IZUMO Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns) have been made since ancient times, using sandstone formed from solidified volcanic ash found locally as the raw material.
During the Edo period, local lords recognized its value and designated it as "Otomeishi" (forbidden stone), meaning it was not permitted for ordinary people to quarry, and it was used as building material. Since the Meiji era, it has gained popularity as a "work of art" indispensable for landscaping and interior decoration, and is widely cherished throughout Japan.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. The stone used must be free from "inkstone," "mugwort," "stubble," "rotten," "skin stone," or "sandbag."

  For the 2nd form, use a hand axe, pickaxe, three-pronged blade, and chisel.

  3. All parts shall be joined by mortise and tenon joints, except for the joint between the cap and the firebox.

  4. The carving shall be in the form of relief carving, line carving, openwork carving, or round carving using a chisel.

  5. The finishing process shall be by "polishing," "poking," "beating," "banging," or "smashing."

   

  raw materials

  The raw material shall be Kimachi stone.

• Work scene

  Work scene

  Process 1: Raw stone

  The sandstone layer (tuff sandstone) that stretches 10km east to west, centered around the Kimachi district of Shinji Town, is called Kimachi stone. Because it is easy to quarry and process, and is produced in abundance, it has been used as a high-quality building material for lanterns and other purposes since ancient times.
  During the Edo period, it was forbidden to transport it to other domains, which is why it is also known by the nickname "O-tome-ishi" (imprisoned stone).
  From among these, the finest quality wood is selected and quarried to be used as raw material for Izumo stone lanterns.

  

  Step 2: Mold making

  The shaping of each part is done using a fixed ratio as a guideline, and the shape is created using tools such as a hand axe, pickaxe, three-pronged blade, and chisel, while maintaining an aesthetic balance of roundness, slope, and ridges.

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  Step 3: Joining

  Except for the joint between the cap and the lampshade, the various parts are joined using "round tenons" based on a fixed ratio.

  Step 4: Carving

  Carvings, decorations, and other features are all created using chisels according to a set of standard dimensions, employing techniques such as relief carving, groove carving, openwork carving, or round carving.
  The following designs are designated for each type of carving: "relief carving" includes (clouds, deer, maple leaves, dragons, beams, herons), "line carving" includes (dragons, waves, kato, rope patterns, fans, pine trees), "openwork carving" includes (half moon, full moon, bats, windows, gourds, well frames, interlocking rings), and "round carving" includes (monkeys, owls).

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  工程5： 仕上げ

  The surface finish can be achieved through polishing, poking, hammering, rough hammering, or rough hammering. Special tools and techniques can be used to finish the stone surface to be smooth, granular, isolinear, sharkskin-like, or raw.

  

  Step 6: Overall Harmony

  Each lantern must retain its unique characteristics, possess an elegant appearance, and be exquisitely crafted and harmonious as a whole in order to be approved as an Izumo stone lantern.

  

   

• Close-up

  Close-up

  IZUMO Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns) softly carved with 14 million years of history.

  Kimachi stone is a tuff sandstone formed 14 million years ago and is found only in the Izumo region. A distinctive feature of this stone is its understated elegance, even when newly quarried, and its tendency to easily become covered in moss. Using this Kimachi stone as its raw material, the "IZUMO Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns)" beloved by the renowned tea master Sen no Rikyu, is an elegant work of art cultivated over 400 years of history and tradition.

   

  The history of stone lanterns

  With the introduction of Buddhism, stone lanterns began to be used as offerings. Over time, their use expanded, and with the rise of the tea ceremony in the Momoyama period, stone lanterns began to be used in gardens, leading to the creation of new lanterns that sought to embody the aesthetics of "wabi" and "sabi."
  In particular, in the Izumo region, Matsudaira Harusato (Fumai), the seventh lord of the Matsue domain, protected and nurtured the tradition, laying the foundation for it. We spoke with Ito Michiho, a traditional craftsman of IZUMO Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns), a tradition rooted in this heritage.

  "Basically, I love stones. And I love making things."

  Mr. Ito began by explaining the structure of a stone lantern. "A stone lantern consists of six parts from top to bottom: the nine-ringed base, the cap, the fire chamber, the bowl, the shaft, and the base. There are countless shapes, but 26 types have been designated as traditional crafts, including the Kasuga style, the Gingetsu style, the Komuso style, the Tofu style, and the Yukimi style."
  If you add variations to each of those, there are probably around 130 different types. Of course, I have all of these memorized, from the balance to the smallest details."
  Mr. Ito shared how he got into this world.
  "Originally, this region was known for its thriving Kimachi stone processing industry, so from a young age, I used to watch my neighbor's grandfather working with the stones. One day, when I went to a neighbor's house to play as usual, I saw a stonemason wielding a pickaxe in his yard. With just a pickaxe, he transformed a square stone into a magnificent Buddha statue. I was truly impressed. Even back then, I was skilled with my hands and wanted to work in a craftsmanship-related field, but the stonemason's incredible skill remained etched in my memory for years. I eventually entered this profession, and it turned out that the stonemason I saw was none other than the legendary master craftsman, Niide Kyuichiro, who had been invited from Matsue to teach processing techniques to the Kimachi area. If I hadn't seen Niide-san's skills back then, I might be on a completely different path today. In any case, even now, my goal is still Niide-san, the man I saw in the yard that day," Ito said, his eyes shining like a young boy's.

  

  Nobuyasu Ito, a modern master craftsman who has been working with stone for 50 years.

  The blissful joy of finding one's true calling.

  "But this job is truly my calling. I love Kimachi stone. It has fine grains, is pliable and easy to work with, and is also highly resistant to both cold and heat. And I love the color. When it's freshly quarried, the surface is bluish-gray, but once you put it out in the garden and it's exposed to rain and dew, it changes to grayish-brown. Then moss starts to grow on it, and it takes on an indescribable aged look. I'm so fortunate that such wonderful stone comes from the hillside behind my house."

  

  Kimachi stone, quarried from the mountain and ready to be processed.

  A moment that makes being a craftsman truly worthwhile.

  "I entered this profession at the age of 20 and have been carving stone for nearly 50 years now, always thinking about how to create soft curves. I always consider how those curves will harmonize with the overall stone lantern, how they will harmonize with the garden where they are placed, and ultimately, how they will harmonize with nature. But I'm a craftsman at heart, so I've never cut corners on a job. Ultimately, the greatest joy for me is when I deliver something I've worked hard on and see the customer's delight."
  "The other day, a customer from Tottori brought in a stone lantern that had been damaged in an earthquake, and he said, 'You made this lantern for me 20 years ago, so I really want you to repair it.' Ah, that's what it means to be a craftsman's dream come true." When the conversation turned to the issue of succession at the end, Mr. Ito gazed at the setting sun and said this.
  "What I want to convey to today's children, or rather, to all Japanese people, is the joy of making things, the joy of creating things for oneself, and the importance of being in contact with nature and learning from nature. That's all there is to it."

  Anecdotes

  It has been certified as a traditional craft after clearing strict inspection standards.

  IZUMO Ishidoro (Stone Lanterns) undergo strict inspection standards before they are certified as traditional crafts.
  There are 26 basic designs, and even the dimensions, finishing methods, and types of carvings are specified for each part.
  Here are some representative designs and their names.

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