2) Final Summary of Research (Measurement and Experiment)
on Huge Stones in the Periphery of Cape of Ashizuri


1.     The research and study over a period of approximately three years from fiscal 1993 to fiscal 1995 gave us many successful results that went far beyond our initial expectations. This paper briefly summarizes them.
 (1)  

   In fiscal 1993, we focused our research on the "mirror rock" type huge tones that spread out in the periphery of Cape of Ashizuri (centered on the coastline from Usubae to Ohiwa) and carried out experiments to measure the reflection degree of the "mirror rock" type huge stones in connection with the sun and the moon.

The main measurement objectives were

< 1 > the Tojin Stone (literally, the Chinese Stone)

< 2 > the Sanretsu Seki (literally, the Three-row "mirror rock" at Dohgamori also written as Sanretsu Chu < literally, the Three-row Columns> located by the side of the Pacific Hotel)

< 3 > the Ohiwa.

 

The places where measurement were taken are

< 1 > Tojin Daba,

< 2 > Observatory,

< 3 > swimming pool and roof of the Pacific Hotel and

< 4 > at sea (on-boat observation and photographing).


  The purpose of the research zeroed in on the following possibility : Did these "mirror rock" type huge stones assume the role of a lighthouse to people on boats (in particular those who came to the north adrift on the Black Current <The Japan Current > from the south). In other words, the research was carried out to verify an academic hypothesis that these "mirror rock" type huge stones 'existed as a "Jomon Lighthouse" (a lighthouse in the Jomon Period). (The concept of the "Jomon Lighthouse" is : to serve as a red signal warning of the approach of the cliff of Usubae as a green signal that the boat has escaped from the Black Current and has come near to land.) .
  The result of this experiment was clear : The answer was "Yes." Through cooperation with Ricoh, Sony, Kochi University, the owner of the survey boat and the Pacific Hotel, this experiment was completed.



2.  

  In fiscal 1994 the following three experiments and research were carried out :
 (1)     An infrared ray experiment by Professor Yoshizo OKAMOTO, Assistant Professor Tatsuya NUMAO and Mr. Katashi KUROKAWA at Ibaraki University and a color inspection by Mr. Fumihiro NAKASHIGE, Mr. Shinobu KANATANI at Ricoh Co., Ltd. were performed in April and May. Important results were obtained for future research through the experiment and inspection, although effective results were not found.
 (2)    The Sanretsu Seki and its surrounding stone circle at Sadayama Site B (the 2nd summit of the Hakko mountains) were photographed with a camera attached to a hot air balloon, which was provided by Seiko Kan of Gunma Prefecture.
As a result, we succeeded in taking pictures of the total arrangement (November).
 (3)    It was clarified through petrographical research by Professor Hideo KAGAMI and Professor Daiko MICHISHIO at Josai University that two out of three stones of the Sanretsu Seki at the above-mentioned Sadayama Site B do not match the natural joint of rock, and that the two rocks were added later (after geological formation) by an artificial method (man power). Moreover, the circular stones surrounding them do not match the natural joint of rock at all (excepting two big stones) and were added later.

    The results of the inspection described above revealed that the representative group of Sanretsu Sekis (three-row rocks) of the huge stones at the periphery of Cape of Ashizuri were not formed coincidentally nor naturally, but revealed that they were formed with a combination of (A) natural stones and (B) stones added later by human power.
  That is to say, among the many groups of Sanretsu Sekis in this area, there are the following three kinds :

(I) Those formed by the action of nature alone.
 
(II) Addition to stones formed by the action of nature.
 
(III) Those constructed by human power.


    It may be said that the stones falling in the category of (II) such as those at the Sadayama Site B might probaly be typical.
    At present, the foregoing situation has been clarified. The same may probably be true of the following stones, which are widely distributed at the periphery of the Cape of Ashizuri :

(1)
Huge stones symbolizing gential organs of men and women< P.24-4 >
(2)
Huge stones forming big sea turtles < P.24-3 >
(3)
Stones called "Koyomi (calendar) Stone "(named by Mr. Bujio TOMITA) that were arranged to correspond to the seasonal movements of the sun and the moon. < P.24-5 >
(4) The Tojin Stone, which occupies the central position of the huge stones at the periphery of Cape of Ashizuri.
(5)
The Tojin Data, which is a plaza spreading in front of the Tojin Stone.
There is an extremely high possibility that the above-mentioned huge stones and arrangements should be regarded as structures having (A) natural stones and (B) artificial additions of stone. We cannot help thinking about this possibility.

