Good Stone Day (Ii Ishi no Hi)

What is Good Stone Day (November 14th)?

November 14th is celebrated in Japan as "Good Stone Day" (Ii Ishi no Hi). The date comes from a play on numbers: "11" can be read as "ii," meaning "good," and "14" can be read as "ishi," the Japanese word for "stone"—together forming "ii ishi," or "good stone." The day was established in 1992 by the Yamanashi Prefecture Stone Processing Industry Cooperative. Its aim is to showcase the skill of cutting and placing stone—such as preserving the tradition of honoring ancestors with gravestones and building beautiful gardens with stone arrangements. Japan has a long history of using stone in architecture, crafts, and spiritual life.

The History of Stone Culture in Japan

Stone tools and arrowheads have been used in Japan since the Jomon period. Stone burial chambers were built during the Kofun period, stone Buddhist statues were carved during the Asuka and Nara periods, and stone lanterns, torii gates, and stone walls were erected throughout the country during the Edo period. Even today, stone remains familiar to daily life through gravestones, building materials, and garden stones, reflecting the depth of Japan's stone culture.

Japan's Famous Stone-Producing Regions

• Honkomatsu Stone (Manazuru, Kanagawa): An andesite formed from lava of the Hakone volcano, used for the stone walls of Edo Castle (today's Imperial Palace) and for Tokugawa family gravestones
• Aji Stone (Aji, Kagawa): Known as a top-grade granite, prized for its fine grain and durability
• Oshima Stone (Oshima, Ehime): A beautiful bluish-tinted granite widely used for gravestones across Japan
• Inada Stone (Kasama, Ibaraki): A whitish granite that's easy to work with and popular as a building material

The Mysterious Power of Stones

Across the world, many cultures find special meaning in stones, from "power stones" to birthstones. In Japan too, crystal, jade, and amber have long been treasured as accessories and protective charms. Jade in particular has been prized in Japan since the Jomon period and was used to make "magatama" (comma-shaped beads). One of the Three Sacred Treasures of the Imperial Regalia is also a magatama, the "Yasakani no Magatama."

Ways to Enjoy Good Stone Day

• Pay attention to the stone lanterns, guardian dog statues (komainu), and stone steps at your local shrines and temples
• When visiting a family grave, take an interest in the type and origin of the gravestone
• Visit a museum or exhibition featuring minerals and gemstones
• Look up your birthstone at a power-stone shop