Lush mountains and the tranquil Seto Inland Sea. Okayama is home to many scenic spots where travelers can take in both at once, offering a soothing experience. Focusing on the local landscape, I traveled throughout Okayama Prefecture to collect “scrap iron from the mountains” and “scrap iron from the sea,” which I then heated, hammered, and joined together. The resulting work is a sculpture modeled after a peach tree, while also expressing the intertwining of “mountain life” and “seaside life.”
In the spring of 2026, in Okayama, where the flowers were in full bloom, I traveled around the prefecture in my HiAce van. With the help of local residents who provided me with scrap iron and stainless steel that had been used in their communities, I created an artwork shaped like a peach tree. In this article, I’ll look back on the process of collecting iron on-site—a key part of the creation—and introduce the people who provided the materials, as well as the beautiful scenery I encountered along the way.
My base for this trip is Uno Port, a port town located one hour south of the hotel. Captivated by the sunrise, which changes its appearance every morning, I always wake up at 5:00 a.m. in this town.
Suguru Yamagishi (Indigo Dyeing Artist / Okayama City)
Mr. Yamagishi is an indigo dye artist based in Okayama City, and he is the artist whose work is currently on display on the first floor of the hotel, in front of the elevator. At his studio nestled in the mountains of Okayama City, he personally cultivates Polygonum tinctorium, the raw material for indigo dyeing—truly a man who “lives with indigo.” Mr. Yamagishi’s works, which convey both a refreshing quality and a powerful sense of vitality, may well be the embodiment of how each day he has lived has gradually, bit by bit, been imbued into the indigo. During this “iron collection” project, I received unused farming tools and other items from the barn adjacent to his studio.
Naikai Salt Industries, which once operated vast salt fields and now produces salt using ion Exchange Membrane Salt Production Method, also manages Shiogama Shrine, located on the site of the former salt fields. It’s evident from every corner that the shrine is meticulously maintained. Shiogama Shrine is a delightful spot we highly recommend, where you can experience the history of the salt fields while feeling the sea breeze. In addition to the shrine, Naikai Salt Industry has built a baseball field, a gymnasium, and a soccer field on the former salt field site and opened them to children, demonstrating the company’s broad commitment to social contribution. For this”Journey to Collect Iron”, they provided us with stainless steel equipment parts that had been used inside their factory.
Lately, whenever I visit Okayama, I always bring back nori as a souvenir. The Tamano City Muneage Fisheries Cooperative is responsible for this nori harvest. The sight of nori flowing across the deck of their uniquely shaped fishing boats—known as “moguri-bune”—is a cherished springtime tradition. Currently, they also offer nori-harvesting workshops for local children. For this “Journey to Collect Iron”, we were provided with an anchor and an iron frame used at the processing plant to shape the nori into squares. This iron frame served as the “twigs” in my rhythmic piece and played a vital role in capturing the natural form of a peach tree’s branches.
Iki-koto Farm, located in Tsuyama City in the northern part of the prefecture, specializes in rice cultivation. Guided by the philosophy that “to live is to eat,” they work in harmony with nature, growing rice without pesticides and using organic fertilizers. Among the various farming tools they provided—both large and small—the leveling plate (an attachment for a tractor used to level the ground) stood out for its striking presence, so we used it as the thick trunk of the artwork. Mr. Tanabe, the farm’s representative, was surprised, asking, “Is it really okay that it’s this rusty?” But there is a unique beauty precisely because of that rust. Through repeated heating, hammering, and polishing, the surface rust peels away, gradually revealing a natural, rock-like texture. Please take a moment to appreciate this texture—nurtured by the soil of Tsuyama—which cannot be replicated by human hands. Furthermore, the drive along the Kamogawa River to the farm is filled with a sense of openness, and the nearby JR Chiwa Station, in particular, is a location straight out of a fairy tale. As a “hidden gem” station, it’s also a famous spot that attracts fans from all over the country.
