Izumo Ishidourou are traditionally crafted stone lanterns made in the city of Sakai Minato in Tottori Prefecture and in the cities of Matsue and Izumo in Shimane Prefecture. They are made of Kimachi stone, a fine-grained tuffaceous sandstone quarried from the Kimachi area of Shinji town. Kimachi stone is highly absorbent and moss grows quickly on it, so these stone lanterns fit beautifully into natural settings and seem to blend effortlessly with the greenery. Freshly quarried stone is a bluish gray, but the color gradually changes to a subtle grayish brown over time. In addition to their aesthetic beauty, Izumo Ishidourou can withstand both hot and cold climates, which is why lanterns made in the Edo period (1603-1868) can still be found today.