ABOUT STONES

ISHIMOではさまざまな種類の天然石をご紹介しています。

●御影石（みかげいし） Mikage Stone

御影石とは、花崗岩の別称のこと。花崗岩は火成岩の一種で、地中深くのマグマが地表に出ることなく、ゆっくり冷え固まり形成されました。もともと、兵庫県住吉御影町から産出された石を意味する名称でしたが、その後産地にかかわらず花崗岩を全般的に御影石と呼ぶようになりました。

・石質が硬く、耐久性が高い
とても硬い石で、風化に強く、耐久性にも優れています。そんな石質を活かして、鳥居や石垣、家屋など、建築の外構部分に多く用いられてきました。

・加工の自由度が高い
硬質で目が細かいため、加工にも優れています。「本磨き仕上げ」では、石本来の色やツヤを出すことができます。また「ジェットバーナー仕上げ」では、自然の岩肌に近い表情を作り出せます。

・種類が豊富
日本だけでなく、様々な国で産出されます。含まれる成分で色や模様が異なるので、種類が非常に豊富。国産は白やグレーが多く、海外では赤や黄色がかった御影石もあります。

・見た目が美しい
模様や色が非常に美しいのも、御影石の特徴。そのため、外部だけでなく内部の台所やキッチンカウンターなどにも多く用いられています。高級感を出すのにも最適です。

Mikage Stone is another name for granite. Granite is a type of igneous rock that was formed when magma deep underground cooled and solidified slowly without coming to the surface. Originally, the name meant stone produced in Sumiyoshi Mikage Town, Hyogo Prefecture, but later came to refer to all granite regardless of its place of production.

-Hard stone quality and high durability
It is a very hard stone that is resistant to weathering and has excellent durability. Taking advantage of such stone quality, it has been used in many exterior parts of buildings such as shrine gates, stone walls, and houses.

-High degree of freedom in processing
It is hard and fine-grained, so it is also excellent for processing. With a "hon-polished finish," you can bring out the original color and luster of the stone. In addition, with a "jet burner finish," you can create an appearance close to the natural rock surface.

-Wide variety
It is produced not only in Japan but also in various countries. The colors and patterns vary depending on the components contained, so there are a wide variety of types. Domestic granite is mostly white or gray, while overseas there are also reddish and yellowish granite.

- Beautiful appearance
One of the characteristics of granite is that its patterns and colors are very beautiful. For this reason, it is often used not only for exteriors but also for interior kitchens and kitchen counters. It is also ideal for creating a luxurious feel.

●庵治石（あじいし）｜香川県産　Aji stone from Kagawa Prefecture

香川県の北東部に位置する庵治地方にだけ産する花崗岩。庵治は日本三大石材産地と呼ばれ、なかでも庵治石は、世界最高級の銘石として「花崗岩のダイヤモンド」とも呼ばれています。きめの細やかさ、光沢、石目の美しさ、耐久性の強さなどの特徴から、彫刻品、灯篭、墓石など幅広い用途で、こだわりを持つ多くの方に愛されています。

・優美なまだら模様の「斑」
庵治石の表面は、石面に潤いを与えたような、珍しいまだら模様「斑（ふ）」が浮かんでいます。磨くことで石の表面が幻想的な二重のかすり模様を見せます。

・鏡のような美しい光沢
入念に何度も磨き上げることで、上品な艶が出ます。見た目の美しさだけでなく、磨くことで石本来の特性以上の耐久性を生み出し、いつまでも美しい姿を保ちます。

・目の細かい最高級の「庵治細目」
石英・長石・雲母などの結晶でつくられており、石目（結晶）の大きさによって、細目・中細目・中目に分類されます。最高級ランクの、庵治細目石は磨くと瑞々しい艶を帯び、その風格は格別です。

・硬質で、耐久性に優れている
他の花崗岩と比較しても硬く、加工の際にも石が崩れにくく、細やかな細工に適しています。水を含みにくく、風化・変質にも強く、耐久性に優れることから、屋外で長年使用しても、変色や劣化がしにくいです。

Granite found only in the Aji region, located in the northeastern part of Kagawa Prefecture. Aji is known as one of the three major stone producing areas in Japan, and Aji stone is known as the "diamond of granite" as the world's finest stone. Due to its fine grain, luster, beautiful grain, and strong durability, it is loved by many people who are particular about their stone and use it for a wide range of purposes such as sculptures, lanterns, and gravestones.

