English index
Japanese index
Japanese index

in'yōseki
陰陽石

Yin-Yang stones


A pair of stones symbolizing the genitals of both sexes. The standing stone is the male Yang stone (yōseki), and the reclining stone or hollow stone is the female Yin stone (inseki). The pair form a stone arrangement representing the harmony of the active and passive principles, and the prosperity of one's descendants.


Japanese Garden Dictionary: A Glossary for Japanese Gardens and Their History
(C) 2010 by Ono Kenkichi and Walter Edwards. All rights reserved.