Gifu Pref. artisans hard at work making traditional lanterns for Bon holidays

The production of handmade traditional lanterns is in full swing in the central Japanese prefecture of Gifu, in preparation for the country's mid-August "Bon" holiday period. The lanterns have been made since the Edo Period, which spanned from the early 17th through the mid-19th century.

The manufacturing of the lanterns is at its peak at a workshop that has been making them in the prefecture's Gifu City for 135 years. The products are almost entirely handcrafted by artisans.