Echizen Japanese candles have been produced in Fukui Prefecture since the Edo period. The prefecture has many temples and shrines, including Eiheiji, a famous Zen dojo, and it is said that Buddhism is a part of life there more than in other prefectures. In Echizen candle-making, wax extracted from the nuts of the Japanese wax tree is hardened in a hand-carved wooden mold, then left to rest for about two months until fully cured. Demand for these candles remains high today, as they do not damage the gold-leafed Buddhist altars with soot, reflecting the deeply religious nature of the prefecture's people.