Isamu Noguchi has said, “I call this creation “AKARI”. It is not a lantern (“chouchin” in Japanese).” The word “akari” in Japanese gives the image of sunlight and moonlight pouring out into a room. Even the Chinese characters used (sun and moon) to create the word tell this story. With the extreme modernization and mechanization of society, modern people long for something as simple as natural light. With light passing through Japanese paper, just the right amount of dispersal softens the light so that it flows into an entire room gently. AKARI is sculpted in just such a way. When speaking about AKARI to others, please mention its intentionally shadow-less construction. Let me also say this: paper, bamboo, wood, and other traditional materials have a certain effective beauty that goes without saying. Glass and plastic...do not. I wasn’t raised in Japan; so traditional lanterns allow me to feel the deep meaning of living in the old tatami-mat style. The 1951 AKARI Series has since seen the release of over 100 products including the UF Series from the 1980’s, and has been applauded and loved by people all over the world.