Kitagi Island Quarry and Ishikiri no Tani Observation Deck

Kitaki Island, which coexists with stones and has been recognized as a "Stone Island" by Japan Heritage. Being one of its constituent cultural properties, Tsuruta Choba (quarry) has continued to mine stones on Kitagi Island for 132 years since 1892 (the 25th year of the Meiji era). Not as an industrial heritage, but as a quarry whose still-changing rock forms are still very much alive, are able to be seen from the Ishikiri no Tani Observation Deck located in Tsuruta Choba.

Currently, the quarrying work is taking place under the surface of the Seto Inland Sea in search of better-quality stones; therefore, it is possible to safely survey the entire site of the quarry from the observation deck in the quarry. It is dug more than 40m deep from the sea surface, and the height difference in the quarry is more than 100m. Feel such excitement that your legs tremble at its real height and depth.

From the observation deck, you are able to experience the real depth of the valley and how the mining site is, such as the ladders used by workmen are connected like a game and continue deeply into the valley, and the heavy machinery and the tire traces look small as if they were toys.

Enjoy the scenery that may only be seen at the quarry, which has been maintained for more than 100 years, such as the cross-section of the stone that tells the quarrying method changing with times and secular changes (weathering of stones) that proves the quality of the stone.