Techniques are used to express water flowing down a mountain turning into a huge stream by imitating a water fall, and ishigumi (stone combinations) such as arranging stones and putting together rocks symbolizing religious significance like Horai-san mountain (a mountain island in China where a benevolent wizard who had a drug for achieving eternal youth was believed to reside) and Horai-to island (same as the Horai-san mountain, see above), tsuru-shima island (the island of the crane, which is a place to pray for a long life) and kame-shima island (the island of the tortoise, also a place to pray for a long life) are commonly used.
滝を模し水が深山から流れ出し、大きな流れになってゆく様子を表現する手法や、石を立て、また石を組合せることによる石組表現、宗教的な意味を持たせた蓬莱山や蓬莱島、鶴島、亀島などに見立てる手法が多く用いられる。