Akari 5x by Isamu Noguchi

The Akari 5X is a graceful, sculptural table lamp with a softly tapered, almost conical form. Crafted from delicate washi paper stretched over a framework of bamboo ribbing, its shape evokes a traditional lantern but with a refined, modern sensibility. The lamp is supported by a thin, minimalist metal frame that lifts the paper shade lightly off the surface. When illuminated, it emits a warm, even glow — propagating a calm, ambient light that feels both intimate and airy. Designed by Isamu Noguchi in the 1950s, this piece is a timeless testament to his vision of light as a weightless, living sculpture.

L: 30cm

H: 39cm

*As a Japanese model, using this standing lamp requires a step-down voltage converter or a local lightbulb.

About the Artist

Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988) was a Japanese-American artist and designer celebrated for his sculpture, architecture, and lighting designs. Born in Los Angeles and raised between Japan and the United States, Noguchi studied under modernist influences while maintaining a deep appreciation for Japanese aesthetics and craftsmanship.

He began designing his iconic Akari light sculptures in the early 1950s, combining traditional washi paper and bamboo with modernist forms to create functional art that blurs the line between sculpture and lighting. Noguchi’s work is renowned for its minimal elegance, organic forms, and the poetic interplay of light and shadow, making his pieces timeless icons of 20th-century design.