Showing posts with label - - Z - - Shrine - - -. Show all posts
Showing posts with label - - Z - - Shrine - - -. Show all posts

02/01/2017

komainu guardian dogs and lions

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
. Shinto Shrines (jinja 神社) - Introduction .
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komainu, koma-inu 狛犬 / 高麗犬 / 胡麻犬 "Korean Dog"
karajishi 唐獅子 "Chinese Lion"
foo dogs, fóshī 佛獅 Foshi




source : askideas.com/22-best-foo-dog-tattoo

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They come in a pair, one with its mouth open, agyoo 阿形;
and one with its mouth closed, ungyoo 吽形, thus representing the beginning (alpha) and end (omega) of all things.
Often a female one has one horn and the male one two.

. Komainu Daijin 狛犬大神 the Komainu Deity .
at 大和神社 Oyamato Shrine, Tenri, Nara

. koma... 狛 other Shrine guardian animals .

. Shiisa シーサー Lion Dogs from Okinawa.

. Kappa komainu カッパ狛犬 / 河童狛犬 Kappa as Komainu .



source : facebook
Tokyo Asakusa Sanja Jinja 浅草『三社神社』 

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- quote -
komainu 狛犬 Lit. Korean dog.
A pair of lion-like guardian figures placed at each side of a shrine or temple entrance; believed to ward off evil spirits.
Thought to have been brought to Japan from China via Korea, their name is derived from Koma 高麗, the Japanese term for the Korean kingdom of Koguryo (Jp: Koukuri 高句麗). In the early Heian period, the two statues were clearly distinguished: the figure on the left, called shishi 獅子 (lion), resembled a lion with its mouth open agyou 阿形; the figure on the right, called komainu 狛犬 (Korean dog), resembled a dog with its mouth closed ungyou 吽形, and sometimes had a horn on its head.

- - - - - Ujigami Jinja Honden 宇治上神社本殿 (Kyoto)

Gradually
the term komainu came to be used for both statues, and their shapes became indistinguishable except for the open and closed mouths a-un 阿吽. In the Heian period komainu were used as weights or door-stops for curtains and screens in the Seiryoden 清涼殿, Kyoto Gosho 京都御所.
Other famous examples include a pair of painted wooden komainu (10-11c) at Yakushiji 薬師寺, Nara;
14 painted and lacquered wooden figures at Itsukushima Jinja 厳島神社 (12-14c) Hiroshima prefecture, and
the stone figures inside the south gate of Todaiji 東大寺, Nara, made by the 12c Chinese sculptor Chinnakei 陳和卿.
- source : JAANUS -

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Literally, "Korean lions," paired figures of lion tutelaries found at the entryway to shrine buildings, or alongside their torii or approachways.
Also written 高麗犬 or 胡麻犬.

Most are made of stone,
although bronze, iron, wood, and ceramic examples can also be found. The paired figures are typically male and female, and in some cases one of the two has horns. In generally, the pairs include one with an open mouth and one with mouth closed, the so-called a-un posture symbolizing the "alpha" and "omega" of the Sanskrit alphabet. In some pairs, however, both are depicted with open mouths. The origin of such tutelary beasts is said to go back to Egypt or India, but the ones transmitted to Japan originated during China's Tang dynasty.

Another style was introduced to Japan from Song China during the Kamakura period, and this style is frequently referred to as kara jishi (Chinese lions). The word "Koma" is an ancient term for the Korean peninsula, but since the images were merely transmitted through the Korean peninsula, it may be that the term Koma inu was merely used to indicate their "foreign" nature.
As tutelaries, the animals are believed to symbolize the eradication of evil and the protection of the area around the kami.
- source : Nakayama Kaoru - Kokugakuin -

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Join the Komainu Gallery on facebook for regular updates !

- - - - - Information by Hayato Tokugawa

FOO DOGS Part I
In the West they are often called “Foo Dogs”;
however, they are not dogs, they’re lions! It’s a rather lazy Western contraction of the Chinese words
fóshī (佛獅, Buddha’s or Buddhist lion) or fúshī (福獅, fortuitous lion), although they have many other names in China such as “Auspicious lion” or “guardian lions,”
but most simply they are traditionally known in China as Shi (獅, shī) or “lion.”

Statues of these lions have stood guard over Chinese Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, government offices, temples, as well as the homes of government officials and wealthy families, ever since the Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD) and are honored as having powerful, mythic protective powers. It is not uncommon to see such lions used also as decorative or symbolic motifs in art, not to mention at the entrances to hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and other buildings — even parks — one sitting at each side of an entrance. Ah, but they are not just common in China, but also in Japan, Okinawa and as far away as my other home of San Francisco. Indeed, wherever Chinese people have migrated, or Chinese culture has exerted its influence, one is likely to encounter fóshī.
- source : Hayato Tokugawa -

FOO DOGS Part II
Everything you wanted to know about Komainu, foshi, or "foo dogs".
Guardian lions in China are most often set in pairs, consisting of a male lion and a female lion, a representation of yin and yang (the male is yang, the female is yin.) The male rests his paw on an embroidered ball (绣球, xiù qiú), representing supremacy over the world; and the female often has her paw, the one closest to the male, resting (more than likely actually restraining) a cub: a representation of the cycle of life. Tradition says that the female protects those inside the building or place they guard while the male guards the structure or place itself. While the form of the lions was originally quite varied, it has over the centuries become formalized, particularly during the Ming and then the Qing dynasties, into the form we are most familiar with now.

Frequently one is likely to also see pairs of fóshī with the female’s mouth closed and the male’s open — said to be symbolic of the utterance of the sacred word “om.” Other styles of fóshī may have both male and female with opened mouths, each containing a single, large pearl. In the case of many such pairs, the pearl is frequently completely carved so that it is free to roll about in the lion’s mouth, but large enough that it cannot be removed.



Unlike the “guardian lions” one might see in front of a government or public building for example in the UK or in the United States, which are created to give a somewhat lifelike appearance of the animal, Chinese fóshī are carved with the intent of portraying the emotion of the lion as well as its symbolism. In the Chinese lions, the claws, teeth, and eyes represent power while it is rare that musculature is depicted at all; whereas in the English lion, it is its quite stylized with distinct musculature to portray its power.

Correct placement of the fóshī is essential as dictated by the principles of feng shui, ensuring that their beneficial effects are maximized. When, for example, standing in the doorway of a building looking out toward a street, or square, the same direction that the lions gaze at, the male is to be placed on the left and the female on the right; thus, when walking into a building or other place guarded by the lions, the male will be on the right and the female on the left.

