Collecting Stones on the Coast of Ishikawa, Escher and Babel Stones | Memories No. 122 |

Stone picking trip｜Ishikawa prefecture coast

ANDO. Ah, Charisma ANDO.
The sun is setting, and I don’t know how much longer we can search for stones. But this Ishikawa location and the stones here are undoubtedly amazing.
We’ve arrived at the third stone spot.

Thanks to Stone Lover, we have visited some amazing stone spots in this short time. If we had driven aimlessly along the coast searching for stones, we wouldn’t have found a single good one. I am deeply grateful to Stone Lover. How much dedication and time must it have taken to discover these wonderful stone spots?

It was undoubtedly Stone Lover’s overwhelming obsession with stones that drove him. I wonder if he is out collecting stones somewhere today as well.

ANDO, I don’t know how much skill you have in stone searching. Will you be blessed with stones like TADA, or will you pick up miraculous stones with overwhelming potential and sense like thoroughbred K? Or perhaps, though I don’t even want to think about it, will you fall to the dark side of stones like Stone Villain Matthew, spending your days tossing stones away?

I have a feeling that today’s stone collecting will determine everything.

The reason I’m so concerned about Charisma ANDO’s future is because he is well-traveled. He genuinely loves to travel and, if he could, he would never work again and just travel endlessly. If he could improve his rough edges, there wouldn’t be anyone more fitting as my companion on stone collecting journeys, and as a fellow stone enthusiast.

Someday, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to travel all over Japan by bike, collecting stones together.

Stone gods, everyone in this world, please share some energy and money with the Stone Enthusiast and ANDO. A life of traveling forever while collecting stones. ANDO and I will pick up stones while dreaming.

A long stone suddenly appeared. I’ve never seen such a large and long stone before. The jar stones from the previous beach, the number of petrified wood, I’ve never encountered a sea with such stones. This is an amazing coastline.

When rotated 90 degrees, it gives an even more elongated impression. It has a slight curve and looks like a caterpillar. It seems like it might start moving.

However, this stone is just too large. It far exceeds my usual standard size of about the size of a chicken egg, being about the size of four or five eggs laid sideways. It’s no good. It’s too big. If I take it home, I will surely regret it. But I also know the regret that comes from not taking it home. The regret of taking it home can be resolved by simply returning it to the sea.

However, the regret of not taking it home is irreversible. I will never encounter this stone again. After much deliberation, I decided to leave it behind.

Reluctantly, I took several unnecessary photos to remember it by.

The more photos I take, the more the regret later on grows.

Goodbye, elongated stone.

Another strange stone suddenly appeared. ANDO found it. It’s a mystical stone with swirling, eye-like patterns. It gives off a somewhat unsettling aura. And this stone is also large. Given the sense of fear it evokes, I’ve decided to leave it behind.

The stones on this coastline are mostly layered. There are similar types of stones at the beaches I frequently visit in Fukui, but the layers here are even more pronounced.

And yet, ANDO keeps finding and showing me only large stones. I must have mentioned the ideal size, but he ignores it and brings back only the big ones. It’s no good. He doesn’t listen. His stone collecting is too extravagant. The stones themselves are interesting, but he’s a惜しい man.

I’ve arranged the stones to select them. These are the ones I’ll leave behind. Even so, they are quite good. There are a few stones that I might have taken home from other coastlines.

And here are the selected stones. They are beautiful. The undulations and layers, along with their subtle colors, are charming and deep. I can understand why Stone Lover would like them, and I’m sure Thoroughbred K would appreciate them too. I even found two pieces of petrified wood here. The stone sea of Ishikawa is amazing.

The layered stones also include some with tiered steps, which are very intriguing.

One more added. I must have found it while returning to the car. ANDO didn’t show me the stones he picked up. Perhaps he’s already getting tired of stones. Or maybe I complained too much about their size or something. I have a bad feeling. Could this be a repeat of Matthew? I don’t even want to think about it.

Goodbye, coastline. I don’t think I’ll come this far again, so it’s a bit bittersweet. However, it’s time to go; otherwise, we might miss the remaining stone spots. I want to avoid that at all costs.

Stones picked up from the sea｜Ishikawa Prefecture coast

The stones I collected look like this.
They are subtle. Upon rephotographing them, I wonder if they were this dark in color. No, it might just be that the photos are dark. But that’s not the case. The colors are indeed dark.

Another angle. Each stone has a profound, antique quality, reminiscent of old temples or Jizo statues. This feeling is really wonderful. They might not look impressive on social media, so the reaction may not be great, but this is the true essence of the stones. This depth is where their real charm lies. Sometimes I wonder if Stone Lover and Thoroughbred K are the true stone enthusiasts, but I don’t want to think about it any further.

Petrified wood shaped like a whale.

The triangular stone in the center is quite charming.

A layered stone with the middle tier eroded inward, creating a mysterious shape.

A stone with distinctive swirling patterns, resembling a warp effect. The gradient with a grainy texture adds to its beauty.

A stone that resembles a Jizo statue, bringing a sense of calm and tranquility.

A stone with layered tiers forming steps, intricately arranged like a labyrinth. It resembles an Escher illusion.

A flat stone. I wonder if it’s suitable for skipping across water, or if it’s too thin for that purpose. I’m not sure.

A stone with swirling, eye-like patterns. It has a mystical quality. While the previous stone was too large, this one is small enough to be chosen. Additionally, the patterns aren’t too frightening. It seems that factors like fear, presence, and pressure might be related to the stone’s size. It feels almost obvious.

Another layered stone. It looks like some kind of structure, resembling the Tower of Babel. It’s a remarkable formation.
→Various stones I have picked up so far

チャリズムANDOとの石ころ探しの旅はあと少し続く。

→ Read from the first stone diary
You can choose a stone diary from / at the bottom of the menu on the right side of this site.
→ The Beginning of the Journey
→ Aomori Edition
→ Beyond Aomori

→A photographic work by ISHINOHITO.
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