Mastering Kyoto-Style Lanterns with Artisan Shun Kojima

Introduction

At Kojima-an, located in the tranquil town of Amino in Kyoto Prefecture, Shun Kojima, a 10th-generation artisan, carries on the time-honored craft of Kyoto-style lantern making. Blending traditional techniques with contemporary design, Kojima’s work reflects both his deep-rooted heritage and modern innovation. Join us as we dive into his journey, from growing up in the historic family business, Kojima Shoten, to crafting his own path at Kojima-an, where tradition meets creativity.

Interview

Career Journey

Untold Japan: Can you tell us a little bit about the characteristics of Kojima-an?

Shun Kojima: Lanterns are often viewed from below, which is why they are narrower at the bottom. This shape has a long historical tradition. My family’s business, Kojima Shoten, follows this traditional form. However, I thought there was no point in just doing the same thing, so I started creating lanterns that are symmetrical from top to bottom. This is part of a project called “maaya.” In our local dialect, “maaya” means a small surprise. It’s an expression that grandmothers use when they are pleasantly surprised.

UJ: We understand your family has a long history of craftsmen and still operates a separate business, Kojima Shoten.

Kojima-san: Three years ago (2021), I was the president of Kojima Shoten, a lantern shop in Kyoto City. But I wanted to work here (in Kyotango), so I handed over the business to my younger brother. He asked me, “What are you going to do?” but I just wanted to come here, so I made the move (laughs).

Our family business, Kojima Shoten, is a well-known lantern shop in Kyoto with a history spanning 240-250 years. The first generation was a master magewappa (bentwood) craftsman, so for a long time, the business only worked on subcontracting. In those days, the work of creating lanterns was divided into several specialized tasks. One person would only glue the parts, another would only paint, and yet another would be responsible for sales. But as a subcontractor, the scope of work was limited, so the business eventually evolved to handle everything, including sales. Currently, my father and younger brother are the craftsmen running Kojima Shoten. Recently, they’ve done collaborations with Supreme and had connections to the Olympics. But when I first started, we were still a small lantern shop.

UJ: Can you tell us about yourself and the town of Amino?

Kojima-san: I was the 10th generation president of Kojima Shoten, which was founded in the late Edo period (Kansei era) in Kyoto City. As I mentioned, I left that behind and moved here three years ago. While working in Kyoto city might have allowed me to be more widely recognized, I felt a stronger pull towards Amino, this small town in Kyoto.

I’m not particularly into surfing or fishing, but I really love the sea here. And more than anything, I love the atmosphere of this town. I knew I wanted to work in this environment. Originally, this place was where my wife’s grandmother lived. When I had the chance to visit, I immediately fell in love with this place (laughs). I started coming here every year, always asking, “When can we go back?” There was no doubt about where I wanted to move; I just wanted to come to this place (laughs). The vegetables and rice are really delicious, and the people are truly warm and friendly.

Artistic Process

UJ: What is the production process like, and how is it to work at Kojima-an?

Kojima-san: Regarding the items with designs, my wife does the initial sketches and the final drawings. The whole team, including my wife, seems to genuinely enjoy the work. The staff members are all cheerful, and many of them are mothers of my children’s classmates, so everyone lives nearby. It's such a bright and cheerful group, which always makes the work enjoyable. We allow our staff to bring their children to the workshop, which makes the place very lively every day. I get to watch the children of my staff grow up, which makes me really happy. It’s the ideal team.

If visitors are coming to visit, I recommend coming on weekdays because the staff are not here on weekends. That way, you can experience this bright and cheerful environment.

Recommendations

UJ: Is there a recommended season for visiting?

Kojima-san: Summer and autumn are the best times to visit. There are several festivals during these seasons. The fireworks festival can make it difficult to find hotel accommodations, so just be mindful of that. Winter is extremely cold by the Sea of Japan, though surfers might enjoy it because the waves are good despite the cold.

Custom Orders

UJ: What kinds of lanterns would you be able to create for custom orders?

Kojima-san: To be honest, I believe we can handle any request. We can discuss the ideas of the clients and accommodate them accordingly. However, the most straightforward process is for the client to choose the size, shape, and type of paper or material to use. We would make recommendations, of course, for each of the lanterns. From there, we can create a unique design based on the client’s preferences. 

We also offer lantern-making kits that you can use at home, which take about an hour to assemble. There’s even a video tutorial explaining the process. The price would be around ¥20,000 per kit.

Interactions with the Local Community

I left my family business and moved here three years ago, knowing absolutely no one. I chose the place purely based on the property, so I relied entirely on luck. Initially, I was really anxious. I wondered what I would do if the neighbors turned out to be strange laughs. But it turned out great. As soon as I moved in, a lady named Miki brought us a watermelon. She was really kind, and when I immediately asked her to work with us, she said, “Sure!” It was a wonderful encounter right from the start.

There are many people here who share the same mindset as me. They all say the same thing: “This place is great, but it hasn’t been discovered yet.” And that’s what makes it special—it’s peaceful, with lovely dialects spoken by the elderly and kind-hearted people all around. Now, I have the help of local housewives who live nearby, and I’m really grateful for that.

Recently, I’ve become friends with the husbands of the housewives, and they’re all kind of like gorillas (laughs). So we call ourselves the “Gorilla Club” and get together for breakfast. Honestly, moving here was the best decision.

Did you know? This place is said to be the farthest town from Tokyo. Because of transportation, it’s not easy to get here—there’s no airport, and the nearest bullet train station is Kyoto, which is still a three-hour drive away. But once you arrive, it’s a really special place. I feel like this town has everything you can’t find in the city—hot springs, the ocean, amazing food. I’ve even gained 15 kg since I moved here (laughs).

I’ve been here for three years now, and I used to rely heavily on my family back when we worked together. But now, I bear all the responsibility myself. Still, I feel like I’m about halfway through life, so I want to do what I love. When I die, I want to be able to say, “That was fun!” And I think I can achieve that here.

Unlike me, my brother is more suited to life in Kyoto city. I’m the kind of person who enjoys building things from scratch, while my brother excels at expanding and stabilizing what’s already there.

Although I’m now working separately from the family business, we’re still connected. I split the bamboo for Kojima Shoten, and I send it to them from here. Tomorrow, I’ll be heading to Tokyo, so tonight, I’ll stay at my family’s house in Kyoto before heading out.