Modern Suiseki

Colorful stones-II

Colorful stone is one of categories of Suiseki. As its name suggests, it is colorful stone and most of them are jasper.

Although only jasper is explained in Colorful stone-I, I would like to explain other stone in here Colorful stone-II.

By the way, you may think that Colorful stone is just displaying stone although Colorful stone is one of categories of Suiseki.

In Suiseki, putting stone on a wooden base (台座, Daiza) or a waterproof tray or bowl of ceramic (水盤, suiban) or bronze (Doban) is appreciated in Tokonoma. However, Tokonoma is not placed in the modern house and simplified in these days.

In Colorful stone, the shape is not so important but appreciating its color and patterns. So, imaging something such as landscape from Colorful stone is not so much.

So, feeling Wabi-Sabi from Colorful stone may be difficult by its colorful color.

Red Toki-ishi

This is red Toki-ishi, woody jasper.

Like this, imaging something from Colorful stone is not so common because appreciating its color and pattern is common.

Subsequently, I would like to introduce Colorful stone other than jasper.

Toki-ishi, Monseki

This is Toki-ishi, Monseki.

It is very similar to Neo Sakura-ishi but it is not clear what it is.

According to another report, it is jasper by its hardness, however, there are sparkles on the surface and conchoidal fracture is not found.

So, personally, I believe that it is not jasper.

Toki-ishi, Monseki

The following stone is also Toki-ishi, Monseki from Shonai river.

Do you see cherry blossom petal? This cherry blossom petal is almost the same as Neo Sakura-ishi. I believe that Neo Sakura-ishi and Toki-ishi Monseki are the same.

Although Neo Sakura-ishi is more famous than Toki-ishi Monseki, Neo Sakura-ishi is not famous as Neo Kikka-seki at all and nobody knows what exactly Neo Sakura-ishi is.

I hope Neo Sakura-ishi becomes more famous in the future and somebody finds any clue to the mystery of Sakura-ishi.