Light Chosen by the Eyes and Hands of a Byobu Master — AKARI

compage_desUnfold a byobu screen, and in that instant, an empty space becomes a place.

For over a thousand years, byobu screens have shaped Japanese interiors. They are not merely partitions, but instruments of light and shadow—designed through layered structures that subtly transform the atmosphere of a room.

Mochizuki Byobu Ten focused on this architectural beauty of light. For this project, we designed a new lighting product inspired by the structural principles of the byobu. Drawing on our expertise in material selection and decorative finishing, we have reimagined this tradition into a form that harmonizes with modern living.

Clad in traditional motifs yet designed for contemporary spaces, it casts a gentle glow into everyday life.This is a modern expression of akari—light born from the memory of craft.

AKARI of Japan is presented by Mochizuki Byobu Ten, a long-established maker of traditional sekku byobu screens in Shizuoka.

For this project, we introduce two new designs — “IKI” and “RIN” — newly conceived and fully specified by Mochizuki Byobu Ten exclusively for Kickstarter.

These lamps are original lighting models developed specifically for this project. Both the structure and the decorative design have been newly created, and they have never been previously offered for sale.

Drawing on the byobu artisan’s trained eye for materials and refined finishing techniques, we designed each lamp from the ground up to suit contemporary living.

The form transforms freely, allowing light to pass through with elegance and depth. Into this functional structure, we incorporate precision laser detailing and hand-applied maki-kinpun gold dust — techniques rooted in traditional screen craftsmanship.

By combining Japan’s collaborative craft tradition with carefully selected modern materials, we “finish” each piece through the lens of Japanese aesthetics.
This is our vision of how craft evolves — honoring tradition while shaping something new.

The two series developed for this project are original specifications for which Mochizuki Byobu Ten assumes full responsibility for quality and production. Design, specification decisions, and final inspection are all conducted by our workshop.

The beauty of our products is not defined by numbers alone, but by the meticulous attention to detail that only a byobu artisan can achieve.

An original foldable LED lamp of wood and special paper that opens like a byobu screen. Adjust the angle from 180° to 360° and the interplay of light and shadow shifts across the room; hidden magnets let it stand freely, wrap around a post, or mount to a wall. Motifs drawn from Japan's four seasons and the spirit of "iki" — Samurai, Ninja, Sumo, and Cherry Blossoms — are engineered directly into the lighting structure.

Adapting a decorative technique from traditional lacquerware, artisans apply gold powder by hand to each piece — a layered, luminous depth that machine production cannot replicate.

Each pattern is precisely calculated for light permeability. When illuminated, intricate silhouettes emerge — a direct continuation of the aesthetic philosophy found in traditional byobu screens.

RIN is IKI's compact companion — a palm-sized rotating lamp you can carry anywhere. A single touch turns it on; press and hold to dim its warm glow. Its eight-sided panel — the auspicious happō form — carries full-color ukiyo-e views of Mount Fuji that come alive the moment light passes through them: The Great Wave, Cherry Blossoms, The Castle, Five-Story Pagoda, Autumn Maple, and Fireworks. Light enough for a desk, a bedside, or a bag, it brings a window onto Fuji into any corner of daily life

Two signature designs were created for this project and are available only through Kickstarter:

・IKI — "Cherry Blossoms" (桜) — Mount Fuji framed in falling sakura, hand-finished in gold.

・RIN — "The Great Wave" (北斎 / Kanagawa-oki Nami-ura) — Hokusai's immortal wave, reborn as light.

craftsmanship. When Tokugawa Ieyasu established Sunpu Castle, skilled artisans from across Japan were brought together here, forming a culture built on expertise and precision.

Byobu making has never been the work of a single artisan.It is completed through a relay of specialists — those who craft the wooden frames, prepare the paper, and apply decorative techniques such as maki-e. Each contributes their mastery to a shared creation.

For more than fifty years, Mochizuki Byobu Ten has served as the director of this collective expertise. We act as both curator and producer — selecting materials with discernment, coordinating each stage of production, and refining the art of “editing” tradition into a cohesive whole.

As times change, so do living spaces and the materials they demand.We do not believe that preserving tradition means simply repeating old forms.

The artisan’s sensitivity — adjusting adhesives to match humidity, finishing each surface with absolute precision — remains unchanged. What evolves is the material itself. Through the discerning eye of a byobu master, we select what best suits contemporary life while honoring inherited techniques.

Our philosophy is simple:
Use the most appropriate materials of today, and carry forward the value of tradition through enduring skill.

For decades, our work has framed spaces of prayer and celebration, accompanying milestones in children’s lives.Now, we have reinterpreted that same spirit into a form of light designed to live quietly within everyday spaces.

In Japan, the number of children born each year continues to decline, and with it, traditional seasonal celebrations such as sekku are evolving.

To ensure that these essential skills do not fade, we have chosen to step into a new field. This lamp represents a new direction — one redefined through the trained eye and enduring craft of a byobu artisan.

Through the Kickstarter community, we hope to explore what the future of Japanese craftsmanship can become, together with supporters around the world.

The light that shines in your space will do more than illuminate a room.It will help sustain the next generation of artisans and become a small but meaningful force in renewing culture.

That glow is an extension of the “light of prayer” we have refined for over fifty years — crafted while wishing for the happiness of others. Though the form may change, the spirit of the artisan remains the same.

This is a new expression of Japanese akari from Mochizuki Byobu Ten.

We invite you to bring this light into your space, and in doing so, complete the final chapter of its story.

Founded in 1972 in Shizuoka City, Japan, Mochizuki Byobu Ten is led by Atsushi Mochizuki.
As a manufacturer and wholesaler of traditional sekku byobu screens, the workshop has long overseen complex, multi-stage production processes rooted in Japan’s collaborative craft system.

For over fifty years, we have supported the aesthetic foundations of traditional Japanese interior spaces. With a trained eye for material selection and refined decorative techniques, we continue to propose new forms of craftsmanship that harmonize with contemporary lifestyles.