Japanese Water Stones in Hawaii

Whether you are of Japanese heritage, or you simply appreciate the clean lines and simple beauty of Japanese art and gardening, you can bring a bit of Japan home with you, without hopping on a plane to Tokyo! At Big Rock Fabricators, we can help you create a Japanese garden, with a Hawaiian sense of place. Stop by our showroom, or browse our inventory of Japanese water stones, Buddha statues, fountains and rock bowls. 

Created by nature, perfected by Big Rock

Over the years, Big Rock Fabricators has collected many beautiful boulders, some of which have been eroded over hundreds of years to create stone bowls, or basins. These make a perfect addition to a Japanese-style garden, or one you design yourself. 

It's your cup of tea 

Stone water basins, called tsukubai, are traditionally found in Japanese tea gardens. Rustic and simple in design, these basins signify the synergy of man and nature. They are traditionally surrounded by smooth pebbles or gravel, and some carefully arranged boulders. Water flows into the stone bowl from a kakeki (bamboo pipe), which is fed by a submersible pump. Plumbing is not required. Call Big Rock Fabricators today, and start enjoying your very own Japanese water stone feature at your home or place of business.

Easy to install yourself

Japanese water stone basins are an easy and fun DIY project. Simply dig a depression in the ground, a little larger than the basin, and line with a 5' x 5' pond liner, leaving about 10" on the top of the ground. If you want more water surrounding, use an 8' x 10' liner, and you can create a more interesting surrounding space.



Place the tsukubai (stone bowl) in the pond, elevating the bowl on a brick or concrete block, so just about 1.5" of the bottom of the bowl is covered with the water when full.  Camouflage the exposed liner with gravel and river rock, or moss rock stepping stones and gravel. 



Stand bamboo kakeki behind the bowl. A piece of rebar is handy for support, perhaps with some larger stones at base of the bamboo. Attach the tubing already inserted in the bamboo, to the submersible pump, which is hidden behind the bowl. Fill with water, plug in, and enjoy!

Isa Bowl 
  • An interesting shape, the Isa Bowl is a smooth moss rock boulder with a naturally eroded basin.
  • Height: 9”  Width: 22”  Depth: 13”
  • Use with a Kakeki (bamboo) and a Laguna #2 pump, or a Rio 800 pump.
  • For less water flow, the Rio 800 pump has a control valve.
Pohaku Bowl
  • This beautiful Hawaiian boulder basin was naturally created thousand of years ago during a volcanic eruption.
  • It has its own rugged beauty and is perfect for a Hawaiian/Japanese garden setting.
  • This basin measures 25" x 23" x 12" in height.
  • Use with a Kakeki and a Laguna #2 pump, or a Rio 800 pump. 
  • For less water flow, the Rio 800 pump has a control valve.
Ko'Olau Bowl 
  • A beautiful naturally eroded lava boulder, very strong and rugged in appearance.
  • The silhouette of the rock is reminiscent of the shape of Hawaii's Ko’olau Mountains.
  • Height 16” Width 23” Depth 17”
  • Use with a Kakeki and a Laguna 200 pump, or a Rio 800 pump. 
  • For less water flow, the Rio 800 pump has a control valve.
Coin Basin
  • This classic stone basin is in the shape of an antique coin.
  • Translation: "I practice being content, avoiding greed."
  • The basin measures 18" in diameter and 10" in height.
  • Use with Kakeki and Laguna #2 or Rio 800 pump.
ALI’I Bowl
  • This extraordinary large stone bowl is reminiscent of a huge egg, cracked across its length.
  • Extremely dramatic and striking in appearance. Suitable for water lilies, if sealed. 
  • Looks great with one big horizontal bamboo pipe feeding the water. Use a Rio 2500 pump for strong flow.
  • Displayed in a cream coral stone color. Also available in lava or moss rock color. 
  • Height 18” –20” Width 34” Length 46”
Forourou Basin With Rustic Guide Stone
  • Simple and formal in design, this stone basin is carved in a clean square shape, with raised rounded corner detail.
  • Height 14” Width 14” Depth 14”
  • Use with a Kakeki and a Laguna 200 pump, or a Rio 800 pump. 
  • For less water flow, the Rio 800 pump has a control valve.
Beautiful Rustic Hawaiian/Japanese Water Garden
  • Big Rock's Pohaku Bowl with Rustic Lantern, and Shishi-Odoshi (Deer-scare) bamboo flume, tipping water into the bowl.
  • Accented by Tranquil buddha, a few of our lightweight boulders, and river rock. 
  • Mist is created by an ultrasonic fogger.
  • Japanese garden projects are easy to do. Save money and do it yourself!
Tsukubai Bowl
  • This original Tsukubai mold was cast from a genuine antique hand-hewn stone basin. 
  • This basin measures 24" in diameter and 13" in height.
  • Use with Kakeki (bamboo spout) and a Laguna 200 OR Rio 800 pump.
  • For less water flow, adjust valve on pump.
Japanese Garden Setting
Surrounded with black river rock is the Ko'olau bowl accented with our Rustic Lantern, Japanese Garden Logs, and our lightweight cast Moss Rock Boulders; B-31 on left and B-33 front right. Garden is bordered with our Stone Edgers.