Yasugi: Discoveries Along the Iron Road

"Journeys in Japan"

Iron, a blessing from nature...

that nurtured culture early on in Japan.

Its vestiges can still be found along the Iron Road,

which winds through Shimane.

I have arrived to the port of Yasugi City in Shimane Prefecture.

Just over the distance, you can kind of see the Daisen,

a symbolic mountain of this area.

Iron used to be in mines in this area since ancient times

and used to be transported throughout Japan from this port.

Even today you will find resemblance of things related to iron in the area.

So come along as we deep into these mountains and see what we can find.

Oh. I think I found it.

Actor Jonathan Senior discovers the culture and lore

of this iron making area, on "Journeys in Japan."

So, this was the perfect place.

Yasugi
Discoveries Along the Iron Road

Yasugi is nearly 600 kilometers from Tokyo in Shimane Prefecture,

on the Sea of Japan.

The area, known for its sophisticated iron- and steel-making techniques from olden times,

still hosts many metal-related companies.

Just before we go and hit the road.

We are going to stop by this museum here and learn about Japanese steel making.

Oh cool. Look at this.

A good Japanese sword here.

It's a replica of a sword likely forged in the late sixth century.

- Hello. May I ask some questions?
- Sure.

Was this sword forged in this area?

Yes. It was unearthed in a nearby excavation site.

It may have been made in a "tatara."

- Is that like a steelworks?
- That's right.

Tatara is a traditional steel-making process, using iron and charcoal,

with a history dating back 1,000 years.

The term was originally used for the clay furnace,

but came to embody the process too.

I put my feet like this.

Then, some 300 years ago,

the revolutionary "tenbin fuigo," a stepping bellow, was invented,

leading to a dramatic increase in iron production.

(Tenbin fuigo bellows)

Many workers stepped down on the device,

sending great blasts of air into the furnace.

Over three days, the air had to be constantly blown in.

And the reward was "kera," a crude iron and steel bloom.

It's hard work.

But the hard work results in lumps like this.

Is it pure iron?

Certain standards, like hardness, have to be met to be classified as iron.

Think of it as like grading beef.

The tatara workers would break the kera apart

and separate the various grades of carbon steel,

low carbon for swords' core and high for their hard edges.

But even in Yasugi, new techniques from the West

replaced the labor and time intensive tatara.

Can I still find iron-related things up in the mountains?

Yes. At different places you will find traces of tatara.

- You'll make some discoveries.
- Great.

(Yasugi Sta.)

Alright. The bus have just arrived.

It's time to depart.

We're going from Yasugi to Okuizumo today

by bus and also on foot.

We embark on the first leg of our 40-kilometer route

down to Kamedake Station in Okuizumo,

a historic crossroad to many ports.

I just came 8 kilometers from Yasugi Station.

And I will continue on foot to my next destination.

Just up ahead you can see there is slightly different kinds of mountains upright.

It's not like the other mountains here, it's a little more flat.

But actually it used to be a mountain castle

and just before we head up there,

we will head to the Japanese style building up there,

as I hear that there is something interesting inside.

Yasugi is famous for its Dojo-sukui dance,

which mimics farmers scooping up "dojo" or loaches.

A readily-available protein for commoners...

once the slippery fish was caught.

The dance also portrays a person scooping up earth that contains iron sand.

Iron sand from Yasugi was known for its high purity.

You seemed to be enjoying yourself.

It's important to dance with a smile.

Dojo scooping seems to be like iron sand scooping.

You might sway like this...

And separate the iron dust from the silt.

You scoop dojo like this, right? It's the same movement.

That's about it...

Iron sand was extracted in large quantities in Shimane

during the Edo period.

The mining was done by levelling mountains

and rinsing the earth and sand in waterways.

For local farmers, mining provided a winter income.

The humor was great.

I heard that workers performed it while clapping and singing a drinking parties.

It was a way of letting off steam after work.

Wow. The mountains are really getting close now.

The mountains rich in iron sand that the powerful fought for.

(Gassan Toda Castle)

Hello.

I'm Hirahara. Nice to meet you.

How long does it take to reach the top?

Around 50 minutes.

The castle covers an area spanning 700,000 square meters. It's quite large.

(Senjohira)

We've just started but let's pause here.

What an incredible spot.

- Do locals cherish this?
- Very much so.

We take pride in this place.

Wonderful.

When they reached to this point,

they must have thought all was going to plan. But then, they'd be attacked from above.

- And couldn't go any further.
- Indeed.

Making a war attrition the only option.

So, castle people were forced to hole up here?

- Yes. For about one and half to two years.
- That's a long period.

The castle had as many as 500 encampments for soldiers.

There was even a lord's residence halfway up, rare for a mountain fortress.

It's a perfect place for that.

Yes. They have a river, a port and iron.

This place had everything others wanted. It made the castle a target.

Of course, they were after iron.

We'll enter the defense road.

It will continue for about 600 meters. Climbing height, 100 meters.

Sounds tough.

The last hurdle is the Nanamagari twisting road,

which was perfectly designed to attack enemies from above.

- They didn't have these steps.
- No.

The path was made of piled stones.

So, it must have been hard to walk.

We are almost there.

We've reached the summit.

Amazing.

We can see everything.

It's is a 360-degree view.

You can see the Sea of Japan here.

