Modern Suiseki

Setagawa Tora-ishi

I would like to introduce unusual Setagawa Tora-ishi here, however, there is no clear criteria for determining unusual Tora-ishi.

Setagawa Tora-ishi - Kane Tora, Hyou Tora

I can't decide whether this Tora-ishi is hard enough to regard Kane Tora, or clear enough for leopard patterns as Hyou Tora, however, it is hard and has specific patterns.

Setagawa Tora-ishi - gneiss

This stone is sold as Setagawa Tora-isi at Ueno Green Club which is famous store for Bonsai and Suiseki. This Tora-ishi is not the same as others because almost flat between black and yellowish brown layer and they are as if patterns.

Back side is little yellowish blown and rough surface but glittering. It looks like gneiss.

Further, it is not yellowish blown but almost gold.

I am not sure this Tora-ishi was truly from Setagawa.

On the other hand, I found a similar stone in Shonaigawa once. Shonaigawa is one of rivers Tora-ishi can be found. Therefore, I believe that this gneiss like stone may be found in river Tora-ishi can be found. Since this Tora-ishi is better than one from Shonaigawa, I assume that this Tora-ishi was from Setagawa.

Setagawa Tora-ishi - Shiro Tora

I can't decide whether this Tora-ishi is Shiro Tora which means white Tora-ishi.

Actually, yellowish blown layer is almost white, however it is too thin. On the contrary, black layer is too wide.

Unknown Tora-ishi - Toyama

I don’t consider this Tora-ishi as one from Setagawa because it has not feature in black layer for Setagawa. I heared that it was displayed old house in Toyama prefecture.

The shape is too balanced and therefore, it might be handcrafted. If it is natural, it is amazing.

On the other hand, yellowish brawn layer looks like drier and harder than Setagawa. This Tora-ishi is good by as is. I enjoy to think whare this Tora-ishi came from.

Origin of Setagawa Tora-ishi - Moriyama-ishi

Tora-ishi is not only produced in the Setagawa River, but can also be found in various places such as the Ibi River and the Agano River. On the other hand, the Tora-ishi of the Setagawa River is so famous that it is no exaggeration to say that when you think of Tora-ishi, you think of the Setagawa River.

The reason is that the quality of the stone is good and the ratio of ocher and black in the tiger pattern is just right, but unlike other place of origin, there are probably circumstances around the Seta River that foster just the right quality of Tora-ishi. Possible.

In the process of researching the circumstances around this, I learned about Moriyama-ishi, so I would like to introduce it here.

Moriyama-ishi is a garden stone with a tiger pattern that can be found in the western part of Lake Biwa, and in the Hachiyado, Moriyama districts of Otsu City in Shiga Prefecture.

It is said that this stone was discovered long ago by Ogawa Jihei VII, who is said to be the pioneer of modern Japanese gardens, and is prized as a famous stone of Shiga.

Since similar stones have been found in the Kido area next to the Moriyama area, it is thought to be a stone that is widely distributed at the foot of Mt. Hira, especially around Mt. Horai.

The most distinctive feature of this stone is its tiger pattern, but similar to Tora-ishi of the Setagawa River, there is a slight pear-like pattern in the black areas.

Minerally speaking, it is called chert, but it doesn't seem to have a lot of silicic acid, so it has almost no transparency, is slightly powdery, and even looks like limestone. However, it does not react with hydrochloric acid.

If you look closely, you can also see a dendrite-like pattern.

Moriyama-ishi flows into Lake Biwa and is found as Tora-ishi in the Seta River, the only river that drains from Lake Biwa. Not all of Setagawa's Tora-ishi is Moriyama-ishi, but there are bedrocks that are very similar to Moriyama-ishi around Lake Biwa, and I imagine that this is where Setagawa's Tora-ishi comes from.