One often hears, “But lions only exist in Africa!” Truth be told, Asiatic lions were once quite common in Southwest and Central Asia as well; and with the increase in trade, particularly during the Han dynasty, along the Silk Road, the depiction of lions, as well as their pelts, and even caged animals were introduced into China. Various ambassadors to China from the then “West” are known to have given gifts of live lions as tribute.
- source : Hayato Tokugawa -


FOO DOGS Part III - Japan
In Japan, one is likely to find a myriad of fóshī, only there they are commonly referred to as komainu (狛犬・胡麻犬) and are likely to be found at Shintō shrines, either guarding the entrance or even inside the shrine itself.


(Photographs by Tajimi Jones, also known as Aoi Tokugawa.)

In Japan, one is likely to find a myriad of fóshī, only there they are commonly referred to as komainu (狛犬・胡麻犬) and are likely to be found at Shintō shrines, either guarding the entrance or even inside the shrine itself. And despite the forced attempt to separate Buddhism from Shintō during Meiji, even the denigration of Buddhism at the time, komainu can also be found at Buddhist temples. Try as it might, the government just never quite managed to separate the two. There are two common forms, the jinnai komainu (陣内狛犬) or shrine inside komainu, which is the older of the two forms, and the sandō komainu (参道狛犬) or the “visiting road komainu) which took shape during the Edo period.

The pair of lions are typically identical to each other except that one has an open mouth while the other’s is closed. Tradition holds that the open mouth is pronouncing the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, “a,” while the closed mouth is speaking the last letter, “um,” — a representation of the beginning and end of all things. Combined, they form the sound “Aum,” sacred in both Hinduism and Buddhism. That’s not to say that there are not exceptions to this “rule.”
Komainu were “exported” from China to Korea, Japan, and Okinawa; and in Japan proper, they seem to have made their first appearance during the Nara period (710 – 794). They were used exclusively indoors until the 14th century and were then generally made of wood. During the following Heian period (794 – 1185), Komainu were frequently made of metal or stone in addition to wood, and were used as paper weights and doorstops among other things. In the Imperial Palace komainu were frequently used to support fusuma (襖).

It was also during the Heian (the 9th century) that the statues took on their “mouth open - mouth shut” forms we are most familiar with. The lion with the open mouth was called shishi (獅子, lion), while the other, with its mouth closed was called komainu or “koguryo dog” because it looked like…a dog — a chow chow, or a Japanese chin, or a Pekinese! Eventually they were both simply referred to as komainu.

The 14th century saw stone or metal “lion-dogs” moved outdoors in order to utilize its power to ward off evil as the guardians of gates and doors. This applied not just to public or private buildings, but to shrines and temples as well. During the Edo period, komainu were replaced or “assisted” by other creatures such as tigers, dragons and even foxes (Inari shrines) but I have yet to encounter a tanuki as a komainu.

Shinto is very important in the Tajimi area (the regions of Gifu-ken and Aichi-ken) like most of rural Japan. You will find more shrines than you could possibly imagine and just as many (times 2) komainu. These are all made by local craftsmen (first stone cutters, the rest by sculptors and ceramic artists). It could easily take years to visit all the shrines - a pilgrimage in itself.
- source : Hayato Tokugawa -

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A Korean komainu or haechi (age unknown).


We know that lions appeared in Indian temple art and, as early as the third century, showed up in the art of Chinese Buddhism; a symbol of protection of the dharma (the teachings of Buddha). Apparently as time progressed, it was determined that what was good for the Buddha must then also be good for the Emperor; thus, the lions became protectors of the gates and doors of imperial buildings and compounds. Now, the Chinese word for lion is shi 獅 or shishi 獅子; however, another creature that appeared in China at about the same time called the xiezhi, and at some point in time, between the third and seventh centuries, pairs of stone xiezhi made their way to Korea, where the name was pronounced haetae or haechi. The haechi appears very lion-like, but often has a scaly body, a small horn on its head, and sometimes small wings.

By the Nara period (710-794), lion guardians had journeyed to Japan, typically made of wood and intended for indoor use. By the ninth century, the pair came to consist of an open-mouthed lion (shishi 獅子) and one close-mouthed, horn-bearing, dog-like komainu (Korean dog. By the fourteenth century the horn disappeared, (although it does show up from time to time) and both animals of the pair came to be known as komainu, largely carved from stone and used out of doors.
- source : Hayato Tokugawa -


- quote -
Pìxiū 貔貅, which is pronounced Hikyū in Japan.
Also known in Chinese as Bìxié 避邪 or Tiān Lù 天禄. Also known in Japanese as Hekija 辟邪 or Tenroku 天禄.
A composite beast of ancient origin, mostly forgotten in Japan, but still popular today in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. The mythological dragon-headed, lion-bodied Pìxiū 貔貅 (also spelled 豼貅) were traditionally depicted in China as a male-female pair, one with a single horn (male, Pì 貔) and the other with two horns (female, Xiū 貅), but in modern times they each commonly appear with only one horn. In ancient China, statues of the two guarded the entrance to the tomb, as they are thought to ward off evil and protect wealth.
In old China, the beasts were also commonly portrayed with hoofs, wings, and tails, and supposedly appeared on the banners of the emperor’s chariots (兵車に立てた旗). In Japan, the Hikyū are largely ignored, having been supplanted by the Koma-inu (magical lion dogs) and Shishi (magical lions), who traditionally stand guard outside the gates of Japanese Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. In Japan, effigies of Shishi lions are also commonly used as architectural elements, placed under the eaves of both Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples to ward off evil spirits.
Let us recall that, in China, the Pìxiū also serve this role, and in olden times were commonly displayed on the roof corners of the homes of the emperor and gentry.
- continue reading
- source : Mark Schumacher -


And please check the main page of Mark Schumacher about Komainu


CLICK for more photos !

SHISHI LIONS - SHRINE & TEMPLE GUARDIANS
WITH MAGICAL POWERS TO REPEL EVIL
Jp. = Shishi 獅子 or Kara Shishi 唐獅子, Chn. = Shíshī
Also known as Koma-inu 狛犬 (lion dog) in Japan
- source : Mark Schumacher -

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. - - - - - Komainu Glossary - 用語集 - - - - - .

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- reference : facebook - 狛犬さがし隊 -

- 狛犬とは何か? 100万人の狛犬講座 -

- 分類 different typs of komainu -

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狛犬覚醒
- - reference source : 平井靖久 facebook -


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Two statues by master sculptor 運慶 Unkei (? - 1223)






- look at more Komainu photos at the shrine 地主神社 Jinushi Jinja :
- reference source : jishujinja.or.jp/kigan -

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- Reference : 狛犬
- Reference : komainu



狛犬切手 Komainu Stamp - from 香取神宮 Katori Jingu
編集長の狛犬日記 - very informative !
- reference source : www15.plala.or.jp/timebox/top/08nikki -


. Shrine, Shinto Shrine (jinja 神社) - Introduction .

