New from PORTORO: Hanami

With the addition of a new product offering, PORTORO adds an exquisite approach to home illumination to its growing range of home accents and objets d’arts.

 For those who have been fortunate to visit Japan in the spring, the traditional practice of hanami or “flower-viewing” is an activity that has captivated both locals and visitors for centuries.

Photo by Eric Beltran

Every spring, as the famed sakura [JP: cherry blossom] trees come into bloom, crowds of people head to the many parks and public gardens in both cities and small towns to simply enjoy the sight of these beautiful – albeit ephemeral – flowers as they come into full bloom. It isn’t just cherry blossoms, of course: depending on the prefecture, it could easily be the pale, pinkish-white blooms of ringo [JP: apple] in Aomori, deep pink ume [JP: plum] blossoms in Ibaraki and Kyoto, or the pure white flowers of the sweet-almond tree.

In any case, these delicate blooms whose gentle fragrance is carried by the haru-no-soyokaze [JP: spring breeze] across the country symbolize how even the beauties of nature are not spared by the inexorable march of time, but linger on in human memory: a little spark of warmth and light to enjoy on the coldest winter days.

For this reason, we at PORTORO chose to name the newest addition to our growing range of home accents after this celebration of ephemeral spring beauty: the Hanami by PORTORO Luxury Soy Candle.

An Exquisite Approach to Illumination

Hanami by PORTORO is our debut into the field of home illumination, a warm and welcome addition particularly at a time when the world is still cocooning, and people are keeping themselves and their families safe from the still looming specter of COVID-19.

Each of our candles is carefully hand-poured into a lovely porcelain holder embossed by skilled pottery artisans with a delicately raised pattern of cherry and almond blossoms. Even when unlit, these are a joy to behold and can easily serve as a decorative accent for one’s living room and reading nook or more intimate spaces like one’s vanity, bath, and bedroom.

You can use our candles to create warm and welcoming centerpieces for your dining table or sideboard or use them to illuminate and decorate your table for an intimate dîner à deux [FR: dinner for two] – a romantic idea to consider for Valentine’s Day or an anniversary.

Hanami by PORTORO candles are made with fine soy wax as opposed to more traditional materials like beeswax or paraffin. We chose to go with soy as it is a highly sustainable material that has the additional virtue of burning cleanly without emissions that may be harmful to both our clients’ health and that of the environment.

As our Hanami soy candles are unscented, these are more versatile when it comes to decorating and even entertaining at home. These are a beautiful addition to your dining table when lit for mealtimes, as these exude a soft brightness that easily transforms an everyday meal into a charming dining experience with friends and family. Likewise, the gentle glow can illuminate your personal spaces for meditation and relaxation, enabling you to clear your mind of the day's cares.

Like the memory of spring blooms that faded away too quickly, the porcelain holder of each Hanami by PORTORO candles serves as a lingering – and surprisingly practical – memento when the candle itself has burned away. These delicate holders can easily be used as vases or as catch-all containers for one’s trinkets or more practical items like pens and pencils, keys, and even coins.

For now, we are proud to present Hanami by PORTORO and with it we celebrate the lingering memories of spring no matter how cold the world may get.

Size of Hanami Luxury Soy Candle is Ø11 x 12.5H cm | 21 oz.

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