Literally, clinging to a rock. The ”ishitsuki” style makes tree roots cling to a rock and is intended to express a natural landscape that can be seen in valleys and beaches. There are two methods for this style. One is to plant tree roots on a rock to make the stone play the role of a pot. The other is to make a tree’s roots cling to a rock and plant soil it in a container. There are two types of rocks — ”tateishi” standing and ”hiraishi” seated stones. Usually, ”ishitsuki” refers to ”tateishi” standing stones. The tree and the rock in uniformity brew a taste that is different from ordinary potted bonsai.

translated by Kyodo News