Romance in the stone

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:08 JST, February 15, 2022

Visitors look at a rock shaped like a sea turtle at the Kitaura Hachiman Jinja shrine on Hakatajima island in Imabari, Ehime Prefecture. The rock is known as “a turtle that brings romance,” so it attracts those looking for lasting love. Situated near the shrine’s grand torii gate, the rock — 2.8 meters long, 1.5 meters wide and 70 centimeters high — is assumed to be naturally shaped. According to the shrine’s chief priest, some visitors have later revealed that their wish came true and they got married after visiting the rock.