Himekawa Yakuseki (Niigata Prefecture) [Famous Japanese Stones]

HIMEKAWA YAKUSEKI

Himekawa Medicinal Stone

It is a type of igneous rock quarried on the coast of Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture, and has a long history of use in medical treatment, having long been known as "tiger stone" in traditional Chinese medicine.
There is a local legend that if you are feeling unwell, holding Himekawa Yakuseki will help you.
Because it contains trace amounts of radioactive elements such as radium and thorium, it produces radioactive noble gases such as radon and thoron.
It is expected to have a hormesis effect (an adaptive response that brings about resistance to certain substances), leading to improved immunity.

This is a type of igneous rock which is quarried on the coast of Itoigawa City in Niigata Prefecture. In Chinese medicine, this stone is called “Tiger Stone” and has been used in medical treatments since ancient times. There is a legend among the local people that is said if you hold this stone when you are feeling sick, you can get well. Since Himekawa Yakuseki contains radioactive elements such as tiny amount of radium and thorium, it generates radioactive gases such as radon and thoron. It is believed that the stone can induce Hormesis effects (an adaptive response that allows the creation of resistance to specific substances), leading to improved immunity to various ailments.