Commemorating the designation as a Fukuoka City Intangible Folk Cultural Property and the additional designation as a Fukuoka Prefecture Tangible Folk Cultural Property
Ohama Nagare-Kanjo & Large Lantern Paintings
In March 2026, the
"Ohama Nagare-Kanjo" ritual, held in Taihaku-machi, Hakata Ward,
Fukuoka City, was designated as a Fukuoka City Intangible Folk Cultural
Property. During this event, a massive lantern known as the " Ō-tōrō "
(Large Lantern)—roughly the size of four tatami mats—is displayed across the
entire width of the road. [Photo 1]. It features dynamic illustrations of
warriors and other figures, known as "Ō-tōrō-e" (Large Lantern
Paintings) [Photo 2]. While nine of these paintings had previously been
designated as Fukuoka Prefecture Tangible Folk Cultural Properties, thirteen
additional pieces have now received this designation. This exhibition
commemorates these designations by introducing the history and details of the
Ohama Nagare-Kanjo ritual, as well as the Ō-tōrō-e paintings themselves. We
hope this exhibition would engage the attention of many to the culture which local
residents have preserved and passed down through the generations.
Allegedly, the Ohama Nagare-Kanjo
originated with memorial services held to console the spirits of those who
perished in 1755—victims of a storm that caused maritime disasters in Hakata
Bay and the collapse of houses—as well as those who died during an epidemic the
following year. Today, the event takes place over three days, from August 24 to
26. Between the hours of 6pm and 9pm, "Nagare-Kanjo Street" in the
neighborhood displays four large lanterns featuring dynamic paintings created
by artists such as Hakata-based painter Ebisaki Sekkei (1876–1941), while
"hanagasa" (flower-adorned hat) lanterns bearing the inscription
"Kongetsu Konya" (This Month, This Night) are hung from the eaves of
local homes.
Given that the Ō-tōrō-e (large lantern painting) [Photo 1] was created by the
Hakata-based ukiyo-e artist Ittokusai Takakiyo (active c. 1879–1898; birth and
death years unknown), it is apparent that large lanterns were displayed during
the Ohama Nagare-Kanjo ritual by 1890’s at the latest.
Although many of the paintings depicting
Ohama’s large lanterns are believed to have been destroyed by fire during the
war, as of August 2026, twenty-two original paintings have been confirmed to
survive, along with two others that exist only in photographs.
