Shikaku Okigata Ishidoro, Stone Lantern

Stone lanterns, Ishidōrō (石灯籠) in Japanese, are undoubtedly the most characteristic element of the traditional Japanese garden. The phenomenon originated more than a thousand years ago in China, from where it also became part of traditional Japanese culture via Korea. Every Japanese sanctuary, such as a Buddhist temple or Shinto shrine, uses stone lanterns as a sacred light source. During the 16th century, stone lanterns became very popular among Japanese tea masters and were used in tea gardens to illuminate the path to the tea house. Since then, one or more stone lanterns can almost always be found in nearly every traditional Japanese garden.

A Japanese stone lantern consists of several separate parts that must be carefully stacked on top of each other. The resulting perfect balance makes the lantern a very sturdy and durable whole.

The Shikaku Okigata Ishidōrō (四角置型石灯篭) is known for its square shape. This can be found in the name Shikaku, which in Japanese means square. Additionally, it stands low to the ground and is easy to move, making it a lantern in the Okigata category.