Showing posts with label Heian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heian. Show all posts

5 Jan 2017

HEIAN - Totsukawa Legends



- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説 民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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Totsukawa / Totsugawa 十津川と伝説 Legends about Totsukawa village

- quote -
Totsukawa (十津川村 Totsukawa-mura) is a village located in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, Japan, along the Totsukawa river.
It's recognized as the largest village in Japan in terms of land area.
.....
Onsen - Hot Springs
Totsukawa has many natural onsen or hot springs. Tosenji hot spring in Totsukawa was put on the list of the best one hundred hot springs in Japan. The water from some of these hot springs is safe to drink. The source temperature of the water is about 70℃ and is also said to cure your cuts and burns. The hot springs in Totsukawa are unusual because the hot spring water is used, as is, directly from the source without reheating or recycling. Good onsen are said to keep you warm even long after bathing and many people claim this of the hot springs in Totsukawa.
There are also many footbaths in Totsukawa which are said to have health benefits for feet.
Footbaths in Totsukawa are free of charge.
- More in the Wikipedia -




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. Legends about Onsen Hot Springs 温泉と伝説 .
- Introduction -

Totsukawa Onsen 十津川温泉 Totsukawa Hot Spring
Nara Prefecture, Yoshino-gun, Totsukawa-mura Hiraya / 奈良県吉野郡十津川村平谷



En no Gyoja met a couple of Oni who were eating humans. He asked them not to do that any more but they did not listen to him. He hid in a cave but they wanted to give him human flesh to eat even there.
Now 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O comes along and pressured the couple not to eat humans any more. So they promised to change their ways.
Zenki went to 洞川 Dorogawa (now a famous hot spring), and Goki went to 十津川 Totsukawa .

. Zenkibō 前鬼坊 Zenkibo, Zenki-Bo .
his wife Goki 後鬼.

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Totsugawa Go 十津川郷 The Totsugawa Region
There are legends about serpents, cats, wolves and other animals.
Waterfalls also feature in these stories.

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When someone feels a buzzing and ringing in the ear, very soon a person of his/her age will die.

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hebi 蛇 serpent, snake // daija 大蛇 huge serpent

Sometimes villagers have sighted the bones of huge serpents.

The white serpent 白いグチナワ Guchinawa (Kuchinawa) is seen as a messenger of the Gods.

Once an old woman begun to venerate a white serpent near her home and soon the family became quite wealthy.

Once some forest workers saw a white serpent coming from between some rocks where they wanted to built a road. They became afraid and could not continue. They called a priest, had purification rites performed and then could continue the work.

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Once the locals angered a serpent, but in revenge 50 serpents came along with their 蛇の親分 Serpent Oyabun Boss. So the people had to stop working and hold a ritual for the serpents.
Once there came a huge white serpent and a small white one along to live here. Rumors spread and no more workers came to help, even borrowing money became very expensive.

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At the waterfall 平内滝 Heinaitaki there live about 10 small serpents.
Some have seen a serpent wound around a human skull.

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Ryuujin 竜神 Dragon King
There is a huge hinoki 桧 Japanese cypress where the Dragon King lives. It is covered by thick fuji 藤 and kazura 葛 vines. If people break the vines, there is a strange sound. If this sound is heared, a 大蛇 huge serpent will appear.


- reference : 9 guchinawa legends -
7 kuchinawa くちなわ / クチナワ legends

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neko 猫 cat - monster cat

The waterfall from Nekoyoshi 猫良滝 is known as a place of the neko no kai 猫の怪 Monster Cat.



At the waterfall ネコマタの滝 猫又 Nekomata "Monster Cat Legs" a group of travellers once had to take a pee. The Cat Lord of the Waterfall got very angry about this and it started to rain in no time.

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Waterfalls along Totsukawa River



Sasa-no-taki (Waterfall of the Bamboo Grass) This waterfall was put on the list of 100 best waterfalls in Japan.
- - - - - Look at all the waterfalls here
- reference source : nps.ed.jp/totsukawa-hs/sub/yoshikuma -

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ookami 狼 wolf

If villagers have to go around to spread the word that someone has died, they always should go two of them. If for some reason only one can go, he must carry a knife ready to pull out of his breast pocket. This is a spell against being attacked by wolves.

