The Makabe region of Ibaraki Prefecture has a long history of processing and using stone for everyday tools, as it is a source of high-quality granite.
The origins of the stone industry in this region are said to date back to the late Muromachi period, when the creation of Buddhist stone lanterns began in the Nagaoka area of Makabe Town. The oldest known example of MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns) is one made in 1824 (Bunsei 7) located within the grounds of a temple in Makabe Town, and it was the stonemason who created it who established the techniques and methods of the industry.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. Stone mold making shall be carried out using the following traditional techniques or methods, employing tools such as chisels, oars, koyasuke, double-edged chisels, bishan, and similar tools in the main process:
  (1) When marking out raw or rough stone, the basic technique is to use a curved tool to draw the boundary lines of the carved areas, either by "square marking" or "chamfering," and the knots should be removed by "knot carving."
  (2) After marking the lines, shape the surface by "rough cutting", "medium cutting", "edge trimming", "corner rounding", "single-edged trimming", or "smashing".
  (3) The carving shall be done by "relief carving," "sunken carving," "openwork carving," "raised carving," or "relief carving."
  (4) The finish shall be a chisel finish, a smashed finish, a hammered finish, a smeared finish, or a smudge-removed finish.

   

  2. When joining, mortise and tenon joints shall be used, except for the top and bottom of the firebox.

   

  raw materials

  The stone must be Makabe granite or a stone of comparable quality, and must be free of "bands" (markings or grooves).

• Work scene

  Work scene

  A stone lantern consists of six parts: the finial, the cap, the fire chamber, the base (middle stand), the shaft, and the base (lower stand). Each part is finished by first marking the outline, and finally, the lantern is completed by joining the parts together using mortise and tenon joints.
  The process of creating a finished stone involves the use of 18 traditional techniques and methods that have been developed. From marking out the stone to rough cutting, these techniques were established as early as the 700s, while the other techniques used for finishing were improved between the 1300s and 1500s. The tools that support these techniques, such as chisels and trowels, were also established through the tireless research of stonemasons within the framework of master-apprentice transmission.

  Step 1: Stone Selection

  Stones made up of geological layers have knots and grooves, and if you don't carefully examine the grain of the stone, it will break. Selecting the right stone is one of the important steps in the process.
  The dimensions and shapes of each part are marked onto the stone. This is a crucial step that can determine the quality of the lantern, so it requires careful attention.
  Once the marking is complete, each section is roughly carved, and then meticulously finished by hand using tools such as chisels and hammers.

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  Step 2: The jewel (the symbolic part of the stone lantern)

  1. Cut out tenons from the raw stone to form the joints that connect to the cap.
  2. Shape the lower part of the flower head and the tip of the flower.
  3. Shape the tip of the vertex.
  4. Complete the flower arrangement and refine the details of the entire jewel.

  

  Step 3: The Cap (The soft curve of the cap is also based on years of accumulated experience, skill, and intuition.)

  1. Shape it roughly and then roughly cut it.
  2. Shape the entire bottom surface.
  3. Finish the beveled surface and attach the band. Carve the mortise to receive the tenon of the jewel.
  4. Shave the bottom to create a shallow recess for the firebox. Carve the pattern and finish the overall shape.

  

  Process 4: Fire bag

  1. Engravings of patterns and designs are applied.
  2. Cut into the opening.
  3. The inside of the crater is hollowed out. (Creating a hollow space requires advanced skills.)
  4. Cut out the burner nozzle along the marked lines. Finish the entire burner bag.

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  Process 5: Uke (Nakadai)

  1. Shave down the sides and the flower-receiving part (flower-receiving base) to create a mortise that will connect to the tenon of the column on the underside.
  2. Complete the flower arrangement and patterns.

  

  Process 6: Rod (pillar)

  Higher quality stone is used to support the overall weight of the lantern. Although the pattern is simpler compared to other parts, experience and skill are required to express the plump, rounded shape.
  1. Align the top and bottom surfaces horizontally with the sides.
  2. Cut out the tenons at the top and bottom to join the base and bottom ring.
  3. Add the obi (sash) and patterns to finish it off.

