日本には「わび」「さび」という独特の美意識があります。
「侘び」とはつつましく、質素なものにこそ趣があると感じる心のこと。
「寂び」とは時間の経過によって表れる美しさのこと。
和風庭園には欠かすことのできない石燈籠は、年月を経るとより趣のあるわび・さびを演出します。
石燈籠は同じ素材で同じ職人が作っても表情は異なり、同じものは一つとしてありません。
また見る側の変化にあわせて、色々な表情を見せてくれます。
燈籠をつくるにはみかげ石がよいとされています。
みかげ石は正式には花崗岩を言い、地球のマグマが地下深くでゆっくり冷却され、地中の高い圧力によって形成された石です。
雲母・石英・長石など数種類の鉱石が混ざってできていて、耐久性や圧縮強度に優れ、美しい外観に特徴があります。
成分の配合率は生産地によっても、さらに同じ生産地のなかの採石場所によってもさまざまです。
そのため同じ御影石を使用しても、でき上がりが異なってくるため、石燈籠の個性が出やすくなります。
みかげ石は白（グレー）、黒、赤、緑などがあり、色味によって石種が変わります。
灯籠は苔がむして、初めて味が出て来る物なので、やや色味が出ている物を選ばれると良いでしょう。
Japan has a unique concept of aesthetical beauty that includes what is known as “wabi” and “sabi”.
“Wabi” refers to the feeling of things that are both simple and tasteful.
“Sabi” refers to a type of beauty that emerges with the passing of time.
Stone lanterns are an essential aspect of a Japanese garden and, as time passes, they reveal a more charming and quaint wabi and sabi.
Stone lanterns have a different expression even when created by the same craftsman using the same materials, and they are all unique.
They also reveal different expressions in accordance with changes on the viewing side.
Granite is said to be good for making lanterns. The official name for granite is “Kakogan”, and is a type of stone formed due to high pressure created in the ground as magma slowly cools deep underground. Made from a mixture of several types of ore, such as mica, quartz, and feldspar, it is characterized by excellent durability and compression strength, and a beautiful appearance. The ratio of elements differs depending on the production area and may also vary depending on the quarry within a production area. For this reason, even if the same granite is used, there will be a diversity in the finished product, and this is a reason for the individual nature of each stone lantern.
Granite comes in white (gray), black, red, or green, and the stone type differs according to the color.
As the true character of a lantern is only revealed when they are covered in moss, it is better to choose one with a tinge to its color.