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tanuki 狸 Tanuki, badger

Some villagers have been tricked by the Tanuki.
In the evening there was sand and stones thrown at them, but when they got after it calling 「おのれ、打ち殺すぞ」 "You beast, we are going to kill you", there was nothing.
Once they heard the sound of an ax felling a tree at lunchtime, but there was nobody. They could only feel the touch of a Tanuki.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
64 十津川 to explore (13)

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● How the village Totsukawa got its name:
At the time when Tenmu Tenno 天武天皇 was still a prince called 大海人皇子 Oama no Miko and was hiding in Yoshina, he looked all the way South and sighed in grief:
「とほつかは」 tootsukawa

● How Mount Hatenashi 果無山 got its name :

In the Southwest of Totsukawa, near the border to 紀州 Kishu, Wakayama, there is a mountain range called Hatenashisan (Hate-nashi-san).
There was a busy road 上り下り七十二丁 up and down for about 8 kilometers for people to walk to Kumano.
But in the mountains lives an ogre called いっぽんだたら Ippondatara, with only one leg and eyes like huge plates.
Sometimes it brought harm to the farmers, but on the day hate no hatsuka ハテの廿日 (the day 20 of the 12th month) it was especially dangerous and people did not walk along the pass.
This is a pun: ハテナシ山 - On the day HATE there was no traffic (NASHI) - Mount Hatenashi.

. Obamine no Ipponashi 伯母峯 一本足 .
in in Wakayama, 北山村 Kitayama village.

● Tengu-ura 天狗崖 《てんぐうら》Tengu Cliff
At 高津 Takotsu the Totsukawa river runs through a gourge with steep cliffs, called Tengu-Ura.
There live some large and small Tengu. In autumn they all come here to enjoy the colored leaves.


. shichinin misaki 七人ミサキ Misaki of Seven People .
- a group of persons who died in an accident or in unnatural circumstances.
At 吉野郡十津川村榎谷 - 山天 Yamaten in olden times, 七人旅 seven travellers have died of hunger. Now they come out for revenge, if seven people travel along this road.
If a group has to travel here, they make sure to be six or eight people, never seven.

- reference source : 十津川村の伝説 -

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. Legends about Kobo Daishi Kukai - 弘法大師 空海 - 伝説 .

. Japanese legends and tales 伝説 民話 昔話 - Introduction .

- Yookai 妖怪 Yokai Monsters of Japan -
- Introduction -

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. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

- #totsukawa #totsukawanara -
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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]

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Posted By Gabi Greve to Heian Period Japan on 12/26/2016 01:22:00 pm

8 Nov 2016

TENGU - and cedar tree legends

https://heianperiodjapan.blogspot.jp/2016/10/tengu-cedar-legends.html

Tengu cedar legends

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説 民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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Tengu, sugi 天狗と杉と伝説 Legends about Tengu and Cedar trees

. Tengu 天狗と伝説 Tengu legends "Long-nosed Goblin" .
- Introduction -

. sugi 杉 Japanese Cedar, Cryptomeria japonica .
- Introduction -

This tree grows in many sacred grounds and some are really huge
oosugi 大杉 Osugi, Big Cecar Tree
ipponsugi, ippon sugi 一本杉 "solitaryt cedar tree



source and more photos : tensugi.blog119.fc2.com
「越後の天杉日記」Echigo no Tensugi Nikki : 天狗の大杉 / 天杉杉太

The Tengu like to reside in these trees and some are even called
Tengusugi, Tengu-sugi 天狗杉 Tengu Cedar Tree.

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :


.......................................................................... Gifu 岐阜県 ............................

飛騨地方 Hida district

Once a child had a high fever, so the Tengu from Ipponsugi came down to comfort it.

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揖斐郡 Ibi district 春日村 Kasuga

To build a new bridge a 大檜 huge hinoki cypress tree and a cedar tree growing downstream of the river were cut down. THat night a Tengu appeared in the dream of the land owner and scolded him: "Now you have taken away my home, so I will destroy your village!"
And indeed, that night a fire broke out and most of the village burned down.
This was the great fire of Meiji 10, 明治10年1月18日.

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加茂郡 Kamo district

The Tengu is also called 狗賓 Guhin / Kuhin.
He lives in the deep forest and produced balls of fire at night to frighten the villagers. There are a few large cedar trees where he lives. When people have to walk here at night, they might hear a laughter if the Tengu is in a good mood.
If he is in a bad mood, he will throw pebbles and sand an the people. People who experience this will soon have more misfortune in their lives.

