Stone for sitting on

Japanese: 腰掛石 - こしかけいし

These stones are said to have been sat on by gods, Tengu, or famous warlords or monks. They are found all over Japan. The people who are said to have sat on them include Minamoto no Yoshiie, Minamoto no Yoritomo, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, Shinran Shonin, Nichiren Shonin, and Saigyo Hoshi, but they are all nobles who came from far away, and the older ones are often Tengu or gods. This is thought to indicate that in ancient times, the Koshikake stones were used as altars to welcome visiting gods during festivals. There are also stones that are said to bring curses if touched, and people are afraid to touch them, which is thought to be related to the fact that the Koshikake stones were originally stone gods. It is thought that the stones themselves were once gods, but as the belief in stone gods declined, the form of belief changed, leading to the legend of the Koshikake stones.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

神や天狗または歴史上著名な武将や高僧が腰かけたという伝説をもつ石。日本各地に広く分布する。腰かけたとされる人物は源義家，源頼朝，坂上田村麻呂，親鸞上人，日蓮上人，西行法師などさまざまであるが，すべて遠来の貴人ということに特徴があり，古い形のものは天狗あるいは神である場合が多い。このことは，腰掛石が古くは祭りのとき，訪れてくる神を迎えまつる祭壇に使われたことを物語るものと思われる。また，触れるとたたりをなすとされ，人が触れるのを忌んでいる石もあるが，これは，腰掛石が本来石神であったことと関係があると推測される。かつて石そのものが神であったのが，石神信仰の衰退によって信仰形態が変わり，腰掛石の伝説が生じるにいたったと考えられる。

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