Andon - Making a Traditional Japanese Lamp
Andon - Making a Traditional Japanese Lamp
Featured Project by Craig Stevens in Fine Woodworking Magazine issue 295
Instructor - Craig Stevens
January 25-26, 2025 9am - 4pm (1 weekend)
Capture the clean lines and simple beauty of Japanese woodworking by making a traditional Andon or Japanese lamp (pronounced ahn-dōhn). While the original, oil-lit style is no longer commonly used, modern andon designs with electric fixtures are plentiful and offer a wide range of design possibilities and levels of complexity for woodworkers.
The construction of the andon frame is very straightforward in appearance, yet its many small mortise & tenon joints, shallow rabbets, and thin Kumiko patterns (lattice-work) present a wonderful challenge. Working towards a level of high workmanship on small projects such as this can dramatically improve a craftsperson's skills.
Through one on one guidance, participants learn wood selection, joinery layout, mortise and tenon techniques, assembly of the lamp including the electric fixture, and the traditional application of washi (Japanese paper). Each student's andon can sit on the floor as a low lamp or be used on a tabletop.
This lamp project provides a nice starting point for lighting designs that students may want to make in the future. Along with providing an introduction to Japanese woodworking, this class is an opportunity to make Kumiko, the intricate grid-work patterns used in traditional shoji screens and doors.
The last portion of this course will focus on making a very simple Kumiko grid pattern in the traditional manner. A photo of this grid is on this page. Students can later fill in portions of the grid with any one of a wide range of Kumiko patterns as shown here.
The cost includes all materials. Students provide their own lunch.