Stone Lanterns 石灯籠 Ishi-doro Ishi-doro means stone lanterns in Japanese. Stone lanterns are often found on the grounds of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, or as ornamental elements that consist Japanese gardens. They play an important role to create traditional Japanese atmosphere. It is thought that stone lanterns were introduced to Japan from China via Korean Peninsula in the process of the Buddhism's influx . In China's 山西省 Shanxi Province, there is a stone lantern presumed to be the country's oldest one created more than 1,400 years ago . On the other hand, Japan's oldest one is in 當麻寺 Taimadera Temple in 奈良県 Nara Prefecture and thought to be around 1,300 years old. There is an obvious similarity in the designs between the two lanterns. In Buddhism, lights stand for the wisdom to be released from the world of illusion filled with worldly sins . In other words, they are the guideposts to the state of "悟り satori," translated as " enlightenmen...