“宙に浮く”巨大岩や狭すぎる橋、神秘的な田園風景　兵庫・秋田の街の不思議を調査【Jの追跡】【スーパーJチャンネル】(2026年6月7日)

We discovered a mysterious spot where a giant rock appears to be floating above the water's surface. What on earth is going on? Furthermore, the rock seems to have existed for 1700 years, deepening the mystery even further. Meanwhile, in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, we found a seemingly ordinary bridge, but when people crossing it, they have to sidestep sideways to pass each other! Why do so many residents use this bridge despite such difficulty? And in Akita Prefecture, we encountered a truly mystical rural landscape. Hill-like areas are scattered throughout the rice paddies, resembling small islands floating in the rice fields. Why did such a landscape come about? We investigated. ■ The Secret of the "Floating" Giant Rock The town's mystery investigation team first visited the Oishi Shrine in Takasago City, Hyogo Prefecture, said to have been founded around 97 AD. A mystery awaited the worshippers as they looked up. Visitor "It's strange how it looks like it's floating." "It's like a Rubik's Cube." A cube-shaped puzzle floating in mid-air? Upon entering the shrine grounds, we found a gigantic cubic rock, approximately 6 meters on each side. From any angle, it appears to be floating above the water. We investigated to find out how this happened. Looking from above, we discovered another mystery… A drone camera filming the mysterious rock from directly above revealed it appeared as if it had been carved out. Announcer Naoko Kubota "The corners are perfectly right angles, and the cutting is beautiful; it looks like it was carefully carved by a skilled craftsman." And yet, the rock appears to be floating… "It's not floating. There's a contact surface at the back. Why is the bottom water? What's going on inside?" With special permission, we inserted an underwater camera. The water was murky, so we couldn't see the shape inside, but according to the shrine, there's a supporting rock at the center of the cubic rock, and it appears to float because it rests on top of it. ■From 1700 years ago… How was it processed? So, what was this massive rock built for? Announcer Kubota speculates that there's a hole in the rock where food and other supplies might have been stored. Meanwhile, visitors speculate that it was built to "surprise people and make them feel the power of the stone" or that "the first impression is that it's the tomb of an important person." We asked the shrine... Oishi Shrine, Chief Priest: Yukiyo Higashi "Initially, there were theories that it was a stone sarcophagus or a stone palace. The government investigated, but ultimately, we don't know who built it or why." Laser surveys revealed no cavities inside the rock. This rock, known as "Floating Stone," is said to be about 1700 years old. How was the rock processed so long ago? "This area has good quality stone, so there were many stonemasons (at the time)." Was it the masterful skill of the stonemasons? The truth is still under investigation, but now, because the rock appears to float in mid-air, it's become very popular as a symbol of good fortune. ■A Bridge So Narrow It's Only 60cm Wide Next, we arrived in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture. There's something strange here. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary bridge, but when viewed in slow motion, people have to walk sideways, back to back, when passing each other. What kind of bridge is it? Let's get closer… Announcer Kubota: "Wait a minute. It's thin. Thin, narrow. It's a bit more than I imagined. Will I be okay?" Announcer Kubota immediately crosses the bridge, but it's only 60 centimeters wide. Almost the same width as the entrance/exit of a train station's automatic ticket gates. A bridge approximately 100 meters long, far too narrow for people to cross. We investigate why such a bridge was built. As she crosses the bridge, immediately… "A big man. What should I do? Thank you. He put down my backpack for me." Announcer Kubota waits, pressing her stomach against the railing. She successfully passes him by sideways. Users of the narrow bridge: "It's always a tight squeeze when we pass each other. I worry about dropping my backpack into the river. I can't get through without moving my backpack." Announcer Kubota: "This is a place where you can meet people. If it were a normal-width bridge, we wouldn't be talking so closely. It's a bridge where you can make friends. A friendship bridge." Just how many people use this narrow bridge? At 7:30 AM, commuters and students arrive in droves. A staggering 89 people used the bridge in just one hour. Users of the narrow bridge: "If this narrow bridge didn't exist, I'd have to go all the way around from the Namaze Bridge to Takarazuka Station." People living along the river say that crossing this narrow bridge gets them to the station 5 to 10 minutes faster than using the wider bridge. ■Opened to the public at the request of residents So why was the bridge built so narrow? We spoke to the person in charge o...