learn/[id]

基礎
14 分で読める
力
BASICS
Chikaraishi: The Lifting Stones of Edo — Japan's 14,000 Surviving Strength Monuments
The moss-covered oval stones sitting quietly in shrine corners are chikaraishi — lifting stones where Edo-period young men and dock workers competed in feats of strength. Approximately 14,000 survive nationwide, with 350 designated cultural properties. From the 600+ kg 'great disc stone' lifted by Sannomiya Unosuke to the 46-kan stone at Kushida Shrine in Hakata, each inscription of weight and name is a direct record of Edo commoner physical culture.
聖
Author
Hijiri
| Shrines & Temples
Contents
MOKUJI
一
What Is Chikaraishi Culture? — Edo's Strength Competition
›
二
Edo's Strongest Men — Sannomiya Unosuke and Kanasugino Fujikichi
›
三
Famous Stones Across Japan — Inscriptions and Stories
›
四
Finding Chikaraishi — Tips for Visiting
›
五
Frequently Asked Questions
›
Rows of chikaraishi in the precinct of Setagaya Hachiman Shrine (Setagaya, Tokyo). Inscriptions carry the character for "offered" along with weights in kan and the names of the men who lifted them.
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / photo by phosphor (panoramio)
A moss-covered oval stone sitting quietly in the corner of a shrine precinct. Its surface bears carved inscriptions: “Dedication, 40 kan” (approximately 150 kg); “Lifted by Kamejima Heizo of Hachioji.” This is a chikaraishi — a lifting stone. From the Edo period through the Meiji era, young men from villages and workers on the riverside docks would heave these stones with both arms, competing in feats of brute strength. Fifty kan (approximately 187 kg), seventy-five kan (approximately 281 kg), and sometimes stones weighing over 600 kg — approximately 14,000 chikaraishi survive nationwide, with around 350 designated as cultural properties. The weights and names carved into these precinct stones are the direct record of a physical culture lived by Edo commoners.
What Is Chikaraishi Culture? — Edo’s Strength Competition
Why Were Lifting Stones Dedicated at Shrines?
A chikaraishi was not merely a weight-lifting tool. Lifting a stone and dedicating that feat at a shrine simultaneously fulfilled two functions: an oath to the community’s tutelary deity and a demonstration of status among peers. The inscription of “dedication,” the lifter’s name, and hometown on the stone’s surface created an eternal record — a stone diary of that moment.
Where and When Chikaraishi Culture Flourished
The lifting stone tradition was most vibrant from the late Edo through Meiji periods. It was especially active in:
Region
Characteristic
Edo riverside docks (Kanda, Sumida rivers)
Cargo workers’ strength culture
Post towns on the Nakasendo and Tokaido roads
Traveling men’s strength displays
Merchant towns of Hakata and Osaka
Wholesale merchants’ stone dedications
Rural village shrines
Seasonal competitions among youth groups
According to the nationwide survey by chikaraishi scholar Takashima Shinjo (former Yokkaichi University), approximately 14,000 chikaraishi survive, of which around 350 are designated cultural properties.
Edo’s Strongest Men — Sannomiya Unosuke and Kanasugino Fujikichi
Sannomiya Unosuke and Japan’s Heaviest Lifting Stone
The most celebrated strongman of the late Edo period was Sannomiya Unosuke (born 1807). Born into a farming family in Sannomiya Village, Musashi Province (present-day Koshigaya City, Saitama), at 22 he was said to have lifted a 70-kan (approx. 262 kg) stone with ease. In 1833, he demonstrated his power before Shogun Tokugawa Ienari and was awarded the rank of “Ozeki” (champion) in the strength-exhibition rankings.
The daibanjaku (great disc stone) in the precinct of Okegawa Inari Shrine, Okegawa City, Saitama, bears the inscription “Lifted by Unosuke of Sannomiya Village, Saitama, Musashi Province.” Its estimated weight is approximately 610 kg (roughly 160 kan). In Takashima’s nationwide survey, this is recognized as Japan’s heaviest surviving lifting stone — the "number-one chikaraishi in Japan."
Kanasugino Fujikichi and Shiba Daijingu’s Designated Stone
At Shiba Daijingu in Minato Ward, Tokyo, a 50-kan stone carries the legend of Yamaguchi Fujikichi (born 1867, known as “Kanasugino Fujikichi”). Raised near Kanasugigawa, Fujikichi is said to have lifted this stone with one hand at a strength exhibition at Shiba Daijingu, after which it was dedicated as “the stone lifted by Kanasugino Fujikichi.” It is now registered as a Minato Ward Designated Tangible Folk Cultural Property. Of the 16 chikaraishi known to survive in Minato Ward, this is the only one bearing a specific strongman’s name in its tradition.