-Elegant mottled "fu"
The surface of Aji stone has a rare mottled pattern called "fu" that looks like it has been moistened. When polished, the surface of the stone shows a fantastic double kasuri pattern.

-Beautiful mirror-like luster
By carefully polishing it many times, it gives off an elegant luster. Not only is it beautiful in appearance, but polishing it creates durability that exceeds the natural characteristics of the stone, and it will maintain its beautiful appearance forever.

-The finest Aji Fine Grain
Made of crystals such as quartz, feldspar, and mica, it is classified into fine, medium-fine, and medium grains depending on the size of the grain (crystals). The finest grade Aji Fine Grain Stone takes on a fresh luster when polished, and its appearance is exceptional.

-Hard and durable
It is harder than other granites, and the stone does not crumble easily during processing, making it suitable for fine workmanship. It does not absorb water easily, is resistant to weathering and deterioration, and is highly durable, so it is resistant to discoloration and deterioration even when used outdoors for many years.

●花沢石（はなざわいし）｜愛知県産　Hanazawa stone from Aichi Prefecture

愛知県産の白系御影石の代表格「花沢石」。愛知県豊田市花沢町にある、三河三霊山の一つ、六所山から産出されます。明治20年頃から採掘されているといわれ、愛知県では昔から墓石材・彫刻材として親しまれています。

・粘りが強く、彫刻に最適な石材
花沢石の特徴は、なんといっても石質の“粘り”の強さ。石質はほどよい硬さがあるため、加工しやすく、細かな細工の彫刻に適しています。石塔や仏像などの彫刻物に、地元の職人に好んで使われます。

・むらがなく、きめ細かい石肌
きめ細やかで、低吸水率で高い耐久性があります。整った石目はむらがなく、艶出しがよいのが特徴です。

・古くからの豊富な実績を持つ石
天台寺門宗の総本山である三井寺（滋賀県）の大日如来座像、天台宗総本山である比叡山延暦寺（滋賀県）の伝教大師座像、大英博物館所蔵の須弥山童子六地蔵など、多くの石像美術品に使われています。

Hanazawa stone is a representative white granite produced in Aichi Prefecture. It is produced from Mt. Rokusho, one of the three sacred mountains of Mikawa, located in Hanazawa-cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. It is said to have been mined since around 1887, and has long been popular in Aichi Prefecture as a material for gravestones and carvings.

-Strong and ideal for carving
The defining feature of Hanazawa stone is its strong "stickiness". The stone has just the right amount of hardness, making it easy to process and suitable for carving intricate details. It is preferred by local craftsmen for carvings such as stone towers and Buddhist statues.

-Even and fine stone surface
It has a fine texture, low water absorption, and high durability. Its regular grain is even and has a good shine.

-A stone with a long history
It is used in many stone sculptures, such as the seated statue of Dainichi Nyorai at Miidera (Shiga Prefecture), the head temple of the Tendai sect, the seated statue of Dengyo Daishi at Enryakuji Temple on Mount Hiei (Shiga Prefecture), the head temple of the Tendai sect, and the Sumeru Doji and Roku Jizo statues in the British Museum.