The client also provided us with some steel materials. We visited the renovation site and received a large quantity of air conditioning duct pipes and small metal fittings. These materials symbolize the story of “steel that has served its purpose in this place being reborn in a new space to add a touch of splendor.” The duct pipes, in particular, are made of thinner material than standard steel pipes, so tapping them creates fine wrinkles. I used these crumpled wrinkles to express the delicate density of peach blossoms. Fortunately, I was able to collect the steel while the peach trees were in full bloom, so I swung my hammer while recalling the beautiful scenery I’d seen along the way.
MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MARITIME SYSTEMS, LTD. (Tamano City)
I began traveling frequently to Okayama Prefecture after participating in the Setouchi International Art Festival in 2013. The Tama district of Tamano City, home to a massive shipyard, was also the area where the first scrap metal collection drive for the art festival took place. After passing through the coastal tunnel, I was suddenly overwhelmed by the sight of a cluster of cranes spreading out before me, and then once again by the massive rock at the nearby Tamahime Shrine… The impact I felt back then has not faded to this day, and the place has become a power spot for me. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Maritime Systems, home to these massive cranes, is involved in the construction of state-of-the-art vessels, such as warships for the Ministry of Defense and patrol boats for the Japan Coast Guard. For my “Iron Collection” project, they provided me with removable ladders—the kind often seen on scaffolding—as well as H-beams and scrap metal. The hooks on the ladders served as effective accents for the entire piece and were also very useful from a design perspective.
Looking inland from the coastal road lined with cranes, a large factory with a triangular roof immediately catches your eye. MIYAHARA CO.,LTD. is a company that assembles marine diesel engine parts and performs precision machining. In stark contrast to the high level pressure work, President and CEO Hiromitsu Miyahara was a very down-to-earth and approachable person. When we met, I was personally inspired by the “let’s have fun” spirit that radiated from his cheerful expression. I resolved to never lose my sense of excitement about anything and to pay close attention to the details. I feel that, in addition to the materials, he also gave me an important mindset to adopt. The materials they actually provided included thick chromium steel bolts and a shower head. Though it’s called a “shower,” it’s not for human use—it’s designed for cooling metal parts. We shaped it to resemble a peach and positioned it at a height where even small children can reach it.
Even though this is about Soja City, you might wonder why the photo is of Kurashiki… Well, it’s because an acquaintance of mine has family in Kurashiki City who run a farm in Soja City, and they kindly provided me with some unused farming tools from their family home. The photo shows the Bikan Historical Quarter in Kurashiki, which I stopped by on that trip. Actually, on this metal-collecting trip, I had set my sights on “getting my hands on a Bitchū hoe at all costs!” The term “Bitchū hoe” is a general term for iron hoes with 2 to 6 tines. While they’re common farming tools often seen at home improvement stores today, they originated in the Bitchū Matsuyama Domain (now the area around Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture). The story goes that in the late Edo period, the Bitchu Matsuyama Domain had been struggling with financial difficulties. Yamada Hōkoku, the senior councilor at the time, developed a “new hoe designed to prevent soil from sticking” using local iron sand. It became a nationwide hit and is said to have brought about a V-shaped recovery in the domain’s finances. I find it truly impressive that this tool, bearing the name “Bitchu hoe,” is still in use today. That’s why I’ve long been searching for a Bitchu hoe—an item “connected to Okayama’s history yet familiar to modern people”—and I was finally able to acquire one from a private farmer in Kurashiki. A single hoe with roots in Takahashi City, nurtured in the soil of Soja City, passed down to a certain iron artisan in Kurashiki City, and now set to adorn a hotel in front of Okayama Station. We hope you will enjoy this story woven from the wisdom of the people and the art of ironwork.
Iron Map
Iron from the mountains and iron from the sea. Mixed with iron salvaged from the construction site before its renovation, this combination gives rise to trees imbued with a variety of memories. I made five round trips between Tokyo and Okayama just to collect the iron. Since I gathered more than double the amount of iron I needed, I began by cutting out the distinctive sections and moving on to the actual production phase.
Making
Together with everyone who contributed to this project, we aimed to create a work we could be proud of, and thanks to your support, we were able to bring it to fruition. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who provided the steel materials and to everyone who supported us.
