Japanese killing stone splits open in 2022. In early March 2022, the infamous sessho-seki (killing stone) in Japan's Nasu volcanic zone split in two A Shimenawa ritualistic thick rope that once sealed its circumference now lay on the ground The stone sits in a sulfuric hot spring field where toxic gases naturally vent from the earth

In March 2022, the infamous sessho-seki (killing stone) in Japan's Nasu region cracked in two. According to legend, it contains the petrified body of Tamamo-no-Mae, a nine-tailed fox spirit who advised an emperor in 12th-century Kyoto. The stone sits in a sulfuric hot spring field where toxic gases naturally vent; animals have been found dead nearby from fumes. Geologists blamed rainwater and frost. Shinto priests performed a purification ritual after the split. The stone is legally protected as a cultural asset. Similar fox legends exist in Chinese (Daji) and Korean (kumiho) traditions.

Key Facts

  • In early March 2022, the infamous sessho-seki (killing stone) in Japan's Nasu volcanic zone split in two
  • A Shimenawa ritualistic thick rope that once sealed its circumference now lay on the ground
  • The stone sits in a sulfuric hot spring field where toxic gases naturally vent from the earth
  • Animals have been found dead near the stone from fumes
  • According to legend, the sessho-seki is the petrified body of Tamamo-no-Mae, a Kitsune (nine-tailed fox spirit) who was an adviser to the Emperor in 12th century Kyoto
  • The stone cracked open in 2022; geologists blamed rainwater and frost
  • Shinto priests performed Chinkon Sai, a purification ritual after the split
  • The stone is legally protected as a cultural asset and cannot be altered without national approval
  • The fox legend appears in China (Daji), Korea (Kumiho), and Japan across centuries