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The Murderous Stone or The Legend of the Fox-demon
[Nasunohara, Tochigi Prefecture] The origins of the Murderous Stone The imperial court sends Miura-no-suke and an army 80,000 men strong to vanquish the fox-demon Kinmô-kyûbi-hakumen (gold fur, nine tails, white face). The fox-demon turns to stone when they shoot him with a whistling arrow that had been given to them by the gods, but the fox-demon continues to inject all nearby people, beasts, and birds with a deadly poison. When the Zen priest Gennô(1329-1400) of Senkeiji Temple hears this, he begins to chant Mahayana sutras and the rock breaks into three pieces.  |
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NPO Hiroshima kagura Art Laboratory |