Japanese hanging Temple lanterns
Japanese temple lanterns or "seido-toro" first came to
Japan, from China, at the same time the first permanent Japanese
capital was established in Nara in 710 B.C. Originally the
lanterns were made of bronze and were primarily used for Buddhist
worship.
Shinto, the indigenous faith of the Japanese people, quickly
adopted the lanterns for the flicker of candlelight which created a
beautiful effect - not to mention that ceremonies were often held at
night.
Hanging lanterns were used in Japanese temples and Japanese
shrines, until the 16th century, for ornamental rather than
functional purposes. Often, they were hung outside at the four
corners of the building or used to light doorways.
With the refinement of the Japanese tea ceremony, hanging
lanterns came into private use where they were hung under eaves of
homes or in the garden.
From this concept, stone lanterns were later developed for
gardens. Hanging lanterns are well known for their suspension loops
a top the roof and are often seen made of iron with open grillwork.
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| Narabe
Tsuru |
Maru
Tsuru |
Rokkaku
Tsuru |
Komekami
Tsuru |
Tenka
Tsuru |
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301 |
JCI-302 |
JCI-304 |
JCI-305 |
JCI-303 |
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