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吉城郡 Yoshiki district

Once a child was abducted by the Tengu and later found dead under the solitary cedar tree.


.......................................................................... Ishikawa 石川県 ............................
小松市 Komatsu



Come on down to Osugi between Oct 2-10 2016 to see our fun and fabulous
"Yokubari Tengu" よくばり天狗 (The Greedy Goblin).
We first did this show in 1997, and again in 2003, followed by three sequels! This is the original, telling how the tengu statue in Osugi turned to stone.



In our village of Osugi there is a statue of a Tengu, made by Kurakichi Okura in the 1970's. This statue is the inspiration for our tengu musicals and projects.
We first produced Yokubari Tengu (The Greedy Goblin) in 1997, a "new legend" about how he turned to stone. In 2004, we put on Yokubari Tengu II: I'm Back!
This year the saga continues with Yokubari Tengu III: Adventures on the Tengu Planet.


- source : osugi musicaltheatre.com -


.......................................................................... Kyoto 京都府 ............................

役行者 En no Gyoja and 雲遍上人 Unpen Shonin

- - - - - The story is similar to the one told at Nikko (Tochigi).
Around 700 the two came to a large waterfall. A thunderstorm came with heavy rainfall and the Tengu, who lived in a huge cedar tree, appeared.
The two were undisturbed in their prayers and then in beams of light Jizo Bosatsu, the Dragon God, 富婁那 Punna the Arhat, Bishamonten and Aizen Myo-O appered and the Tengu was gone.
The two built a sanctuary in the mountains and venerated the huge cedar tree as
Kiyotaki 清滝 the Dragon Deity of the Pure Waterfall.


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鞍馬山 Mount Kuramasan

. The Tengu Sōjōbō 僧正坊 of Mount Kurama .
He often came to the Tengu Sugi to rest his wings.



.......................................................................... Miyazaki宮崎県 ............................

Near the old burrial ground and 古墳 Kofun there are many old trees. One is the 天狗杉 Tengu Sugi. This Tengu with wings and a red face likes to fly from cedar to cedar and sometimes even stays in a 松 pine tree.

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清武町 Kiyotake

Near the Kofun of 岩見田 Iwamida there are some Tengu Sugi, where the Tengu lives:
Shoode no Tengu sugi 正手の天狗杉 Tengu cedar from Shode
Ookubo no Tengu sugi 大久保の天狗杉 Tengu cedar from Okubo
The one at Shode burned down after a thunderbolt hit it.
The one at Okubo was cut down to make room for housing.


.......................................................................... Nara 奈良県 ............................

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桜井市 Sakurai

. Hasedera 長谷寺 Temple Hase-dera .

When the Head Priest Eigaku 英岳大僧正 was still a young acolyte at the temple, he did not study much. Eigaku had to light all the lanterns, but the Tengu from the Cedar Tree (in the form of a squirrel) run around and extinguished them and caused other trouble at night. So Eigaku collected all his wits and eventually threatened the Tengu:
"When I become High Priest here, I will cut down all the cedar trees and you will have no more place to live here!"
Eigaku was not really a dilligent student, but from this time on he changed his ways and eventually at the age of 60 became the High Priest 大僧正 Daisojo of the temple.


source : sacredjapan.com/Temple

He had all the huge cedar trees cut down and used the wood to repair the temple buildings.
Only one of the trees he did not cut down, the 天狗杉 Tengu Sugi, to remind him and the people in the future of the Tengu, who eventually helped him to become a dilligent student and high priest.



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山辺郡 Yamabe district

Jinyaji 神野寺 Temple Jinya-Ji
At this temple there was a huge Tengu Sugi tree of some ten meters high and 3 meters in circumference. The bark of the trunk and the branches had come off. This is because a Tengu lived there and instructed his disciples, practising the jump from branch to branch and up the trunk.

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Tengusugi 天狗杉
Once upon a time it the forest of Nara there was a very old temple and a large forest of cedar trees surrounded it. A lot of たちの悪い天狗 bad Tengu lived there.

