Lanterns became a part of Japanese lifestyle in the Edo period, serving as indispensable sources of light in everyday life. We sought to restore this light rooted in Japanese life-styles, with the soft illumination of candles filtering through washi paper, to modern spaces. Nothing is so difficult as replacing long-held traditions with what exists today because of the traditional rules of format, traditional practices, and fundamental design and materials.

Some of the lanterns retain old-fashioned traditional forms; others have been reinterpreted into new forms. We have made the frames as thin as possible. Delicate lines of cedar wood and handmade washi paper overlap in modern spaces, bringing a nature-infused appearance to any contemporary interior.

The use of handmade washi paper the essence of tradition creates soft illumination that brings poetic shadows to a room. We used washi from craftsmen who have continued to make paper by hand with a conscientious preservation of the traditions of Mino washi. This washi is made with perseverance and care through its many processes, using the Nasu Kozo pulp that is among the finest quality raw materials for washi.

We also used wood as a material in these contemporary lanterns. As with the lanterns of old, solid cedar has been hand-crafted by a master joiner without the use of metal fittings or petroleum-based adhesives, inspiring these lanterns with a breath of life that is handed down to the present. Without this delicate and sophisticated work by traditional craftsmen, these lanterns could not have come into existence.