山国川の源流
奇岩の渓谷「耶馬渓」。そこには、火山と水と風がつくりだした不思議な空間が広がっています。訪れる人は、人間のスケールを大きく超えた圧倒的な自然の力を感じることが出来るのです。数百万年前、大地の割れ目を突き破った溶岩は盛り上がり、堆積し、層を成しました。英彦山より湧き出した水は大地を削り無数の谷を走り、雨と風の侵食は今なお耶馬渓の景観を変容させています。
甌穴群ー猿飛千壺峡ー
落合の滝
溶岩が火山作用の熱水により変容した川底。激しい流れに石が渦をまき、岩肌に無数の穴をあけました。プロピライト（変朽安山岩）にたたえられた水は碧色に澄みわたり、木々の緑や紅葉の影を鏡のように反射しています。谷に降り注ぐのは、木漏れ日と精霊の声。一枚岩の谷底をすべる流れはやがて川底の段差を叩きつけ、大小様々な滝となります。
天岩戸の景
頭上高くかかる天然の石橋ー古羅漢ー
水は風とともに岩を侵食します。ひたひたと絶え間なくしたたる水滴は割れ目に忍び込み、風は石の肌を削ります。岩に開いた傷口はやがて大きな空洞となり、ついには天然の石橋となりました。それはまるで、頭上高くよこたわる神のみが渡る天の道。
メサの山ー伐株山ー
広大な石柱群ー谷河内の景ー
隆起した台地は周辺から侵食を受け、あらわれたのは平坦な頂上のメサの山。急速に冷え固まる溶岩には、縦に無数の亀裂が走ります。垂直の割れ目から岩石がぽろぽろと欠け落ち、天を突く石柱群が壮大な景観をつくりだしています。
紅葉に包まれる石柱群ー一目八景ー
奇岩の裾は紅葉に覆われ、荘厳な怪しさで見上げる人間を包み込みます。川底の苔むした巨石、天にかかる橋、石柱群・・それは神の手の成せる技。太古の昔から繰り返されてきた大地のいとなみに思いをはせれば、いまなお脈打つ「耶馬渓」の鼓動が聞こえてきます。
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Listen Intently to the Pulse of the Land
The Source of the Yamakuni River
Yabakei—a valley of strangely shaped rock formations. Therein lies an expansive and mysterious space formed by volcanoes, water, and wind. Visitors to the area can experience the overwhelming power of nature that far exceeds any human scale. Millions of years ago, the lava that burst through cracks in the earth swelled up, accumulated, and created layers. The water which welled up from Mt. Hiko carved through the earth and runs through countless valleys, and erosion caused by wind and rain continues to change the scenery of Yabakei even now.
A Grouping of Giant’s Kettles – Sarutobi-Sentsubo-kyo Ravine –
Ochiai Falls
A riverbed whose appearance was changed by lava due to the hot water of volcanic activity. The tempestuous flow caused rocks to whirlpool and created countless holes in the rocky surface. The water, filled to the brim with propylites, is a clear emerald green and reflects the green of the trees and shadows of fall leaves like a mirror. Sunlight filtering through the trees and the voices of spirits pour down into the valley. The flow of water along the monolithic valley floor eventually beats down the uneven riverbed and becomes a variety of waterfalls both large and small.
View of Ama-no-Iwato
Natural Stone Bridge Far Overhead – Furu-Rakan –
Water erodes rock along with wind. The steadily and incessantly dripping water droplets creep into cracks, and the wind shaves away the rock surface. The cuts in the rock eventually became large cavities, and, finally, formed a natural stone bridge. The formation looks as though it is a heavenly road stretching out far overhead on which only gods can tread.
A Mesa Mountain – Mt. Kirikabu –
A Vast Grouping of Stone Pillars – View of Taninokouchi –
The bulging tableland was eroded from the edges, causing a mesa mountain with a flat peak to appear. Countless vertical cracks run through lava here which rapidly cooled and hardened. Large rocks splintered and fell from these vertical crevices to create the majestic view of this grouping of stone pillars piercing the heavens.
Grouping of Stone Pillars Surrounded by Fall Leaves – Hitome-Hakkei (Eight Scenic Beauties at One View) –
The foot of the strangely shaped rock formations is covered by fall leaves and envelopes the people looking up at the formations in a solemn air of mystery. The enormous, mossy stones in the riverbed, the bridge stretching across the sky, the grouping of stone pillars—these are the handiwork of the gods. If you take time here to reflect on the activity of the earth repeated over and over from ancient times, you can still hear the pounding pulse of Yabakei even now.
Next inspiration
> episode 2 See Gods and Buddhas in the Rock
> episode 3 Creating the Sacred Place of the Rakan
> episode 4 Cutting Out the Scenery
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