Nasu, Tochigi, Japan (folk tale)

Sesshō-seki: The Killing Stone

Folklore — not a documented case

A rock on a volcanic slope in Nasu is said to be the petrified body of Tamamo-no-Mae, a nine-tailed fox spirit. The legend returned to the headlines when the stone split in two in 2022.

Near the Nasu Yumoto hot springs in Tochigi Prefecture, in a sulphur-scented volcanic valley, stands a large roped-off boulder: Sesshō-seki, the 'Killing Stone'. It is tied to one of Japan's most famous kitsune (fox spirit) legends.

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The stories in this section are folk tales and legends; they are not verified, real events and should not be confused with the rest of the archive.

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