石油ランプは開国前後に輸入されたが、価格が高かった。その本格的普及はランプの国産化から始まり、１８８０年代後半から急速に都市部から農村へと広がった。日本のガス事業は灯火を目的として１８７２年に始まり、主に街灯に使用された。電灯事業はガスより遅れて１８８６年に東京で始まった。東京においては９０年代には電灯が優勢だったが、高料金により９０年代後半からガス灯需要家の数が電灯需要家を上回る。１９０６年以降両者は拮抗するが、１９１０年代から電灯の勝利が決定的になり、ガス需要は減少する。
The oil lamps were imported to Japan at around the opening of the country, but they were expensive. The domestic production of the lamps led the wide use of the product throughout Japan, first in the cities and then to the rural areas in the late 1880s.
The gas business in Japan started mainly for providing street lamps in 1872. The electric lamp business began in 1886 in Tokyo following gas business. In Tokyo the electric lamps were dominant in 90s. However, because of the expensive fare, number of customers of gas lamps exceeded that of electric lamps from late 90s. After 1906, the gas lamps and electricity lamps were both competitive, but from 1910s the electricity lights clearly won in the market thereafter the demand for the gas declined.
