Vitra Akari 1N Table Lamp

Manufacturer: Vitra | Designer: Isamu Noguchi, 1951

The Akari 1N is a table lamp of refined simplicity. Its washi paper shade produces the warm, diffused glow that defines the Akari series — soft and organic, with a presence that is felt as much as seen. Designed by Isamu Noguchi in 1951, it is a considered choice for a bedside table, desk, or shelf.

Each Akari luminaire is meticulously handcrafted at the Ozeki workshop, a traditional family-run company based in Gifu, Japan. Bamboo rods are stretched across Noguchi's original wooden forms to create the framework, before strips of washi paper — derived from the bark of the mulberry tree — are glued to the bamboo ribbing. Once dry, the wooden form is removed and the shade folded into its final shape. Every piece carries a stylised sun-and-moon logo as a guarantee of authenticity.

Specifications

• Dimensions — W26 × D26 × H39cm
• Cable — 130cm
• Shade — Handcrafted washi paper over bamboo ribbing
• Structure — Bamboo and steel wire
• Legs — Painted steel wire
• Light source — E27, max. 12W (not supplied; 4W LED recommended)
• Collection — Vitra Design Museum Collection

Part of the Vitra Akari collection and the Table Lamps collection.