Hearing the Silent Voice of the Bedrock

Rock climbing.

More than just a sport,

it's a pastime that offers an extraordinary sense of exaltation

and physical accomplishment.

Damn!

Many people enjoy the thrill of climbing.

But in the old days, these rock faces were totally inaccessible.

Formed millions of years ago,

rocks have a profound energy

that people in Japan used to believe was beyond human comprehension.

Jizo Bodhisattvas carved in stone

are offered as a prayer for those who have passed on.

People's faith breathes life into the stone.

Goodbye, mom.

On this edition of "Journeys in Japan,"

we explore this bedrock sense of connection.

Oh, look at this.

And we delve deep into the earth to discover its power,

and to listen to its stories.

Some 600 kilometers west of Tokyo,

we visit a quarry that has supplied the stone

used in countless major structures.

Kitagi Island, in the Seto Inland Sea, is part of Okayama Prefecture.

The bedrock of this island is granite that was formed a hundred million years ago.

For centuries,

Kitagi Island has been an important source of high-quality granite.

The walls of Osaka Castle,

and the head office of the Bank of Japan.

Both were built using stone from Kitagi Island.

The thrill of the open road.

The wind is great up here.

It's really nice.

Hi, I'm Christian.

My name's Tsuruta. I'll be showing you around today.

Tsuruta Yasunori is the president of a stone-quarrying business.

I'm taking you to one of the most mysterious spots on the island.

It's just around the corner. Go ahead and take a look.

Whoa!

Oh, man.

This is one site where the stone used to be quarried.

About ten companies used to work here.

On the cliffs over there, you can see the marks of the explosions to break the rock.

After work stopped here, the quarry began to fill up with water and became this lake.

This isn't seawater. It filled up naturally with water out of the hills.

At one time, there were more than 120 companies working on Kitagi Island.

But most of them left, unable to compete with cheaper stone from abroad.

This quarry, owned by Tsuruta, is still in operation.

The quarry we're going to look at has been open for about 100 years.

That's a long time.

Look down here.

Amazing.

The quarry has been excavated to a depth of 150 meters.

Why do you dig down so deep?

The deeper we go, the greater the pressure. And that creates stronger stone.

Our customers prefer stronger stone.

We were granted special permission to go down.

Go down backwards.

OK.

That looks fun.

Goodbye, mom.

Christian is an avid sport climber

who has climbed rock faces around the world.

I miss my climbing rope.

Climbing's a lot more fun with a rope.

I mean, seriously.

This is crazy.

That's ridiculous!

It was scary. Really!

To break the stone, holes are drilled in the surface,

and then special metal fittings are inserted.

These metal plugs are called "serigane."

- OK?
- I'll be the hole. I am the hole, OK?

The pin is placed between the two plugs.

Then it's hammered in firmly.

When the sound of the hammers drops in pitch,

that's a sign the stone will soon split.

A crack has appeared.

It's not that deep actually.

It's about the same depth as the things,

but it's enough to split the rock.

Although stone may look like it's uniformly solid,

in fact, it breaks more easily in some directions than others.

That's the key point to look for.

Nice! Really nice! Yeah, it looks beautiful.

What's the secret to splitting rock well?

You have to feel affection for the rock.

Look at his arm muscles.

He's 66 years old. Amazing! My muscles are totally different.

This is really a man's work.

What do you feel toward the rock?

My father would always tell me that the rock is alive.

Sometimes a rock splits unexpectedly. There are times when you can't predict it.

It is dug out from deep underground, like a newborn baby giving its first cry.

In that sense, you could say you're the midwife for the stone.

Utsunomiya, 100 kilometers north of Tokyo,

is a city with a long connection with stone.

Although it has a population of over half a million,

once you reach the outskirts, it feels quite rural.

It's true.

Most Japanese towns are made of wood.

But this town is made of stone.

That's beautiful, isn't it?

These houses are made of a kind of stone known as Oya stone.

The name derives from the quarry it comes from.

This is interesting, up here!

Have a look at around the window and above the window as well.

Can you see how it's got the carving of... I guess, it's a pine tree and a stork?

Some "ume," which is plum, symbols of good luck.

These walls are made out of the local stone. Isn't this great?

It's got a lovely texture to it as well.

I especially like the atmosphere here.

Why are there so many stone structures?

Well, Oya stone is durable and fire-resistant.

It's also excellent for storing farming equipment, because it doesn't leak.

That's why we used it for this warehouse.

- You've made a beautiful and strong town.
- Yes, we have.

The Oya district is about 10 kilometers from the center of Utsunomiya.

This museum explains all about Oya stone.

Oh!

Wow!

Look at the size of this!

I think I finally understand the meaning of the word "cavernous."

Oh, look at this.

This is a former mine where stone was extracted for about 70 years.

