The Sad State of the Goto Goto Stone Wished Upon by Exam Takers After Malicious University Prank

Oh, the stone isn’t moving anymore!

An anomaly was discovered in November ’22 at the giant rock ‘Gotogoto Stone’ (located in Kochi City, Tosayama), popular as a power spot. The discovery was triggered by tourists reporting to the city.

The ‘Gotogoto Stone’ is approximately 2 meters in diameter and weighs several tons. When pushed, it used to make a ‘gotogoto’ sound and move, and many exam-taking students visited it for good luck, as it seemed poised to fall off the cliff behind but never did. However, one day, it stopped moving altogether.

“Jack stands typically used for cars were found abandoned at the scene, leading 500 local residents to file a criminal complaint, suspecting malicious mischief. Following an investigation, the Kochi District Public Prosecutor’s Office summarily prosecuted six male and female university students in their 20s from Kanto for property damage. Last year, the Kochi Summary Court issued summary fines of 200,000 yen each to the six individuals.

The students, who had traveled from Tokyo by rental car to the site, attempted to push the ‘Gotogoto Stone’ off the cliff using their hands and tools but eventually gave up. The stone shifted slightly and collided with the rock on the right side, causing it to stop making its characteristic ‘gotogoto’ sound.” (Local source)

“There has been no contact or apology yet.”

In April of this year, about a year and a half after the uproar, a journalist visiting the site witnessed the sad state of the ‘Gotogoto Stone.’ They tried to push the stone but it didn’t budge an inch. With it in this state, it’s unlikely anyone will visit expecting blessings. What will happen to the stone that no longer ‘gotogoto’s? The local district head, entrusted with its management by the Nita Shrine that owns it, speaks out.

“For me, I want it restored quickly, and thankfully, there have been offers of assistance with the work. We are now at a stage where we need to decide what to do, so I’m compiling the opinions of the residents.”

However, there are problems. The road leading to the site is a narrow mountain path, making it difficult for large construction equipment to access. Even if a crane were used to return the stone to its original position, will the delicately balanced stone truly revert to its former state? And who will bear the essential costs?

“I am considering asking the students responsible for causing this situation to bear the costs of returning the stone. However, there has been no contact or apology from them whatsoever, and we have no idea what they are thinking. The ‘Gotogoto Stone’ is a precious tourist resource for this area. Considering there are exam-taking students who wish to pray there, I want to restore it as soon as possible. We will proceed, including discussing costs, with the advice of a lawyer.” (Same source)

For the students, it might have been a small prank. However, considering the feelings of the local people who cherish the ‘Gotogoto Stone,’ it’s understandable why this is seen as an extremely malicious prank. First and foremost, they need to apologize and show genuine remorse.