Sukiakari

The handcrafted Japanese Paper Art Lamp “Sukiakari” comes from Fukui (Echizen) in Japan,  These exquisite art lamps with “Echizen Washi” paper shades still have their paper made using traditional and sustainable methods.  Paper is created by boiling tree bark, and combined only with natural gluing agents, using techniques handed down to families and communities since 6th century.

Functional, durable and beautiful, “Echizen Papers” have always been known for their quality.  Japanese currency notes have been praised for being one of the most difficult money notes to forge.  When Japanese government produced the very first modern paper notes, it was Echizen artisan makers that they have chosen to advise and supervise the process.  The techniques you can see in Japanese notes where patterns are seen through super thin papers originate in the Echizen area of Japan. The bank of Japan in fact had a regional devision in Echizen and was making 100 yen and 1,000 yen notes here until 1940.

The Osada family have been perfecting the art of making Japanese ‘washi’ paper crafts since 1909.  While they still produce top quality traditional decorative paper doors, and keep challenging their boundaries as a group of artists.