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

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- - - - -  H A I K U  - - - - -



in the limelight
for two seconds -
photographer's luck!


. Shrine Ichi no Miya, Wadakita, Ohaga .
Gabi Greve at 和田北 一宮神社, my local shrine

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狛犬の片足折れぬ神の留守
komainu no ashi orenu kami no rusu

正岡子規 Masaoka Shiki

山法師狛犬古りし結願寺 我部敬子
市神の狛犬に角木下闇 田中英子
春の狛犬にさはりたがりしかな 夏井いつき
柿の浮力狛犬いちにち足そろふ 磯貝碧蹄館

狛犬にそびらの虚空のぞかるる 林田紀音夫
狛犬にテント結はへしラムネ売り 森重夫(万象)
狛犬に乳房が六つ山眠る 仙 とよえ
狛犬に木三本づつの雪囲ひ 川崎展宏
狛犬に犬を預けて盆踊 平上昌子

狛犬の仔は石気取り松の花 加藤あきと
狛犬の光る眼と合ひ初不動 室田東洋女
狛犬の口に溜まりし寒の雨 岡田久慧
狛犬の口の中なる蝉の殻 國守セツ
狛犬の口の奥まで残暑かな 渡辺初雄
狛犬の口より出でし石竜かな 巌谷小波
狛犬の台座もろとも苔の花 小野寺順子
狛犬の吽の口あく木下闇 友塚紀美恵
狛犬の渦のたてがみ青あらし 清水 白郎
狛犬の爪に立てかけ青写真 武田無涯子
狛犬の玉を踏みたる薄暑光 長谷川久々子
狛犬の相寄らぬまゝ冬の暮 川崎展宏
狛犬の走つてゆけり青嵐 小島健 木の実
狛犬の金歯赫々木下闇 河野静雲 閻魔
狛犬の金目うつろや神無月 仲澤輝子
狛犬の阿の口子蜘蛛出るわ出るわ 松山足羽
狛犬の阿吽を抜ける西東忌 森田智子
狛犬の頭に苔知恵の文殊堂 八木三日女
狛犬の首に真青な注連飾 藤本安騎生

狛犬は網かぶせられゐて灼くる 頼経嘉子
狛犬もよそよそしかりみな猛暑 丸山佳子
狛犬も邪鬼と睦むや雪囲して 文挟夫佐恵
狛犬や碓氷の神のしぐれける 川崎展宏
狛犬を葭簀の中に年の市 青邨

狼の眼の狛犬や山始 鳥居雨路子
秋風や狛犬白き美保神社 板谷芳浄
金襴を纒ふ狛犬初戎 野村浩之

- reference source : cgi-bin/HAIKUreikuDB -

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. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .

In 1854, during a fire at the palace, the 獅子狛犬 Lions Dogs from the 清涼殿 Seiryoden Palace were brought to the home of the honorable 一条家 Ichijo Family for safekeeping by a high-ranking official working at the Seiryoden. Later they tried to find this man, but were told such an official does not exist. They said it must have been the spirit of the Komainu.


source : 15.plala.or.jp/timebox/top/05komamori/75/seiryoden

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. Aichi 愛知県

. 薬師様と狛犬 The Origin of Yakushi Nyorai and Komainu .


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. Gifu 岐阜県

At 白川村 Shirakawa village there was a wolf who had eaten the bones of a human and they gut stuck in his throat. The villagers helped him when they found him sitting and suffering in the compound of 八幡様 Hachiman Shrine. And the Deity promised to help the villagers from now on. So they changed the Komainu at the shrine and installed statues of wolves.


- and found by chance, two Komainu from Gifu, Hida


和良村の歴史資料官に
source : hidasaihakken.hida-ch.com


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. Iwate 岩手県

The authorities of 胆沢 Isawa ordered the Komainu in the park to be burried in the ground.
But after that, a lot of strange bad things happened in the village, as a curse of the Komainu.


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. Okayama 岡山県

. Kibitsu Komainu 吉備津狛犬 from the shrine Kibitsu Hiko Jinja 吉備津彦神社 .


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. Yamanashi 山梨県

Once the八幡さんの獅子 Lion Dogs from Hachiman Shrine were stolen.
But the home of the thief was soon befallen with diseases, fire and other disasters. So they all pledged to bring the Komainu back to the shrine and tried to pull them along with a horse. But the horse could not move, they were too heavy.
Then a man took one on his back - and what do you say - it was so light, he could carry it with no problem.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- #komainu #guardiandog #foodog -
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01/01/2017

- Backup Shrines in Edo Tokyo



. Pilgrimages in Edo - Tokyo .

Backup Marlch  2017


















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Tokyo Shitamachi Pilgrimage

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
. Pilgrimages in Edo - Tokyo - Introduction .
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東京下町八社巡り Pilgrimage to 8 Shrines in Shitamachi

This pilgrimage has started in 1981.
There is a deity in each Shinto Shrine for a special purpose and wish.




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Shitamachi Tokyo old town
Shitamachi literally means "downtown" and is the place to experience a taste of the old town Tokyo atmosphere that existed before the economic miracle of the 1970's and 80's really took hold. The most famous district of Shitamachi is Asakusa. At its heart you find Senso-ji Temple, best known for the giant red lantern situated at the entrance. This is a great place to start any exploration of Tokyo.
- source : insidejapantours.com/experience-japan -




The pilgrimage is also called
Shitamachi Hachi Fukujin 下町八福神 Eight Shinto Deities of Good Luck in Shitamachi Shrines


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amulets for all purposes at the Tori no Ichi Market.

. 酉の市 Tori no Ichi Markets in Edo .


shoobai hanjoo 商売繁盛 Good business

Ootori Jinja 鷲神社 Otori Jinja
台東区千束3-18-7 -- 3 Chome-18-7 Senzoku, Taitō ward

----- Deities in residence :
天日鷲命 Amenohiwashi no Mikoto, Ame no Hiwashi
日本武尊 Yamato Takeru no Mikoto




kakkome かっこめ Kakkome rake
kakkome is a pun with un o kakikomu 運をかき込む, to rake in good fortune
It contains the rake for farmers, a written amulet and an ear of rice, with the wish for a good harvest in the coming year. It is also good for business and a happy family.

