Comment
Kamei Lantern Shop is the only shop that has been producing Noto paper lanterns the traditional way since the Meiji period. The lanterns are completely handmade; the craftsmen paste traditional paper made of paper mulberry from Toyama Prefecture on thin, curved bamboo sticks, and paint pictures and writing on it. The wooden parts at the top and bottom are made by craftsmen of Wajima City. The size of the lanterns varies from small ones that are carried to large ones that are taller than a person. The lanterns are indispensable for the festivals in Noto, and there are many varieties such as the Yakko Lantern, which is decorated by the lacquerware craftsmen of Wajima, and the Takahari Lantern, for the top-ranking sumo wrestler taking part in the Karatoyama Shinto ritual sumo wrestling of Hakui City. The shop offers classes for elementary school children, so that they can experience the attractiveness of Noto lanterns.