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Japanese Stepping Stones - Information

Traversing the Elements Stepping stones, Tobi-ishi (飛石) in Japanese, are an essential element of the traditional Japanese garden. In contrast to regular garden paths, walking on stepping stones requires more concentration. This has a positive influence on the way in which people experience the garden. Additionally, people cannot walk side by side on a path of stepping stones, eliminating potential distractions. In a tea garden, this also makes sure that people do not arrive at the exact same time at the tea house before the start of the tea ceremony.

Stepping stone paths were introduced by tea master Sen no Rikyū, a very famous historical figure. The original idea behind stepping stones was to keep the Zōri, traditional Japanese sandals, clean and dry when walking through the garden.

Repurposing Old Materials Old materials, especially stones, are often reused in the Japanese garden. For example, milling stones that were once used to grind rice or grain are repurposed as highly authentic stepping stones in a Japanese garden. Giving new life to old materials in this way perfectly fits the aesthetical concept of Wabi-Sabi.

The Most Authentic Japanese Stepping Stones For Sale Our Japanese garden center is unique outside of Japan and we would be happy to invite you for a visit! We have a wide range of original Japanese ornaments, rocks, decorations, plants and trees in our collection. Yokoso Japanese Gardens is the perfect place to find the ideal authentic Japanese stepping stones for your Japanese garden. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or if you want to make an appointment.