The Japanese Stone Lantern pictured between 1980 and 2006. The lantern weighs 4,000 pounds and sits on the National Mall in Washington D.C.
After the United States and Japan fought against each other in World War II, the two countries sought to rebuild and repair their diplomatic relationship. The U.S. and Japan had not always been enemies. In fact, the District of Columbia’s iconic cherry trees (some of which surround this lantern) were a gift to the U.S. from the mayor of Tokyo in the early 1900s. Japan presented this lantern to Washington, D.C., in 1954 to commemorate 100 years since Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Japan and the two countries signed a trade treaty; the gift was also given in recognition of the rekindled relationship between Japan and the U.S. The lantern was not a new piece of art—in 1954, it was already 300 years old! Part of a pair carved in 1651, its mate still stands in its original location at Toeizan Kan’eiji Temple in Tokyo. [1]
The Japanese Stone Lantern pictured between 1980 and 2006. The lantern weighs 4,000 pounds and sits on the National Mall in Washington D.C.
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