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Ancient Japanese ‘killing stone’ said to contain an evil demon has cracked open

What to know about the ancient Japanese ‘killing stone’

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A visitor walks in the Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo.

A visitor walks under a Shinto shrine gate in Yunishigawa, Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015

Eugene Hoshiko, Associated Press

An ancient Japanese stone believed to contain an evil demon has now cracked open.

What happened: The stone — named the “killing stone” — split in two, per The Guardian.

  • It is believed to host a demon spirit.
  • Japanese lore suggests that anyone who touches the rock will die.
  • There’s the belief that “the stone continually spews poisonous gas,” according to The Guardian.
  • The rock is located near the mountain region of Tochigi, which is outside of Tokyo.

Context: Per The Sun, legend says that the volcanic rock is home of the Nine-Tailed Fox, who “took the form of a beautiful woman” as a part of an assassination plan to kill Emperor Toba, who ruled Japan from 1107 to 1123.

What they’re saying: “I feel like I’ve seen something that shouldn’t be seen,” one Twitter user said.

  • Some believers said that the rock might have split years ago because of rainwater, according to The Guardian.

Our take: This immediately brought flashbacks to Rita Repulsa, the villain from “Power Rangers” who emerged from a rock on the moon.