Do you want to decorate your garden with original lanterns? And what if we borrow them from the Japanese style? Neat, compact, they can fit into a design very interestingly.
In Japan, such lanterns were previously installed to illuminate paths leading to temples. Now they can be seen almost everywhere. And, of course, what would a Japanese kindergarten be without them? Here they play the role of unique beacons indicating the way to the tea pavilion.
There are several types of Japanese lanterns, varying in shape and height.
Some of the highest ones are called “tachi-gata”. In Japanese kindergartens they are installed in the central part of the path. There they play the role of the main figure. The lanterns are elongated, resemble columns in appearance, their height is from 1.5 to 3 m.
“Ikekomi-gata” - also in the form of columns, but smaller in size. They decorate the banks of ponds or streams. They do not have a wide base; they (like pillars) are buried in the ground.
"Oki-gata" are the smallest lanterns. Their place is along paths, among plants and in small courtyards.
“Yukimi-gata” (snow) are the most popular. They are installed near ponds and waterfalls. They are called snowy because of the rather wide roof on which snow lingers. The light emanating from under the roof is reflected in the water and makes the path to the tea pavilion especially picturesque and mesmerizing.
Sometimes these lanterns are “placed” on a high curved leg, which allows them to be brought as close as possible to the surface of the reservoir and thus increases the effect of light reflection.
Is it possible to make Japanese lanterns with your own hands? Of course, although this is not an easy matter. I have two types of lanterns in my garden: tachi-gata (120 cm high) and yukimi-gata (50 cm high).
Classically they are made of metal and stone. If you choose the latter option, it is better to take a soft stone, such as sandstone. But personally, I chose a simpler method and used a structure close to natural stone… gas silicate block.
It is easy to process and can be sawed regular saw, and give it any shape using a metal blade.
The block is easy to grind both coarse and fine sandpaper. Then, when the flashlight is ready, it needs to be covered with a cement-adhesive solution so that the gas silicate does not absorb moisture and does not fall apart.
And after that you can choose the color acrylic paint and paint the flashlight in the natural color of the stone. Please note: it’s natural, because there are no colored lanterns in a Japanese garden!
It would perhaps be appropriate to continue the conversation about Japanese gardening with a story about lanterns and lamps in the garden.
Actually, I planned to time this post to coincide with the installation of a lantern in our garden, to illustrate it with step-by-step pictures,
but due to bad weather gardening work We are still on hold. Therefore, I will make a small post about our lantern a little later.
For now, I’ll tell you in general.
Traditional lanterns, the common name of which Toro, perhaps the most recognizable element of the Japanese garden.
Often designers, when creating an Asian-style garden, first of all install such a lantern, immediately giving the composition a Japanese flavor.
Toro comes in bronze, wood and stone. The stone ones are the most famous. They are preferred, because of all materials
stone is best combined with other elements of the garden.
These lanterns came to Japan from China along with Buddhism. Initially, lamps of this type illuminated the space near temples.
In their form they repeat the outlines of temple architecture. Having become one of the design elements in the monastery gardens, they then migrated
from there to secular culture.
Wooden lantern
And this is a plastic imitation for a budget option
Bronze standing lantern
Hanging bronze lanterns.
Stone lanterns.
As I said above, stone lanterns are the most popular. They have many variations and should be discussed in more detail.
All stone lanterns are called gata. There are four main types of these lights.
This tachi gata, yukimi-gata, ikekomi-gata And oki-gata. Each group also has its own variations.
Tachi-gata- these are lamps on a high column leg. Such a lamp is installed near the gate leading to the tea garden,
at the doorstep of the house. At the fork garden path or other nodal points, the tachi-gata is usually installed on a high stepped pedestal.
Flashlight katsuga similar to Tachi-gata, but has the ornate carvings.
It is made from at least four separately cut parts.
Yukimi-gata- squat lanterns with a very wide flat lid. The task of the Japanese gardener is to create a beautiful garden at any time of the year, in any weather,
including in winter. The shape of the yukimi-gata is designed to collect caps of snow, effectively illuminated by a light hidden under them.
