Keywords
Architecture
Tea Houses
Lit. mirror stone.
1 A stone which is placed behind a hand wash basin *chōzubachi 手水鉢 with the flat side facing forward like a mirror. The stone is usually bluish with natural vertical lines. A stone with a pointed top is favored. Also called *ushiro ishi 後石.
2 A blue stone used in a dry garden, set upright to represent a waterfall. Examples can be seen in the gardens of Nanzenji 南禅寺 and Daitokuji 大徳寺, both in Kyoto.
3 A trump stone *yaku ishi 役石 set in a pond.
4 Often written 蟄石. Also mizukaeshi ishi 水返し石. A stone placed in front of a hand wash basin chōzubachi in a tea garden. Placed at below the rim of the basin to stop the water cast out of the basin from splashing up. It is placed where it corresponds to the front stone *mae ishi 前石.