It's Made of What? Hyoutan Sumijiro's Art Made Out of Gourds

Many people are familiar with jack o'lanterns - Halloween lanterns made with pumpkins - but are you familiar with hyoutan (bottle/birdhouse gourd) lanterns? Check out Hyoutan Sumijiro’s incredible works with us, from beautiful images depicted on the outside to detailed dioramas created on the inside.

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Hyoutan Sumijiro has been making hyoutan lamps since 2014. (He’s even grown his own gourds, with varying success throughout the years.) His ideas and works are incredibly creative as well as beautiful. 

Here’s a video of the process of one of his projects Cenote Dos Ojos (the beautiful cave in Mexico).

You can see how much time and care he puts into every project. And because of the nature of his work, no two works end up exactly the same, making each one a unique product even if it has a similar theme.

Let’s take a look at just some of his fantastic work. 

Standard Type Gourd Lanterns

Let’s start with what most people think of when they hear “lantern”. 

Hyoutan Sumijirou uses LED candles inside. As for designs, he often utilizes certain motifs in his work. 

Stained Glass Window

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The multiple colors reflected on the wall behind the lantern are gorgeous. It’d be such a fun addition to one’s room! 

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Flowers

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These rose ones are quite popular. Other flowers include sakura and other seasonal favorites. 

Animals

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A personal favorite are these cat silhouettes that make an appearance several times. 

Hyoutan Sumijiro also makes lanterns that have fun shapes. Here’s some frog ones he’s making for an event this spring. 

Seasonal

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We mentioned Jack O'Lanterns above, and Hyoutan Sumijiro makes those too! No two are exactly the same - you can get them in various shapes and styles at his Minne shop!

Dioramas Inside Gourds

If those weren’t amazing enough, what really stands out about Hyoutan Sumijiro’s work is when he makes entire scenes inside a gourd. 

Monet’s Pond

This is a recreation of Monet’s Pond inside a gourd. The end result is gorgeous, and this one even earned him media attention, where he was featured on TV! 

Morpho Butterfly Pond

I don’t know about you, but I’d love to go here!! 

Venice

Love the details from the outside of the gourd to the gondola scene we get inside! The far-off sunset is a brilliant touch. 

Here’s a preview of how he made it. 

Haunted Hotel

This one is so impressive...and spooky! Keep watching for a surprising twist! 

To Close: 

It seems like the ideas just keep coming for Hyoutan Sumijirou, so follow him on Twitter, YouTube, and check out his homepage and shop for latest works, especially if you’re interested in getting your own one-of-a-kind lantern! 

Photos provided courtesy of Hyoutan Sumijirou (Official Website, Instagram, Minne, Twitter, YouTube).