Candle Night Marks its Tenth Anniversary -- A 'Beginning' from an 'Ending'

JFS Newsletter No.124 (December 2012)

With its catch phrase of "Turn off the lights. Take it slow," a citizens' initiative -- "Candle Night" -- marked its 10th anniversary in 2012. The secretariat of the initiative also decided to end their role as the organizing body for the event at this time. However, this does not mean the termination of the movement--it is hoped that this will be a turning point towards a new stage. People will always be able to enjoy Candle Night in their own various ways. This article will look at the meaning of this "beginning from an end" while looking back at the history of the Candle Night initiative.

The Spread of Candle Night during the last 10 years

In June 2012, a talk show themed "Finding hints for living in the future" was held in Harajuku, Tokyo, along with an announcement that a film of Candle Night will be made. Five key promoters of Candle Night gathered to talk and reflect on the past 10 years. Many important key concepts came out: the event encourages everyone just to turn off the lights all at the same time, but does not suggest any reason or meaning for doing so -- this is left to each participant to decide. In spite of this diversity in motives and actions, Candle Night still entails a moderate sense of specialness and co-existence.

The idea of holding Candle Night, where people turn off their lights in unison for two hours on the evenings of the summer and the winter solstices, started in 2003. Back in 2001 in the United States, the Bush administration declared that it would build a nuclear power plant every month, and to protest this declaration, a "Voluntary Blackout" movement was launched in Canada.

Inspired by the Canadian movement, Shin-ichi Tsuji, a professor at Meiji Gakuin University, wanted to initiate a similar movement in Japan. Tsuji is one of the founders of the Sloth Club, a non-governmental organization that focuses on environmental and sustainability issues. Tsuji also runs the "Cafe Slow," so he held a voluntary blackout at the cafe. Kazuyoshi Fujita, chairman of the Association to Preserve the Earth (Daichi wo Mamoru Kai) which offers home delivery of organic food and vegetables, also supported Tsuji's initiative and organized a "Candle Project" with members of the association. The idea was also supported by Miyako Maekita, representative of Sustena (an "environmental advertising agency for building a sustainable society"), Shin-ichi Takemura, professor at Kyoto University of Art and Design, and Junko Edahiro, chief executive of Japan for Sustainability. These five people became the key promoters, and the Candle Night initiative was started.

It was never meant as a way of loudly protesting something, but merely invited people to simply spend some slow and relaxed time with their lights off. In the candlelight, talking with our families or reading books to our children, it was thought, maybe we can see something that we don't normally see in everyday life.

The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) in Japan gave support to the NGO-led Candle Night. Even the very first Candle Night in Japan in 2003 was celebrated all over the county. On June 22, 2003, about 2,300 facilities turned their lights off, and some five million people participated.

Starting in 2004, the MOE became a partner rather than a sponsor of the movement, meaning that it provided greater support. The number of participating companies and locally-held events increased.

In 2005, 22,716 major facilities including Tokyo Tower and Osaka Castle turned off their lights. The movement soon spread overseas to countries in Asia, America and Europe.

In 2008, environmental issues attracted more attention due to the convening of the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit. That year, Candle Night was extended from June 21, the summer solstice, to July 7, the Tanabata (Star) Festival, the day the Summit was held.

That year was also the start of the "Candlescape" Internet world map, on which participants can post messages, which has greatly contributed to strengthening bonds between people. Through these messages, participants can share their thoughts simultaneously with people around the world.

Lessons from March 11, the Great East Japan Earthquake

On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 hit Tohoku region of Japan. It was the biggest earthquake on record in Japan. In Miyagi Prefecture, the earthquake measured seven on the Japanese intensity scale. A huge tsunami afterward caused devastating damage to Japan's Pacific coast. The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was damaged by the tsunami, causing an unexpectedly serious nuclear disaster.

People across Japan were appalled, and many spent uneasy days in the aftermath of the disaster. What is really important in life as we enjoy the fruits of economic growth? We were faced with countless issues such as the sudden loss of many lives, and many more people still forced to live with considerable inconvenience in the disaster-affected areas, as well as planned black-outs and electricity conservation measures. We were also forced to revisit the issue of whether we should have nuclear power plants or not.

It was also an opportunity to rethink the meaning of "Turn off the light. Take it slow," slogan of Candle Night. On March 11, 2012, the first anniversary of the disaster, many people gathered to observe and spread the idea of Candle Night around the world. Related topics ranged from energy issues and denuclearization to agriculture and food issues in Japan all the way to the meaning of happiness. It was a day that reconfirmed the original message of Candle Night; "It is OK to have a million ways for a million people to celebrate Candle Night."

Gradually, the key promoters and the secretariat began to realize that their role in providing a platform for the movement was complete. Their thought was that letting Candle Night go would result in its further evolution as more people become freely involved and celebrate in their own way.

Initiative, Diversity, Cohesion

The key promoters of Candle Night made the following comments at the panel discussion held in June 2012.

Tsuji: The Candle Night movement encouraged me to change myself: it was a good path for me. Candle Night celebrations include a sense of beauty, and this makes me feel we can make a much better society. That is why it was so much fun.

Fujita: We decided not to mention any particular purpose for turning off the lights, and this aspect encouraged me to change as well. All the key promoters have their own discrete careers and personalities, and it was a good practice for me to enjoy different opinions. The hidden power of the Candle Night movement is the possibility that anybody can take part.

Maekita: The representative qualities of Candle Night are initiative, diversity, and cohesion. It offers a feeling of contemporaneousness in that many people turn off their lights at the same time. I have a feeling that all we did was spread the idea and encourage others to join, but that Candle Night has grown on its own for the last ten years.

Takemura: Candle Night makes people creative. As a platform, Candle Night has invited the realization of untapped potential. Candlescapes offer a special feeling, a feeling of coexistence, because many people are spending the same time in similar but various ways.

Edahiro: We have made decisions not by majority vote but by thrashing things out. And what matters to us has never been how we have expanded Candle Night. We have gathered together just because it's fun. We have done what we can do by making the most of our individuality. We respect others. And we have sought what is most important really.

Just as the key promoters have enjoyed their differences and mutually accepted their individuality and diversity, perhaps others in society can also enjoy individuality and diversity. By not imposing a certain purpose but putting emphasis on just "turning off the lights" as what participants do in common, Candle Night has spread far and wide, and people have joined in freely and celebrated in their own way.

At present, a film of Candle Night by one million people is in production to celebrate its 10th anniversary. After the key promoters withdraw, having completed their role of offering a platform, I look forward to seeing how Candle Night will evolve further as people enjoy it in their own way.

Candle Night

Related JFS articles:
2008 Summer Solstice Marks Candle Night's Fifth Anniversary of Sending a Message to the World
"Just a Little Effort" -- A New Approach to Environmentalism Spreads Across Japan
Candle Night -- Summer Solstice 2003

Written by Taeko Ohno