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.