Friday Fotos – Japanese paper lanterns create serene atmosphere

Paper lanterns at Bishop Museum

Aren’t those paper lanterns gorgeous? They’re called chōchin. Lanterns of this sort have been around for over a thousand years. They’ve become an architectural design staple and range in quality from handmade works of art to cheap plastic trinkets. Looking at these lanterns up close at Bishop Museum, they look like they’re very high quality (and since they’re on the museum grounds, I can’t believe they’re cheap imitations.)

Chōchin are constructed of a bamboo frame that is covered by silk or paper. They’re basically the cousin of those sky lanterns that create such a magnificent scene in the movies (or, in person, if you’re really lucky). I was immediately taken with these at Bishop Museum. They’re delicate and beautiful and help to create a serene atmosphere in a welcome patch of deep shade.

Want to see more photos from our trip? Did you see last week’s photo,Friday Fotos – Honolulu Harbor during the day? You can also follow me on Instagram.