QUARRY / RARITY
From 100 tonnes, just a few are selected. Why Aji stone is rare.
What a mountain yields is not the same as what can be selected.
TABUCHI ／
Standing in a quarry, surrounded by vast rock faces, it is reasonable to ask why Aji stone is rare. The answer lies in the difference between how much stone is extracted and how much meets the requirements of a particular product.
01
A hundred tonnes extracted. Just a few that meet the brief.
A single blast may yield around 100 tonnes of stone. When selecting material that meets the requirements of the intended products, only a few tonnes may remain.
This is one example from TABUCHI STONE's quarrying experience, not a fixed yield for every blast.
Stone is not manufactured to a uniform specification. The mountain contains cracks, variations in colour and pattern, and defects that may not be visible from the outside.
Extracting a large block does not guarantee that it can become a large product. Splitting, cutting and inspecting its interior reveal the usable areas.
Rarity lies not simply in the extracted tonnage, but in the amount that meets the necessary dimensions and quality requirements.
Extraction volumes and usable proportions vary with the rock, location and product specifications. Stone excluded from a particular selection is not necessarily discarded.
02
Aji stone is not one uniform grade.
The name Aji stone does not mean every piece has the same qualities.
Grain, colour, the pattern known as fu, defects and available dimensions all influence selection for a particular use.
Stone meeting the combination of requirements associated with the highest grades comes from only limited portions of the deposit.
One beautiful face may not be enough. A large product needs suitable material throughout its volume; a set of components also needs a considered relationship between their colours and patterns.
A beautiful surface and enough material to make a complete product are separate requirements.
Grade names and assessment criteria can differ by supplier and application. Examine the actual stone rather than relying on a label alone.
03
A few dozen metres away, a different expression.
Even within the same mountain, moving the extraction point by a few dozen metres can reveal a different colour or pattern.
Grain, shades of grey and fu vary within what appears to be a continuous rock face.
Quarrying near an earlier location does not guarantee an identical stone. Nor is it easy to supply the exact expression of a favourite piece in any quantity, whenever required.
Selecting stone involves judgements that photographs and product numbers cannot fully convey.
Where are the defects? Which face should be shown? What should be retained, and how should it be cut?
The experience of craftspeople who know the mountain supports these decisions.
04
The highest grade is not the only interesting stone.
There is another side to the story.
The qualities prized in a traditional product are not always the same as those that bring character to a particular space.
Colour variation excluded from a uniform composition may give a wall depth. Brown tones may complement timber and planting. An irregular outline can become the defining quality of a table or object.
This does not mean every crack or defect can be retained. Safety and conditions of use must be checked before exploring a different way to value the material.
Selecting rare stone and finding a purpose for individual pieces are complementary ways to expand its expression.
05
Choosing stone means choosing a part of the mountain.
A finished product does not always reveal what came before it.
How much rock had to be assessed, and how many pieces examined, to arrive at this one?
Aji stone's rarity is not only about its limited geographical origin. It is also about extraction, inspection, selection for a use, and shaping that preserves its character.
Choosing a stone brings a part of the mountain into everyday life or an architectural space.
At TABUCHI STONE, we start with the individual piece, not just its name or grade, and explore how it might be used.