Kasuga Taisha
Kasuga Taisha is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nara. Established in 768 A.D. and rebuilt several times over the centuries, it is the shrine of the Fujiwara family. The interior is famous for its many bronze lanterns, as well as its stone lanterns.
The lantern was introduced to Japan at the same time as Buddhism, in the 6th century. The ishidoro (literally "stone lantern") is the most common type, gracing gardens, temples and shrines throughout Japan even today. Typically made of granite or syenite, ishidoro come in many different sizes and shapes, but common to them all is a hollowed upper part, made to hold electric lights, candles, or oil lamps, lighted on special occasions. The 2,000 ishidoro that line the approach to the Kasuga Shrine in Nara are perhaps the most well-known in Japan. They are lighted twice a year, for the latern festival which is held in February and August.
The lantern was introduced to Japan at the same time as Buddhism, in the 6th century. The ishidoro (literally "stone lantern") is the most common type, gracing gardens, temples and shrines throughout Japan even today. Typically made of granite or syenite, ishidoro come in many different sizes and shapes, but common to them all is a hollowed upper part, made to hold electric lights, candles, or oil lamps, lighted on special occasions. The 2,000 ishidoro that line the approach to the Kasuga Shrine in Nara are perhaps the most well-known in Japan. They are lighted twice a year, for the latern festival which is held in February and August.
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