Oya Stone

Only had to do two days work since I've been here, site's closed until the 6th Jan, sucks a bit if I'd known maybe i could have sorted out a trip away for a few days but as all the flights seem to be around the $1000 mark it's much for a few of days away in the sun.

Only worked on the 28th and 29th , on the 30th Mr Akisawa of Honda took me to visit a place famous for its stone, it's in a town called Oya near Utsunomiya so guess what the stone is called yep you got it Oya Stone and very famous it is to http://architecturelab.net/2009/10/28/oya-stone-museum-utsunomiya-tochigi

Oya stone’s been used in construction for hundreds of years and it’s a very familiar sight around many large buildings and homes in the area, don’t think it’s been used widely in Japan just really in the local area. It’s pretty soft and workable, maybe not as strong as other materials so seems to have been regulated to mainly decorative use and fencing materials in recent years but there are plenty of houses built from it to especially older houses. Anyway over the years great big caverns have been cut out underground as the stone has been taken out and used. Get this apparently during the Second World War (WW2) to keep from prying eyes or circling packs of B52’s Oya Mines were used by the Japanese military for the construction and storage of airplanes and stuff. Like I say the caverns are pretty large and deep, It’s pretty easy to imagine makeshift factories and stuff being built inside, not sure how they got the planes out though but guess that’s another story
There’s been big statues carved into the rocks as well with the largest and most famous being on the outside about 25mts tall, it’s called Oya Kannon which and was started around 1950, not sure how long it took to carve out but 6 years rings a bell but don’t quote me.
Anyway thanks to Mr A for taking me, I’m sure he was busy as it was New Year and It’s a big deal for the family over here, ever body seems to have something to do they even have special food that they produce just for new year.

He also took me to a shrine where he said lots of people would be on New Years eve, I got to have a go on the bell but he did say it was OK. All the shrines here seem to on top of a hill and usually have a quite of a lot of steps to get to them and this one was no exception, I mean going up the stairs once no problem but Mr A was telling me that some people believe that you need to climb the steps turn the prayer wheel at the top go down and repeat this 107 time or something, if you do this that it brings you good luck, me i think it probably brings on a heart attack or leg cramps.