![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ishi-net.com\/apps\/note\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-4.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nLanterns Introduced from Baekje Along with Buddhism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Stone lanterns are believed to have been introduced to Japan from the Kingdom of Baekje together with the arrival of Buddhism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Originally, they were used for kent\u014d<\/em>\u2014the offering of light before Buddhist images and altars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Offering light to the Buddha has long been regarded as a meritorious act, and its significance is described in numerous Buddhist scriptures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ancient stone lanterns that closely resemble Japanese examples still exist in China and on the Korean Peninsula. Their basic structure is also remarkably similar, consisting of components such as the foundation, shaft, pedestal, light chamber, roof, and finial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These similarities strongly suggest that stone lanterns were introduced to Japan from the Asian mainland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, the forms and designs commonly seen today were developed within Japan and ultimately refined by Japanese craftsmen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When stone lanterns were first introduced to Japan, only a single lantern was typically placed directly in front of a Buddhist hall or pagoda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Archaeological remains from the Nara period confirm this arrangement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As time passed, however, lanterns began to spread beyond Buddhist settings and into Shinto shrines.ssss<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the late Nara period, when the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism became increasingly widespread, lanterns also came to be installed before Shinto deities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Later, the now-familiar arrangement of a symmetrical pair of lanterns emerged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This style is believed to have appeared around the early Momoyama period, when lanterns began to play a greater role in the overall composition and design of sacred spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the Kamakura period, stone sculpture\u2014including stone lanterns\u2014underwent significant development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As religious devotion spread, demand for stone lanterns increased, leading to major advances in both stonemasonry techniques and production methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During this period:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u30fbHexagonal lanterns became the standard form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u30fbDecorative fern-shaped ornaments known as warabite<\/em> were added to the roofs of lanterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of the design features that remain common today were established during this era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Advances in stoneworking technology also made it possible to carve harder types of stone, greatly expanding the possibilities for shape and ornamentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Originally, stone lanterns existed primarily as offerings of light to Buddhas and deities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Around the Momoyama period, however, their role underwent a major transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The catalyst was the Japanese tea ceremony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As lanterns were incorporated into tea gardens (roji<\/em>), they evolved from purely religious objects into elements used to shape and enhance garden spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the early stages, existing lanterns were often relocated from temples and shrines, or assembled from combinations of preexisting stone objects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eventually, lanterns specifically designed for gardens were created, allowing stone lanterns to become part of everyday life beyond religious settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the Edo period, the uses of stone lanterns expanded even further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They appeared not only in gardens but also in practical settings, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u30fbTsuji-d\u014dr\u014d<\/em> (roadside lanterns), erected along streets and intersections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u30fbT\u014ddai-d\u014dr\u014d<\/em> (lighthouse lanterns), associated with prayers for the safety of boats and maritime travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n New styles also emerged, including Oribe lanterns and Yukimi lanterns, reflecting increasingly creative and diverse design concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this way, stone lanterns came to serve religious, aesthetic, and practical purposes simultaneously, a legacy that continues to the present day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stone lanterns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u30fbWere introduced from Baekje along with Buddhism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u30fbBegan as lanterns for offering light before the Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u30fbExpanded into shrines and gardens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u30fbEvolved through Japanese craftsmanship, technology, and aesthetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They are a cultural tradition that has been handed down through the centuries, adapting both its form and function over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next time you see a stone lantern, it may appear a little different once you understand the history behind it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why was it placed there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n What meaning did it originally hold?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking at stone lanterns through these questions can offer a deeper appreciation of both the lanterns themselves and the landscapes they inhabit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ishi-net.com\/apps\/note\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-5.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFrom a Single Lantern to Pairs\u2014and Beyond Buddhist Temples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ishi-net.com\/apps\/note\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-6.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Flourishing of Stone Lantern Craftsmanship in the Kamakura Period<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ishi-net.com\/apps\/note\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-7.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Tea Ceremony and the Rise of Garden Lanterns<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ishi-net.com\/apps\/note\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-8.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFrom the Edo Period into Daily Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ishi-net.com\/apps\/note\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-9-1024x683.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nConclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n