This is basically the story of Hasedera, but the priest here is called
Fugaku 芙岳(ふがく)



- read Manga Nihon Mukashibanashi :
- reference source : nihon.syoukoukai.com/modules -


.......................................................................... Okayama 岡山県 ............................
久米郡 Kume district

From 二上山 Mount Futakami, the highest peak in this area, there is a great view to Mount Daisen. Sometimes the Tengu from Mount Daisen takes a flight and comes here to rest his huge wings.

. Ryosan-Ji 両山寺のニ上杉、大杉 "Futakami Sugi" 天狗杉 Tengu-Sugi .



.......................................................................... Tochigi 栃木県 ............................
日光市 Nikko

En no Gyoja 役小角 and 雲遍上人 Unpen Shonin once came to a 清瀧 waterfall in the 日光山 Nikko Mountains to practise austerities. Suddenly a black cloud hang over the waterfall and a terrible thunderstorm rattled and strong wind blew.
The two of them were 一心不乱 undisturbed by all this, sat down and said their esoteric mantras in deep quiet.
Suddenly the sky cleared again and now they saw a Tengu sitting in the branches of the large cedar tree. The Tengu faded from sight in no time.

. Nikkoozan Tookooboo 日光山東光坊 Tengu Tokobo. Toko-Bo from Mount Nikko .
There used to live many Tengu in the mountains of Nikko, and their boss was Tokobo.
He is seen as in incarnation of Tokugawa Ieyasu.


.......................................................................... Tokyo 東京都 ............................
板橋区 Itabashi

In the middle of the fields there was a huge cedar tree. Its branches hang down to the ground. This is because a Tengu often came here and sits on it. So it is called 天狗杉.
Now it is at the bottom the slope 松山の坂 Matsuyama no Saka, which is also called
天狗坂 Tengusaka, Tengu-Saka.

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- quote -
Up for Spiritual Waterfall Training?
..... try doing a pilgrim at Mount Mitake.



Along the way, you will see mother nature's beauty at its best. An example of this is the 350-year-old cedar tree called Tengu-no-Koshikake.
- source : jpninfo.com/39507 -



.......................................................................... Toyama 富山県 ............................

. Tengosama テンゴサマ / Tengohan テンゴハン .
Tengu in the Toyama dialect.


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

Tengu no koshikake sugi 天狗の腰掛杉 Cedar where the Tengu sits down
A few meters up from this cedar tree there was a huge boulder in the middle of the road. Around 1640 a stone mason tried to split this boulder and begun to make a hole in it.
Suddenly he heard a loud voice coming from the cedar tree
"Hey you there, what you think you are doing?"
He became frightened for his life and run away as fast as he could.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
天狗杉 (ok) / 大杉 (ok) 一本杉 (ok)
75 tengu and 杉 to explore (00)



天狗杉のたたり the curse of the Tengu
manga nihon mukashibanashi
- source : nihon syoukoukai com -

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. En no Gyôja 役行者 Founder of Shugendo .
En no Ozuno 役小角 "En with the small horn"

. Unpen Shoonin 雲遍上人 Saint Unpen Shonin .
Taichoo, Taichō 泰澄上人 Saint Taicho Shonin / Taicho-Daishi 泰澄大師 (682 ?683 - 767)
Etsu no 越の大徳 Etsu no Daitoku - Great Man of Virtue from Etsu
Shiramine Daisoojo 天狗 白峰大僧正 Tengu Shiramine Daisojo


. Legends about Kobo Daishi Kukai - 弘法大師 空海 - 伝説 .

. Japanese legends and tales 伝説 民話 昔話 - Introduction .

- Yookai 妖怪 Yokai Monsters of Japan -
- Introduction -

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. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

- #tengucedartree #tengusugi #sugitengu -
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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]

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18 Oct 2016

HEIAN - Tengo Toyama Tateyama

https://heianperiodjapan.blogspot.jp/2016/10/tengu-tengo-toyama.html

Tengu Tengo Toyama

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説 民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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tengo テンゴ と伝説 Legends about Tengu
Tengosama, Tengu sama テンゴサマ / Tengohan, Tengo han (san) テンゴハン
Tengu 天狗 in the dialect of Toyama and other prefectures



Many Tengu live or take a rest in big cedar trees:
. Tengu, sugi 天狗と杉と伝説 Legends about Tengu and Cedar trees .
- Introduction -

About the 立山信仰 Tateyama belief, see below.
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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

.......................................................................... Toyama 富山県 ......................................



