Matsuhiro Nishimoto is founder of Yume Zuki, a lantern shop based in Hiroshima, Japan. They combine traditional Japanese lanterns with different art forms. To Japanese people, Washi lanterns bring a feeling of nostalgia and old-world Japan. The word “Washi” comes from “wa”, meaning “Japanese”, and “shi”, meaning “paper”. The paper is hand-made using traditional methods with very few chemicals.
Shoji is a sliding screen made by putting washi over a wooden frame. There are much fewer homes with Shoji nowadays. Washi is friendly to the eyes and creates a warm space during daytime by allowing shadows to dance across the surface. The light coming through the washi creates a relaxed and ‘at home’ feeling. By combining traditional Japanese art with washi, lanterns lead in a new style mixed with the old in order to create a relaxing space.
