Stepping stones, Tobi-ishi (飛石) in Japanese, are an essential part of the traditional Japanese garden. In contrast to ordinary garden paths, walking on stepping stones requires more concentration. This has a positive influence on the way people experience the garden. In addition, people cannot walk side by side on a path of stepping stones, eliminating potential distractions. In a tea garden, this also ensures that people do not arrive at the tea house at exactly the same time before the start of the tea ceremony.

Step paths were introduced by Sen no Rikyū, a very famous historical figure who is considered the founder of the tea ceremony. The original idea behind stepping stones was to keep the Zōri, traditional Japanese sandals, clean and dry while walking through the garden.

Garan foundation stones (伽藍礎石) are a very special kind of springboard. In ancient times, these stones were used as foundations for massive wooden pillars of temples all over Japan. Garan foundation stones from demolished temples are much sought after by Japanese landscape architects and are often used to connect several stepping stone paths. Repurposing such materials is quite common in the Japanese garden and fits perfectly into the aesthetic concept of Wabi-Sabi.

Specifications
- Depth = 41.73 inches
- Width = 37.40 inches
- Height = 7.87 inches

- Origin: Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
- Material: Hirukawa stone (蛭川石)
- Age: Edo period