Handprint Carved Into Legendary Demon Rock

Jun 22, 2026 | News On Japan

IWATE - A giant stone at Mitsuishi Shrine in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, said to be linked to the origin of the prefecture’s name through a legend about a demon’s handprint, has been carved by an unknown person in what appears to be the shape of a palm.

According to local legend, a demon defeated by a deity long ago pressed its hand into a rock as a pledge never to commit evil again. The handprint on the rock is said by some accounts to have given rise to the name Iwate, meaning "rock hand."

The three stones standing in the grounds of the historic shrine are regarded as important objects tied to that legend. However, part of one of the stones was recently found to have been scraped away, with the damage resembling the shape of a palm.

Tsuyoshi Chiba of the Mitsuishi Shrine Supporters Association said the damage was deeply regrettable. "I can only feel disappointed. What is even more frightening is that people may mistake it for the demon’s handprint that has been spoken of since long ago. This is something that must not be done, and I hope whoever did it will reflect on the shrine as something close and important to the community," he said.

A visitor to the shrine said they were shocked after arriving on June 22 and hearing what had happened.

The shrine’s management organization has consulted police and is checking the extent of the damage.

Source: FNN

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