Before the invention of electricity, Japanese people used paper lanterns for light. Paper lanterns are still used today in Japan, but not as much as they were before electricity was introduced to Japan. There are different kinds of paper lanterns in Japan. One variety is called Akachōchin (あかちょうちん), which means “red lantern” in Japanese. These lanterns can often be found in front of traditional Japanese drinking establishments called izakaya (いざかや).

The term Chōchin (ちょうちん) refers to paper lanterns that can be stretched and folded like that of a slinky. The bamboo coiled in a spiral structure is what makes the Chōchin fold and unfold. Chōchin is a paper lantern that is usually hung from a hook or handle at the top. Today, electric bulbs are used to light paper lanterns like Chōchin. However, before the invention of light bulbs, paper lanterns were lighted with oil burned with cotton wick. How far we’ve come along since those days!

Not all paper lanterns are the kind that can be hung outdoors. The Ariake Andon (ありやけあんどん) are cube shaped lanterns that are used as a kind of nightlight lamps. The traditional Ariake type lanterns have a precut hole that serves as a paper window. To place the light inside the Ariake, the paper window is taken out. Contrary to popular belief, candles were not used as frequently as oil to light the Ariake. Candles were expensive in the old days, so it would have been pricy to use it for an all night bed lantern.

Oki Andon (おきあどん) is another paper lantern used indoors. They were often used for reading and sewing at night. These lanterns are usually rectangular or square in shape. They often have a handle at the top so as to make them portable. The Oki Andon usually have a bottom drawer where the drawer can slide open and shut. When the wick goes out it can be refilled and relighted by opening the drawer and inserting a new wick.

Enshū Andon (えんしゅうあんどん) is a type of paper lantern in a tube-like shape. Instead of a drawer, these lanterns were partially opened to refill the wick. Nowadays, some people prefer to use glass or plastic lanterns instead of paper lanterns. Paper lanterns need to be changed once in a while, but this hassle doesn’t exist with glass or plastic lanterns. In some sense, paper lanterns are a symbol of a byegone era in Japan, but even after all these centuries they are still being used with much relish!