Why Did Someone Tie Up That Rock?

Wandering around the Denpo-in garden the other day, I spied this rock. Why did it have twine tied around it like that?

It’s a biter, so it needs a muzzle?

Ancient zen bondage exercise?

A gift that got left out in the rain?

Nope, nope, and nope. According to my Japanese friend, it’s the old way of saying Do Not Enter! It was sitting in front of a teahouse that looked so inviting, I was tempted to plead ignorance, but the little bar they put up behind it was close enough to something people are familiar with all over the world, I knew I’d get caught.

Here it is, in front of the teahouse. If they’d only put up the little bar behind it, people might interpret it as some sort of mini-fence-like decoration and think it was okay to go into the teahouse. Apparently, it’s the rock that sends the message loud and clear.