A chikaraishi offered at Hiromine Shrine in Himeji, Hyogo, in 1894 by the sumo wrestler Hirano Kawagizo. A typical example of the custom whereby traveling wrestlers dedicated a lifting stone to the tutelary shrine of the town they toured.
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / photo by Corpse Reviver
Famous Stones Across Japan — Inscriptions and Stories
The 46-Kan Stone at Kushida Shrine, Hakata
At Kushida Shrine in Hakata, Fukuoka — the principal shrine of the Hakata merchants — five chikaraishi stand in the precinct, all designated as Fukuoka Prefectural Tangible Folk Cultural Properties. The most famous is the 46-kan stone (approximately 172 kg) dated 1830. Its face reads: “Dedicated: Hakata Kojiya-ban, 46 kan, lifted by Tomita Kyuemon.” On the reverse, a poem: “An unchanging lifting stone for the age — at 61, the heart feels good.” A Hakata malt merchant, 61 years old, lifting a 172-kg stone and feeling fine about it — the cheerful tone of the verse captures the spirit of Hakata merchants in the late Edo period in a single stone.
Tomioka Hachimangu — The Home of Edo Sumo and Dock Workers’ Stones
At Tomioka Hachimangu in Koto Ward, Tokyo — the home shrine of Edo sumo — multiple chikaraishi stand alongside the great yokozuna monument. These were dedicated by the cargo workers of the Fukagawa riverside docks; some inscriptions bear the names of ship merchants from the Edogawa and Arakawa river areas, making this a place where Edo water transport culture and chikaraishi culture intersect.
Kameido Tenjin and the Artisan Districts’ Stones
At Kameido Tenjin in Koto Ward, Tokyo — famous for wisteria and its arched stone bridges — chikaraishi dedicated by young men from the craftsman districts of Kameido survive as representative examples of the downtown lifting stone tradition.
The chikaraishi of Kushida Shrine in Hakata, Fukuoka — a Fukuoka Prefecture Tangible Folk Cultural Property. This 46-kan stone (about 172 kg) is inscribed 1830 and was said to have been lifted by Tomida Kyuemon, a Hakata malt-rice merchant, at the age of sixty-one.
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / photo by Hirho
Finding Chikaraishi — Tips for Visiting
Why Lifting Stones Are Easy to Miss
Chikaraishi are rarely placed in prominent positions like main halls. Most sit in corners of the precinct, beside water basins, or along the edges of approaches — indistinguishable from ordinary garden stones without close attention. Recognition tips:
1.
Oval to rounded shapes (close to natural stone)
2.
Carved surface inscriptions (weight in kan, dedication, name, date)
3.
Often mounted on a base stone
When visiting shrines known for chikaraishi, after paying your respects at the main hall, take time to walk the corners and margins of the precinct. History often waits quietly where few think to look. Chosenin (Koto Ward, Tokyo) and Namiyoke Inari Shrine (Chuo Ward, Tokyo) also preserve lifting stones.
Shiba Daijingu in Minato, Tokyo. Its precinct preserves a "fifty-kan" chikaraishi that, according to local tradition, the Meiji-era strongman "Kanasugi no Tokichi" lifted with a single hand. The stone itself is a Minato Ward Tangible Folk Cultural Property.
Wikimedia Commons / CC0 / photo by Higa4
Recommended Pilgrimage Sites
•
Tomioka Hachimangu (Tokyo, Koto) — Edo sumo and Fukagawa dock culture
•
Shiba Daijingu (Tokyo, Minato) — Kanasugino Fujikichi’s ward-designated cultural property stone
•
Kameido Tenjin (Tokyo, Koto) — Downtown artisan dedications
•
Kushida Shrine (Fukuoka, Hakata) — Five Bunsei-era merchant stones
•
Sugimori Jinja — See the app for visit information
Frequently Asked Questions
Can chikaraishi be found at any shrine?
They are distributed widely across Japan but survive in greatest numbers at shrines that were gathering points for riverside workers and merchants in the Edo period (along the Sumida and Kanda rivers) and at post-town village shrines. Some regional tourist offices and local history museums distribute local chikaraishi maps.
Do people still lift chikaraishi today?
Efforts to revive lifting stone competitions are underway in various regions, and some shrines hold periodic chikaraishi lifting events. Among modern powerlifting and strongman enthusiasts, lifting historical stones and recording the results as a “chikaraishi challenge” has also become a hobby activity.
How do I convert kan to kilograms?
