Omori Warosoku is the last remaining traditional Japanese candle shop in Ehime Prefecture. The Omori family has been making warosoku for six generations in Uchiko, a historic town nestled in the forests of Ehime. The tradition is carried on today by 6th-generation craftsman Taro Omori and his son, Ryotaro.

Warosoku — directly translating to "Japanese candle" — are handmade with wax from the nuts of the Japanese wax tree (haze) and are completely plant-based. They are known for their tall, wind-resistant flames, produced by sturdy wicks made from the stalks of the common rush wrapped in washi paper. Unlike mass-produced cotton wicks, which generate smoke and soot, warosoku burn cleanly and brightly. Their flames are resilient enough that a candle snuffer is needed to put them out.

Every part of the warosoku crafting process is done by hand. The wax, known as mokuro, has a low melting temperature, so artisans can handle it with their bare hands. They dip their hands into bowls of melted wax and coat the wicks layer upon layer. As the process is repeated, the warosoku grow thicker in rings — much like the rings of a tree.

Uchiko was a major producer of warosoku during the 1800s, when candles were used across Japan. Though mass production has closed many workshops, warosoku remain an important part of Japanese culture, used in Buddhist temples and ceremonies, and increasingly in homes for the atmosphere they create. Caring for a warosoku is simple: when the wick burns down, a shin-kiri (wick trimmer) is used to trim it to 1–2 cm while the flame is still alight — a method also used for Western candles until the mid-19th century.