Every Model, Measured — and How to Pick One
Model numbers are design sequence numbers, not sizes — the 26A is a full size smaller than the 21A. Here are the real dimensions of all eight replicas we make, verified in centimetres and inches, with today's prices.
The fastest way to buy the wrong Akari lamp is to assume the number on the box is the size. It isn't. Isamu Noguchi numbered his designs in the order he created them, starting in 1951, so the 26A is a compact 44.5 cm saucer while the 21A stretches to 64.3 cm. This page exists so you never have to guess.
Every lamp below is shown with its verified dimensions, the type of fitting it needs, and its starting price. Ceiling models list diameter and drop height; floor and table models list width, depth and height. Measurements match the original museum specifications to the millimetre, because these lamps are replicas in dimension as well as in spirit.
Not sure which one fits? Measure your space, then email a photo to hello@captainsbamboo.com — we answer sizing questions within one business day, and we will tell you honestly if a model is wrong for your room.
What Is an Akari Lamp, Actually?
Akari is the name Isamu Noguchi gave to a series of paper lanterns he began making in 1951. The word means “light” in Japanese, but he used it less as a product name than as a description of what he was after: light that occupies a room instead of filling it.
He folded mulberry-bark washi paper over bamboo ribs, the way Japanese chochin lanterns had been built for centuries, then pushed that craft into shapes nobody had tried — a globe, a moon, a stack of boxes, a column of light. The paper was never the point. The point was that a bare bulb, wrapped in the right paper, stops being a bulb.
Every lamp below follows that construction: hand-laid washi over a bamboo frame, made to be lit. They are replicas, not originals — faithful in dimension and in the quality of light, made in our own workshop in Sichuan, and priced from $85 to $1,800 depending on size and craft level. If you want a museum-licensed Noguchi, buy from the official manufacturer. If you want the same light in your room, keep reading.
One thing to know before you scroll: the model number is not a size. Noguchi numbered his designs in the order he created them. The 26A is smaller than the 21A. That trips up almost everyone, which is why this page leads with measurements.
Full Size Chart — All 8 Models, Smallest to Largest
Prices verified 20 September 2026. "From" prices are the lowest available edition.
Ø 10" × H 17"
Ø 9.8" × H 17"
Ø 13.4" × H 25"
Ø 17.5" × H 9.8"
Ø 19" × H 59"
Ø 11.8" – 47.2"
W 21" × D 21" × H 48"
Ø 25.3" × H 10.8"
Three Types, Three Different Jobs
Most Akari shapes come in more than one form. Which you want depends less on taste than on where the light has to land.
Pendant lamps — the ceiling decides for you
A pendant hangs, so ceiling height does the choosing. Standard 8 ft (244 cm) ceilings take the shallow saucers comfortably — the 26A drops just 24.8 cm. Below 7 ft, stay flat. Above 10 ft, or over a stairwell, the tall pieces finally make sense: the 36N runs 149.9 cm and needs that vertical room to look right.
Most people underestimate how much size they need over a dining table. A 44 cm shade over a 180 cm table looks lost. Start at 55–65 cm for a six-seater. See all pendant models →
Floor lamps — height for corners that feel empty
A floor Akari is not a reading lamp. It is a volume of soft light standing in a corner, and its job is to make the corner stop being a corner. The 10A (122 cm tall, $180) is the classic answer. The UF4-33N (190 cm, $590) is the museum-proportioned one — taller, narrower, and it changes the whole feeling of a room.
Put one where a plant would go, not where a task lamp would go. See all floor models →
Table lamps — small light, close range
These are the entry point, literally and financially: the 1A starts at $89 and fits on a nightstand. On a desk they give a warm wash rather than a focused beam, so pair one with a task light if you work at night. The 2N ($95) is the same idea in a smaller footprint.
If you are buying your first Akari and you are not sure, buy a table model. It is the cheapest way to find out whether this quality of light suits your room. See all table models →
Three Craft Levels, One Shape
The same silhouette can be built three ways, and the price difference is real — not marketing. Here is what actually changes.
- Value — the shade is PET-reinforced paper over a galvanised wire frame. From a metre away it looks identical. Up close you can feel the difference in the ribs, and it is the right choice for a first lamp or a rental.
- Classic — natural washi over bamboo ribs with hidden connectors, so no wire crosses the paper. This is the one most people should buy: it ages the way the original material ages.
- Mastercraft — hand-tied bamboo, made to order, uneven in the way handwork is uneven. The ribs are tied rather than threaded, which is how the 1950s pieces were built. Lead time is longer because a single shade takes a full day.
All three use the same paper and the same dimensions. The difference is how the frame is made and how long it will hold its shape. All are replicas — we do not sell originals and we do not claim to.
Choosing by Room, Not by Number
Over a dining table
Leave 60–75 cm between the tabletop and the bottom of the lamp. Pick a diameter roughly half to two-thirds the table's width: the 26A (44.5 cm) for a two-to-four seater, the 55A in 50 cm for a six seater, the 21A (64.3 cm) for a table of 140 cm or wider. If you are torn between two sizes, the larger one always reads as calmer and more sculptural.
Browse all ceiling and pendant lamps →
In a corner or beside a sofa
Floor lamps want at least 30 cm of clearance around the base. The 10A stands 122 cm tall — roughly eye level when you are seated — which is why it lights a reading chair so well. For a tighter spot, the 6A (63 cm) works as a low lantern on the floor or a console.
Bedside, desk and small surfaces
The 1A (43 cm tall) and 2N (43 cm) are the two smallest lamps we make, and both give a warm, even light at arm's length. Neither needs more footprint than a hardback book.
Size Guide FAQ
Are Akari model numbers sizes?
No. They are design sequence numbers assigned by Noguchi's studio from 1951 onward, in the order the designs were created. The 26A is smaller than the 21A — always check the chart above, never the number.
Are these original Noguchi lamps?
No, and we say so plainly. These are faithful replicas built to the original dimensions in handmade washi paper over bamboo ribbing. They are not licensed by the Noguchi Museum, and we never imply otherwise. If you want museum-original pieces, buy from the official licensed manufacturer. Read how our replicas compare.
Which Akari suits a low ceiling?
The flat saucers hang shallowest: the 26A drops 24.8 cm and the 21A drops 27.4 cm. Both clear a standard dining table with room to spare. The 36N needs real vertical space — it is a 150 cm statement piece.
How accurate are the replica dimensions?
Within millimetres of the original specification. You can plan your space from the chart above with confidence.
How fast will it arrive?
In-stock lamps are handed over for customs clearance the same day; made-to-order pieces take up to 5 days to craft, then 4–12 days in transit. Shipping is free worldwide and every parcel is tracked. Need it sooner? Email hello@captainsbamboo.com before you order.
Still not sure which size?
Send us a photo of the room and, if you can, the width of the table or the height of the ceiling. We will tell you which model fits — and which ones to skip.
Measure tonight, order this week — your room has been waiting.