Japanese Stone Lanterns

[ad_left]

Nothing says Japanese garden like Japanese Stone Lanterns! Japanese Stone Lanterns are an easy way to give a Japanese touch to your garden, and if you combine it with other Japanese garden elements, it will be even more effective.

Japanese Stone Lanterns

For a natural Japanese feel, it's best to place your stone lantern somewhere where light would theoretically be needed – beside a path, near a porch, or with a Japanese stone basin arrangement (tsukubai).

It's good to bear in mind the feel of your garden as a whole, too – if your garden is informal and natural then a rustic or simple stone lantern would blend well, if you garden is formal then a more elaborate style might go better.

Granite or hard sandstone are the best materials for a Japanese lantern; they're durable and weather nicely. Because they're made of stone, Japanese garden lanterns are very heavy, so they're usually made in separate pieces for easier transportation and set-up.

There are hundreds of different kinds of japanese stone lantern, but there are three basic types:

1. Tachi-gata. These lanterns sit on a base, and are fairly formal.
2. Ikekomi-gata. These lanterns have their pedestals (sao) buried right in the ground, and are less formal.
3. Okidora. These are small lanterns which are easily moved. The have no pedestal, but are placed on a stone or straight on the ground.

Here are some specific styles of Japanese Stone Lanterns:

Yukimi-gata

This is my favourite kind of Japanese stone lantern. Yukimi means 'snow viewing'; viewing natural things is a big part of traditional Japanese culture, whether it's snow, cherry blossoms or the moon! Yukimi lanterns have wide tops, perfect for snow to settle on, and so look especially beautiful in the winter. They can be round in shape, or hexagonal like a pagoda, but they always have a wide, curving top. They have little legs rather than a solid base, and are often placed near water.

[ad_right]

Misaki-gata

The misaki-gata is a cute little stone lantern without a pedestal – an okidora. It's often placed on a 'spit of land' – a low-lying bit of land sticking out into a lake.

Kasuga lanterns

Kasuga lanterns are tachi-gata, or pedestal lanterns – they sit on a stone base. They're often used as focal points at intersections and can be very fancy.

Miyoshi lanterns

These are ikekomi-gata, or buried lanterns – they're planted right in the ground. They're great planted along paths or at gates.

Kotoji lanterns

Kotoji means 'harp tuner', and kotoji have two long legs which look like tuning forks. Usually one leg is placed on land and the other on water to emphasise the difference. A very dramatic style.

Oribe lanterns

This is a style of ikekomi lantern designed by Lord Furuta Oribe, who was a famous tea master in the 16th century. Oribe lanterns are square in shape and are planted straight into the ground. Sometimes their front and back openings are covered with shoji (paper screens), and the right and left openings are a crescent moon and full moon.

Yamadoro

Yamadoro is a very informal type of lantern. Instead of being carved, yamadoro lanterns are made of natural stones, collected and put together to form a lantern shape. This is the most rustic style.

Sangatsu-do lanterns

Sangatsu-do lanterns are temple entrance lanterns, and are also used at the entrance to teahouses. They're pedestal lanterns.

Rankei lanterns

Rankei lanterns are placed beside water. They have a base stone and a long, curved stone pedestal so that the actual stone lantern hangs out over the water, creating a beautiful reflection.