    When were these artificial additions made? To give an exact answer to this question, we have to wait for archaeological excavations and surveys by archaeologists. At present, however, we are permitted to make the following academic suppositions :
 (a)     If the huge stones located here and there or densely over a vast area in the periphery of Cape of Ashizuri, which is 10 to 20 times as large as Korakuen stadium (at Suidobashi, Tokyo), are assumed to be artificial additions, then it should be considered that a large population existed,there.
 (b)    Meanwhile, almost all those excavated (surface collection) from plowed land in the locale (the periphery of Cape of Ashizuri Tojin Daba, Matsuo, Usubae, etc. ) are Jomon ware and flint arrowheads of the Jomon Period (obsidian produced at Himejima Island, Oita Prefecture).
 The quantity of earthenware of the Yayoi Period and earthenware (Hajiki and Sueki) of the Period of Kofun (kofun = old burial mounds) and those of subsequent periods is much less.
 (c)    Judging from this present situation, those who "executed" above-mentioned (II) were most probably people of the "Jomon Period".
 (d)    The above-mentioned symbols of genital organs of "men and women" and forms of "big sea turtles" and the "arrangement of Koyomi (calendar) stones" can be understood most reasonably if they are assumed to belong to the Jomon Period. (If they were constructed after the Yayoi Period, the huge stones should have been developed into different forms like the formations of huge stones at Mr. Kohya (Shingon Religious Sect) formed in the medieval period and modern period.)
 (e)   With respect to the circle stones at the above-mentioned Sadayama Site B, Mr. Taizo SAKAKI at Ricoh implies an interesting relation with constellations. His comment suggests "astronmical observations by the Jomon people" and will be one valuable datum for future research.


3.  

 (1)   In fiscal 1995 two archaeologists visited the Cape of Ashizuri (Tosa Shimizu City) One was, Professor Shigetsugu SUGlYAMA at Kokugakuin University, a member of the Institute for Japanese Culture and Classics. The other was Dr. Meggers (Mrs. Evans at Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. A. ). Professor Sugiyama made a preliminary archaeological study of this, area (in August). It is expected that a good opportunity will come in the future, because this step will lead to full-scale research by him.
     Dr. Meggers is a great scholar who has been suggesting for the past 30 odd years the propagation of the Jomon civilization from the Japan Archipelago to the South America (Ecuador). The doctor's visit to the cape was very useful for us, because the visit brought this area to the attestation of academics worldwide. Although we did not obtain a quick judgment from the doctor because he is academically prudent, future academic developments can be expected, and at the same time many research tasks are left to us as mentioned later in Paragraph (3).

 (2)   In August of 1995, the author (Furuta) encountered an important "theoretical discovery" during a visit to the cape with Professor Sugiyama. The "theoretical discovery" is titled in the appendix THE SELF-EVIDENT TRUTH OF THE JOMON STONES --Logic of Comparison between Japan and Britain--
    The author hopes the appendix can take the role of a theoretical endorsement of the historical transition concerning the study and research (on facts and relationships) developed in this report.
(Both Japanese text and English text are printed in Vol.30 <1997> of the bulletin of Showa College of Pharmaceutical Science).

 (3)   There is one thing to be mentioned : An inquiry into the relationships with large areas peripheral to the area of Ashizuri Cape is indispensable for the research. For example, comparison with the relics such as Kami Kuroiwa (Ehime Prefecture) Kaseda Kakoi ga hara (Kagoshima Prefecture). It is supposed that the day will surely to come when research on the process of change at the initial stage and the early stage of the Jomon period, and moreover the Old stone Age, at the periphery of the Ashizuri Cape will draw public attention and be spotlighted at the same time. (This is triggered by the comment of Dr. Meggers.)
The world might soon pay attention to and understand the geographical significance of this peripheral area of the Ashizuri Cape, which is the only point where the Asian Continent (and the Japan Archipelago as a part thereof) and the world's largest warm current (the Black Current) meet. The author hopes this report can make a contribution.


4.    Finally, the author would like to point out that research and study over the past three years obtained successful results that had not been anticipated thanks to the best efforts and cooperation of the people concerned.

