A Gorinto is the Japanese interpretation of a type of Buddhist pagoda used as a memorial or burial marker. Larz and Isabel Anderson saw many of these on their trips to Japan and purchased one for their estate in Brookline, MA.  Their estate is now the Larz Anderson Park.

A Gorinto has five levels, each with its own meaning.  From top to bottom:

Jewel – perfection
Crescent – receptivity
Triangle – transition, unification, movement
Circle – completion, wisdom
Square – four elements (air, fire, water, and earth).

Only the bottom three of the original five levels are in place on the Andersons’ Gorinto. I found the missing Jewel in 2013 while conducting a study of the park for the Town of Brookline.  There is hope that the crescent will one day be found and all the pieces reunited.

Photographs by Skip Moskey.