Nippon Suiseki Association


		All exhibitions of the Nippon Suiseki Association are supported by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

As can be seen in the example on the right, suiseki are usually displayed in a tokonoma, or a display alcove, which is a common feature of more traditional style Japanese homes. This suiseki is displayed in a suiban, which is a shallow ceramic basin or tray filled with sand of relatively uniform grain and color, and carefully smoothed out around the stone to represent space.

Other basic elements of this and the display below, which features a suiseki fitted with a daiza, or wooden base, are the shoku (display stand), and scroll hanging in the back. The choice of whether or not to use an accent plant is entirely up to the individual creating the display. One simple rule in creating these displays, however, is that as the suiseki is the main element, other objects should be arranged to suit the suiseki’s shape. In the upper picture, for example, the stone flows to the left, so the scroll is hung to the left side. Likewise, the lower stone flows to the right, so both scroll and accent plant are situated to the right.

Finally, it should be noted that although many suiseki can be displayed in either a suiban or a daiza, there are some general rules to keep in mind. The sand of a suiban, for example, symbolizes open space and is most often associated with water, so only suiseki what would naturally be considered suitable for this type of environment should be used. Suiseki such as kuzuya-ishi and sugata-ishi are therefore best displayed on daiza so as to avoid the “flood” or “floating” effect.