Yukimi-gata on two supports
Ikekomi-gata- these are low lanterns designed to illuminate tsukubai stone bowls standing on the ground
or they can be installed for spot lighting of small decorative element, such as statues.
The lantern in the first photo is covered with moss. In a Japanese garden, it is highly valued when things have traces of time on them.
Preference is given not to new accessories, but to those covered with moss and patina. Often lanterns or other small forms are artificially aged.
This is consistent with the story of the tea master Sen Rikyu, who could not understand what he did not like about the stone lantern in his garden.
Finally he realized that the shape of the lantern was too artificial and did not fit into nature.
Then he knocked off the edge of the lantern with a hammer and, destroying its ideality, made it fit in the garden.
The smallest of the stone lanterns - oki-gata. They are designed to be installed on the shore of a reservoir so that their light is reflected in the water.
In the Japanese garden you can find lanterns assembled from simple unprocessed stones, selected according to shape and size.
in their simplicity and naturalness, they reflect the simplicity of Zen ideas.
A few words about the lantern in the form of a pagoda. They are always square in cross section and the number of tiers will necessarily be odd.
Such a pagoda in the garden can be seen on natural elevations, on a hill.
Next time I will tell you the role of stone in Japanese gardening traditions.
The Japanese garden is becoming increasingly popular, largely due to the fact that it is easy to make with your own hands. As a rule, it takes up little space (it is quite possible to limit yourself to an area of 2 by 2 m), but it is filled with elements and images of living nature, all this can be achieved using various materials. Building a Japanese garden with your own hands is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance, you just need to follow the instructions.
The most important elements of Japanese style are stones, water and bamboo - natural materials.
The first step is to make a project for such a garden, you need to find the most favorable location, the shape of the site and its functions and general style.
The Japanese garden is divided into two parts, one part becomes the main one and is located somewhat away from the central part of the view, thus achieving a visual expansion of the space.
The Japanese style is characterized by the presence of an arched bridge, a lamp and a fence on the site.
A central object is determined (it can be a waterfall or a large beautiful stone), this object must be facing the main viewpoint with its front part. If a stone is chosen as the central object, then diagonally, where the large stone is located, you need to place two smaller stones, thus creating balance.
As for the main part of the garden, it needs to be filled with plants, while the other part will be empty; a certain contrast is created, which is one of the hallmarks of the Japanese garden. Creating such magnificence will require some tools;
- shovel;
- wheelbarrow;
- building level;
- roulette.
How to place stones in a Japanese garden?
When making a Japanese rock garden with your own hands, you need Special attention pay attention to how the stones are placed. Their location must be diagonal, parallel or almost parallel to the main line of the garden. To do this, it is recommended to use untreated stones, which may be covered with rust and moss, this makes general form more natural. Those that have been corroded by wind or water will work well and will often turn greenish, reddish, bluish, whitish or brownish in color.
Regarding the number of stones - it can be different, but it should always be odd, you can take 3, 5, 7 pieces and all of them need to be grouped according to the “3-2-2” or “2-3-2” scheme. In most cases, the composition consists of three stones (one large stone and two smaller ones are taken for this purpose). If five or more pieces are used at the top of the composition, then they should be made in the shape of a triangle, they should have a single common point (then it can be omitted).
The stones are installed on the surface; they can also be partially buried in the ground at an angle to the surface of the earth. There is free space between them; it can be filled with different herbaceous plants or bushes, it all looks very beautiful.
Sidewalks and paths made of stones are an integral part of the Japanese garden; in order to make them, you need to choose stones that have one smooth side, this side remains on the surface, and the part that is uneven is buried in the ground. The long axis of each of these stones is perpendicular to the path.
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Stone lanterns and towers
When decorating, sand and fine gravel (size up to 2 mm) are often used. Colors can be very different - gray, white, black, dark brown. In order to prevent clogging of lawns, fine gravel and sand are placed in small areas of the garden, but it should be borne in mind that such areas must be reliably protected from the wind. For this you can use brick borders or stones.
Another integral part of such a creation is lanterns made of stone; they traditionally act as the decoration and pride of a Japanese garden. In most cases, they are located on the edge of a stream or other body of water, where there is a turn in the path or bridge. In a group where there are large stones, such stone lanterns are often the main elements; a tree can be placed behind them, it will look very attractive. Lanterns can be made not only from stone, but also from wood or pumice.
