Paper Lantern Torchin

These portable, indoor lamps combine the craft of Yame Chōchin, a type of bon chōchin (lanterns used during Obon, the Buddhist festival honouring ancestral spirits), with the convenience of technology to create a rechargeable light source. A soft-touch switch at the top adjusts the gentle light to three levels. They are handmade by Shiraki Kougei in Yame, Fukuoka Prefecture, an area that has produced lanterns for over 200 years. Made from washi, the lightweight lamps have a beech stand that makes them easy to transport and bring light to the home.

Kyūshū and Okinawa

This is Japan’s south-west region including the island of Kyūshū and the sub-tropical island chain of Okinawa. Kyūshū was an early centre of Japanese civilization, and offers many historic treasures, modern cities and volcanic natural beauty. It is home to the ports of Kagoshima, Nagasaki and Fukuoka, the porcelain manufacturing centre in Arita and the Tanegashima Space Center launch site.