●真壁石（まかべいし）｜茨木県産　Makabe stone from Ibaraki Prefecture

真壁石は、茨城県桜井市真壁地区で採石される花崗岩です。この一帯は古くから良質な花崗岩の産地として知られ、明治までは「常陸小みかげ」と呼ばれていました。赤坂離宮にも使用されている石材で、関東地区を中心に、国産みかげの代表として知られています。青みを帯びた優しい色目が特徴で、経年により青みが一層増してきます。風化しにくいながらも、使うほどに味が出てくるのが、真壁石の魅力です。吸水率は低くはありませんが、水はけが良く、美しい石目が長年お楽しみいただけます。

Makabe stone is granite quarried in the Makabe district of Sakurai City, Ibaraki Prefecture. This area has long been known as a source of high-quality granite, and was known as "Hitachi Ko Mikage" until the Meiji period. It is the stone material used in Akasaka Imperial Villa, and is known as a representative of domestically produced Mikage, especially in the Kanto region. It is characterized by a gentle bluish color that deepens with age. The appeal of Makabe stone is that it is resistant to weathering, but develops a unique character the more it is used. Although it does not absorb water easily, it has good drainage and the beautiful stone grain can be enjoyed for many years.


 

●夏山石（なつやまいし）｜愛知県産　Natsuyama stone from Aichi Prefecture

日本で最も石彫刻が盛んな、愛知県岡崎市で古くから親しまれている、白御影石。岡崎市の夏山地区で産出されることから、夏山石（なつやまいし）と呼ばれています。石質は御影石の中では柔らかく粘りがあるので、細やかな彫刻がしやすく、中部地方の灯篭や石仏によく使用されています。大きく長い形状でも採れるため、鳥居や石碑などにも使用されています。水を吸いやすいとされていますが、灯篭においては苔などがのりやすいので、庭に馴染み、石の風合いが出やすいのも特徴です。

White granite has long been popular in Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, the city most famous for stone carving in Japan. It is called Natsuyama stone because it is mined in the Natsuyama area of ??Okazaki City. The stone is soft and sticky among granites, making it easy to carve into intricate details, and is often used for lanterns and stone Buddha statues in the Chubu region. It can also be mined in large, long shapes, so it is also used for torii gates and stone monuments. It is said to absorb water easily, but when it comes to lanterns, moss easily grows on them, so it blends in with the garden and gives off a stone texture.


 

●伊達冠石（だてかんむりいし）｜宮城県産　Datekanmuri stone from Miyagi Prefecture

伊達冠石は、宮城県南部の大蔵山から採石される安山岩です。石目が細かく、世界屈指の圧縮強度を誇る、高級石材として知られています。鉄分を多く含むため、外側は酸化した褐色であるのに対し、内部は黒色という珍しい石材です。主に彫刻や石塔などに使用されています。二色のコントラストが美しく、唯一無二の表情を持つ伊達冠石は、多くの芸術家たちを魅了してきました。研磨することで内部の黒色が表れますが、経年により徐々に酸化することで鉄錆色へと変化していきます。水分を含みにくく、風化しにくいのも特徴です。

Datekanmuri Stone is an andesite quarried from Mt. Okura in southern Miyagi Prefecture. It is known as a high-quality stone with fine grain and one of the world's best compressive strengths. It is a rare stone with a high iron content, with an oxidized brown exterior and black interior. It is mainly used for sculptures and stone towers. With its beautiful contrast between the two colors and its one-of-a-kind appearance, Date Kan Stone has fascinated many artists. When polished, the black interior becomes visible, but over time it gradually oxidizes and changes to the color of iron rust. It is also characterized by its low moisture absorption and weathering resistance.

 

●蛭川錆石（ひるがわさびいし）｜岐阜県産　Hirugawa rust stone | Gifu Prefecture

御影石では珍しい、黄や赤みがかった錆色が特徴の蛭川錆石。岐阜県中津川市の蛭川のあたりでしか産出されない石です。
その石肌が好まれ、建築材や鳥居、彫刻など幅広く使われています。

Hirugawa rust stone is a rare type of granite with a yellowish or reddish rust color. It is a stone that is only mined around the Hirukawa River in Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture. Its surface is popular and it is used widely for building materials, torii gates, sculptures, and more.






