Suwa Teppei (Nagano Prefecture) [Famous Japanese Stones]

SuwaTeppei andesite

Teppei Suwa

This pyroxene andesite is mined in the Suwa and Saku regions of Nagano Prefecture and was created by shallow magma activity underground 25 million years ago.
It has the property of peeling off into 2-3cm plates (plate-like joints) and was used in place of roof tiles during the Edo period.
Because it is stronger than roof tiles, it is highly valued in areas with heavy snowfall.
Suwa City was named after the Suwa clan, a military commander who ruled the city during the Middle Ages. With beautiful natural scenery, including Lake Suwa, the city is known as the "Switzerland of the East."

This is the pyroxene andesite rock created by magma activity in a shallow part of the ground,
25 million years ago, which is mined in the Suwa and Saku regions of Nagano Prefecture.
Since it has the property to come unstuck into a plate shape of 2 to 3 cm it was used in place of roof tiles in the Edo period.
Because it is stronger than tiles, it is very useful and loved in areas with deep snow.
Suwa City is a place where the warlord Suwa was cured in the Middle Age (Kamakura and Muromachi periods) so the city name was given because of Suwa Warlord.
This place is called "Swiss of the Orient" thanks to the beautiful landscape, such as Lake Suwa.