Neodani, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Bicentennial Gift of Kiyoshi Yanagisawa, 1975

It may look like chrysanthemum flowers have been preserved in this stone; however, the "petals" are really crystals that formed before the surrounding mud hardened into a rock. This stone is unpolished.

Sajigawa River, Tottori Prefecture, Japan

Bicentennial Gift of Teiichi Katayama, 1975

This stone recalls rocky coastlines with tidal pools. In Japan, important stones are given names by their owners. This one is called Jitsugetsutan, meaning "Pool of Eternity."

Ibigawa River, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Bicentennial Gift of Osanaga Kanroji, 1975

Can you imagine hiking on the slopes of this gentle mountain stone?

Kifune Shrine area, north of Kyoto, Japan

Bicentennial Gift of Kunizo Motoki, 1975

The vein of white crystalline material that occurs naturally in this rock gives the impression of a cool stream. The stone's name is Enkakeiryu, meaning "Misty Mountain Stream."

Seigaku, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Bicentennial Gift of Fukujiro Yamagishi, 1975

The treacherous peaks of a rugged mountain range suggested by this stone bring to mind a wilderness untouched by man.

Hakkai Mountains, Niigata Prefecture, Japan

Bicentennial Gift of Katsura Suzuki, 1975

This stone was named Hakkaizan (Mt. Hakkai) because its silhouette resembles the actual mountain.

Neodani, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Bicentennial Gift from the Nippon Suiseki Association (donated by Tanekichi Isozaki), 1976

A gift to President Ford from the Japanese viewing stone society in honor of the U.S. Bicentennial, this stone is well-known in Japan by its poetic name Tsukiyo Kiku, "Mums in the Moonlight."

Setagawa River, Japan

Gift of Hiroshi Mitsuzuka, 1998

Striped stones from the Setagawa River are much prized in Japan for their pattern rather than their shape. This stone was a gift for President Clinton when he visited Japan during the Year of the Tiger.

Abegawa River, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Gift of Kenichi Oguchi, 2001

The natural white crystals in this rock give you the impression of water cascading down the mountain.

Setagawa River, Shiba Prefecture, Japan

Gift of Kenichi Oguchi, 2001

Mountains seen in the hazy distance lose their sharp features and can appear to be gentle rolling hills as in this stone.

Naraigawa River, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Gift of Kenichi Oguchi, 2001

Viewing stones displayed in a shallow tray of sand recall islands rising from the sea.

Unknown origin in Japan

Gift of Jean and Ed Smith, 2010

This mountain stone once belonged to Mr. Masaru Yamaki, a Japanese bonsai master whose centuries-old bonsai was one of the trees donated in honor of our country’s bicentennial.

Jiangsu Province, China

Gift of Kemin Hu, 2001

Taihu stones are known for their bizarre shapes full of holes that were formed by the acidic water of Lake Tai.

Jiangsu Province, China

Gift of Kemin Hu in memory of Hu Zhaokang (1918-1996), 2001

This stone is sometimes exhibited with water in the "lake" to enhance the realism of the scene.

Lingbi, Anhui Province, China

Gift of Kemin Hu, 2001

Lingbi stones have been collected in China since ancient times. They conjure images of remote mountain grottoes where sages and immortals might dwell.

Fujian Province, China

Gift of Kemin Hu, 2005

This stone is from the riverbed of the Nine Dragons (Jiulong) River. Its fantastic mountain scenery was created by water erosion over many years.

Guangdong Province, China

Anonymous Gift, 2005

Ying stones are prized for their fantastic shapes and wrinkled texture.

Lingbi, Anhui Province, China

Anonymous Gift, 2005

What does this stone remind you of? Do you think of choppy seas or craggy peaks? Viewing stones are just the starting point for your own imagination.

Hubei Province, China

Gift of Ralph W. Johnson, 2005

The largest in North America (54” tall), this Chinese chrysanthemum stone shows how the surrounding matrix can be carved away to enhance the illusion of flowers emerging from the stone.

Jiangsu Province, China

Gift of Ralph W. Johnson, 2005

This taihu stone is unusual for its red coloring—most taihu stones are gray or white.

Lingbi, Anhui Province, China

Gift of Ralph W. Johnson, 2005

Sometimes Chinese scholar's rocks are called spirit stones. They were believed to express the life-force of the earth. Does this stone remind you of movement?

Wyoming Desert, USA

Gift of Patrick Coen, 1991

This type of white stone with horizontal layering is unique to American viewing stones. It recalls the mesa rock formations of the American Southwest, carved by wind and water erosion over millions of years.

Delaware County, Pennsylvania, USA

Gift of Jim Hayes, 1996

The red-brown color and craggy, pitted shape of this stone is typical of stones found in Pennsylvania.

Eel River, California, USA

Gift of Richard Manning, 1996

The smooth, dark green surface of this stone evokes cool sunny days in the mountains.

Kern River, California, USA

Gift of John Y. Naka, 1996

Some may see an image of a waterfall in this stone. Bonsai master John Naka saw the old man in the mountain! He jokingly named this stone 30,000-foot White Beard.

Mojave Desert, California, USA

Gift of Melba Tucker, 1996

Desert stones often look like they have been polished or buffed. The action of high winds blasting tiny sand particles across the stone's surface creates a natural sheen.

Death Valley, California, USA

Gift of Elmer Uchida, 1996

This mountain stone from the desert is a “ventifact”—a stone polished by the sandy desert wind. It was found in the 1960s by one of the first viewing stone collectors in the United States.

Mojave Desert, California, USA

Gift of Mariana Haug, in honor of her mother Melba Tucker, 1997

What do you see pictured in this stone? Melba Tucker saw a woman in a kimono with an elaborate hairstyle, thus she named the stone Geisha.

Indio, California, USA

Gift of Melba Tucker, 2000

This stone recalls natural land forms in the American southwest.

Thomes Creek, California, USA

Gift of Bob Carlson, 2009

Natural white minerals appear to cling like snow to the top of this mountain stone making it a favorite of winter displays in the Museum.

Pelindaba, Gauteng Province, South Africa

Gift of John Y. Naka, 1996

When he saw this stone, bonsai master John Naka was reminded of a Japanese castle sitting atop a high, curved wall. Some people see a lighthouse. What do you see?

Lukuni Mine, Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of Congo

Gift of Ralph W. Johnson, 2004

Malachite in its natural state evokes lush green hills in early summer.

Giacopiane's Lake, Ligurian Alps, D'Aveto, Italy

Gift of Luciana Queirolo Garbini, 2001

This majestic mountain is typical of the type of gray stone found in the Ligurian Alps of Italy. However, this particular stone became so celebrated in Europe, it came to be called La Bella (The Beauty.)

Ciniru River Valley, Kuningan, West Java, Indonesia

Gift of Ismail Saleh, The Indonesian Suiseki Association, 1994

Can you imagine climbing up to find shelter within one of the caves in this dwelling stone?