Ancient Japanese

Sakafuneishi Site

Asuka, Nara Prefecture, Japan

In the hills of Asuka, Japan's ancient capital, water once flowed through a turtle-shaped stone basin in ceremonies conducted for Empress Saimei nearly fourteen centuries ago. The purpose of these water rituals remains debated—purification, harvest blessing, rain-making—but their sophistication is undeniable. Above the turtle monument, the enigmatic Sakafuneishi stone has puzzled scholars for generations, its carved channels and basins defying definitive interpretation.