece number one in my 'favourite things' series in 2021 - although that girl wasn't lantern shaped like this one. Back then, when I first thought about making a piece based on the lantern I presumed I had hundreds of reference photos as I had passed under it so many times, but in fact I only had a few - I so enjoy the experience of seeing this beautiful object, I often forget all about taking any photos. Fortunately one of my sketchbooks (the one with dragon related content) has many pages devoted to notes about it, along with sourced photos and sketches.
In the low-lying Tokyo district of Asakusa, a memorable object welcomes visitors into the grounds of Sensōji temple - the giant red lantern that hangs in the centre of the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate). You might be surprised by the fact that many things in Tokyo aren't as old as you think - between fires, earthquakes and fire bombing, the city has been rebuilt from the ashes so many times that originals have long since been replaced, but each renewal allows for traditional crafts to be put into action, sometimes with modern technologies added. The enormous red chochin lantern, measuring 3.9m tall and 3.3m wide, weighs 700kg and very much has its own presence. Passed under by thousands of people every day, it is renewed roughly every decade or so to keep it in good condition. The current lantern was installed in April 2020, in readiness for the influx of visitors anticipated for the (then postponed) Olympics. The Kyoto based company now in charge of its renewal sources mulberry paper from Fukui prefecture and bamboo for the frame from Kyoto's Tamba district. The metal parts at the top and base are kept, along with the carved dragon on the underside of the base (the full name of the temple is Kinryūzan Sensoji, kinryū means golden dragon, and the enshrined deity of Sensōji, Kannon Bosatsu, is said to sometimes appear as a golden dragon). Dragons are also associated with water, so can be seen as a protective emblem for a temple affected by fires so many times.
The lantern's characters on the front now read 雷門 - kaminarimon, or thunder gate (the front side of the gate houses two wooden figures of brothers Raijin (the god of thunder) and Fūjin (the god of wind), although in an 1884 woodblock by Hiroshige that shows the gate 'in olden times' the lantern has the characters 志ん橋 (shinbashi) on it - another district of Tokyo whose residents contributed to funds for the lantern at the time. On the back of the lantern is written the gate's official name, Fūraijinmon (風雷神門), along with the date of its most recent re-installation. Since the 1960's, the lantern has received upkeep funding from the company now known as Panasonic, and has the old name for that company written on the plaque on the gold base. The lantern is tethered by ropes to prevent it swaying about, and is collapsed upwards when large storms or typhoons are expected or to allow the matsuri floats to pass through. There is also netting around the paper body of the lantern when in situ to help prevent damage.
This wood girl has remained unsigned - because the base has a dragon on the bottom like the real thing!
A note about 'Wood Girls'
This girl was turned by a production turner to my design, and then hand painted in the U.K. by me, a British artist. I love exploring the patterns and scenes encountered by me on my travels and in daily life.
My pieces are painted in a naïve and simple style, often with visible brush strokes and differing paint consistencies. It is important to note that these dolls are made from real wood which will have naturally occurring markings and grain, and sometimes there will be small amount of bleeding along the grain, or knots, which is to be expected when using untreated wood - please make sure you consult the pictures carefully before purchasing. She has been finished in a top coat of matt acrylic.
Approximately 26cm high, including the extended hanging ring.
Safety & Care notes:
THIS IS NOT A TOY and should be kept out of the reach of children.
Wood girls should be kept away from water which can damage the wood and painted surface, and also away from direct heat/ sunlight which also can affect the surface colour and the timber itself.