- reference : hachifukujin829/ootori1 -


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縁結び Finding a partner

. 今戸神社 Imado Jinja .
台東区今戸1-5-22 -- 1 Chome-5-22 Imado, Taitō ward

----- Deities in residence :
伊弉諾尊 Izanagi no Mikoto // 伊弉冉尊 Izanami no Mikoto
應神天皇 Oojin Tenno


Famous for the story of the manekineko 招き猫 "Beckoning Cat"



- reference : hachifukujin829/imado1 -

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健康長寿 Long and healthy life

第六天榊神社 Dairokuten Sakaki Jinja
台東区蔵前1-4-3 -- 1 Chome-4-3 Kuramae, Taitō wear

----- Deities in residence :
天神第六代坐榊皇大御神
Amatsukami Mutsu no Miyo ni ataritamau Sakaki no Sume Oomikami
面足尊 Omodaru no Mikoto
惶根尊 Kashikone no Mikoto


- reference : hachifukujin829/sakaki1 -



The temple used to be called 第六天神宮 Dairokuten Jingu, and was renamed in 1873 to 榊神社 Sakaki Jinja.

. Dairokuten Ma-O 第六天魔王 .


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円満和合 Happy couple

下谷神社 Shitaya Jinja
台東区東上野3-29-8 -- 3 Chome-29-8 Higashiueno, Taitō ward

----- Deities in residence :
大年神 Ootoshi no Kami
日本武尊 Yamato Takeru no Mikoto



- reference : hachifukujin829/sitaya1 -

The Deity of Fertility in enshrined here. The Shrine was founded in 730 in Ueno park, and moved to another place in 1672. The final location to Higashi Ueno was done in 1703. The main event is the Grand Annual Festival, Reitaisai.



- further reference -

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学問芸能 Learning and progress in the arts

. Onoterusaki jinja 小野照崎神社 .
台東区下谷2-13-14 -- 2 Chome-13-14 Shitaya, Taitō ward

----- Deities in residence :
小野篁命 Ono no Takamura
菅原道真命 Sugawara Michizane




- reference : hachifukujin829/onoteru1 -

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安産子授け Getting pregnant and easy birth

. Suitengu 水天宮 Shrine for the Water God .
中央区日本橋蛎殻町2-4-1 -- 2 Chome-4-1 Nihonbashi Kakigarachō, Chūō ward

----- Deities in residence :
天御中主大神 Ame no Minakanushi no Ookami
安徳天皇 Antoku Tenno and his mother, 建礼門院 Kenreimon-In
二位ノ尼 Nii no Ama - Taira no Tokiko (1126 - 1185)




- reference : hachifukujin829/suitengu1 -

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強運厄除け Avoiding disaster

小網神社 Koami Jinja
中央区日本橋小網町16-23 -- 16-23 Nihonbashi Koamichō, Chūō ward

----- Deities in residence :
倉稲魂命 Ukanomitama no Mikoto (Uganomitama) / 稲荷大神 Inari Ookami
市杵島姫命 Ichikishima Hime no Mikoto / 辨財天 Benzaiten




- reference : hachifukujin829/koami1 -

- quote -
- History -
A long time ago, the monk 恵心僧都 源信 Eshin Sozu Genshin Eshin Sōzu Genshin lived here in a hermitage, worshipping the Buddhist goddesses Kannon and Benzaiten. It is not known, when exactly the hermitage was built, but it is assumed that the monk lived here about 1000 years ago.
As a plague spread here in 1466, an old net-weaver came here and brought rice-ears that entangled in one of his nets as offering and decided to stay for a few days. Then, one night, Eshin Sōzu appeared to the abbot of temple in a dream and told him, that this old man in fact was the god Inari and that the plague could be taken away if they worshipped him adequately.
The next day, the old man was gone. However, the abbot remembered the advice and prayed to the god – which he now called Koami Inari Daimyōjin (Inari of the small net) – day and night. After a little while the plague was gone and the people could live in peace again. The overlord the region, Ōta no Dōkan, also heard of this miracle and donated a part of his fiefdom to shrine. At the end of the 16th Century then, the area around the shrine was also named Koami and the shrine itself was beginning to be worshipped as a tutelary god.
In the Meiji-period (1868-1912) the state pursued a separation of Shinto and Buddhism, which both had moulded into a syncretic belief during the prior one-thousand years, and so the Koami Inari Shrine was officially registered as a shinto village shrine. The building as we can see it today was built in the 1920ies under the direction of Naitō Komasaburō, who also assisted the building of the Meiji-Shrine. Spared from the destruction of World War II, the shrine nowadays is the only wooden building made out of cypress wood in Nihonbashi. The wooden carvings of two dragons (one ascending, the other one descending) on the porch roof of the main hall symbolize luck and the shrine – now simply called Koami Shrine – stays an important cultural heritage, as which it is registered in the Chūō-district.
- The goddess of luck -
Having been spared from destruction and continuously being linked to health and safety the goddess of the shrine is seen as a god of luck. For instance, all the sons of the families who lived in the shrine, returned home safely from World War II. The shrine also survived the numerous bombings of Tokyo in 1945 and did not – like so many others did unfortunately – burn down completely. However, the building was destroyed once during the Great Kantō Earthquake in 1923, although the abbot of the shrine was able to secure most parts of the sanctuary by bringing them to Shin-ohashi. It is also said, that those people who sought shelter there, have survived the aftermath of the earthquake.
Today a memorial stone reminds us of this episode with an inscription saying:
„Praying to the sanctuary of the Koami Shrine, we seek the goddesses’ protection!“
- The History of the goddess Benzaiten -
At First the goddess Benzaiten was honoured in the Manpukuji temple. Then, as the Meiji-government sought to separate Buddhism from Shintoism and installed the latter as a state religion, the Buddhist temple was destroyed and the goddess Benzaiten was transferred to this shrine in 1869. The image here shows the goddess Benzaiten sitting in a boat.
Every year on October 28th a festivity is celebrated in honour of the goddess, where the sacrificial offerings, which are piled up in front of the altar, later on are raffled to the visitors.
Besides that, there is also a small well (named Zeni-arai-no-i), whose water is said to have the power to multiply the money that is washed with its water.
- Important annual festivities and rituals -
- Doburoku Festival -
- Mimizuku-Charms -



- Pilgrimages -
Every year there are pilgrimages to the eight surrounding shrines in Tokyo-Shitamachi and
the temples and shrines of the seven gods of luck in Nihonbashi from January 1th to 7th.
In our shrine we worship the gods Fukurokuju and Benzaiten, which are said to ward of the evil and shape our fate positively. On this occasion we sell popular images of the gods of luck, as well as charms in the form of miniature ships.
- source and photos : koamijinja.or.jp/international -

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交通安全 Traffic safety

住吉神社 Sumiyoshi Jinja
中央区佃1-1-14 -- 1 Chome-1-14 Tsukuda, Chūō ward

----- Deities in residence :
底筒之男命 Sokozutsu no O no Mikoto
中筒之男命 Nakazutsu no O no Mikoto
表筒之男命 Uwazutsu no O no Mikoto
息長足姫命 Okinagatarashi Hime no Mikoto .
徳川家康 Tokugawa Ieyasu


- reference : hachifukujin829/sumiyosi1 -



. Sumiyoshi Shrines of Japan 住吉神社 .
Sumiyoshi Sanjin 住吉三神 Three Deities of Sumiyoshi


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At the end of the pilgrimage, you get a board with eight stamps.





