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The Shattered Stone in Japanese folklore is the seal of a nine-tailed fox, which is now broken into halves.
For ages, the mythological tales of fox spirits, or kyubi no kitsune, in Japan have been well-known. In modern culture, these supernatural beings are even more popular, constantly appearing in anime, manga, games, and famous movies.
Few know that in Japan, there exists a particularly significant stone connected to the legend of fox spirits. It's called the 'Shattered Stone' or Sesshoseki, located in Tochigi prefecture, Japan. According to locals, it's a 'deadly stone' that no one is allowed to touch. Anyone who disregards this taboo will meet their demise, even animals accidentally touching the stone can perish.
The Shattered Stone is also a famous stone rumored to have been used to seal the Kyubi no Kitsune, a type of powerful demon in mythology. Because of this, locals explain that due to the need to seal the Kyubi no Kitsune, the stone emits poisonous gas continuously, which can harm humans and animals.
In Japanese folklore, the Kyubi no Kitsune or fox spirit, often referred to as Kitsune, are creatures resembling foxes but can transform into humans. Many famous beauties like Daji, Bao Si, the legitimate wife of Indian prince Bintosara, are considered incarnations of the Kyubi no Kitsune. Later, the nine-tailed fox followed a Tang Dynasty envoy to Japan, transforming into a peerless beauty named Tamamo-no-Mae to seduce Emperor Konoe.
Renowned Onmyoji Abe no Seimei saw through the identity of the Kyubi no Kitsune and banished it from the palace. Shortly after, the emperor sent an army of 80,000 soldiers to the Nasu plateau in Shimono (modern-day Tochigi prefecture) to subdue the nine-tailed fox, eventually defeating it.
However, the grudge of the Kyubi no Kitsune did not dissipate, being sealed into a stone, becoming the Shattered Stone. It wasn't until 200 years later, during the Nanboku-cho era, that a high-ranking monk purified this grudge. However, this caused the Shattered Stone to crack into multiple pieces, scattering throughout Japan.
Recently, a Japanese netizen shared on Twitter about their visit to the Shattered Stone in Tochigi prefecture. To their surprise, the stone had split in two. The rope tied around the stone, meant to ward off evil spirits, was also broken. Due to the legend associated with the stone, many netizens jokingly speculated that the Kyubi no Kitsune sealed here must have escaped.
Some netizens mentioned that when they visited the site last December, the Shattered Stone was still intact. However, it has had cracks discovered since 2014. Scientifically explained, this stone's many 'toxins' are due to its proximity to a volcano, contaminated with hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide, along with high levels of arsenic. Hence, creatures coming into contact with it are diseased and die.
