Japanese Lantern Historical

Japanese Lantern Historical (HM1T7R)

Location: New York, NY 10027 New York County
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Country: United States of America
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N 40° 48.81', W 73° 57.705'

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Inscription

Sakura Park

          This unique monument is a traditional Japanese stone lantern, dedicated in Sakura Park on October 2, 1960.           The monument was a gift of international friendship, and its inscription (now worn away) read, "Presented by the citizens of the Metropolis of Tokyo to the citizens of the City of New York in celebration of the Tokyo-New York sister-city affiliation inaugurated on February 29, 1960".           The Japanese stone lantern, or ishi toro, was traditionally used for illumination at Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. During the Momoyama period (1573-1615), the sculptural form was adapted for decorative use in tea gardens or roji. Granite or syenite was the material most often used. The size and proportion varied depending on its placement in the garden, and a number of diverse styles evolved. Over time, their function as a housing for oil or candles gave way to a decorative purpose.           The lantern in Sakura Park is an example of the style known as kasuga-toro, and includes a stylized lotus flower at the base of the capital, reliefs of imaginary animals, and a capstone with six volutes. The style originated in the province of Kasuga; this particular example was built and carved by skilled Japanese artisans in 1930. Its total height is more than 14 feet, and it weighs
close to seven tons. It was delivered to the United States aboard the maritime training vessel Nippon Maru. Another Japanese toro may be seen locally at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.           The dedication ceremony was attended by Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko, as well as 1,500 onlookers. In October 1987, Akihiti, now Emperor, returned with the princess, and participated in a ceremony at the lantern attended by Mayor Edward I. Koch, Commissioner Stern, and Gordon Evans, president of International House, built in 1924. The adjacent multi-story residence and cultural center serves numerous foreign and American students attending institutions of higher learning in the metropolitan region.           Sakura Park derives its name from the Japanese word for cherry tree. In 1912, Parks received a consignment of two thousand cherry trees from Japan, many of which were planted in the vicinity of Riverside Park. Today, both landscape and monument represent the enduring and flowering exchange between the American and Japanese people.
Details
HM NumberHM1T7R
Tags
Year Placed2014
Placed ByNew York City Department of Parks & Recreation
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Sunday, July 24th, 2016 at 9:01pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18T E 587564 N 4518572
Decimal Degrees40.81350000, -73.96175000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 40° 48.81', W 73° 57.705'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds40° 48' 48.6" N, 73° 57' 42.3" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)646, 917, 212
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 147 Claremont Ave, New York NY 10027, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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