- HP of the Pilgrimage
下町八社会公式ホームページ
- reference source : geocities.jp/hachifukujin829 -


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. Shichifukujin 七福神 Seven Gods of Good Luck .
- venerated in Buddhist Temples
Benten 弁天
Bishamonten 毘沙門天
Daikoku 大黒
Ebisu 恵比寿
Fukurokujuu 福禄寿
Hotei 布袋
Juroojin 寿老人



. - - - - - . kami 神 Shinto deities - LIST . - - - - - .

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. Join the MINGEI group on facebook ! .  



. Regional Folk Toys from Japan .

. Japan - Shrines and Temples .


. Tohoku after the BIG earthquake March 11, 2011

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- - - #tokyoshitamachipilgrimage #tokyoshitamachi #shitamachipilgrims #shishifukujin - - - - -
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24/11/2016

Namura Jinja Shiga

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. Shinto Shrine (jinja 神社) - Introduction .
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Namura Jinja 苗村神社 Namura Shrine, Shiga


滋賀県蒲生郡竜王町大字綾戸467 / 467 Ayado, Ryuo-cho, Gamo-gun, Shiga

- quote
Namura Shrine in Ayado in Ryuo Town, Shiga Prefecture, is a historic shrine and a treasure trove of cultural properties since most of the structures of the shrine are nationally designated as either a National Treasure (NT) or an Important Cultural Property (ICP). The origin of the shrine is not clear, but, as many Kofun (ancient Imperial tombs) have been discovered in the area, it is considered that this shrine was originally founded to enshrine the spirits of ancestors.

The Romon gate (ICP) has the impressively huge thatched roof.
The wooden statue of Fudo Myoo (ICP) is enshrined in the Fudo Hall in the precinct, which is the reminder of Shinbutsu Shugo (the fusion of Shinto and Buddhism) practiced until the end of the Edo period (1868).

The main hall, Nishi-Honden (NT), was constructed in 969 to enshrine the deity Kunisazuchi no Mikoto, who had resided in Mt. Kongo in Yoshino in Yamato province (present-day Nara Prefecture). The old shrine located on the opposite side of the road is the east shrine, Higashi Honden (ICP), which enshrines Okuninushi no Mikoto and Susanoo no Mikoto.

Namura Shrine is the head shrine of all the branch shrines in 33 adjacent villages; hereby the Grand Autumn Festival is held once every 33 years.
- source : Nippon Kichi

- - - - - Deities in residence - - - - -
那牟羅彦神 Husband : Namurahiko no Kami
那牟羅姫神 Wife : Namurahime no Kami
- A couple to protect the family.

国狭槌命 Kunisazuchi no Mikoto(西本殿)
大国主命 Okuninushi no Mikoto (東本殿)
素盞嗚尊 Susanoo no Mikoto(東本殿)


- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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shuin 朱印 stamp



- - - - - HP of the Shrine
- source : rmc.ne.jp/dragon-kanko -


- quote -
The large, holy forest in the center of the town is the location of the Namura-jinja Shrine, a National Treasure.
Much of the shrine is designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties. During the New Year's Eve celebrations free amazake, a sweet drink made with fermented rice, is given to all worshippers through to the morning of the New Year, and the shrine always experiences a throng of visitors.
- source : en.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail -

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A statue of Fudo Myo-O from the Kamakura period. About 96 cm high.

着衣には緑青、白、朱など華やかな色彩が残る。不動明王の特徴である怒りの表情を表現し、顔を左に向け、左肩を前方に出して上半身を捻らせ、左腕を後ろに引いて腰のあたりで宝剣を握り、左足を開いて岩座に立つ動的な姿に特徴がある。平安時代後期から鎌倉時代初期の作と考えられる.
- reference source : biwako-visitors.jp/shinbutsuimasu -


. Fudō Myō-ō, Fudoo Myoo-Oo 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O
Acala Vidyârâja – Vidyaraja – Fudo Myoo .


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- Reference : 苗村神社
- Reference : namura shrine shiga


. Shrine, Shinto Shrine (jinja 神社) - Introduction .

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

- #namuraayadoshiga #namurajinja -
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01/02/2016

Hikosan Shrines Fukuoka

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. Shinto Shrine (jinja 神社) - Introduction .
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Hikosan  英彦山 / 彦山 Hikosan Shrines, Fukuoka and Oita
大分県中津市 / 福岡県田川郡添田町 Soeda-Machi, Tagawa-gun, Fukuoka

There are three peaks, Minami-dake (Southern Peak) 南岳 (1,200m), Naka-dake (Middle Peak) 中岳 (1,188m) Kita-Dake 北岳 (Northern Peak) (1,192m) and various Shrines on the way.
There are three torii gates as the stone steps go up the uppermost shrine on the mountain.

Hikosan Jingu 英彦山神宮 - 奉幣殿 Hohei-Den at about 720 meters high.
The main deity of the mountain is Hikosan Gongen 彦山権現 - (see below) - .

And the shrine at the top - 英彦山神宮上津宮


source : wikipedia

On the way up the long stone stairway there are various torii 鳥居 Shrine gates to pass, each leading to a different, deeper realm of the sacred mountain.

kane no torii 銅鳥居 The Great Bronze Gate at the entrance is about 7 meters high. It has been an offering by the lord of Shiga Domain, 鍋島勝茂 Nabeshima Katsushige (1580 - 1676).

ni no torii 二の鳥居 second gate
san no torii 石製の三の鳥居 third gate made from stone

- reference and photos : tetsuyosie/fukuoka -

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- quote
Hiko-san is one of Kyushu’s finest hikes. During autumn, the colours of the turning leaves are simply stunning; vivid hues of red, gold and purple adding brilliance to the hike’s many panoramic view points.
Hiko-san is notable also for its shrines which line the trail. The largest of these,
Hohei-den 奉幣殿 (built in 1616), is the most majestic and can be enjoyed for its history and magnificent sloping roof.