This vast space 30 meters underground

covers an area of about 20,000 square meters.

In the old days, Oya stone was used as

a building material for the walls of storehouses and homes,

both for the outside and inside.

The stone was formed from volcanic ash as it hardened.

It is lighter and softer than other kinds of stone,

which makes it easier to carve.

This is quite interesting, isn't it?

You've got the vertical cuts here,

and horizontal cuts going this way,

so, obviously, two different sorts of cutting technique.

The different patterns in the rock show that

it was quarried in different periods.

These marks were made by the miners' pickaxes.

And these were made by machinery introduced in the mid-20th century.

That's very artistic, isn't it, really, if you think about it?

Maybe this is modern art - underground modern art.

- This is truly a remarkable space.
- Thank you.

What do you want visitors here to observe?

That people carved out this huge space.

I want people to see that.

During the war, this space was used as an aircraft assembly factory.

I sensed something like that when I came in.

The government also used this space to store surplus rice.

I see. It's underground and cool.

I'd like to take you to a special place.

It's normally off-limits.

Please come on in.

This is the special place.

Can you guess what it's used for?

I have no idea.

People use it for...

It's used by local companies as a wedding hall.

The cool stone around them.

Everything's so perfectly quiet and serene.

Oita Prefecture, in northeast Kyushu,

is home to a group of Buddha statues that are designated as a national treasure.

Usuki City is a former castle town.

Oh, my Buddha.

Wow!

What an amazing expression of religious faith.

What's also very interesting about these carvings

is the 3D relief around the heads,

if you look.

The main head of Amida Nyorai

is almost fully 3D in the round.

And this is very, very rare among stone carvings.

Stone carvings are usually etched in low relief or very high relief.

These statues have such a smooth finish, they could almost be carved from wood.

That's because the stone was formed

from soft layers of accumulated volcanic ash.

They are believed to date from around the 12th century.

Hello!

- Hello.
- Are you my guide, Mr. Sayo?

I'm a volunteer guide.

But there are no records of who made these figures or why,

so they remain shrouded in mystery.

However, looking back at the history of Usuki in the 12th century,

one possible explanation arises.

Look at this Buddha. It has the face of a child.

We think a high-ranking person commissioned this statue

to mourn his daughter's death.

By carving these statues of the Buddha,

the stone was thought to be imbued with life.

It becomes an object of worship.

During Japan's pre-modern era,

stone statues of Buddha were commissioned by the priests and those in power.

In the Tsugaru region of Aomori Prefecture,

stone statues have long been invested with the prayers of many people.

Goshogawara lies almost in the center of this plain.

Kawakura Sainokawara Jizoson

has been considered a spiritual site since ancient times.

Even if the stone doesn't look like a person,

even if it's not shaped like a Jizo,

they put a bib on it, put a robe on it.

In modern times,

the faith of the ordinary people has led to these stone statues

becoming part of their daily lives.

This is the day when the annual festival is held here.

There are about 2,000 of these Jizo statues.

People believe the spirits of loved ones who have died

enter the statues.

When a family member passes away,

people offer a Jizo statue, dress it in robes, and even apply makeup.

- They have gentle expressions.
- They do. All the Jizo statues here are smiling.

I always talk to them.

On this day, people come to replace the old garments with new ones.

- Do you make the clothing?
- I do. They are tiny but require a lot of work.

My family has offered two Jizo statues.

They are for my uncle and aunt.

I feel that the Jizo statues smile with joy when we worship here.

The festival offers people another way to stay close to their loved ones.

They come here to communicate with those who have passed on.

This woman is an "itako,"

a medium who can channel the spirits of those who have died,

allowing them to speak through her.

Here, a family has come to communicate through the itako.

This woman lost her husband four years ago.

Every year, she comes here to speak with him.

Miki, you've grown up. You can run fast now, can't you?

She can.

It's great that you joined the tennis club.

Darling, you work hard every day. I left three kids behind for you to look after.

I can't bear the hardship I have caused you.

Miki, you'll help out your mother, won't you?

Mihoko, thank you. See you.

Miki, you'll keep the promise, right?

Your papa can go back to the other world with peace of mind.

Thank you.

You have a chance to discuss things you normally don't talk about.

Yes, that's true. I feel relaxed and ready to converse.

And this conversation continues every year.

You can't make time for this kind of situation in your daily routine.

I must come here. Looking at photos is not enough.

Here I can converse with him.

Through the statues, people remain close to their loved ones.

This supernatural relationship between people and stone.

When traveling around Japan,

take time to observe and feel this striking sense of connection for yourself.

To reach Kitagi Island, in Okayama Prefecture,

ferries from Kasaoka Port take about 40 minutes.

And Kawakura Sainokawara Jizoson

is a 20-minute walk from Kanagi Station, on the Tsugaru Line,

in Aomori Prefecture.