The Tengu Tateyama Shijooboo 立山縄乗坊 / (しじょうぼう) Shijo-Bo, Shijobo
Joosuiboo ジョウスイボウ Josui-Bo, Josuibo (another name quoted for this Tengu)

He lived in the 立山連峰 (館山連峰) Tateyama Mountain Range. He used to throw stones at mountain climbers in the remote region, who did not show enough respect for the Mountain Religion or are self-conceited.
But now with the many modern climbers, he is not seen any more.

立山の天狗伝説 Tengu Legend of Tateyama
The 弥陀ヶ原東部の溶岩台地 stone formation at Midagahara is called
Tengudaira 天狗平.
To the South is Mount Tenguyama 天狗山.

In a story from 1821, 甲子夜話 Kassha yawa, there is mention of a person from 千葉県上総 Chiba named 源左衛門 Genzaemon , who had been abducted by a Tengu. He was taken to a cave in the Tateyama Mountain. (The cave is said to lead all the way to 石川県の白山 Mount Hakusan in Ishikawa.)

Amida Nyorai in its Shinto version as Tateyama Gongen 立山権現などと、
The main deities are
伊邪那岐命 / イザナギ Izanagi no Mikoto (as Amida)
and
刀尾天神 Tachio Tenjin (as 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O).
He is also known as Tajikarao no Mikoto 手力雄命(たぢからおのみこと).

佐伯有頼 Saeki no Ariyori ca. 8th century, was the first to climb this mountain.
He was later called Jikoo Shoonin 慈興上人 Saint Jiko Shonin.
He was a nephew of Saeki Ariwaka
- reference source : toki.moo.jp/gaten 189 -


source : www2.tkc.pref.toyama.jp/general
Statue of Jiko Shonin, founder of Shrine 雄山神社 Oyama Jinja


立山室堂の天狗集会 Meeting of the Tengu at Tateyama Murodo
ここには数千もの天狗がおり、それを立山の天狗の首領縄乗坊大天狗が仕切っているといいます。
There lived more than a few thousand Tengu in the Tateyama mountains, and Shijo-Bo was their leader.
..... During a meeting of eleven of these Tengu and Yamabushi they placed Genzaemon on the main seat of honor and called him
権現 Gongen (Honorable incarnation of the Buddha).
They had drinks and sweets. (Tengu are rarely seen eating or drinking.) They made ritual music and danced.
To our times, the Murodo of Tateyama is a favorite place of the mountain climbers.
- reference source : toki.moo.jp/gaten 495 -

This Tengu is one of the
. 四十八天狗 48 Tengu of Japan .

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CLICK for more photos !

The three peaks of Tateyama Sanzan 立山三山:
Ōnanjiyama (大汝山, 3,015m), Oyama (雄山, 3,003m "Male Mountain"), and
Fuji no Oritateyama (富士ノ折立, 2,999m).
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Tachio Jinja 刀尾神社 Tachio Shrine
富山県富山市中市一丁目4番48号 / Toyama Town



Deity in residence :
田力男命 (たぢからおのみこと) Tajikarao no Mikoto
and
刀尾天神 Tachio Tenjin / 刀尾権現 Tachio Gongen
- - - - - HP of the Shrine
- reference source : ki43.on.coocan.jp/injapan -


Ame-no-tajikarao (アメノタジカラオ) 天手力男神 / 天手力雄神 Ame no Tajikarao no Kami
A kami whose name means "heaven-hand-power."
He pulled Amaterasu out of the "rock cave of heaven" ...
- source: kokugakuin Kadoya Atsushi, 2005


. Izanagi 伊弉諾 and Izanami 伊邪那美命.
The Creation Myth of Japan

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東砺波郡 Higashitonami district 井波町 Inami
Tengosama テンゴサマ

The Tengu who lived in the 一本杉 One Cedar Tree came to the family who lived nearby and asked them to prepare some festival food because he had some friends coming over that night.
They arranged everything in their living room and closed the doors.
They could hear voices and laughing. After a while all went quiet and they opened the door again. All the food was spilled on the table and floor.

The house was kind of cursed and when people passed by, someone threw stones at them from above.
The son of the family was possessed by a Tengu, they say.

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小矢部市 Oyabe

sugi 杉 cedar tree
Once they cut the cedar tree, the home of the Tengu. Blood begun to flow from the cut and they never tried to cut that tree again.
It might have been the curse of the Tengu 天狗の祟り (Tengu no tatari).

