Modern Suiseki

About Kamui Cotan Seven Stones

Kamui Cotan Seven Stones are name someone called to express peculiarity, probability in 1960s. Because Suiseki gained much popularity in 1960s. According to another report, the seven stones seem to be "True black", "Blue black", "Five colors", "Red", "Green mud", "Serpentine", and "Riebeckite", however, it is a eulogistic name and nobody knows who proposed the name.

In Suiseki, Kamui Cotan is considered to be metamorphic rocks including serpentine generally but jasper is also included. Actually, Red and Yellow Kamui Cotan Seki is jasper or chert.

In Suiseki point of view, it enjoys looking each individual stone and therefore, there is no situation that some stone is not considered as Suiseki by category of stones.

What's good is good.

If you see Kamui Cotan Seki from Suiseki perspective, there are several categories as Real true black, True black, Blue black, Ash black, Shiny green, Mud green, Red, Golden, Dusky purple, Five color, riebeckite, and etc., and so, there are more than seven.

As you see, several types of stones having plenty of variety are found in Kamui Cotan.

So, there is no sense in sticking to what the seven is. Considering it to be a just eulogistic name and knowing there are several types of stones in Kamui Cotan and enjoying each stone is practical.

On the other hand, from the name of Kamui Cotan Seven stones, it makes me romantic like Nansou Satomi Hakkenden (Eight Dog Chronicles, novel 1842).

Rethinking Kamui Cotan Seven Stones

I mentioned that Kamui Cotan Seven Stones is a eulogistic name and there is no meaning to stick what the seven is.

Having said that, I reconsider what stones can be nominated in the seven personally.

Real true black and black black can be grouped in one as an orthodox Kamui Cotan Seki

Shiny green is very beautiful but kind of an orthodox Kamui Cotan and so, grouped in one.

Blue black and Ash black can be also grouped in one.

Dusky purple has distinctive patterns and I am just now having trouble deciding other group or not but group in one.

On the other hand, green mud is different in color and texture, and therefore, grouped in other group.

Serpentine is other stone type and grouped in other.

Riebeckite is the same reason.

Red Kamui Cotan is jasper or chert but the color is remarkably different and grouped in other.

Yellow Kamui Cotan is called Golden Kamui Cotan and treated as special, so grouped in other.

Five color is jasper but including several colors in one stones is rare and groped in other.

It is roughly like this. So, the following is my candidate for Kamui Cotan seven stones:

• #1: True black
• #2: Green mud
• #3: Serpentine
• #4: Riebeckite
• #5: Red Cotan
• #6: Golden Kamui Cotan
• #7: Five colors

The above does not include seven stones but stones on hand from Kamui Cotan.

From the far left, Chert, True black, True black

Riebeckite, Real true black, True black and

Red Cotan seki.