Women Who Kill: The Legend of Japan’s Killing Stone

Figure 1: Sessho-seki, the Japanese Killing Stone (Source: Getty Images)

 

In early March of this year news agencies around the world exploded with news of the fracturing of the Sessho-seki, the Japanese killing stone (Figure 1).  According to Japanese lore this killing stone contained the spirit of a possessed woman who had unsuccessfully tried to kill an emperor and as punishment for her deed had been imprisoned in the stone.  Given the previous years of bad luck this news seemed to add more fuel to the fire of awful news, igniting a firestorm of speculation, fears, predictions, and more among not only the Japanese but outsiders, as well.  This blog post will address the original Japanese myths of the killing stone, what they tell us about Japanese culture in the past and today, and what how the news of its fracture was interpreted.

 

The myths surrounding the killing stone stem back to the reign of Emperor Toba, who ruled Japan from 1107 to 1123.  According to one legend near the end of his reign a woman, Tamamo-no-Mae, used her beauty and guile to secure a meeting with the emperor.  Her goal was to assassinate him.  According to the legends she nearly succeeded, but failed as he only fell ill.  Two of the emperor’s guards hunted her down and killed her, releasing a demonic spirit that possessed her and caused her actions against the emperor.  The demon was a kitsune, a nine tailed fox demon characterized by its need to deceive, and it was immediately trapped in a large volcanic stone and left at the location where Tamamo-no-Mae had been slain. 

 

Another myth tells a slightly different story, however.  The second myth is far more abridged and simply states that a woman forewarned men passing by the stone that it was cursed and that anyone who touched it would die.  When the men asked too many questions the woman disappeared into the stone, leading them to conclude that she was a demon trapped in the stone and responsible for killing those who disturbed her.

 

There is no historical or scientific evidence to support the existence of the myth or the likelihood of dying upon touching the stone, although there is evidence that demonstrates how and why these legends began.  The killing stone is located in Nikko National Park, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Tokyo.  This park contains several volcanos and sulfur springs, which when active can and often do release poisonous gases that could at the very least make someone very ill (and at the very worse kill them).  These naturally occurring circumstances could have initiated the myths, particularly among those who did not fully understand the dangers of this environment.  The placement of a woman as being the reason for the misfortunes demonstrates Japanese values of the past, particularly 900 years ago, wherein men were seen as good and faultless, whereas women were viewed as weak and treacherous.  Modern Japanese continue to believe in the dangers of the killing stone and the legends about it, but there have been some changes in the view of the kitsune demon, which is viewed far more favorably.  It has become a favorite character among the Japanese and lovers of Japanese culture, and it is no longer feared or seen as an evil entity.

 

These changing values concerning the kitsune but not the warnings against touching the killing stone have led to some contradictory interpretations about the fracturing the of the stone among contemporary Japanese.  Although the stone broke apart due to natural erosive forces, there were a few Japanese who took to social media to convey their worry and fears, claiming that the fragmented stone released the kitsune and that misfortune would befall everyone.  These, however, were few and far between as it is considered taboo to discuss bad luck among the Japanese.  This may partially explain why many Japanese viewed the rupture of the stone favorably, claiming that the kitsune was released to save the world from its misfortunes.  These individuals also cited the blessing of the stone by a Buddhist priest several decades ago.  When he did this he put the demon to rest, releasing it from the stone and removing any malice from befalling anyone who came in contact with the stone. 

 

Ultimately, the reports concerning the killing stone and the subsequent reactions provide us glimpses into Japanese culture and history.  They also showcase culture change through the various myths surrounding the killing stone, their origins, and modern interpretations.  As time goes on it will be interesting to see how people reflect on this event and whether their original interpretations, be they concerning the kitsune’s intent, change.

 

Works Cited

Dunhill, Jack. "Japan’s “Killing Stone”, Said To Contain A Chaotic Demon for 1,000 Years, Splits In Half." 7 March 2022. IFLScience. Electo. 3 June 2022.

Ives, Mike and Makiko Inoue. "A ‘Killing Stone’ Broke in Japan. Is a Demon on the Loose?" New York Times 18 March 2022. Electronic.

Marples, Megan. "A Japanese 'killing stone,' said to contain an evil 9-tailed fox spirit, has split in two." 1 April 2022. CNN. Electronic. 3 June 2022.

McCurry, Justin. "Japan’s ‘killing stone’ splits in two, releasing superstitions amid the sulphur springs." 7 March 2022. The Guardian. Electronic. 3 June 2022.