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下新川郡 Shimoniigawa district大家庄村 Oienosho

大杉 big cedar tree
At the temple Kooeiji 光栄寺 Koei-Ji in Oenosho sometimes sometimes flames were seen but there was nothing burning. So people wondered if there was a Tengu living in the big cedar in the compound. Sometimes the tatami mats were lifted up or the rain doors take off. Sometimes something strange floated in the bath.
Once a female voice was heard asking for paper and pen. So when the villagers placed it outside, some letters were written on the paper.

Kooeiji 光栄寺 Koei-Ji
241 Oienosho, Asahi, Shimoniikawa District, Toyama
The main statue is 阿弥陀如来 Amida Nyorai.

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礪波市 Tonami town

Aragansama, Aragan sama 荒神様 / アラガンサマ "Wild Deity"
is another name for the Tengosama.
He is a kind of ma no hito 魔の人 demon.
When people meet him doing his 剣術の稽古 exercises in sword fighting, they will be injured.

. Koojin sama 荒神様 Kojin sama, Aragamisama .
a kind of Kamagami 釜神 Hearth Deity in the kitchen.

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Tengosama is a huge person, becoming invisible by the power of his magic cloak.
If children play outside until late in the evening, he will come and abduct them.
This is one form of kamikakushi 神隠し "being spirited away".
Sometimes children are bewitched and will eat horse apples, thinking it is Tofu bean curd.

. Tengu no Kakuremino 天狗の隠れみの The Tengu's Magic Cloak .
- Folktale -

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The Tengu resides in ipponsugi 一本杉 a single cedar tree, 巨松 a huge pine tree and in 大杉 a huge cedar tree. He also resides in other 巨木 huge trees in the forest of a shrine.
From the Ipponsugi sometimes the sound of a big drum can be heard. This is the Tengu hitting the drum.

He likes trees best which have a round bump on the trunk.

When people have to cut trees in a Shrine forest for special reasons, they fear the curse of the pine tree and leave one standing. This is the
Tengosugi, Tengo-Sugi テンゴ杉 Tengu Cedar Tree.

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Tengosama likes to spend money.
If he has borrowed money once, he will pay it back by borrowing from someone else.

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Tengosama likes to follow people who walk alone at night. When they turn round and see his long nose, they become afraid and begin to chant the Amida Buddha prayer. Some people even become more strong in their religious belief in Amida after such an experience.

. Namu Amida Butsu 南無阿弥陀仏 the Amida Prayer .

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To prevent Tengosama to come into a newly constructed home, people have to place an amulet to ward off evil at the entrance 魔除け.
If they do not do it, the Tengosama will come at night, make terrible noise and prevent them from sleeping.

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Tengosama lives in the ceiling of a house and makes noise, but he never shows his figure.
If the noises suddenly stop, this family will certainly fall into decline.

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Tengosama makes noise like big drum or like cutting bamboo. Some people can hear the difference.
Sometimes he makes the noise of a festival music with drums and flutes at midnight.
If people hear this during a war, they will win.
During the Second World War this noise was never heard, so the war was lost.

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Once a man came to a Sake rice wine shop and asked to have his bottle filled. After it was filled with 一升 one SHO (about 1.8 liters), the man asked for one more Sho, and then one more. The shop owner kept pooring and all fit into the small bottle.
When the visitor left the shop, the owner followed him outside, but the man just became invisible. So it must have been a Tengu.
They say a Sake shop where a Tengu comes to consume must be a very good Sake indeed.

Tengu sake 天狗酒 Tengu rice wine



. sake 天狗 酒 Tengu Sake rice wine brands - .

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tojikomerareta Tengu とじこめられた天狗 a Tengu in confinement  
富山市大久保 Toyama city, Okubo

At the temple Hoorinji 法林寺 Horin-Ji in Okubo there was one extra large 松 pine tree.
At night there was often a special wind blowing - ゴウッー goooon - and the branches rattled バサッ、バサッ pasapasa and even now people avoid to pass here at night.
This huge pine tree was the residence of a Tengu since olden times. He threw stones on the roof at night - バラバラバラット paraparaparaa - and disturbed the people, preventing them from sleeping.
This Tengu also abducted children for two or three days and was a great nuisance to the villagers.



