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 proposed mainly by the Yamanashi Prefecture Stone Processing Industry Cooperative, with the goal of promoting the stone-processing industry and raising awareness of stone culture. 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 stone with a distinctive pattern, used in structures such as the Imperial Palace and the National Diet Building
• Aji Stone (Aji, Kagawa): A top-grade granite known as "a work of art in stone," 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 mined and prized in Japan since the Jomon period, and is famously used in "magatama" (comma-shaped beads), including the "Yasakani no Magatama," one of the Three Sacred Treasures of the Imperial Regalia of Japan.

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