Why do we sing "Bring out the candles" to get candy?

The reason why children sing "Bring out the candles" has its roots in Hakodate. According to records remaining in Hakodate, this festival began in the late Edo period. At that time, Hakodate had festivals where Nebuta-like floats and lanterns filled the town, and it is said that candles were used to light the floats.

Children collected candles from each house to light the candles, so they sang "Bring out the candles." However, due to the influence of the Meiji government's policies at the time, festivals like Nebuta in Hakodate gradually disappeared, and there was no longer any need to collect candles. The tradition of "borrowing candles," which continues in Hakodate, naturally changed over time as the things that children received changed from candles to sweets, and it is still carried on today.

A slightly strange custom that still remains in Hokkaido

Although "borrowing candles" is not seen much these days, the light of the candles quietly conveys the lives and thoughts of people from long ago. Whether you have sung the song "Bring out the candles, bring them out," or not, if you think about this custom for a moment, it may bring back memories of quietly lit summers.