■ Second survey for the installation of the Iki-Ashibe Inclined Shaft Entrance Extension route to "East Northeast"
In order to construct the Ashibe Incline Shaft in Iki, the location of the entrance and the extension direction must first be decided. The first survey was conducted in August last year, but at the time, concerns were raised that the distance to the sea was too short. The extension route was originally planned to be "north-northeast," but it was considered to go through more land, so another survey was conducted this time.
As a result, the extension route will be "east-northeast," running between the prefectural road and the coastline. This is based on the premise of a tunnel connecting to Tsushima, and will deal with the drainage of water that will be produced there. Construction of the tunnel entrance is expected to begin next year.
The surveying took place over two days, on March 18th and 19th. A "triangulation point (reference point)" close to the planned mine entrance was identified, and the distance and other information was measured from there to determine the mine entrance. One of the triangulation points is at the tip of the Yawata Peninsula, where "Sakyo-bana" is located, a scenic spot and tourist destination. Surveying was carried out at 16 locations, including a "crossing sea survey" to measure from there to the prefectural road that passes in front of the mine entrance site.
This peninsula on the east coast has a unique landscape with strange rocks and cliffs jutting out of the sea, and the sea urchins that are a specialty of Iki are harvested in the surrounding sea, making it a popular tourist spot. Iki Island is shaped like an upside-down plate. Although the wind is calmer here than on Tsushima, the "Island of Wind," the sound of hammers for the construction of the Japan-Korea Tunnel is intensified amid the breezes and spring haze, and the lively songs of small birds fill the air.
[Photo] "Sea survey" measuring the 1,700m distance across the sea from the prefectural road to the Yawata Peninsula and Sakyohana area
The tip of the Yawata Peninsula and Sakyo-no-hana, known as the "Oribashira," one of the eight pillars in the legend of the birth of Iki Island
[Photo] The new starting point of the new route that runs along the prefectural road from the mine entrance
[Photo] Boat mooring near the mine entrance. The northeast-northeast route runs between the prefectural road and the coastline.
