Stone lanterns, Ishidōrō (石灯籠) in Japanese, are without a doubt the most characteristic part of the traditional Japanese garden. The phenomenon originated from China more than a thousand years ago, from there it spread to Korea and eventually was integrated into Japanese culture as well. All Japanese holy sites, such as Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, use stone lanterns as sacred light sources. During the 16th century, stone lanterns became very popular among Japanese tea masters and they were used to light the path through the tea garden leading towards the tea house. Ever since then, one or multiple stone lanterns are featured in almost every traditional Japanese garden.

A Japanese stone lantern is made up of multiple independent parts that need to be carefully stacked on top of each other to create a perfectly balanced lantern. The different parts are from top to bottom:
- Hōju/Hōshu (宝珠) - The jewel at the top of the lantern
- Ukebana (請花) - The foundation of the jewel
- Kasa (笠) - The umbrella which protects the fire box from harsh weather conditions
- Hibukuro (火袋) - The fire box
- Chūdai (中台) - The platform of the fire box
- Sao (竿) - The post
- Kiso (基礎) - The foundation
- Kidan (基壇) - The base platform

The Taihei Gata Ishidōrō (泰平型石灯籠) is fairly recognizable due to its uniquely characteristic Kasa featuring block shaped ornaments. The different parts generally have a hexagon shape, while the base is round and decorated with lotus petals. Taihei (泰平) is Japanese for peace or tranquility, which is what the lantern brings according to traditional Japanese philosophy.

Specifications
- Depth = 41.34 inch
- Width = 41.34 inch
- Height = 106.30 inch

- Origin: Nagoya, Aichi prefecture, Japan
- Material: Shirakawa Stone (白川石)
- Age: Shōwa Period