How a Japanese shrine helped Edison light up the world
The Edison Day, celebrated annually on May 29, honors the legacy of American inventor Thomas Alva Edison, best known for developing the first commercially viable incandescent light bulb. But few people know that one of the key breakthroughs behind Edison’s invention has ties to a centuries-old shrine in Japan, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine, located south of Kyoto, is closely connected to the development of Edison’s early light bulbs. According to shrine records and historical accounts, bamboo collected from groves near the shrine was used to create filaments for Edison’s lamps in 1880.
Edison spent years testing thousands of materials in search of a filament that could burn for long periods without failing. Earlier experiments using cotton thread and other materials produced bulbs that lasted less than 40 hours. The breakthrough came after Edison discovered that carbonized bamboo offered far greater durability.
His assistant, William H. Moore, traveled to Japan to search for high-quality bamboo and gathered samples from the Kyoto area, including around Mount Otokoyama, where the shrine stands. Tests later showed the bamboo could keep Edison’s bulbs glowing for more than 1,000 hours, helping make electric lighting commercially practical.
The success paved the way for the launch of Edison’s electric lighting system in Menlo Park, New Jersey, and later the founding of the Edison Electric Light Company, which eventually became General Electric.
Founded in 859 by the monk Gyokyo under orders from Emperor Seiwa, Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine was originally built to protect the imperial capital. Dedicated to Hachiman, the Shinto god of war, it became one of Japan’s most influential shrines and remains known for its distinctive Hachiman-zukuri architecture.
Today, the shrine preserves its connection to Edison through a memorial monument first erected in 1934. Annual ceremonies and festivals continue to honor the inventor, including the Festival of Light held every May 4, when thousands of bamboo lanterns are illuminated in tribute to his achievements.
The shrine also holds annual ceremonies marking Edison’s birthday on Feb. 11 and his death anniversary on Oct. 18.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported on the Sapporo Snow Festival in northern Japan, including how the sculptures are created, who builds them and what visitors can see.
