Stone of the Month: 

September, 2026 

Yōryū Kannon ("Willow Kannon")

By Christophe Kurz

The rare type of Japanese figure stone originated from the Kamo River in Kyoto Prefecture. Its silhouette evokes one of the thirty-three manifestations of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of compassion. A vein of white quartz suggests the willow branch she traditionally holds, while her gesture symbolizes protection, fearlessness, and the healing of spiritual suffering. It perfectly embodies the aesthetic ideal of “suiseki,” suggesting a sacred presence with subtlety rather than through realistic representation.

The stone is known as a beninagashi-ishi or “red-washed stone” due to the presence of reddish chert. Its beauty is further enhanced by small, scattered natural cavities which make it a rare form of beninagashi. 

This stone is 7 x 7 x 21 cm and is in the personal collection of Christophe Kurz