Daiza, Shoku and Jita: Stands and Tables

In Japan a tree or a stone is never set directly on the floor of the alcove. It stands on a stand chosen to lift it, frame it and set its mood, and fine stands are collected as works of craft in their own right.

Stand Japanese Use
Carved base Daiza 台座 Carved to fit the underside of a single stone exactly
Display table Shoku 卓 A low or tall table for a bonsai, often in rosewood or lacquer
Slab Jita 地板 A plain board or root slab for a tree, stone or accent plant
Tiered stand Tana 棚 Shelves for a set of small trees

The daiza

A Japanese daiza is carved by hand to the exact contours of one stone, so that the stone sits as if rising from the ground. Restraint is the rule: the stand should be felt rather than seen. Chinese stands for scholar's stones tend to be more elaborately carved.

Tables

Tall tables suit cascade trees; low tables suit wide, spreading ones. Woods include rosewood, ebony, quince and mulberry, and some tables are lacquered or inlaid. The height and colour of the table should answer the pot.

Collecting notes

  • An old daiza signed by a known carver, with its stone, is a prize; an empty daiza is of little use without its stone.
  • Check tables for loose joints and split tops; dry Western homes can open old wood. See Caring for Lacquerware.
  • Small tables travel easily and give any display an instant sense of order.

In the collection

Browse bonsai and suiseki. Our curator desk can search Japan for a particular pot, stone or stand; replies follow within 1–3 business days.

See also

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