Uriwari Stone Garden Park is a park in Takahata Town, Yamagata Prefecture, created from the site of a former quarry where Takahata Stone was extracted. Visitors can explore the remains of the Uriwari quarry, known locally as the “Uriwari Quarry Site,” where stone was mined from 1923 to 2010.
The park preserves the traces of generations of quarrying, including enormous rock walls that were cut by hand and machinery over many years. These artificially shaped cliffs create a striking landscape unlike a natural valley. One of the park’s most impressive sights is a stone wall approximately 30 meters high, which appears after passing through a tunnel-like opening in the rock.
The name Uriwari, meaning roughly “melon-splitting,” comes from a local story associated with the quarry.
According to the tradition, people once cooled melons and other gourds in the exceptionally cold spring water that emerged from the quarry. The water was said to be so cold that the melons split open, giving the site the name “Uriwari.”
The combination of towering quarry walls, clear spring water, and this local legend gives Uriwari Stone Garden Park an atmosphere unlike an ordinary park.
One of the most interesting aspects of Uriwari Stone Garden Park is that its landscape was created not only by nature but also by generations of human labor.
Large sections of the rock walls have near-vertical surfaces created through quarrying. Their geometric appearance gives the site a dramatic character that differs from naturally formed gorges.
The warm, yellowish color of Takahata Stone is another distinctive feature. Depending on the season, weather, and angle of the sunlight, the stone walls can take on subtly different colors and textures.
Takahata Stone is a locally produced stone that has long been associated with Takahata Town in Yamagata Prefecture. It is a type of tuff, a volcanic rock formed from layers of volcanic ash and other materials deposited over geological time.
The stone is characterized by its soft, warm yellowish appearance and contains numerous tiny air pockets. This gives it a relatively light and distinctive texture, making it suitable for a variety of architectural and decorative uses.
Takahata Stone has been used in the region for centuries. It is believed to have been used around the late 7th century in some of the stone chambers of ancient horizontal burial tombs found around Takahata.
During the Edo period, the stone was widely used for stone walls, foundations, gravestones, and other structures. It became a familiar material in everyday life and helped shape the architectural character of the local community.
Large-scale quarrying began during the Taisho period (1912–1926), and production reached its peak around 1954. Multiple quarries operated around Takahata, and stones from different quarry sites developed their own names and characteristics.
Even today, Takahata Stone is valued for its warm natural texture and distinctive appearance. Uriwari Stone Garden Park provides visitors with an opportunity to see the history of this local stone industry in its original landscape.
Takahata Stone has traditionally been classified according to the area where it was quarried, with different varieties receiving their own names.
Examples include Uriwari Stone, Hayama Stone, Takayasu Stone, Misonone Stone, Osasou Stone, Nishizawa Stone, Kaijo Stone, Hosogoe Stone, and Sanbukura Stone. Each variety can differ slightly in color, texture, and other characteristics depending on its place of origin.
One of the park’s main attractions is a small, box-shaped tunnel cut into the central part of the quarry wall.
After walking through the tunnel, the space suddenly opens up. A massive stone wall approximately 30 meters high rises directly ahead, creating an enclosed landscape surrounded by towering rock faces.
The broad space can feel almost like a gigantic natural theater. The combination of geometric quarry surfaces and the warm tones of Takahata Stone creates a dramatic setting that is particularly attractive for photography.
With its enormous stone walls and spacious quarry landscape, Uriwari Stone Garden Park has also attracted attention as a photogenic destination.
The towering cliffs provide a strong sense of scale, making it possible to capture striking photographs. The appearance of the stone changes depending on the season and time of day, giving the landscape a different atmosphere under different lighting conditions.
The site also has distinctive acoustic qualities and has been used for live performances, music events, and photography sessions. With the appropriate fee, the area can also be used as a venue for imoni gatherings, a traditional autumn event in the Tohoku region featuring a hearty stew shared outdoors.
The history of Takahata Stone can be seen in other parts of Takahata Town as well. One notable example is the preserved former Takahata Station of the former Yamagata Kotsu Takahata Line.
This historic station building is different from the present-day Takahata Station on the JR Ou Main Line. The former station was constructed using Uriwari Stone, demonstrating how the locally quarried material was incorporated into important public infrastructure.
The former station building has been preserved and reused as part of the town’s heritage and is designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.
Visiting the former station together with Uriwari Stone Garden Park offers a deeper understanding of how Takahata Stone was connected to the region’s architecture, transportation, and everyday life.
Uriwari Stone Garden Park is more than a scenic park. It is a place where visitors can experience the long history of quarrying and stone culture in Takahata.
Walking among the enormous stone walls, tunnel, and quarry remains provides a sense of the work carried out here over generations and the important role Takahata Stone played in local buildings and daily life.
The park’s greatest appeal lies in the combination of geological formations shaped by nature and a landscape dramatically transformed by human hands. This unusual combination gives Uriwari Stone Garden Park a character quite different from conventional tourist attractions.
For travelers exploring Takahata Town, a visit to this former quarry is an opportunity not only to admire its spectacular stone walls but also to discover the stone culture and industrial heritage that have been passed down through generations in this part of Yamagata.