石工 石工
What 石工 do
An English description is being prepared. Japanese description:
石工（いしく、せっこう）の仕事は採石場から石を切り出す「石材採石」、石垣を積む「石積み」、石で墓石や灯籠などを作る「石材加工」、薄い石を敷き詰める「石張り」などがあり、大きくは採石と加工の２つに分けられるが、採石の仕事は減っており、すでに加工済みの石を組み立てたり据え付けたりする仕事が多い。
採石場では花こう岩、玄武岩、石灰岩などさまざまな岩石の原石をジェットバーナーやスロットドリル、火薬などを用いて石を切り出す。大きな石の塊を、「たがね」や「つち」などの道具で石積みに都合のよい形、大きさに割る。墨差しなどの道具を用いて、原石を必要とする大きさに割るための基本となる線や加工するための補助となる線などを引く。大型挽割機（ギャングソー）や丸鋸（ダイヤモンドソー）などの石切機を運転操作して、大理石、花こう岩などを決められた寸法に切り、角石・板石などに製材する。石材の表面を手道具で平らに研磨し、つや出しを行う。建物や石碑、墓などに用いられる大理石、砂石、花こう岩に、「のみ」や「小べら」「サンド･ブラスト」などの道具で文字や模様を彫る（字彫り）。また、石仏、石橋、石灯篭（いしとうろう）、石鳥居、狛犬（こまいぬ）、記念碑や硯（すずり）等の石細工物を制作することもある。
このほか、建物の外装やエントランスなどに装飾用の石材を取り付けたり、花こう岩、大理石、大谷石などの石材を工事現場に積み重ねて、壁、柱、塀、石垣、堤防などの石材構築物を構築するといった、建築関連の作業も行う。
◇ よく使う道具、機材、情報技術等
ジェットバーナー、スロットドリル、たがね、つち、墨差し、大型挽割機（ギャングソー）、丸鋸（ダイヤモンドソー）、のみ、小ベラ、サンド･ブラスト、作業中の保護具（ヘルメット、ゴーグル、グローブ、安全靴等）
Employment type of workers
石工 salary
The average annual pay for 石工 in Japan is ¥4.68M (≈ $29,735; Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2025), national). The estimated median is ¥4.35M, the typical range is ¥3.29M–¥7.80M and the top 10% earn about ¥6.76M.
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The distribution is estimated from Japan's national wage statistics, including pay differences by age.
Pay by ageest.
Estimated from the average pay and average age (43.8) using the age-wage curve of the Basic Survey on Wage Structure.
Pay by experienceest.
Pay by employment typeest.
The average hourly wage of ¥2,214 is 1.9× Japan's national average minimum wage of ¥1,177 (fiscal 2026). Minimum wage by prefecture →
Japanese pay is shown in yen (¥5.57M = 5.57 million yen ≈ 557万円). Dollar figures use the current rate of 157.25 yen per dollar and are for reference only; purchasing power differs.
Pay over time
| Year | Average pay | Employment | Openings ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ¥4.27M | — | — |
| 2022 | ¥4.38M | — | — |
| 2023 | ¥4.39M | — | 1.96x |
| 2024 | ¥4.61M | — | 1.78x |
| 2025 | ¥4.68M | — | 1.67x |
Projected pay for 石工 (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today ¥4.68M → in 3 years ¥5.07M → in 5 years ¥5.35M → in 10 years ¥6.12M (10-year range ¥5.26M–¥7.11M). The model assumes pay growth of +2.7% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (the job-openings-to-applicants ratio), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for 石工
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace 石工? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using the MHLW job tag survey on work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for 石工
A ratio above 1.0 means there are more job openings than applicants (a labor shortage). The 5- and 10-year figures are estimates from the openings ratio, wage momentum and AI replacement risk.
Skills, education and requirements for 石工
Key skills
Skill levels from the MHLW job tag worker survey.
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Licenses and certifications (Japan)
- １級石材施工技能士 National license
- ２級石材施工技能士 National license
Related qualifications listed on job tag (names in Japanese). Some are mandatory, others recommended.
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience, licenses)
How to become 石工
The typical path in Japan is shown by the education, training and experience of current workers above and in the Japanese guidance below. A detailed English guide for this occupation is being prepared.
Guidance from job tag (Japanese)
入職後、岩石の採れる山や採石場、石材製作の現場や建築現場などで、石の扱い方や道具の名前、水汲みやセメントモルタルを作るための水の流し込み方法といった基礎から学ぶ。1人前になるまでには10年程度の年月が必要である。実務経験を積み現場責任者となる場合もある。
関連資格としては、厚生労働省の定める技能検定「石材施工技能士」がある。
石材は重量があることから、それを動かす体力とケガを防ぐための注意力が必要である。また、一つ一つ異なる石の表情を活かして仕事をする石工には、職人としての技量や感性が求められる。
Career path and how to earn more as 石工
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by experience is shown in the Pay section.