    The author expresses his deepest gratitude to the members of local history groups (Hata no Kuni Kenkyu Kai, Ashizuri Jomon Huge Stone Cultural Symposium Steering Committee etc., of Tosa Shimizu City and Nakamura City) staff members of Ricoh, Sony and other companies, staff of Pacific Hotel. In particular, the author thanks the many staff members of Muroto Kisen Co., Ltd., who consistently provided us with cooperation in spite of the disturbances caused by the Kobe earthquake.
    The author also thanks Mr. Sakamoto who was cooperative throughout the three years, Mr. Shigeru Kanamoto (YHP) who cooperated with the measuring experiment, Assistant Professor Mitsuo Fuki (Kochi University) and Mr. Yutaka Kaneko (Ricoh).
    Besides the above-mentioned people Mr. Masahiro Hatayama, Mr. Shigeru Miyazaki, Mr. Takashi Nishizawa, Mr.Tomoyoshi Hiraishi, Mr. Kojiro Tani, Mr. Fujio Aoyama and uncountable other people assisted.
  To conclude this report, the author expresses his deepest gratitude to Bujio Tomita, the present manager, for his great efforts.

<Appendix >

  With respect to the Sanretsu Seki of the relevant area, the author thinks as follows :
 (1)    The ancient people thought that " the Heavens,the land and the sea" are the three element which constitute the universe, and expressed each of these elements in the form of stone deity. This expression is by far the more objective and comprehensive than the inland Chinese expression of " the heavens and the land "
 (2)  There in a distribution of festivals for the " three-legged crow ( which possibly influenced ancient China. The contents are described in detail in another paper ) " mainly in the Kazusa and Shimofusa districts ( the northern part of Chiba Prefecture and the southern part of lbaraki Prefecture, And "three-fingered deity ( in the middle stage of Jomon period )" at Idojiri ( Shinano Sakai, Nagano Prefecture ) is also famous from an archaeological viewpoint.
   What in more famous in a group of Yayoi Chieftain Burial Mounds ( at Yoshitake Takagi, Mikumo, Suku Okamoto, Iwara, Hirabaru, etc. ), located at the periphery of the Hakata Bay,Fukuoka,Kyushu. From these burial mounds of the Yayoi Period were excavated " Three Sacred Treasures ". We may be allowed to point out that there remains a possibility of ideological influence and conveyance from the preceding "Sanretsu Sekis" at the periphery of the Ashizuri Cape with these relics. The author would like to suggest that this point be an important topic of research in the future.<P.24-1. 2>

  < Supplement 1 >
    Natural scientific research using " peleomagnetic measurement "has been underway with respect to the huge stones at the Ashizuri Cape (by Assistant Professor Hiroo IGUCHI <Kobe University> and Assistant Professor Hayao MORINAGA < Himeji Institute of Technology >).


 < Supplement 2 >
    With regard to a bird's-eye view image (areal formation) of the huge stones (religious and festive remains) in the relevant area, it was planned to take verifying photographs from an artificial satellite, however the four-year plan was shortened by one year , therefore, only part of the plan is expressed with the photograph on the cover page.


  < Supplement 3 >
     The relevant area is an egg-laying place for large sea turtles drifting in the Black Current. This is undoubtedly the basis for the turtle-shaped huge stones. In connection with the "sacred divination by turtle shells" (at Tsutsu, Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture) on the Japan Archipelago, the "Reikiho" in the Chou Era of China (a divination described in the Gishi Wajin Den of Sangoku Shi), the author would like to suggest that historical and folklore relationships with the areas (the southern areas such as Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia in the Pacific Ocean) from which the sea turtles start their journey will be a central theme of research in the future.


  < Supplement 4 >
    It will be necessary to research into the Old Stone Age on the periphery of this area in future.


General editor : Takehiko Furuta (professor of Showa Pharmaceutical College)



P.23-1
©Tosashimizu City Board of Education
-The Sanretsu Seki and its surrounding stone circle at Sadayama Site B (the 2nd summit of the Hakko mountains) were photographed with a camera attached to a hot air balloon-


P.23-2
©Tosashimizu City Board of Education
-The Sanretsu Seki and its surrounding stone circle at Sadayama Site B (the 2nd summit of the Hakko mountains) were photographed with a camera attached to a hot air balloon-


P.24-1
©Tosashimizu City Board of Education

P.24-2
©Tosashimizu City Board of Education

P.24-3
©Tosashimizu City Board of Education

P.24-4
©Tosashimizu City Board of Education

P.24-5
©Tosashimizu City Board of Education


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