Kazusa Bori 上総掘り
Kazusa Bori (上総掘り) is well digging method by human power with utilizing tools' weight, which was researched and developed in west of Kazusa, the old province, middle area of current Chiba-ken in Japan. The Kazusa Bori method can dig deeper, maximum depth of down to around 540m. It was designated as an important intangible folk-cultural property of Japan In Japan, various kinds of wells have been made since ancient period of times in order to secure water for people to live. The Tsuki Bori, thrust digging, method was created from a digging wells which you just dig a hole, and in the Edo period (1850s), the Tsuki Bori with iron bars became the leading method. In the early Meiji period, the Kazusa Bori method for digging wells was invented, with using iron pipes and TAKEHIGO (竹ひご), thin strips of bamboo, hanging them in holes in the ground, as basic tools. Dig underground based on human power while using the own weight of the tools. It is a technique and a method to dig groundwater in aquifer.
The features of Kazusa Bori
1) Use TAKEHIGO, thin strips of bamboo and HIGOGURUMA, wheel made by bamboo By adopting a durable TAKEHIGO that is easy to obtain and crafted, and using HIGOGURUMA to hold the TAKEHIGOs, those weight make angular mass which reduce the effort significantly to move heavy iron pipes up and down. This method make possible to dig just by a few people. 2) Use of HANEGI, like bow for spring Using the elasticity of bamboo and logs, heavy iron pipes can be moved up and down with less effort. 3) Use of smooth clay muddy water Using clay muddy water to prevent the hole you dug collapsing and cool down the chisel that got hot by friction. 4) Use valve to collect and remove mud A valve is attached to the inside of the iron pipe to collect and remove the mud efficiently.
The Kazusa Bori digging method spreaded all over Japan, and it was used a lot for digging wells for irrigation, also for living, but due to the advancement of boring machines since around 1955, many craftsmen of well digging went out of business, the Kazusa Bori digging method was also disappearing gradually. However, there are some countries from Southeast Asia and South Africa have been suffered from water shortages, the "Kazusa Bori digging method" that can dig deep underground only by human power is very valuable, even from cost-wise. There are demands for learning the method.
Related Group and facility
There is a working group preserve the mothod of Kazusa bori and provides instructors to all of the world.
https://kazusabori.jimdofree.com