In the Meiji period, a new stone fence was built at the temple.
And then one evening, the Tengu appeared in a dream of the priest:
"Why did you built a stone wall around the pine tree where I live? Why are you trying to confine me there, making live miserable for me?"
"The temple can built a stone wall anywhere it likes, and you are not to complain about it. We should ask you to pay a rent for living here. It is up to you, whether we will remove the stone wall or not!"
The Tengu pleaded with the priest for a while and finally they came to an agreement:
The Tengu would not play tricks on the villagers and protect them from now on. Thus the stone wall around the tree was removed and all was fine from now on.
- reference source : kimamanatabibito.blog97.fc2.com -

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Tateyama shinkoo, Tateyama Shinkō 立山信仰 Tateyama mountain worship

- quote -
Beliefs and practices surrounding Tateyama, the composite name given to a series of peaks found in Toyama Prefecture, the highest of which is Ōnanjiyama (3015 m.).
Along with Hakusan it was an important Shugendō site and sacred mountain in the central western coastal region. The main peak is Oyama, whose kami, Oyama no kami, is mentioned in the Manyōshū; this deity is also known as Tateyama no kami and Tateyama Gongen.

According to the Ruiju kigenshō (late Kamakura period), its founder was an unknown hunter. Later legendary histories and the picture scroll known as the Tateyama Mandara say that Saeki Ariyori, a nephew of Saeki Ariwaka, the administrator of Etchū Province (present-day Toyama Prefecture), borrowed his father's white hawk and went hunting in the mountains. There he shot a bear, which changed into Amida. Ariyori received the Buddhist precepts and the religious name of Jikō. 慈興上人 Saint Jiko Shonin.

The original Buddhist form (honji) of Tateyama Gongen was Amida, and under the influence of Pure Land beliefs, there was a strong idea that the mountain was Amida's Pure Land of Sukhavati. There was also a cult attached to the area around Jigokudani ("Hell Valley"); the forbidding landscape was dotted with pools of boiling mud which were thought to represent hell, while volcanic pools were regarded specifically as the
Pool of Blood Hell, and it was here that wrongdoers were said to go after death.
The Hokke genki (by Chingen, 1040-43) and the Konjaku monogatari (late Heian period) contain tales of women who fell into hell at Tateyama and who attained salvation when their parents copied out sutras.
Beliefs in hell and paradise were probably spread by shugen practitioners, hijiri and bikuni (female itinerant religious figures).
In the Edo period, Tateyama was made up of seven shrines and 24 temples, of which the most important were the Kamimiya on the summit of Oyama ( Oyama Jinja 雄山神社), the middle shrine at 芦峅寺 Ashikuraji, and the outer shrine and front building at 岩峅寺 Iwakuraji. Ashikuraji and Iwakuraji, which stand on the 常願寺川 Jōganji River, flowing down from Tateyama, were the two main Shugendō centers.

Shugen priests from here ran pilgrims' lodgings, guided pilgrims to Tateyama (Tateyama chūgo) and climbed the sacred peaks (Tateyama zenjō). During this time Iwakuraji had more than twenty shugen subtemples and supervised the greater part of the area of Tateyama. It extracted fees from pilgrims to stay at the Murodō and to climb the mountain (yamayakusen). When buildings were to be repaired or reconstructed, shugen priests would conduct canvassing campaigns in nearby provinces, centering on touring holy images.

Ashikuraji had around 30 subtemples, of which the Ubadō and the Enmadō were the most important. Parishioners were acquired throughout the country and the Tateyama cult was spread mainly through canvassing campaigns. Confraternities (kō) were established in the parishes (dannaba) and every year the protective talismans of the gongen would be distributed there and those members who would next make pilgrimage to the mountain decided.

Copies of the Menstruation Sutra (Ketsubonkyō) were also distributed, as a means of female salvation, as were various medicines such as the Tateyama gentian (rindō), yunokusa, kumanoi and wild carrot, all remedies for stomach complaints. This is considered to have been the origin of the famous Toyama medicine peddlers.

Shugen priests would also take with them on their parish visitations copies of the Tateyama Mandara and explain through them the sufferings of the hells and the nature of the gongen's saving powers. Mandara in the Ashikuraji tradition emphasized the rite called the Nunohashi Consecration which took place at the Ubadō and the Enmadō. Here, at the time of the autumn equinox, a white cloth (nuno) was spread over the bridge connecting these two halls; hence the bridge was known as Nunohashi ("cloth bridge"), and also as the Bridge of Heaven.

