Ancient Japanese ‘killing stone’ said to contain a demon has CRACKED open
AS IF the world doesn't have enough problems, people are now worried that an evil demon locked in a rock for almost 1,000 years is on the loose.
The so-called 'killing stone' that kept the malevolent spirit imprisoned all this time has split in two, sending believers into a state of panic.
Japanese legend has it that anyone who comes into contact with the rock will die.
According to mythology, the volanic rock - officially called Sessho-seki - is home to Tamomo-No-Mae, aka the Nine-Tailed Fox.
The demon apparently took the form of a beautiful woman, who was part of a plot to kill Emperor Toba, ruler of Japan from 1107 to 1123.
Located in the mountainous northern region of Tochigi, near Tokyo, the rock is something of a tourist hotspot - but now visitors are fearful.
Some speculate that the evil spirit may have even been resurrected to wreck havoc once more.
“I feel like I’ve seen something that shouldn’t be seen," one visitor said on .
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Others have commented, saying: "Here I thought 2022 couldn't get worse.
"Now a furious Japanese spirit is freed from its 'killing stone'."
But another joked: "My guess is the demon is going to look around at 2022 and want to go back into the rock for another millennium."
Local reports suggest the rock actually started cracking a couple of years ago.
It's thought rainwater may have got inside causing the damage.
Officials are now mulling over what to do with the rock's remains and could attempt to restore it.
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