 

●来待石（きまちいし）｜島根県産 Kimachi stone from Shimane Prefecture

島根県・宍道湖の南岸（松江市宍道町来待地区）で切り出される、凝灰質砂岩。柔らかくあたたかみのある色味と石肌が特徴。国指定の伝統的工芸品「出雲石灯篭」の石材として知られています。

・時代を超えて愛される石
来待石の歴史は古く、古墳時代の石棺や石室に使われたのち、鎌倉時代からは石塔や石仏などの彫像、かまどや石臼などの生活用具、庭園石材、建材など、幅広く用いられました。江戸時代は、松江藩主が藩外へ持ち出しを禁じたほど重宝されます。江戸後期には、石灯篭や狛犬などの来待石製品が好評を得て、全国各地へと広がりました。現在は、国指定の伝統的工芸品である「出雲石灯篭」の石材として知られています。

・味わい深い茶褐色で、温かい表情が特徴
砂岩特有の、穏やかな風合いと石肌が評価されています。石質は粒子が緻密で、やわらかく、切り出しや加工がしやすいため、気品高く優雅な作品が仕上がります。

・わびさびの美意識に馴染む風合い
切り出された時は、青味を帯びていますが、次第に水分が抜け、趣のある茶褐色のやわらかな風合いに変化します。この風化のしやすさは、もろさに繋がりますが、日本人はそこに魅力を見出してきました。新しい製品でも古色を感じさせ、苔がつきやすく、自然と溶け込むため、日本庭園に欠かせません。

This tuffaceous sandstone is quarried on the southern shore of Lake Shinji in Shimane Prefecture (Kimachi area, Shinjicho, Matsue City). It is characterized by its soft, warm color and stone surface. It is known as the stone material for the nationally designated traditional craft "Izumo stone lanterns".

-A stone loved throughout the ages
Kimachi stone has a long history, and after being used for stone coffins and stone chambers in the Kofun period, it was widely used from the Kamakura period for stone towers, stone Buddha statues, everyday items such as stoves and stone mills, garden stones, and building materials. In the Edo period, it was so highly valued that the lord of Matsue forbade it from being taken outside the domain. In the late Edo period, Kimachi stone products such as stone lanterns and lion dogs became popular and spread throughout the country. It is currently known as the stone material for the nationally designated traditional craft "Izumo stone lanterns".

-Characterized by a deep brown color and a warm expression
The gentle texture and stone surface unique to sandstone are highly valued. The stone has dense particles, is soft, and is easy to cut and process, resulting in elegant and graceful works.

-Texture that fits the aesthetic sense of wabi-sabi
When cut, it has a bluish tinge, but as the moisture gradually evaporates, it changes to a tasteful soft brown texture. This ease of weathering leads to fragility, but the Japanese have found it attractive. Even new products have a sense of antiqueness, are prone to moss, and blend in with nature, making it an indispensable item in Japanese gardens.

●八女石（やめいし）｜福岡県産　Yame stone from Fukuoka prefecture

八女石（やめいし）は、福岡県八女市山内・八女郡上陽町・黒木町一帯で産出される 凝灰岩。7 万年前に阿蘇山が大噴火した際の火山灰が固まった推積物です。黄色の小さな軽 石や黒曜岩（マグまからできた天然ガラス）がレンズ状に交じっているのが特徴です。
比較的柔らかい石質で、彫刻しやすく、主に石塔・石彫・石仏・灯篭などに使われます。 また、苔が付きやすいので、月日が経つほど深まる 和の風情は趣があり、景色にも奥行が出てきます。

Yame stone is a tuff produced in the Yamauchi area of ??Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and the areas of Kamiyo and Kurogi towns in Yame County. It is a deposit formed when volcanic ash solidified during the great eruption of Mount Aso 70,000 years ago. It is characterized by small yellow pumice and obsidian (natural glass made from magma) mixed in like lenses. It is a relatively soft stone that is easy to carve, and is mainly used for stone towers, stone carvings, stone Buddha statues, and lanterns. It also grows moss easily, and the Japanese atmosphere that deepens over time is charming and adds depth to the scenery.

