"Married Rocks" Crumbling from Chiba Earthquakes

Mar 06, 2024 | News On Japan

CHIBA, Mar 06, 2024 (News On Japan) - Two rocks of different sizes nestled close to each other along Chiba's coastline in Isumi, known as the "Married Rocks," famous for creating a mystical scene with the sunrise and starry skies, are suffering considerable damage from the latest series of earthquakes to strike the region.

The larger rock on the left has collapsed, significantly altering its appearance. Large cracks can be seen on the rock's surface, surrounded by countless fragments that have fallen off.

A tourist, who has visited the site over 100 times, expressed shock, saying, "It's shocking. There have been so many earthquakes lately."

The suspected cause of the collapse is the series of earthquakes that have been occurring off the coast of Chiba Prefecture since last week.

A local resident commented, "It's probably due to the earthquakes. There wasn't any sign of it falling before. I just hope there won't be any big earthquakes."

On the 5th, Chiba Prefecture recorded tremors with a seismic intensity of 1 or higher four times.

The prefectural civil engineering office has installed fences due to the risk of further collapses, urging people not to go down to the coast.

According to locals, the "Married Rocks" have undergone significant changes in shape over the years.

Hideyoshi Otani, who has been photographing the rocks, shared, "A long time ago, they were connected. It was one big rock, and that's a story from the 1950s. Erosion caused a hole to form suddenly."

Originally one large rock, it split into two over time.

Despite continuous changes, the larger rock did not have a hole a decade ago. However, due to wave erosion, it started to form an arch, which took on a unique shape about three years ago.

Otani said, "The shape has been changing rapidly, and I knew this day would come eventually."

With the collapse of the arch, the "Married Rocks" are now split into two distinct pieces.

On social media, there are suggestions like, "It's like the 'Married Rocks' have had a child," and "Maybe they should be renamed 'Family Rocks.'"

The ever-changing "Married Rocks," featured in countless movies and commercials, can be seen to symbolize the evolving nature of marriage over time.

Source: FNN

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