Amakusa stone (Kumamoto Prefecture) [Famous Japanese stone]

AMAKUSA

Amakusa stone

This stone is from Oyano Island, Kamiamakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture, said to be the birthplace of Amakusa Shiro Tokisada.
A place famous for the Hidden Christians and the Shimabara Rebellion, Sakitsu Church in Shimoamakusa was registered as a World Heritage Site in June 2018 as part of the "Hidden Christian Heritage of the Nagasaki and Amakusa Region."
The beautiful historic townscape and the unusual Japanese-style church with its tiled roof and tatami mats never fail to fascinate visitors.
Amakusa stone is famous as a whetstone, but it is also a mysterious stone with a beautiful grain pattern that could easily be mistaken for wood.
Its formation process is that of lithoidite intrusive rock (rhyolite) that does not contain phenocrysts, and the wood grain-like pattern appears due to hydrothermal action.
This hydrothermal action causes quartz, mica, tourmaline, and other minerals to enter the intrusions and form the rocks.

This stone is from Oyano Island, Kami Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture, said to be the birthplace of Amakusa Shiro. Famous for the Hidden Christians and the Shimabara Rebellion, Sakitsu Church in Shimo Amakusa was registered as a World Heritage Site in June 2018 as the "Hidden Christian Heritage of the Nagasaki and Amakusa Region". The beautiful historic streetscape and the unusual Japanese-style church with a tiled roof and tatami mats never fail to fascinate people. Amakusa stone is famous as a whetstone, but it is also a mysterious stone with a beautiful grain pattern that can be mistaken for wood. The formation process is that it is a lithoidite intrusive rock (rhyolite) that does not contain phenocrysts, and the grain-like pattern appears due to hydrothermal action. The hydrothermal action causes quartz, mica, tourmaline, etc. to enter the intrusions and form the stone.