 

●唐津石（からついし）｜佐賀県産　Karatsu stone from Saga Prefecture

唐津石は、佐賀県唐津市で採石される安山岩です。やわらかく彫刻しやすいため、昭和頃までは北部九州を中心に彫刻品や墓石として広く使用されていましたが、現在では御影石の普及により珍しい石材となりました。
艶を抑えた茶色がかった色合いが唐津石の特徴です。

Karatsu stone is an andesite quarried in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture. Because it is soft and easy to carve, it was widely used for sculptures and gravestones, mainly in northern Kyushu, until around the Showa era, but nowadays it has become a rare stone material due to the popularity of granite. Karatsu stone is characterized by its subdued brownish color.




 

●竜山石（たつやまいし）｜兵庫県産　Tatsuyama stone from Hyogo Prefecture

柔らかな淡い青色や黄色が特徴の竜山石（たつやまいし）。兵庫県高砂市で産出されます。1700年前から採石されている歴史をもち、時代ごとに様々な用途や場面で使われてきました。古墳時代では、大王や有力豪族の石棺として好まれ、その後は五輪塔や石仏などの石造美術に使われたり、姫路城や明石城の磯垣などの建築構造資材として多く使われるようになります。近代の建築でも、皇居吹上御苑・国会議事堂・住友銀行本店ビルや多くの社寺仏閣でも使われています。時代を超えて、多様な場面で使われてきたのには、竜山石ならではの魅力がいくつもあります。

・パステルトーンの３色と柔らかな石肌
同じ竜山石の山からも、青・黄・赤の3色が産出され「青竜石」「黄竜石」「赤竜石」と分けて呼ばれています。赤色は現在ではほぼ産出されず、大変希少とされています。いずれも淡く優しい色味が特徴です。水磨きの加工をすることで、肌ざわりのやさしいマットな質感になり、上品で柔らかな印象になります。

・細やかな加工がしやすい
比較的柔らかい石質で、均質に粘りがあるため、彫りやすく細かな加工もしやすく、石造美術などの石彫にも好まれてきました。多くの石は薄くすると割れるので薄くするには限界がありますが、竜山石は割れにくいので、ISHIMOの商品の中でも薄く重量も軽めの商品を制作しています。

・耐酸性や耐火性に優れている
竜山石は元々、湖の底に噴出したマグマが湖水によって急激に冷却されたことにより生まれています。そのため耐酸性に優れており、風化しにくい性質があり、屋外で使う建築石材に多く用いられます。また耐火性に強く、その性質を活かし現在では石窯や暖炉などにも使われます。

・吸水性に優れている
吸水性がよく、石に落ちた水滴が石によく浸透されます。その吸水性を活かして、ISHIMOでは、コースターやドライングプレートを制作しています。また油を吸収したくないお皿などに使用する場合は、植物由来の防水加工を施しています。

Tatsuyama stone is characterized by its soft pale blue and yellow colors. It is produced in Takasago City, Hyogo Prefecture. It has a history of quarrying dating back 1,700 years, and has been used for various purposes and occasions throughout the ages. During the Kofun period, it was popular as a stone coffin for the great kings and powerful clans, and later it was used in stone art such as Gorinto and stone Buddha statues, and was widely used as a structural material for architecture such as the isogaki fences of Himeji Castle and Akashi Castle. It is also used in modern architecture such as the Fukiage Gyoen Gardens of the Imperial Palace, the National Diet Building, the Sumitomo Bank Head Office Building, and many shrines and temples. There are many unique charms of Tatsuyama stone that have allowed it to be used in a variety of occasions throughout the ages.

-Three pastel tones and a soft stone surface
Three colors of blue, yellow, and red are produced from the same Tatsuyama stone mountain, and are called "Blue Dragon Stone," "Yellow Dragon Stone," and "Red Dragon Stone." Red is almost never produced today, and is considered very rare. All of them are characterized by their soft and gentle colors. By polishing with water, it becomes a matte texture that is gentle on the skin, giving it an elegant and soft impression.

