Rare 13-story tall stone lantern

The value of a Japanese garden is given by all its elements, from plants and rocks to bridges and lanterns. Lanterns, used today for their aesthetic appeal, are especially important and the most representative example is the Kenroku-en in Kanazawa, where the most famous element is the unusual Kotoji stone lantern.

The lantern photographed here, shaped like a 13-story stone pagoda with a flame holder, is a rarely-seen version, and it is one of the representative images for the Fujita Memorial Garden of Hirosaki, Aomori.