From Kane-no-torii there are two options for ascending to the start of the trail. The recommended option is to walk the great stone staircase to Hohei-den, which can be found just to the left of the car park. This ancient staircase, lined by maple and camphor trees, passes under several torii gates and has been well-trodden and worn by centuries of pilgrims travelling to Hohei-den. In 2005, a small mono-rail was built that runs parallel to the staircase and will transport you to Hohei-den in just under 15 minutes.
Just in front of the main shrine, a steep staircase runs upwards. This staircase continues to the Naka-dake (1,188m) summit . . .

Tamaya-jinja 玉屋神社,
which is built into a sheer cliff that rises impressively over the shrine. A sacred spring lies next to the shrine, where water coalesces in small droplets that drip from the roof of a moss covered grotto.

Onisugi 鬼杉, "Demon's cedar", a 1,200 year old cedar tree that presides over the rest of the forest.

Daiminami-jinja 大南神社
which, like Tamaya-jinja is built into the rock face behind it. A set of chains leads up the mountain to the right of the shrine, aiding the ascent.

On top of Naka-dake lies Jōgū 上宮, the uppermost shrine of Hōhei-Den.


Takasumi-jinja 高住神社,
the final shrine of the hike. Secluded in a forest, this shrine rivals both the majesty of Hohei-den and the beauty of Tamya-jinja. A bronze bull has been made golden by the touch of passersby and is supposed to possess healing powers, which may come in use after the tricky descent.

- - - - - Look at more photos and the full text :
- source : fukuoka-now.com - Oscar Boyd -

- - - - - Deities in residence - - - - -
Amenooshihomimi no Mikoto 天之忍穂耳命
Izanagi and Izanami no Mikoto





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shuin 朱印 stamp and stamp book



omamori お守り amulet


The shrine was originally built in 740 as a center of training for the Shugendō sect of Buddhism. However, the Shugendō temple was abolished by the separation of Shinto from Buddhism, introduced after the Meiji Restoration. Reisen-ji (霊泉寺), the head temple of the Tendai Buddhism, was converted into Hikosan Jinja (英彦山神社).
In 1975, it was renamed to its present name, Hikosan Jingū.


CLICK for more photos of the shrine !

- - - - - HP of the Shrine
- source : hikosanjingu.or.jp -

- List of all the sub-shrines in the precincts:
- source : hikosanjingu.or.jp/info -

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wakudo iwa わくど岩 the Frog Rock
Wakudo わくど is the local dialect for frog or toad.



In the middle of Mount Hikosan three is a plain called Takasuhara たかす原 with a special rock formation,
just like a huge frog 蟇.
Once upon a time
a great frog came up to Mount Hikosan. He was heading for a smaller hill and begun his climb slowly. But as he climbed up slowly, the nearby fields and paddies sunk into a muddy sea. Many farmers were in deep trouble now. When Hikosan Gongen saw what happened, he threw the huge frog down from the hill and in no time the fields and paddies were back in their former splendor.
But a few years later, the huge frog started his climb again, each year the length of one grain of rice and if he would ever reach the top, the whole region would become submerged by the sea. This time Hikosan Gongen wanted to prevent the huge frog from doing any further damage to the farmers and removed the small hill from the region.
Again the huge frog tumbled down to the plain and there became a huge rock.


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亀石坊 Kameishi-Bo "Turtle Stone Dwelling"

The Old Kameishibo Garden 旧亀石坊庭園 is a garden which was built by the Muromachi Era artist-monk Sesshu.




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Hikosan odori 彦山踊 / 英彦山踊り Hikosan dance

- quote -
Three traditional performing arts of Soeda Machi
In the Kamitsuno and Shimotsuno settlements in Soeda Machi, the "Tsuno Kagura" is dedicated for the Jinko-sai (Jinko festival) held by Takagi Shrine at the beginning of May every year. The kagura (Shinto music and dance performance) is performed by the Tsuno Kagura Preservation Association, and performance items consist of the following 12 performance items:
"Kome-maki," "Orii," "Mifuku," "Shime kiri," "Ji-wari," "bon," "San-no kiri," "San-bon Tsurugi," "Tsuna Misaki,"
"Yumi Kagura," "Hana Kagura," and "Iwato."
In Noda settlement,
the "Noda Shishi-gaku" is dedicated for the Jinko-sai (Jinko festival) held by Kamo Shrine at the beginning of May every year. Performing groups are divided mainly into the "gaku-uchi" group (who play musical instruments) and the "shishimai" group, where gaku-uchi is performed by elementary school boys and shishimai is performed by young adult men. There are five performance items:
"Godan," "Maeniwa," "Baba-iri," "Shin Baba-iri," and "Shinden Utsushi."



"Hiko-san Odori" (Hiko-san dance) is a highly elegant dance which is said to have been introduced by the priest of Hikosan Shrine in the Nanbokucho period (the Northern and Southern Courts period) around 1333. This dance is performed every year as a dedication for the "opening of Hiko-san mountain" and as a "requiem prayer."
- source : bunkashisan.ne.jp -


幣たてゝ彦山踊月の出に
nusa tatete Hikosan odori tsuki no de ni

placing the Nusa wand
for the Hikosan dance
as the moon comes out


. Sugita Hisajo 杉田久女 .
Hisajo liked the area and even climbed to the peak of the mountain.


. Kagura Dance 神楽 - Introduction .

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- quote -
Hikosan shinkō 英彦山信仰
Beliefs and practices associated with Mt Hiko, in the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu. Hiko is made up of three peaks: Minamidake, Nakadake, and Kitadake, the highest of which is Minamidake at 1200 m.

Formerly "Hiko" was written with the characters 日子, meaning "child of the sun"; in the first half of the ninth century, during the reign of the Emperor Saga, it was changed to the single character 彦, and then again to 英彦, its present designation, in 1729, at the order of the Retired Emperor Reigen.
According to the Kamakura-period Hikosan ruki, the Gongen of the Three Places of Mt Hiko (Hikosan sansho gongen) was composed of Mt Zokutai in the south (Shaka), Mt Hottai in the north (Amida) and Mt Nyotai in the center (Thousand-armed Kannon).
The present shrine Hikosan Jingū Honsha (the jōgū, or "upper shrine") is located on the central peak and amalgamates the enshrined deities (saijin) of the other two peaks. Formerly there were nine other sacred sites:
Mt. Hakusan, Daigyōji, Kitayamadono, Hannya Cave (Tamaya), Ōminami Cave, Buzen Cave, Chimuro Cave, Takanosu Cave, and the middle shrine (chūgū).