-Easy to process finely
It is a relatively soft stone with a uniform viscosity, making it easy to carve and process finely, and has been popular for stone carvings such as stone art. Many stones have a limit to how thin they can be because they break when made thin, but Tatsuyama stone is less likely to break, so we produce thinner and lighter products than other ISHIMO products.

-Excellent acid resistance and fire resistance
Tatsuyama stone was originally created when magma that erupted at the bottom of a lake was rapidly cooled by the lake water. Therefore, it has excellent acid resistance and is resistant to weathering, and is often used as a building stone for outdoor use. It is also highly fire-resistant, and these properties are utilized in stone ovens and fireplaces.

-Excellent water absorption
It is highly absorbent, and water droplets that fall on the stone penetrate the stone well. Taking advantage of its water absorption, ISHIMO produces coasters and drying plates. Additionally, if you want to use it on dishes or other items that you don't want to absorb oil, we apply a plant-based waterproof coating.

●那智黒石（なちぐろいし）｜三重県産　Nachi black stone from Mie Prefecture

きめ細やかな粒子で滑らかな石肌と、深みのある黒色が特徴の那智黒石。三重県熊野市の神川町だけで採掘され、年々生産量が減っていることから希少で高価な石とされています。
細やかな加工がしやすい石質で、主に碁石の黒石や、硯石に古くから使われてきました。遣唐使が碁石の原料として土産にしたという歴史もあります。
那智黒石は磨くほどに漆黒の輝きを増します。 熊野産の那智黒石に似た、那智黒石と呼ばれる外国産の黒い石も出回っていますが、黒の深さやきめの細やかさは全く異なります。 そのため、熊野産の本当の那智黒石を「本那智黒石」とも呼びます。

Nachi black stone is characterized by its smooth surface and deep black color, which is made up of fine particles. It is only mined in Kamikawa-cho, Kumano City, Mie Prefecture, and production is decreasing year by year, making it a rare and expensive stone. It is easy to process finely, and has been used since ancient times mainly for black stones for go stones and inkstones. Historically, Japanese envoys to the Tang Dynasty brought it as a souvenir as a raw material for go stones. The more Nachi black stone is polished, the more it shines black. There are foreign black stones called Nachi black stones on the market that look similar to Kumano Nachi black stones, but the depth of the black color and fineness of the grain are completely different. For this reason, real Nachi black stone from Kumano is also called "Hon Nachi black stone." 

●福田石（ふくだいし）｜香川県小豆島産　Fukuda stone from Shodoshima, Kagawa Prefecture

小豆島は、瀬戸内海の美しい自然に囲まれ、「二十四の瞳」をはじめ、多くの映画やドラマのロケ地としても人気のスポットです。岡山、姫路、高松からフェリーで約一時間。高速船でも気軽に訪れることができます。産業はオリーブの生産量が日本一を誇り、醤油や素麺の生産地としても知られています。また、古くからの石材産地としても有名です。

小豆島は、地下深部のマグマがゆっくりと冷えて固まった巨大な花崗岩が、約8千万年前に地殻変動を受け、海上へ隆起して、誕生しました。まさに“石材の宝庫”といえる島です。特に「小豆島石」と呼ばれる石は島の北東部で採石され、大阪城の石垣にも多く使われています。石は石船や筏に積まれ運ばれました。その後も、石材産地としての需要が高く、採石と加工の技術も向上していきました。

小豆島には築城で使われなかった石が「残念石」という名で遺され、今も“石の文化”の歴史を私たちに伝えています。
代表的な「小豆島石」には、石垣に使用された小海石(おみいし)と、明るく薄い緑色が特徴的な大部石(おおべいし)がありますが、それプラス、ISHIMOの自然石シリーズに使用している「福田石」も有名です。

福田石(花崗岩・錆石)は、白と錆が混ざった珍しい石目に特徴があります。

Shodoshima is surrounded by the beautiful nature of the Seto Inland Sea and is a popular location for many movies and dramas, including "Twenty-Four Eyes." It is about an hour by ferry from Okayama, Himeji, and Takamatsu. You can also easily visit by high-speed boat. It boasts the largest olive production in Japan, and is also known as a producer of soy sauce and somen noodles. It is also famous as a stone production area since ancient times.