1 kan equals approximately 3.75 kg. Thus 50 kan = approximately 187.5 kg; 75 kan = approximately 281 kg. Multiply the carved kan figure by 3.75 for a modern kg equivalent.
What are the criteria for designating a chikaraishi as a cultural property?
National, prefectural, and municipal governments designate them as folk material cultural properties based on clarity of inscriptions, traditional backing, preservation condition, and regional significance. Takashima’s survey found approximately 350 designated examples nationwide.
When did chikaraishi culture decline?
From the late Meiji through Taisho periods, as sumo became modernized and Western sports spread, the tradition gradually faded. By the early Showa era it had largely ceased, leaving behind only the precinct stones to transmit the memory of what once was.
Last updated: April 25, 2026
── 了 ──
聖
Author
Hijiri（ひじり）
Shrines & Temples
Toku editorial team — shrines and temples. Former designer who reads temple architecture and gardens through an aesthetic lens, quietly tracing the lineages of sects and doctrines.
›
This article was
♡ Helpful
⤴
詣
Visit Related Places
History truly comes alive when you visit in person. Choose your next destination from the related sites and pilgrimage courses below.
1. Tomioka Hachimangu
Founded in 1627 as Edo's largest Hachimangu — the Yokozuna Monument lists every grand champion, and surveyor Ino Tadataka prayed here before each of his 10 nationwide mapping expeditions
›
C
2. Chosen-in (Shusse Fudo)
An Edo-period Jodo temple known as 'Shusse Fudo' for career-advancement blessings — the precinct's chikaraishi designated a Koto Ward cultural property testifies to the Fukagawa dockworkers' strongman tradition.
›
T
3. Tsukuda Namiyoke-Inari Shrine
An Inari shrine founded by Settsu-province fishermen who followed Tokugawa Ieyasu to Edo — three Meiji-era chikaraishi lifting stones survive as Chuo Ward folk cultural properties, conveying the strongman culture of Tsukuda Island fishermen.
›
S
4. Shiba Daijingu
The 'Ise Shrine of Kanto' founded in 1005 — the 11-day 'Daradara Matsuri' (Ginger Festival) is one of Edo's Three Great Festivals; counted among the Ten Shrines of Tokyo before Zojoji's main gate
›
5. Kameido Tenjinsha
Founded in 1662 as the 'Dazaifu of the East' — about 50 wisteria trellises immortalized by Hiroshige in Meisho Edo Hyakkei and graceful drum bridges still convey the elegant spirit of Edo downtown.
›
S
6. Sugimori Shrine
A Nihonbashi shrine where Ota Dokan is said to have prayed for rain — famous in the Edo period for tomikuji lottery events, its unique 'Tomizuka' monument and role as Nihonbashi Seven Lucky Gods' Ebisu still draw visitors.
›
T
7. Takanawa Shrine
An ancient Takanawa shrine said to have been founded by Ota Dokan in the 1490s when he built Edo Castle — Koshin towers and power stones preserve the historic landscape of the old Tokaido and Shinagawa post town
›
K
8. Koto Tenzo Shrine
A 700-year-old guardian shrine founded in 1322 with a branch deity of Ise Grand Shrine — the chikara-ishi strength stones record Edo's strongman culture
›
O
9. Okegawa Inari Shrine
An Inari shrine dating to around 1700 — vermilion torii gates and fox guardians line the precinct where merchants and farmers of Okegawa pray for prosperity
›
I
10. Io-ji Temple
Io-ji is a temple in Shirahata…
›
K
11. Kushida Jinja
Hakata's chief guardian shrine, home to the thousand-year Gion Yamakasa festival
›
Pilgrimage Course
Tokyo Ten Shrines Pilgrimage
Visit 10 sites
›
Pilgrimage Course
Tokyo Shitamachi Seven Lucky Gods
Visit 7 sites
›
Related Articles
E
共通のスポット
Ema: A Thousand Years of Votive Tablets — Origins and History
The countless small wooden tablets swaying at a shrine's ema rack carry prayers in brushwork — exam
›
T
共通のスポット
The Lineage of Tenmangu Shrines: Michizane Sugawara's Deification and Faith Across 12,000 Shrines
An examination of the origins and spread of Tenjin faith across Japan's approximately 12,000 Tenmang
›
T
共通のスポット
Tokyo's Tenmangu Shrines for Academic Achievement: Lineage and the Right Mindset for Worship
An examination of Tokyo's principal Tenmangu shrines, tracing their connection to the Tenjin faith's
›
I C H I G O I C H I E
📱
Explore pilgrimage with the app
Download on the App Store
✕