Added to the Gongen of the Three Places, they were worshipped as the Gongen of the Twelve Places (Hikosan jūnisho gongen). Altogether there were 49 caves, sites of veneration and religious training, which were considered to correspond to the 49 halls of the Tushita heaven, the dwelling-place of Maitreya. Each was said to have contained statues of the Gongen of the Three Places or protector deities, but today the only ones which remain sites of veneration are the Hannya, Ōminami, Buzen and Chimuro caves.
The caves can be thought to preserve an aspect of religious practice which was prominent in the medieval period, that of retreat (komori) inside caves, before the introduction of mountain asceticism in the form of moving from one sacred place to another (tosō).

Seasonal mountain entry rituals (junbu in spring, hanaku no mine in summer and gyakubu in autumn) took form during the Muromachi period. Here, Mt Hiko was considered to be the realm of the Womb Mandala, while the role of Diamond Mandala was fulfilled by Mt Hōman in spring and Mt Fukuchi in autumn.

Forty-eight places of ascetic training (gyōba) were established over a sixty kilometer route through the mountains, and the goal of training was represented as the unity of the two mandalas. Most of the sites fell into disuse after the discontinuation of mountain-entry rituals in 1870.

According to founding legends, Ame no Oshihomimi, son of Amaterasu, descended to this mountain and was enshrined here, En no Ozunu, with his mother on his back, climbed Mt Hiko and then went to China by way of Mt Hōman, and Jugen, having trained at Ōmine, brought the divided spirit of Kumano Gongen here.

Another legend says that Zenshō, a priest from the state of Northern Wei in China, brought a Buddhist statue to Hiko and taught a hunter called Fujiwara Kōyū about the precept of not taking life by means of a miraculous occurrence whereby he restored to life, as a white hawk, a white deer the hunter had pursued and shot.

In 538 Zenshō built a hermitage called Reisen on the mountain, and Kōyū, having taken the Buddhist name Ninniku, became his successor. The third priest in the lineage, Hōren, went to Kyoto at the order of the Emperor Saga; at this time the characters to write Hiko were changed (see above) and the hermitage was given the temple name of Reisenji.
It also received a land commendation ("seven ri in the four directions"), which it kept throughout the medieval period.

Hiko later thrived as a center for yamabushi; at its height it had 3800 priests, and, with Ōmine and Haguro, it was counted as one of the three great Shugendō sites of Japan.
In 1333, the imperial prince Yasuhito (said to have been a son of the Emperor Go-Fushimi) was invited to the temple as its head prelate (zasu 座主), and the shrine-temple complex on the mountain was organized under a hereditary married head, made up of priests (shūtō), kami priests (jinin) and shugen priests.
Shugendō rituals and organization became fixed during the Muromachi period.

Of particular importance were doctrinal developments, in which Hiko played a leading role. A comprehensive compilation of records was made by Akyūbō Sokuden (dates unknown), who had come to Hiko from Nikkō.

In the Edo period, Hiko was not under the authority of either Honzanha or Tōzanha, but maintained its independence from them. However in 1696, as a result of a dispute with Shōgoin (head temple of Honzanha), Hiko was designated a "special headquarters Shugen temple of Tendai" (Tendai Shugen bekkaku honzan). Its economic base was an income of 1200 koku donated by the Hosokawa and Ogasawara clans, plus the distribution of talismans and medicines among supporters (danna) throughout Kyushu, as well as the promotion of pilgrimage (sankei) to Hiko.
By the end of the Edo period,
it had 250 shugen priests and around 420,000 households in its parishes. The organization of the yamabushi was threefold – gyōjakata, shūtōkata, and sōkata, with lower-ranking shugen priests below them. All were under the authority of the zasu.
As a result of the separation of buddha and kami worship (shinbutsu bunri) and anti-Buddhist actions (haibutsu kishaku), virtually all buildings associated with Shugendō were lost, with the exception of the former Great Hall, which was converted into the shrine's Buheiden. Shugendō ritual was also abolished.
The shrine-temple complex known as Hikosan Gongen became Hikosan Shrine, the Buzenbō became Takanushi Shrine, and Hannyakutsu became Tamaya Shrine.
The zasu became the hereditary gūji. The shrine supported devotees of the confraternities (kō), drawn mainly from farming families.
The clay bell, a famous souvenir of Mt Hiko, is still used as a magical implement for agricultural rituals among farmers.
- source : Suzuki Masataka Kokugakuin 2006 -

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Hikosan no garagara 英彦山のガラガラ  clay bell clapper against insects

They are a kind of clay bell (Hikosan dorei 英彦山土鈴), said to be the oldest ones used by the Shugendo ascetics.

Some even had a tengu goblin mask on the bell
Hikosan no iwaidai dorei 英彦山の祝鯛土鈴 clay bell with festive sea bream
筒型鳥居鈴 clay bell with the metal torii gate
Hikosan no itajishi 英彦山の板獅子 lion head on a wooden plate
- - - - - Haiku about 豊前坊 Buzen-Bo.
- - - - - annual festivals 祭典行事

. Amulets from Hikosan 英彦山 お守り .

. Buzenboo, Buzenbō 豊前坊 Buzenbo Tengu .
彦山豊前坊 - Hikozan Buzenbo, Fukuoka

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Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi  彦山権現誓助剣
Kabuki play




- quote -
The play "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi" was originally written for the puppet theater (Bunraku) and staged for the first time in the 10th lunar month of 1786 in Ôsaka at the Higashi no Shibai.
- - - - - Summary
Disguising himself as a traveling gambler named Dôhachi, Takumi preys on passers-by by his rigged gambling. When one of the victims accuses him of fraud, Takumi beats him up. He then exchanges pleasantries with street girls and goes away.

Sagohei, an old servant to Osono, appears and, giving money to the street girls, asks them to go away immediately. After they have gone, Osono arrives in a palanquin and, pretending to be a street girl, solicits passers-by. She inserts her hand into their sleeves and feels their arms as a means of identifying Takumi, who has a scar in the upper arm.

She makes her try first on a samurai and then on a sumô wrestler. The third person approached by her happens to be Todoroki Dengoemon, a former fencing disciple of Ichimisai and now chief retainer of the Lord of Kokura. He recognizes Osono as Ichimisai's daughter and gives her a wooden traveling certificate, which would enable her to pass through barriers on her tour in search of Takumi.

After Todoroki Dengoemon has gone, Tomohei arrives and tells Osono that Okiku was killed by Takumi. As evidence he shows a small bag containing Takumi's navel string which he found beside Okiku's body. He then kills himself by way of apology for his failure to protect Okiku from Takumi's attack. Just before he breathes his last, Tomohei throws Takumi's navel string into a pond. In no time clouds of spray rise from the pond and the incense burner in Osono's bosom issues a strange sound.

