Ozu Shrine has an impressive lamp at the bottom of the stone steps leading to the main hall. In fact, it’s actually a repurposed chimney from an old factory that used to extract silkworm pupae oil. While silkworm cocoons were used to make silk, the pupa themselves weren’t seen as valuable. That is, until someone came up with the idea of collecting oil from the pupae and making things like soap. Eventually, as the silk-reeling industry declined, the oil extraction factories were shut down as well. However, since the workers didn’t want to tear down this expensive brick chimney, instead they fixed it up and repurposed it as a mercury-vapor lamp. It was named “Showa Light” in honor of the Emperor Showa, who was enthroned the same year. It still shines every night as it watches over the town.