National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

The Shumisen (a great mountain that, according to ancient Indian cosmology, stands at the center of the world) and sekijin (literally stone man) were excavated from the Ishigami Ruins in Asuka in 1902 and 1903. They are built in such a way as to allow water to come out of the foot of Shumisen and the mouths of male and female sekijin. It seems that they were placed in a garden to please the eyes of visitors.