Kameishi

photo by Hikomi Moneru · CC BY 3.0

photo by tozanka · CC BY-SA 3.0

The Kame-ishi measures 3.6x2.1x1.8 m: the face carved underneath has an unknown purpose.

Visitors stop in front of the Kame-ishi, the ‘turtle stone’: 3.6 metres long, 2.1 wide, 1.8 high, with an animal face carved on its side whose purpose remains unknown. Not far away, the ‘demon's chopping board’ and the ‘demon's toilet’ were originally a single ancient tomb, split in two by soil erosion: local legend renamed them as a demon's utensils.

Several carved stones, often of unknown purpose, are scattered across the Asuka countryside. The best known, the Kame-ishi (‘turtle stone’), measures 3.6 x 2.1 x 1.8 metres and has an animal face carved underneath. The ‘demon's chopping board’ (鬼の俎) and the ‘demon's toilet’ (鬼の雪隠), not far away, were originally a single ancient tomb that soil erosion split in two: local tradition renamed them as a demon's utensils.

ℹ️ All the stones can be seen free of charge and are scattered around the village of Asuka; they are easy to visit by hire bike.

🚉 Kawahara · 6 min walk

Sources: rekishikaido.gr.jp

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