Takumi reappears as if drawn by a supernatural power. He realizes by intuition that he is the son of the late Mitsuhide. Believing that his deceased father threw his precious Kawazumaru sword into this pond and that he now wants Takumi to recover it, he looks for and finds the sword under floating weeds. Soon after he has picked up the sword Osono approaches Takumi, pretending to be a street girl and tries to rob him of the sword. Takumi resists. As the two struggle for its possession, the sword jumps onto a gourd trellis. They too climb onto the trellis and continue fighting.
At last Takumi makes good his escape, taking the precious sword with him.
- reference source : kabuki21.com/hyotandana -

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- quote -
Amenooshihomimi - Ame no oshihomimi no mikoto
Other names:
Masakaakatsu kachihayahi ame no oshihomimi no mikoto (Kojiki,Nihongi),
Masakaakatsu kachihayahi ame no oshihone no mikoto(Nihongi)
正勝吾勝勝速日天之忍穂耳命(アメノオシホミミ)/ 正勝吾勝勝速日天忍穂耳命


One of the male kami produced as a result of the trial by pledge (ukei) performed by Amaterasu and Susanoo.
According to both Kojiki and Nihongi, Amaterasu and Susanoo furnished personal items as "seed" (monozane) for the pledge; Amaterasu furnished the "Five-hundred Yasaka jewels" which she wore, and from those were produced five male deities, one of which was Amenooshihomimi.
Oshihomimi was later ordered by Amaterasu and Takagi no kami to descend to the Central Land of Reed Plains, but it was first necessary to pacify the Central Land, and in the interval, Oshihomimi had a son, Ninigi. As a result, following pacification of the land, Ninigi was entrusted with the mission, and he descended in place of Oshihomimi.
- reference source : Nishioka Kazuhiko Kokugakuin 2005-


Masakaakatsukachihayahi Amenooshihomimi no mikoto
Karl Florenz übersetzt mit
„Die [mit dem Rufe:] ‚Wahrlich ich siege!‘ triumphierend sich heftig gebarende allüberwindende große erlauchte Person des Himmels“) ist ein männlicher Kami in der Mythologie des Shintō.
..... Amaterasu erkor Amenooshihomimi zur Herrschaft (shirasu) über das „Land der frischen Ähren der tausend Herbste und langen fünfhundert Herbste des Üppigen Schilfgefildes“
- Read the explanation in German:
. Ninomiya Jinja 二宮神社 Shrine Ninomiya - Kobe .

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- - - - - The three famous Hikosan Sanctuaries in Japan :

英彦山 Hikosan in Fukuoka/Oita
弥彦山(新潟県)Yahikosan in Niigata
雪彦山(兵庫県)Seppikosan in Hyogo

The three famous Shugendo Sanctuaries in Japan :

英彦山 Hikosan in Fukuoka/Oita
羽黒山(山形県) Hagurosan Yamagata
熊野大峰山(奈良県) Kumano Ominesan Nara


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- Reference : 英彦山
- Reference : English


. Shrine, Shinto Shrine (jinja 神社) - Introduction .

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

- #hikosanfukuoka #AmenoOshihomimi -
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- - - - -  H A I K U  - - - - -

英彦山の頂に置く夏帽子
Hikosan no itadaki ni oku natsubooshi

at the top
of Mount Hikosan I place
my summer hat


松尾隆信 Matsuo Takanobu

- reference : Matsuo Takanobu -

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英彦山の露降りてきし机かな
黒田杏子

英彦山の日暮うながす閑古鳥
荒巻信子

彦山や雲はひのぼる葛根ほり
水田正秀

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. Fudō Myō-ō 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O .

英彦山大権現 湯の谷別院 Hikosan Yunotani Betsu-In




source : robounohana.seesaa.net

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Mountain Mandalas - Shugendo in Kyushu
Allan G. Grapard

In Mountain Mandalas Allan G. Grapard provides a thought-provoking history of one aspect of the Japanese Shugendo tradition in Kyushu, by focusing on three cultic systems: Mount Hiko, Usa-Hachiman, and the Kunisaki Peninsula. Grapard draws from a rich range of theorists from the disciplines of geography, history, anthropology, sociology, and humanistic geography and situates the historical terrain of his research within a much larger context.
- - - - - Table of Contents
1. Shugendo and the Production of Social Space
- - - Mount Hiko
2. Geotyped and Chronotyped Social Spaces
- - - Mount Hiko: of swords, meteors, dragons, and goshawks
- - - Waiting for dawn on Mount Hiko: the geotype and chronotype of heterotopia
- - - Mount Hiko's Sacred Perimeter: four corners and three dimensions
3. Festivities and Processions: Spatialities of Power
- - - Mount Hiko as a socio-ritualized space
- - - Mount Hiko's conflicts with Mount Homan and the Shogo-in monzeki
- - - Mount Hiko's ritual calendar
4. Shattered Bodies, Statues, and the Appeal of Truncated Memory
- - - Mount Hiko's quasi-destruction and fall into irrelevance
and more
- source : bloomsbury.com/au/mountain-mandalas -

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. 河童 / かっぱ / カッパ - Kappa, the Water Goblin of Japan! .

There are many legends about the Kappa in Soeda and around Mount Hikosan.



Kappa no wabi shoomon seki カッパの詫び証文石
stone memorial of the Kappa and his apology note


- quote -
昔、中元寺は虫生の庄といって、芦がしげる湿地が多くあった。
ある日の夕方のこと、一人の子供のような者が、民家を訪ね「今夜大雨が降って山が抜けるから逃げておくれ」といって回った。
人びとは、おかしなことだなあと思いながらも、避難をした。やがて夜になると、予告どおり大雨で川ははんらんし、猿渡あたりは山崩れが起こった。
これをみた村人は「あの子供は、瀬成の神に仕えているカッパに違いない、よくぞ知らせてくれた」と、カッパをかわいがってやることになった。
そうするとカッパはつけあがり、田畑を荒したり、子供を川に引き込んだりして村人を困らせるようになった。それで瀬成の神様は大変立腹されて、カッパに対し「悪さをするなら出て行け、心を入れかえるなら中元寺におらせるが」としかりつけた。
これにはカッパもこたえて反省し、石に詫び証文を書いて神様に差し出した。それ以後、中元寺の人びとは水難にあうことはなくなった。
カッパの詫び証文石は、瀬成神社参道入口右側のハゼの木の根元に抱きこまれたようになって残っている。
- reference : hikosan.sblo.jp/article -


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. Japanese Legends - 伝説 民話 昔話 – ABC-List .



............................................................................ 和歌山県 Wakayama

. Yamanokami and a man named 毛谷村六助 Keyamura Rokusuke .

. Keyamura Rokusuke and a Kappa .




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- reference : Nichibun Yokai Database -
17 彦山 (0)

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