Aoishi Stone, Japanese Garden Rock

The first manual for the Japanese garden, the Sakuteiki, describes the laying out of gardens as: Ishi wo taten koto (石を立てん事). This means the upright placement of stones, which strongly emphasizes the important role of these elements within the Japanese garden.

The correct application of garden stones, Niwaishi (garden stones) in Japanese, forms the basis of practically every Japanese garden. The placement of stones and rocks is almost always determined first, after which the garden is formed together with all the elements surrounding it. Because of this, stones and rocks are also known as the Kikotsu (気骨), or backbone, of the Japanese garden.

An authentic Japanese garden should mimic a certain natural essence. Stones and rocks are a significant part of this principle since they concern pure elements, coming directly from nature.

Aoishi is Japanese for blue-green stone, a clear reference to the recognizable color of the stone species. This typical discoloration is caused by a significant amount of copper and/or sulfur in the stone.

Stone with a greenish color is often used in the Japanese garden for a good reason. Stone is traditionally seen as a representation of natural hills and mountains. Most hills and mountains in Japan are densely overgrown, making them mostly green in color. This gives Aoishi stones an extra symbolic layer.