はじめての天然砥石探し【群馬県 南牧村産･砥石】採集場所教えます！

Apparently, this quarry was under the direct control of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and raw whetstones can still be found in the river below. This was my first time collecting whetstones, and I had no prior knowledge, so I headed straight for the site. On the day, I met a local near the site, who gave me detailed information about where to find whetstones and even gave me a whetstone I'd found in the river that he kept at home. By the way, this site is outside the Shimonita Geopark area. [Filming Date] November 20, 2022 [Related Video] ★Whetstone Source ② - Mt. Mitsuiwa, Minamimaki Village, Gunma Prefecture This whetstone source is located 1 km south of the source in this article.    • 天然砥石がいっぱい‼【群馬県 南牧村･三ツ岩岳】簡単に虎砥や白砥が見つかります！   ★Crystal and Garnet Source ① - Mt. Mitsuiwa, Minamimaki Village, Gunma Prefecture Crystal and garnet can be found along the forest road at Mikabu Supermarket.    • 平板水晶発見‼【群馬県 南牧村･三ツ岩岳】ザクロ石も見つけました！   ★ Quartz and Garnet Source ② - Mt. Mitsuiwa, Minamimaki Village, Gunma Prefecture I found an amethyst beside the forest road at Mikabu Supermarket.    • アメジストと日本式双晶発見‼【群馬県 南牧村･三ツ岩岳】さらに紫石英もザクロ石も見つ...   [Collection Spot] Toyama Hontani (Toyama Hontani) A 500m stretch of river from the erosion control dam to Motoyama Falls. Erosion control dam: https://bit.ly/3gGS9ca Motoyama Falls: https://bit.ly/3U6qCyd It's not that the upstream area is the best; whetstone roughs are scattered everywhere. A regular visitor I met at the erosion control dam was digging up stones around the dam in search of them. Apparently, whetstones lie hidden in the accumulated sediment, and it seems that you can find good ones by coming back after bad weather. Apparently, raw whetstones can also be found downstream in the Minamimaki River. While it's difficult to identify due to river erosion and weathering, it seems there are round raw whetstones lying around. A local old man showed me a blue whetstone he'd made from round stones he'd found in the river and told me where it was easy to find. The blue whetstone's surface was smooth and bluish-white, with little bumps or irregularities. ① Riverbank below Tozawa Shrine https://bit.ly/3ikgTqU ② Riverbank in front of the guesthouse Tsukigataen https://bit.ly/3AOZHQV ③ Riverbank behind Roadside Station Nanmoku https://bit.ly/3imPLrC ④ Apparently, black whetstones and chrysanthemum stones can also be found at the confluence of the Minamimaki River and the Hizawa River. I saw someone searching for something on this riverbank that day. https://bit.ly/3GxxHmU [Collection Method] No special tools are needed for collection. Simply wear gloves and boots and walk around the river looking for stones. If possible, bring a crowbar to lift stones and a hammer to break up stones you find and see inside. [Shapes of Whetstones Found] 1. Stones that have weathered white and become naturally rounded by the river. 2. Stones that have naturally broken into rough stones, still retaining their sharp edges. 3. Stones that have been artificially cut to the size of a whetstone. 4. The remaining parts of rough stones cut into whetstones (the crusts, wood chips). [Types of Whetstones Found in This River] This is what I heard from locals... but I'm not sure, so please read it for reference only. The order is by coarseness of the grit. ★ Akato (reddish stones) and Shiroto (white stones) require a sickle or pruning shears. It's for knives. A small one will do, so if your pruning shears get dull, just touch them with some to restore their sharpness. ★Aoto (blue stone) is for knives. This is the aoto that everyone is looking for. Stones that you find lying around have weathered and turned whitish, so to tell if they're aoto or not, dip them in river water and if they quickly turn green, it's aoto. A good aoto stone is one that doesn't contain any black or white granular impurities. ★Tora-to has fine grains and is apparently used for Japanese swords, etc. . Tora-to is easy to spot because of its striped pattern. [Points to Note] 1. Do not park on the private property on either side of the road deep in the forest road. Do not enter under any circumstances. 2. The former quarry is private property, so do not break or take away any stones. 3. If you wish to view the former quarry, be sure to wear a helmet and gloves. Do not enter under any circumstances the area directly below the cliffs of the former quarry as it is dangerous. 4. Garbage This is a clean river with no trash left behind. Please refrain from food waste or illegal dumping. 5. If you must park on the street, please be considerate and not obstruct nearby traffic. ===================== ▼Minamimoku Village Office https://bit.ly/3F9wa7e 0274-87-2011 ▼Minamimoku Village Website Tourist information, accommodation information, etc. http://www.nanmoku.ne.jp/ ▼Roadside Station Oasis Nanmoku They sell a limited number of raw whetstones, so be sure to stop by. Fresh vegetables are cheap. I bought a heavyweight Chinese cabbage for 200 yen and a pack of six Onita green onions for 150 yen. https://bit.ly/...