Bringing "Obon Culture" into Daily Life: Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten's First "Obon Decorations"

Nara, Japan – July 8, 2026 – Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Co., Ltd. (Location: Nara City, Nara Prefecture, President and CEO: Aya Sengoku), a long-established Nara-based company founded in 1716, will launch its "Obon Decorations" designed to be displayed as interior decor on July 8 (Wed.) at all Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten directly managed stores nationwide and its online shop.

"Obon Decorations" That Can Be Displayed Without Hesitation, Even for Beginners

Since ancient times, Japan's Obon festival has been a tradition passed down through generations, a custom to welcome ancestral spirits and the souls of the deceased to our homes once a year and express gratitude. In modern times, with the trend towards more compact living spaces and nuclear families, the number of households with Buddhist altars is decreasing, and Obon customs are drifting away from daily life.

Even so, the feeling of remembering the deceased has not disappeared. "We want to spend Obon in a way that suits our own lives, even without a Buddhist altar," and in response to this desire, we have created "Obon Decorations" that can be casually set up alongside your favorite雑貨 (zakka - miscellaneous goods) on entrances, living room shelves, and other places.

Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten's "Obon Decorations," first launched in 2024, sold out in approximately three weeks after their release in the first year, and achieved sales of approximately 400% year-on-year in 2025, demonstrating their growing popularity as a new staple for summer decor. In its third year, the company is releasing a new entry-line product, the "Setoyaki Shooryou-uma" (Seto ware spirit horse), which expresses the traditional "Shooryou-uma" (spirit horse) made of eggplant and cucumber using Japanese craft techniques. In addition, the company will offer a total lineup of 34 items to adorn Obon, including orin (bell) sets that condense regional crafts and modern bon-chōchin (Obon lanterns). We propose a new form of Obon that can be arranged according to one's own lifestyle, for those who have not previously been familiar with Obon customs or who wish to decorate their homes as a summer tradition.

[Sales Information]

Product Name: Setoyaki Shooryou-uma, and 34 other types Release Date: July 8, 2026 (Wed.) Stores: Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten directly managed stores nationwide*1 Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Online Shop*2 https://www.nakagawa-masashichi.jp/shop/e/ev0632/ *Excluding Bunten Fuku Gransta Tokyo Store and Bunten Fuku AMU PLAZA HAKATA Store. *Pre-sale began on the online shop on June 17 (Wed.).

Two Types of Shooryou-uma Made with Japanese Crafts

"Shooryou-uma" (spirit horse) are vehicles used by ancestral spirits to travel between the world of the living and the afterlife once a year. Traditionally, they are made from eggplant and cucumber.

This custom, which has been cherished as an essential decoration for Obon in Japan since ancient times, is made to resemble a fast horse when welcoming ancestors, with the wish that they "return as quickly as possible," and a slow-moving ox when seeing them off, with the consideration that they "return safely and unhurriedly, though we are reluctant to part." Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten has expressed these two essential Obon arrangements using Japanese craft techniques.

For Your First "Obon Decoration": Palm-Sized Shooryou-uma

Setoyaki Shooryou-uma

A compact and charming "Setoyaki Shooryou-uma" that fits any interior style.

On the backs of the ox and horse, artisans have hand-painted patterns resembling "lotus flowers," said to bloom in the Pure Land, with a cool blue and soft touch.

The Shooryou-uma are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. They can be displayed alongside your favorite雑貨 (zakka) in small spaces such as living room shelves, entrances, or desks. This creates a space close to your daily life where you can remember your loved ones.

Product Name: Setoyaki Shooryou-uma Price (incl. tax): 3,850 yen Set Contents: 1 ox and 1 horse each (Material: Pottery) Size: Horse approx. 6×5×2cm; Ox approx. 7×4×2cm

Hand-Carved Shooryou-uma Made by a Manufacturer of Traditional Folk Toys

Obon Decoration Shooryou-uma Set

This set includes a wooden Shooryou-uma, hozuki (physalis) representing the welcoming and sending-off fires, and a base plate. The wooden Shooryou-uma are made from high-quality Katsura wood, also used in Buddhist altar carvings, and are carefully crafted by artisans who specialize in traditional wooden horse carvings in Tohoku, known as "Yawata-uma." They possess both the warmth of handcraftsmanship and a dignified presence, designed to be cherished for many years to come.

The hozuki included in the set are inspired by "ogara" (hemp stalks) burned for the welcoming and sending-off fires that guide ancestral spirits. Made from the same hemp fabric as "ogara," they express the flickering flames that gently illuminate the path and ward off evil spirits. Simply placing them on the beautiful wood-grain ash veneer base plate creates a space for remembering loved ones.

Product Name: Obon Decoration Shooryou-uma Set Price (incl. tax): 22,000 yen Set Contents: Shooryou-uma (Material: Katsura), Hozuki (Material: Hemp), Base Plate (Material: Plywood, Ash Veneer) Size: Approx. 32×10×15cm (when displayed on the base plate)

Sales Product Lineup

Introducing our lineup to brighten your Obon arrangements.

Small Orin Set (with cushion and mallet)

A small orin that blends with modern interiors, along with a cushion that serves as a bell stand and a mallet to ring the bell. Utilizing the techniques of "Takaoka Copperware," it produces a clear sound despite its small size, and the mallet can be stored inside the cushion.

Price (incl. tax): 11,000 yen

Meimeidai (Individual Stand)

A stand that can be used for various arrangements, such as seasonal decorations, lucky charms, or amulets. It can be used as a freestanding piece or mounted on a wall. Enjoying items placed on this special stage enhances your living space.

Price (incl. tax): 8,800 yen

Shiraki Koge TORCHIN

A new form of lantern born from the techniques of "Yame Chochin," a traditional craft that has continued to produce Obon lanterns. It illuminates the path for ancestral spirits with a gentle light filtered through paper.

Price (incl. tax): 24,200 yen~

Indigo-Dyed Tapestry

A tapestry finished with genuine indigo dyeing on hand-woven hemp fabric. Its transparent and beautiful color adds a refreshing impression to your summer arrangements.

Price (incl. tax): 17,600 yen

Seasonal Flower Decoration Chrysanthemum

A chrysanthemum flower decoration that can be used to accompany Obon decorations such as Shooryou-uma. It can be enjoyed as a modern decoration that is not overly focused on Buddhist offerings.

Price (incl. tax): 2,640 yen

Hiragi Nenju Various

Includes one type of child's prayer beads and two types of women's prayer beads. The women's prayer beads come with a hemp prayer bead pouch.

Price (incl. tax): 8,800 yen~

Kungyokudo Incense

Incense from Kungyokudo, Japan's oldest incense maker located in Kyoto. It luxuriously uses rare aromatic woods.

Price (incl. tax): 4,620 yen