What happened to the warriors who had holed up?

Deprived of food supplies, they fled little by little.

When there were only 100 or so, they handed over the castle to the enemy.

The castle stayed in use until the Edo period under different lords.

Fube, 20 kilometers from Yasugi, once thrived as the town of iron.

I could see the village up ahead.

We are going to meet someone quite interesting

and doing something very special in this village.

I think I found it. It says "kajiya," which is blacksmith.

Excuse me, is this a blacksmith workshop?

Yes.

An elegant iron vase

cum candle stand.

These pieces are made mainly of soft pure iron.

Koto Shusuke is an artisan at this 200-year-old smith.

I've heard iron is harder to handle than steel.

Well... With steel, you make things that need to be more straight and hard, such as blades.

These are made of softer iron, which allows for various designs and forms.

Are there any works in progress?

- Yes. Would you like to see?
- Absolutely!

This is amazing.

Cool.

- Hello. Sorry to interrupt.
- No problem.

- What are you making?
- A stand for candles.

Hironari, Shusuke's father, is the 10th generation head of the smith.

What's the fuel?

Charcoal.

Pine charcoal is considered the best for fueling kilns.

We don't want a sudden spike in heat.

With charcoal, the temperature rises gradually.

Heat must penetrate to the center of the iron. Otherwise, it's hard to process.

The Kotos come from a lineage of tatara producers

who forged knives and farming tools.

From the 8th generation, they also branched out into swords.

Have you produced Japanese swords?

Yes. I was in the trade once.

Japanese traditional techniques like this will disappear

if no one passes them on to the next generations.

My father and I discussed how we could keep it alive.

We set our eyes on splendid candle holders.

The Kotos continue honing and passing down

the intricate techniques for making exquisite iron objects.

I hope to revive past artisans' superior techniques.

But I'm facing the race of time.

Young people are honing their skills with an eye to the future.

I am really impressed.

Alright I actually see something. There is a sign here.

It says "sugiha senko" or cedar leaf incense.

I am going to see if anyone is at home actually.

Are you making incense by hand?

Yes. To be offered to ancestors.

This studio run by the Uchida family

has been handcrafting cedar leaf incense for about 100 years.

- Hello. Sorry to disturb you.
- Hi.

That's what you're making here. It's long and slim.

What a great aroma.

- Really?
- Yes.

- Shall I light some for you?
- Yes, please.

This incense is made only from cedar leaf powder, water and vegetable glue.

No fragrance is added.

After kneading and rolling out the ingredients,

they can be cut into stick form and dried.

Until about 50 years ago, the Uchidas ground their cedar leaves,

collected from nearby forests, using this old mill.

- I love the aroma.
- Do you?

I love the natural scent.

Do you come from a farming family?

My husband's ancestors who started incense work was a steel wholesaler.

I see.

He produced charcoal for tatara.

And used tree leaves to make incense.

It's nice looking at the smoke.

- It's quite calming.
- I never knew.

- You're making good stuff.
- Are we?

We are taking the bus. We are going to ride until the end of the line.

(The mountains separating Yasugi and Okuizumo...)

(Kanayago Shrine looks over them.)

(Since ancient times, the guardian deity of iron workers has been enshrined here.)

(It still attracts many worshippers.)

(Kubisu mountain pass)

Just arrived to Kamedake Station.

It's about 40 kilometers from Yasugi.

Around this area there used to be lots of roads.

They used to transport iron

that used to meet up with this road from Yasugi here.

Next stop I am off to a museum to learn about Japanese sword making.

The highest quality steel derived in the tatara process is "tamahagane."

And that's what goes into Japan's famous swords.

Just behind me we have a Japanese craftsmen also known as a "toko"

and he is going be showing us how he makes the first process

of a Japanese sword from tamahagane.

In this process, the craftsmen repeatedly hammer the tamahagane.

and fold it over.

By doing so, impurities rise to the surface and can be hammered out.

- It was powerful to watch you.
- Thanks.

How are Japanese knives different from their Western counterparts?

Foreign-made knives are usually forged from one type of steel.

But Japanese blades are mostly made of two types of steel.

For example, Japanese swords use two kinds of steel with different carbon content.

Steel and soft iron are used for kitchen knives.

The Japanese technique is different.

To make a sword both flexible and strong,

a soft steel core is wrapped in hard steel.

Japanese swordsmithing involves several processes,

taking one to four months to complete a single blade.

I assume it requires experience.

I entered the trade when I took over from my father at the age of 32.

But I am still novice and have a long way to go.

The Japanese sword making technique is very special.

I think so.

I didn't walk every street this time

but I was surprised to learn how many tatara there were in this area.

Of course Japan and the world,

many of the steel industries have declined.

Even though some of the roads to the support in the

iron industry here have been lost in nature,

I feel like the people are not ready to be forgotten.

The people I did meet are truly proud of the rich history of tatara

and I hope that they continue to create new experiences for people visiting the area.

From Haneda Airport, it's 90 minutes to Yonago.

From there, it is an hour by train to Yasugi Station.

Yasugi is famous for its dishes using loach.

This hot pot features loach and burdock root simmered in broth

with lightly beaten eggs drizzled in before serving.

Many hot springs are found along the Iron Road.

Kamedake Onsen, with 2,000 years of history,

is the perfect place to unwind after your journey.