  

  Process 7: Ground ring (lower stand)

  1. Shape it roughly and trim the sides and bottom so that they are perpendicular.
  2. Create the curved flower shape and add the curved flower pattern.
  3. Dig mortise holes to receive the tenons of the pillars, finish the details, and complete the overall structure.

  

  Step 8: Stacking

  The completed parts are then stacked together using mortise and tenon joints to create MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns) that is both imposing and delicate, with an elegant appearance.

  

   

   

• Close-up

  Close-up

  Close-up of MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns)

  A perfect match for the garden: MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns)

  The origins of MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns) can be traced back to the Kamakura period. They are made from high-quality granite quarried from Mount Kaba, which has been used since ancient times, and possess a high degree of whiteness. And, having been created over centuries, there is sure to be a stone lantern that will be the perfect match for your garden.

   

  Only when it becomes one with the garden does MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns) truly come alive.

  When you think of stone lanterns, you might have a simple image of them all being the same. However, the actual world of stone lanterns is profound, diverse, and delicately elegant. This is because a stone lantern cannot exist in isolation. It only comes alive when it is integrated with a garden. To become one with the garden, each stone lantern must be suited to its specific garden.
  "The most moving moment for me is when I see the stone lanterns I've created placed in a customer's garden and blend in perfectly," says stonemason Seiichi Kato. We asked him about the essence of MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns).

  

  Mr. Kato, the stonemason, shared his passionate feelings about stone lanterns.

  Across centuries

  Stone lanterns, once placed in a garden and imbued with a spirit, continue to live on for centuries, gaining character with each passing year and continuing to create a world of refined wabi-sabi aesthetics. Because they are things that will last for hundreds of years, the work is incredibly rewarding. This is precisely why it creates a sense of tension where no shortcuts are allowed.
  What I noticed most in common when meeting Mr. Kato, the son of a stonemason, and the 25-year-old apprentice who has come to work here to take over his father's business, is that they all share the same sense of pride and attraction in being a stonemason of MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns). With each and every stonemason working with pride and a sense of fulfillment, there should be no need to worry about a shortage of successors MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns).

  

  Tools that have evolved through the history of transmission from master to disciple.

  Stone lanterns with unique expressions

  Stone lanterns are crafted to suit each customer's garden. From traditional forms created throughout history to original designs, including snow-viewing styles (Yukimi-gata, Kanshuji-gata, Kotoji-gata, etc.), standing styles (Horyuji-gata, Hie-jinja-gata, Kasuga-gata, etc.), sculpted styles (Oribe-gata, Mizuhotaru-gata, etc.), layered pagoda styles (Goju-to-gata, etc.), natural styles, and creative styles, each lantern is carefully hand-carved for the customer from hundreds of shapes. The delicate, elegant, and profound carvings evoke a vivid image of them becoming one with the garden.
  Each MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns) is hand-carved, and each one exudes a subtly different atmosphere depending on the craftsman. Each lantern has its own unique character, and we encourage you to choose one that is handcrafted with character. You will surely appreciate its beauty more and more as time goes by.

  

  This soft, rounded shape is created by hand carving.

  To the whole country, to the world

  Mr. Kato is dedicated to sharing information and fostering connections, hoping to introduce people to the beauty of MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns). He has set up a showroom called "Stone Workshop" along the prefectural road near his workshop, and whenever he has free time, he is happy to explain things to customers. He also maintains a website for his shop to share information.
  Apparently, they recently received an inquiry and order from New York.
  Furthermore, believing that traditional crafts should interact more actively to stimulate and revitalize each other, he also exhibits and sells HASAMI Yaki (Porcelain) from Nagasaki at his own exhibition space. I encourage you to visit "Ishi Kobo" (Stone Workshop) at least once; your image of MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns) will surely expand greatly through Mr. Kato's pride as a craftsman and his warmth as a person.

  

  A small part of the exhibition hall that Mr. Kato set up along the prefectural road.

  Craftsman Profile

  Seiichi Kato

  Born in 1940, he has been engaged in stone processing since the age of 15, carrying on the tradition of MAKABE Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns) while also actively engaging in information dissemination and exchange.

  Anecdotes

  Not just Japanese gardens

   

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    Combination with KASAMA Yaki (Pottery) tile, part 1

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    Creative type of lantern