Spirit lanterns assembled from natural stones were popular in mountainous areas of Japan and are thought to repel ill spirits via the round firebox or portal.

Period: Taisho period, 1920

Quality: It’s a nice old one and still bears traces of old root encrustation on its surface emblems of good age. Please see historical information below.

This scarcer size and style lantern would make an ideal choice for an outdoor installation.

Many of our customers place oil candles inside the main sections making a romantic and enjoyable decorative accent for entertaining friends and family. They are a perfect choice for your patio or outdoor garden space.

This lantern is one-of-a-kind and comes from an old Japanese Nagoya area garden.

Only one available.

Brief History of Japanese lanterns:
Japan’s lantern tradition was imported from India yet has existed in Japanese temples and gardens since the seventh century. They were originally conceived as entrance lighting and guardians 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. Today’s vintage survivors serve as fashionable aesthetic elements in modern day Japanese and Asian inspired gardens.

There are four main categories of antique Japanese stone lanterns. Tachi-gata are pedestal lanterns such as the famous Kasuga lanterns, ikekome-gata are the so-called buried lanterns, oki-gata are small often portable lanterns, and yukimi-gata are sometimes commonly mis-described as “snow viewing” lanterns but in fact were often installed near water.

-Spirit, lanterns assembled from natural stones were popular in mountainous areas of Japan and are thought to repel unwelcome spirits via the round firebox or portal.

Lifetime guarantee of authenticity: All of our Asian works of art come with our “Lifetime Authenticity Guarantee”.

We are members of NAJGA: North American Japanese Garden Association

International Free Shipping limited to
Express parcel service Maximum 50lbs dimensional weight and 130” measurements
Up to $5000 value .

Hawaii and Alaska please contact for limitations

We have been dealing in authentic Japanese, Chinese, European, and Asian Fine art, antiquities, garden ornaments, lanterns and water basins for 25 years. Our president personally travels to Japan, Europe and China each year to meet his network partners who assist him in finding best examples. He personally inspects each antique work of art to ensure its old age, authenticity and quality condition. After accumulating a group, they are imported to Vermont in large containers. This method keeps shipping costs low and enables us to offer them to you at reasonable prices. We ship internationally.