In Japan, a tōrō is a traditional lantern made of stone, wood, or metal. Like many other elements of Japanese traditional architecture, it originated in China; where they can still be found in Buddhist temples and Chinese gardens, however in Korea, they are not as common as in China or Japan. In Japan, tōrō were originally used only in Buddhist temples, where they lined and illuminated paths. Lit lanterns were then considered an offering to Buddha. During the Heian period, however, they started being used also in Shinto shrines and private homes. The oldest extant bronze and stone lanterns can be found in Nara. Taima-dera has a stone lantern built during the Nara period, while Kasuga-taisha has one of the following Heian period. During the Azuchi-Momoyama period stone lanterns were popularized by tea masters, who used them as garden ornaments. Soon they started to develop new types according to the need. In modern gardens they have a purely ornamental function and are laid along paths, near water, or next to a building. Tōrō can be classified in two main types, the tsuri-dōrō, which usually hang from the eaves of a roof, and the dai-dōrō used in gardens and along the approach of a shrine or temple. The two most common types of dai-dōrō are the bronze lantern and the stone lantern, which look like hanging lanterns laid to reston a pedestal. In its complete, original form, like the gorintō and the pagoda the dai-dōrō represents the five elements of Buddhist cosmology. The bottom-most piece, touching the ground, represents chi, the earth; the next section represents sui, or water; ka or fire, is represented by the section encasing the lantern's light or flame, while fū and kū are represented by the last two sections, top-most and pointing towards the sky. The segments express the idea that after death our physical bodies will go back to their original, elemental form.
Hanging lanterns
Also called kaitomoshi, tsuri-dōrō hanging lanterns are small, four- or six-sided and made in metal, copper or wood. They were introduced from China via Korea during the Nara period and were initially used in Imperial palaces.
Bronze lanterns
Bronze lanterns, or kondō-dōrō have a long history in Japan, but are not as common or as diverse as the stone ones. In their classic form they are divided in sections that represent the five elements of Buddhist cosmology. Many have been designated as Cultural Properties of Japan by the Japanese government. The one in front of Tōdai-ji's Daibutsuden for example has been declared a National Treasure. Kōfuku-ji has in its museum one built in 816 and which is also a National Treasure.
Stone lanterns
A dai-dōrō is most often made of stone, and in that case it is called ishi-dōrō.
Structure
The traditional components of a stone lantern are, from top to bottom: ; Hōju or hōshu ; Ukebana ; Kasa ; Hibukuro ; Chūdai ; Sao ; Kiso ; Kidan As already mentioned, the lantern's structure is meant to symbolize the five elements of Buddhist cosmology. With the sole exception of the fire box, any parts may be absent. For example, an oki-dōrō, or movable lantern lacks a post, and rests directly on the ground. It also may lack an umbrella.
Types
Stone lanterns can be classified into five basic groups, each possessing numerous variants.
Pedestal lanterns
Tachidōrō, or pedestal lanterns, are the most common. The base is always present and the fire box is decorated with carvings of deer or peonies. More than 20 subtypes exist. The following are among the most common.
Kasuga-dōrō
Named after Kasuga-taisha, it is very common at both temples and shrines. The umbrella is small and has either six or eight sides with warabite at the corners. The fire box is either hexagonal or square with carvings representing deer, the sun or the moon. Tall and thin, it is often found near the second torii of a shrine.
Yūnoki-dōrō
The second oldest stone lantern in Japan, found at Kasuga Shrine, is a yūnoki-dōrō or citron tree stone lantern. This style goes back to at least as the Heian period. The post has rings carved at the bottom, middle and top, and the hexagonal base and middle platform are carved with lotuses. The umbrella is simple and has neither warabite nor an ukebana. The yunoki seems to stem from a citron tree that used to stand near the lantern at Kasuga Shrine. This type of lantern became popular in tea house gardens during the Edo Period.
Buried lanterns
Ikekomi-dōrō, or buried lanterns, are moderately sized lanterns whose post does not rest on a base, but goes directly into the ground. Because of their modest size, they are used along paths or at stone basins in gardens. The following are some examples:
Oribe-dōrō
This common type is named after Furuta Shigenari, a nobleman popularly known as Oribe, who designed it to be used in gardens. The fire box is a cube with a window on each side: the front and rear are square, the right and left are shaped as a crescent moon and the full moon respectively. The umbrella is small and four-sided.
Kirishitan-dōrō
This is simply an oribe-dōrō with hidden Christian symbols. This style was born during the persecution of the Christian religion in Japan, when many continued to practice their faith in secret.
Mizubotaru-dōrō
A typical ikekomi-dōrō, its fire box has square openings on two facing sides and double-triangle openings on the other two. This type of lantern is used at the Katsura Villa in Kyoto. The roof is square and rounded.
Movable lanterns
Oki-dōrō or movable lanterns owe their name to the fact that they just rest on the ground, and are not fixed in any way. This type probably derived from hanging lanterns, which they often strongly resemble, left to rest on the ground. They are commonly used around house entrances and along paths. The following is one example.
Sankō-dōrō
This lantern is just a small stone box with a low roof. Its name, "Three Lights Lantern" is due to its windows, shaped like the sun and the moon in the front and rear, and like a star at the ends. This type of lanterns is usually placed near water. It can be found in the garden of the Katsura Villa.
Yukimi-dōrō
Yukimi-dōrō or legged lanterns have as a base not a post but from one to six curved legs, and a wide umbrella with a finial either low or absent. Relatively low, they are used exclusively in gardens. The traditional placement is near the water, and a three-legged lantern will often have two legs in the water, and one on land. The umbrella can be round or have from three to eight sides, while the fire box is usually hexagonal. It was probably developed during the Momoyama period, but the oldest extant examples, found at the Katsura Villa in Kyoto, go back only to the early Edo period.
Nozura-dōrō
Nozura dōrō are lanterns made with rough, unpolished stones.
