The Japanese word for stone is kesseki and jadeite (a very special type of natural stone in Japan) is hisui.
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| Romanji | Kanji | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone けっせき | Kesseki | 結石 | |
| Stonework いしづくり | Ishidzukuri | 石造り | |
| Stone monument いしぶみ | Ishibumi | 碑 | |
| Stone steps いしだん | Ishidan | 石段 | |
| Pebble いしころ | Ishikoro | 石ころ | |
| Jadeite ひすい | Hisui | 翡翠 | |
| Tsunami stone あねよし | Aneyoshi | 姉吉 | |
| Viewing stone すいせき | Suiseki | 水石 |
Interesting facts about stones in Japan
Believe it or not, but stones are important in Japanese culture and religion.
For example, jadeite which is a special and extremely dense stone that is only found where tectonic plates overlap (such as in Japan), is the official national stone of Japan. Also, these gemstones were used for making jewelry since the days of ancient Japan and today, 1 carat jadeite can easily cost millions of dollars. Find out more here.
Suiseki is an art form that came from China and it’s where you place a beautifully shaped stone on a tray filled with water or sand to admire its aesthetics. The stones usually resembles miniature landscapes, mountains, caverns or any other natural feature. The art falls under bonsai and was popular with the samurai ruling class. Find out more at bonsai-bci.