A superb tall 104 inch kasuga stone lantern depicting the 12 signs of zodiac

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Japan, a Fine tall kasuga granite stone lantern with a beautifully carved lotus top and with a rare band of 12 engraved animal zodiac designs. Completing this unusual one-of-a-kind lantern is lovely images of cross hatch, trellices and a foo dog lion. On the base we find mountains, and clouds, six pieces.

Old original patina.

Dimensions: 104 inches tall and 30 inches diameter, six pieces

Quality: good condition with fine details and carved from solid granite

The well proportioned carved stone lantern fashioned in six parts with a Classic Lotus kasuga and finial Hohju, light chamber Hibukuro, crane leg pole and well detailed base stone kiso.

Provenance: acquired from a fine Kyoto area antique garden lantern collection

Stone lanterns, Ishidoro were introduced to Japan via Korea and China in the 6th century AD. They were used initially in temples and later shrines as votive lights. About the 16th century stone lanterns were adopted for secular purposes and designed and placed in the gardens of tea houses and private residences made famous by tea master Sen Rikkyu (1522-1592).

Many of our customers place oil candles inside the main section making a romantic and enjoyable decorative accent for entertaining friends and family. It’s a perfect choice for your indoor or outdoor garden space.

Only one available.

Call or message us to reserve and for details.

Lifetime guarantee of authenticity: All of our Asian works of art come with our lifetime authenticity guarantee.

We have been dealing in fine authentic Japanese art and antiques including screens, garden ornaments, lanterns and water basins for many years. Our president personally travels to Japan each year to meet his network partners who assist him in finding best examples. He personally inspects each antique to ensure its old age, authenticity, and quality condition.

We are members of NAJGA- North American Japanese Garden Association

About Japanese stone lanterns.

Japan’s stone lantern tradition is a concept that was imported from India and has existed in Japanese temples and gardens since the 7th century.

Japan’s lantern tradition was originally conceived as entrance lighting and guardians to temples and pagodas and when lit served as an offering to Buddha. Some of the earliest stone lanterns were carved with Buddhist images on the firebox and usually had compartments for an oil lamp or candle. Later on, they became more secular in nature, and their use evolved as functional and decorative elements in traditional Japanese tea gardens where they served as a spiritual source of light for evening tea ceremonies. Often carved from granite stone, today’s vintage survivors serve as fashionable aesthetic elements in modern day Japanese and Asian inspired gardens. Today, during festivals and ceremonies, rice paper is often cut to fit stone lantern windows to increase reflection of candles placed inside them. Soon these paper lenses disappear and for one special evening and event, the glow is surreal.

There are four main categories of antique Japanese stone lanterns. Tachi-gata are pedestal lanterns such as the famous Kasuga Zodiac lanterns, ikekome-gata are the so-called buried lanterns, oki-gata are small often portable lanterns, and yukimi-gata are renown as “water reflection” lanterns. This latter Yukimi style version perhaps Japan’s most Popular Style, is often mislabeled by westerners as “snow viewing” lantern- thought to accumulate a stack of snow during winter time in America’s northern areas.

The Kasuga lantern is fashioned after the ancient lanterns found in Shino shrines of Nara, Japan and some date back to 700 AD. Kasugas typically have a cylindrical column in the form of a bird (crane’s) leg according to some authorities, surmounted by a small ring. Above this is the firebox, generally hexagonal in shape, which is topped with a lotus flower rooftop. Kasuga lanterns are frequently seen at entrances to Japanese tea gardens and as a focal point to modern day gardens. Water reflection or snow viewing lanterns Yukimi-doro are squat and broad roofed and date back to the early Edo period (16th century) and are probably so named because of the attractive capture of snowfall on their broad roof. They comprise a roof, firebox, and base components of various styles. Oki-gata, small portable lanterns are among the rarest of all because few were created and fewer still survived the ravages of time.

Sukiya Living magazine, a very good publication for authentic Japanese Sukiya living style, explains the names and positioning of the usually six different sections of a large stone pedestal-style lantern, all carved carefully for balance and transportation ease. These include:

Hoh-ju , jewel like flower bud finial.,Kasa, roof., Hibukuro, light box. Nakadai, platform. and Sao, cranes leg shaft. Kiso, base stone.