Tunnels

“In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.” Psalm 95:4

Soon after we arrived in Japan in 1984, we noticed several flashy billboards dotting the countryside of Hokkaido featuring a sleek bullet train racing through a tunnel under the ocean. The signs heralded a coming new age in transportation with the construction of the Seikan Tunnel. When completed, this remarkable tunnel would dramatically improve access to Japan’s northernmost island by traversing the large body of water known as the Tsugaru Strait located between Japan’s two largest islands, Honshῡ and Hokkaidō. In a country crisscrossed by tunnels because of its widespread mountainous terrain, the Seikan Tunnel was championed as the ultimate in engineering achievement, incorporating the latest in Japanese technology and financed by a booming economy.

According to historical records, Japan’s first man-made tunnel was built almost 400 years ago. By March 2024, the number of tunnels in Japan had skyrocketed to 10,922, second only to China. Although difficult and expensive to build, tunnels provide shortcuts that can significantly reduce travel time. Throughout the country, cars and trains now routinely pass through vast stretches of roads and rails embedded in an ever-expanding underground network. Japan has become one of the world’s leaders in tunnel construction technology and can boast of several achievements in this area. For example, the Gotthard Base Tunnel bored through the Alps in Switzerland is officially the longest tunnel in the world, but the Seikan Tunnel is recognized as the longest undersea tunnel at 33.5 miles (54 km).* Japan also set the standard for underwater tunnels by digging the first undersea railroad tunnel in 1942 and more recently, the world’s longest undersea road tunnel spanning the Tokyo Bay.

It actually took a natural disaster in 1954 to stimulate a plan for building a previously inconceivable tunnel that would link up Japan’s main island of Honshῡ with Hokkaidō. At that time, a powerful typhoon swept through these same two islands and sank five ferry boats resulting in the tragic loss of 1,430 lives. Amidst national grief, the Japanese public clamored for a safer means of transportation between these two population centers. Due to unstable weather patterns and geographic conditions, a bridge seemed too risky so the novel concept of constructing a tunnel was eventually proposed and adopted. Construction started for the ambitious project in 1971 and the first train passengers made the historic journey 17 years later through this man-made wonder. The tunnel now accommodates approximately fifty trains per day and from 2016 special tracks were installed for high-speed bullet trains. Ironically, since the innovative idea of building the Seikan Tunnel was first proposed, flights to Hokkaido have become much more common, faster and notably cheaper, prompting most people to fly rather than take a train. However, preliminary plans are now being considered for constructing another tunnel specifically designed for cars and trucks.

The increasing advancement of civilization and accompanying technology have led to even more ambitious projects as mankind continues to extend its dominion over the earth. While some such exploits extend to the heavens, they also take us to the depths of the earth reflecting the ingenuity and industriousness of man. But these efforts pale in comparison to the works of God as the Psalmist notes in wonder: “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.” (Psalm 139:15) We may applaud the achievements of men who build tunnels in the depths of the earth, but only God can build people.

* The Seikan Tunnel is officially longer than the Chunnel, connecting England and France, but the Chunnel has a longer underwater segment.