Shodoshima was born when a huge granite rock, which was formed by the slow cooling and solidification of magma deep underground, underwent crustal movement about 80 million years ago and rose above the sea. It is truly an island that can be called a "treasure trove of stone." In particular, stone known as "Shodoshima stone" is quarried in the northeastern part of the island and is often used in the stone walls of Osaka Castle. The stone was transported on stone ships and rafts. Since then, the demand for stone has been high, and quarrying and processing techniques have improved.

On Shodoshima, stones that were not used in castle construction remain under the name "Zannen Ishi" (Regretful Stones), and they still tell us the history of the "culture of stone." Representative "Shodoshima stone" includes Omiishi, which was used for stone walls, and Obeishi, which is characterized by its bright, pale green color, but "Fukuda stone," which is used in ISHIMO's natural stone series, is also famous. Fukuda stone (granite/rusty stone) is characterized by its unusual grain, a mixture of white and rust.

●安山岩（あんざんがん）｜香川県小豆島産　Andesite from Shodoshima, Kagawa Prefecture

小豆島は、瀬戸内海の美しい自然に囲まれ、「二十四の瞳」をはじめ、多くの映画やドラマのロケ地としても人気のスポットです。岡山、姫路、高松からフェリーで約一時間。高速船でも気軽に訪れることができます。産業はオリーブの生産量が日本一を誇り、醤油や素麺の生産地としても知られています。また、古くからの石材産地としても有名です。

小豆島は、地下深部のマグマがゆっくりと冷えて固まった巨大な花崗岩が、約8千万年前に地殻変動を受け、海上へ隆起して、誕生しました。まさに“石材の宝庫”といえる島です。特に「小豆島石」と呼ばれる石は島の北東部で採石され、大阪城の石垣にも多く使われています。石は石船や筏に積まれ運ばれました。その後も、石材産地としての需要が高く、採石と加工の技術も向上していきました。

小豆島産安山岩は、中山千枚田の石垣や猪鹿垣などに広く使われていました。日本庭園などの景石としても使われることが多く、安山岩そのままの形で使用される人気の石です。濃いブラウンの肌合いが、高級感を演出します。カットした断面は深いグレーで木目のような風合いがあり、表面とのコントラストが印象的です。

Shodoshima is surrounded by the beautiful nature of the Seto Inland Sea and is a popular location for many movies and dramas, including "Twenty-Four Eyes." It is about an hour by ferry from Okayama, Himeji, and Takamatsu. You can also easily visit by high-speed boat. It boasts the largest olive production in Japan, and is also known as a producer of soy sauce and somen noodles. It is also famous as a stone production area since ancient times.

Shodoshima was born when a huge granite rock, which was formed by the slow cooling and solidification of magma deep underground, underwent crustal movement about 80 million years ago and rose above the sea. It is truly an island that can be called a "treasure trove of stone materials." In particular, stones called "Shodoshima stone" are quarried in the northeastern part of the island and are often used in the stone walls of Osaka Castle. The stones were loaded onto stone ships and rafts and transported. Since then, the demand for stone materials has been high, and quarrying and processing techniques have improved.

Andesite from Shodoshima was widely used for the stone walls of Nakayama Senmaida and the Inoshika fence. It is often used as a scenic stone in Japanese gardens, and is a popular stone used in its original form as andesite. The dark brown texture creates a luxurious feel. When cut, the surface is deep gray with a wood grain-like texture, creating a striking contrast with the surface.