Why does this stone weep? Let me tell you about the \u591c\u6ce3\u304d\u77f3. It is a stone with a legend. Across Japan, many such weeping stones exist.
Broadly speaking, these stones are known for either emitting crying sounds or stopping children from crying at night. One famous \u591c\u6ce3\u304d\u77f3 is in Shizuoka Prefecture. It is the Nakayama Nakiishi of Sayonakayama in Kakegawa.
Legends say the spirits of those killed inhabit these stones. They emit weeping sounds. Some believe the stones themselves make strange noises.
The \u591c\u6ce3\u304d\u77f3 is not just one unique stone. There is more than just one.
Let’s explore a prominent legend of the \u591c\u6ce3\u304d\u77f3. This story comes from Kakegawa City in Shizuoka. Long ago, a woman named Oishi lived in Nakayama. One day, Oishi worked in Kikugawa. She was on her way home. Near the Maruishi pine tree on Nakayama. Labor pains suddenly struck her.
A man named Ushiemon happened by. He offered to help Oishi. However, he killed her for her money. He then ran away.
During that moment, a baby was born from Oishi’s wound. Oishi’s spirit moved into a nearby stone. Every night the stone cried. Villagers called it the \u591c\u6ce3\u304d\u77f3. The weeping stone cared for the orphaned child. A priest from Kyuen Temple found the baby. He named him Otohati and raised him.
Otohati became a skilled sword appraiser. One day, a guest brought him a sword. Otohati said the sword was good but had a chipped blade. The guest said he chipped it when he killed a pregnant woman near a stone on Nakayama.
Otohati realized this man killed his mother. He took revenge.
After hearing this tale, Kobo Daishi carved Buddhist symbols on the stone. There are similar tales from 1773.
Currently, there are two stones said to be the \u591c\u6ce3\u304d\u77f3. One is near the Sayonakayama Tunnel on National Route 1. Another resides within the Kyuen Temple grounds. Note that this one is not the original \u591c\u6ce3\u304d\u77f3.
There is also a stone monument marking the \u591c\u6ce3\u304d\u77f3’s original location.
Kyuen Temple raised Otohati. A jade-colored sweet drink became a local specialty. The tea shop “Ogiya” near Kyuen Temple started serving it. It became known as “child-rearing sweet sake”. Near the Sayonakayama Tunnel is “Meibutsu Kosodate Amazake Motoyashiki”. It offers this drink.
The \u591c\u6ce3\u304d\u77f3 embodies a mother’s love and vengeance. It also speaks to the mysterious power of stones in Japanese folklore. As we conclude our visit, consider the echoes of this weeping stone. It connects us to ancient beliefs. It reminds us of the enduring power of human emotions.