Decoration, Kyoto Lanterns

Kojima Shoten is an old, established workshop that has been making Kyo-chochin since the Edo period. The entire process is done in the jibari-shiki method, in which everything from the creation of the bamboo frame, the pasting of paper, to the pictorial decoration is done by hand. The product of a time-consuming, labor-intensive process, that Kyo-chochin is characterized by its sturdiness and the rich texture of its materials. As for durability, it can easily last 10 years of kept out of the rain.
The final step is decoration (etsuke). A rough sketch is done in pencil, and this is filled out a little at a time with a bush. Using block ink, the final touches are applied by repeatedly overlaying the ink.