During Japan's rapid modernization in the Meiji era, train drivers across the country reported eerie encounters with phantom steam engines known as Nise-kisha. According to local legend, one such apparition in Tokyo vanished with a fateful thud, revealing not a supernatural engine, but a mischievous tanuki attempting to mimic the new technology. A compassionate priest erected this unique stone marker, the Mujinazuka or 'badger tomb,' to comfort the spirit of the fallen trickster. Today, folklore enthusiasts can seek out this quiet monument as a fascinating bridge between classic Japanese yokai legends and modern industrial history.
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