鬼之舌震, Canyon in Okuizumo, Japan
Oni no Shitaburu is a V-shaped canyon carved by the Nita River into biotite granite rock in the Okuizumo area of Japan. The walls drop steeply on both sides, and the riverbed below is filled with large rounded boulders shaped by centuries of flowing water.
The canyon is connected to a story that has been passed down in the region for many generations, involving Princess Tamahi and a sea creature that followed her inland. That legend gave the valley its name and has shaped how the place has been known ever since.
The name of the valley comes from an old legend involving a sea creature that fell in love with Princess Tamahi, and locals have long seen these rocks as connected to that story. Small signs along the path retell the legend, making it easy for visitors to follow the tale as they walk through.
A walking path runs through the canyon and can be done at a relaxed pace in a couple of hours, with a suspension bridge along the way offering views down into the gorge. Winter snow can make conditions harder, so visiting in spring, summer, or fall tends to be easier.
The name Oni no Shitaburu is thought to be a changed form of an older word that meant something closer to longing or waiting, referring to the feeling of the sea creature in the old story. Over time that word shifted into one meaning demon tongue, which is what the name is now understood to say.
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