Diamond shape. Lozenge or rhombus. A geometric pattern dating back to the Heian period. It is one of the yosuku monyo (aristocratic patterns). It is said to be named after the shape of the leaves of Japanese water-chestnuts floating on the water surface. The design is used both stand-alone and in repeating patterns. A repeating pattern made up of hishi shapes is called hishimon.
The pattern itself has no relation to diamonds other than the shape.
The shape is often combined with different objects and designs to create new designs. Find below a list of common designs used in kimono and obi patterns.
- Yotsubishi (四菱) - a diamond shape made up of four (yotsu) smaller diamond shapes.
- Hanabishi (花菱) - a diamond shape containing a stylized flower (hana) shape. Also called karabanabishi (a stylized imaginary flower with four petals). In some cases, the stylized flower fills the whole design creating a diamond shape by itself and the diamond outline is left out. A design consisting of a diamond-shaped chrysanthemum (kiku) is called hishigiku (菊菱) or kikubishi (菱菊).
- Yotsu-hanabishi (四花菱) - a design where four (yotsu) hanabishi are combined to create a larger diamond shape.
- Saiwaibishi (幸菱) - a design consisting of four or more hanabishi. Often the designs feature two hanabishi in combination with two yotsu-hanabishi.
- Takedabishi (武田菱・たけだびし) - A diamond shape consisting of four smaller diamond shapes. A diamond shape divided into four smaller diamonds by a thin line. The crest of the Takeda clan.
- Matsukawabishi (松皮菱) - a diamond shape with a merged and overlapping smaller diamond shapes at the top and bottom, creating a symmetrical staggered outline. The shape as the name implies resembles the bark (kawa) of the pine (matsu) tree.
- Irekobishi (入子菱) - a matryoshka like repeating design of hishi inside hishi.
- Kasanebishi (重ね菱) - a pattern of (two) overlapping hishi shapes.
- Tsurubishi (鶴菱) - A diamond shape with one or more cranes. A diamond shape with two facing cranes (tsuru) with their wings spread is also called mukai-tsurubishi (対い鶴菱).
The different types of hishi are sometimes combined in one design.
The standard design is mostly a diamond shape that is horizontally oriented (width greater than height), if the diamond shape is vertically oriented it is called tatebishi (立菱).
Other names for patterns containing hishi shapes are naname-goshi and tasuki pattern.