Tim Barrett collected 2-3 of these lanterns when he was in Japan between 1975-1977 on a Fulbright, usually at an open-air antique flea market type events. The remainder he has found and purchased online through Ebay, Etsy, or Japanese ebay-type sites. They are commonly called Odawara Chochin in Japan (pronouned chouchin). Odawara is a place name and Cho means hanging and chin means light. Before the days of electric lighting or battery powered flashlights, these portable lanterns were a necessity for travelers navigating paths and streets in dark. Dates for their first use vary but the Edo period (1603-1869) is probably safe. Some lanterns in this collection may data from the more recent Meiji period (1868-1912). They usually appears for sale without their original paper and bamboo insdies. Tim Barrett took pleasure in making replacement cores for these lanterns using drawn bamboo splint material from a kite makers supply house or size #0 round reed purchased from V.I. Reed and Cane in Omaha, N.E., and 100% kozo Japanese style paper made at the UI Center for the Book. It is rare to find these lanterns for sale with the original paper and bamboo collapsible cores still intact but there are a number in the collection that are "as original." Lanterns in that particular group are fragile and should only be opened very carefully.