Ishi no Hōden Megalith

A 500-ton megalith carved from rhyolite welded tuff, measuring 6.4m wide, 5.7m high, and 7.2m deep, situated within the grounds of Ōshiko Jinja shrine in Takasago, Hyōgo Prefecture. Recognized as one of the Nippon Sanki (Three Wonders of Japan), the monolith appears to float above a pond due to a hidden central pillar at its base, earning the name Ame no Ukiishi ("The Floating Stone"). First referenced in the Harima Fudoki (c. 714 CE), which attributes its creation to Mononobe no Moriya under Prince Shōtoku's orders, though over 40 competing hypotheses exist and its true age and builders remain unknown. Designated a National Historic Site in 1979 alongside the adjacent Tatsuyama Stone Quarries, which have been in operation for over 1,700 years.