Stone pagoda towers are also a traditional decoration of any Japanese garden; such structures most often consist of several tiers (the number of tiers must be odd) with quadrangular plates (but there can be hexagonal and octagonal plates). If you plan to build a small garden, then you can easily limit yourself to a five-tier tower. Such towers are located near bridges, reservoirs, water streams, in front of big trees or near decorative stones.
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Tsukubai and the “dry stream”
When arranging a Japanese garden with your own hands, do not forget about tsukubai (this is a stone bowl filled with water, made in the form of a barrel; the height of this bowl should not exceed 30 cm, but in some cases the height can reach up to 60 cm). In Japan, it is customary to wash your hands in such a bowl before starting the tea ceremony, which is one of the elements of Japanese culture. In most cases, tsukubai are placed on a small area, which is located in the center of the garden, near a hedge or a stone wall. It will look very impressive if you install a stone lantern near such a bowl.
When planning a Japanese garden, you should decide on the style direction; the choice of flowers and shrubs also depends on this.
“”, which is a mountain stream of small stones, looks very beautiful, but it can look like a calm expanse of water. In this regard, everything depends on how to lay the stones; their sizes also matter.
It is impossible to imagine a Japanese garden without a pond, and special attention should be paid to the design of its banks. On smooth surface water, you can create real masterpieces, this is achieved thanks to the reflectivity of water. As for the water level in the pond, it must be equal to the shore, and the shape of the pond must be irregular. Can be small islands covered with trees and various kinds vegetation, a stone tower can be included in such a composition.
A Japanese garden can be decorated with bridges that look very picturesque and stylish; they pass under dry or water streams. If you are making a garden with a natural landscape, then it is preferable to use rough wooden planks for bridges, but flat stone slabs can also be used. If there are compositions made of stone in the garden, then a bridge made of a rough stone slab looks very impressive.
Japanese stone lanterns were first used in ancient temples and shrines, where they kept the votive fire lit. The purpose of such lanterns was not to illuminate the space, but to protect fire from the influence environment, since the sacred fire symbolized the Buddha, knowledge and enlightenment. Only much later, in the sixteenth century, they began to be used for practical purposes, to illuminate the territory of private gardens, tea houses and religious premises. From classic to contemporary, Stone Forest lanterns draw on this centuries-old tradition.
Designers have been carving traditional Japanese lanterns and original stone lamps of their own design from granite for 20 years. If you are looking for interesting garden decor in traditional Japanese style, or want to choose a more modern yard decoration and addition to your landscape, then Stone Forest's premium quality lanterns are the perfect solution.
Traditional Japanese lanterns are made to strict ancient specifications. During the day it is an elegant decoration for decorating the garden, and in the evening, with a candle inside, the lantern performs the function garden lighting playing lights, indicating the way to the tea arbor, pond or house. The range includes all main types of lanterns.
"Tachi-gata"(translated from Japanese as “pedestal”) - the definition already includes the purpose of such lanterns. They are used to illuminate the place in the garden where the owner talks with the most honored guests. Tachi-gata lanterns are distinguished from other types of lanterns by their large height - from 1.5 to 3 m, so they look natural in gardens that occupy a large area.
"Ikekomi-gata"- there is a legend according to which this flashlight is positioned so that the beam falling on it sunlight must have been aimed at the ground. Therefore, usually for the installation of lanterns "ikekomi-gata" they choose areas of the yard and garden that are open to the sun.
"Yukimi-gata" - translated as “seemingly covered with snow.” The highlight of these stone lanterns is the square or round roofs that protect the fire inside from snow. Often the windows of the lantern are covered with frosted glass, which gives a soft glow to the rays of the sun that hit the lantern and candles in the evening.
"Oki-gata" distinguished by their small size. These miniature stone lanterns will look great in the garden or courtyard of the house. small size, near paths, flower beds and flower beds.
The company can also cut any pattern and create any Japanese lantern you request. You can learn more about the products on the StoneForest website.