It was only at this one time in the year, on the middle day of the autumn equinox, that women were allowed to enter the precincts, normally forbidden them, as far as the Ubadō, from where, having received the protection of the deity Ubagami, they worshipped the sacred mountain and prayed for rebirth in paradise. The rite was an enactment of death and rebirth. After the rite, pieces of the white cloth that had been spread over the bridge were distributed among believers as burial shrouds.

Until the separation of buddhas and kami (shinbutsu bunri) in the early Meiji period, the main image of the Ubadō was an Uba (kami in the form of an old woman) triad and there were also 66 Uba statues, each representing one of the 66 provinces of Japan. They retained features of the kami of the mountains (yama no kami). Thus, though Tateyama was closed to women and place names in the area, such as Ubaishi ("old woman's stone"), Bijosugi ("cedar of the beautiful woman") and Kamurosugi ("maiden's cedar"), recall legends related to this taboo, it also fostered a belief in female salvation.

After the separation of buddhas and kami, Iwakuraji became Oyama Shrine, and Ashikuraji became an auxiliary shrine called Ōmiya Wakamiya.
Shugendō was abolished.
- source : Suzuki Masataka Kokugakuin 2007-


TATEYAMA MANDARA - Tateyama Mandala
TATEYAMA Jigoku-Dani - Hell Valley
- read more at : Mark Schumacher -




Oyama Jinja Torii gate

Ashikuraji, Oyama Jinja and Iwakuraji
- source : en.japantravel.com/toyama/ashikuraji -

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. Medicine sellers from Toyama 富山の薬売り - Introduction .

. Mingei - Folk art from Toyama 富山県 .

. Food specialities from Toyama 富山県 .


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.......................................................................... Kanagawa 神奈川県 ......................................

tengoosama テンゴーサマ Tengoo Sama

A tengu lived at the river crossing and people were not supposed to walk along there at night. If anyone did, the 楢の木 oak trees on both sides of the road would start walking toward the middle of the road and block it. That was the deed of a Tengu. If people apologized, the Tengu would stop the wind and they could climb the slope.
The old people venerated the Tengu as Tengoo Sama.


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津久井郡 Tsukui district

Once two brothers were thowing their fishing nets out along the river of 三沢村 Misawa village. They caught a lot of ayu 鮎 trout. To make sure the Tengu would not be jealous of their catch, they opened three fish, cleaned them and put them on the lid of the fish trap.
Once the Tengu was not pleased and a 火の玉 huge ball of fire came down on their boat. They were afraid and rushed home.
But this was, most probably, not a Tengu but a
. kawauso 獺魚 / カワウソ river otter .


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Tengonboo 天狗坊 / テンゴンボー Tengon Bo, Tengo'n Bo

If someone is fishing at the 天狗坊渕 Tengonbo-buchi pool and suddenly begins to mumble Tengo-bo, Tengon-Bo . . all the fish he has caught till now will then turn into tree leaves.



.......................................................................... Nagano 長野県  ......................................
松本市 Matsumoto

Tengosue, Tengo sue テンゴスエ Tengo Sue

Once a man named Sue had been abducted by a Tengu. But he was let gone free with the promise that the Tengu would be back next year at the last day of Next Year. With these words the Tengu threw him on the large 松の木 pine tree in front of his home. Due to the protection of the deities, he was not injured at all.
Since that event, the villagers called him テンゴスエ Tengo Sue.


.......................................................................... Saitama 埼玉県  ......................................
秩父 Chichibu

Tengoo matsuri 天狗祭(テンゴー祭り) Tengo (Tengu) Festival
Tengu is seen as yama no kami 山の神 a Deity of the Mountain
During the festival people pray for safety while working in the mountain forest and blessings for the family.
The main actors of this festival are children.

原の天狗まつり Hara no Tengu Matsuri
秩父市荒川白久(原区)地内 In Hara village



This festival was held in many parts of Chichibu, but now only in the Hara village.
The young boys collect wood, bamboo and leaves to prepare for a huge ritual bonfire.
The sounds of the huge fire,
パチパチ、パンパン、バリバリ pachi pachi, pan pan, pari pari
The Tengo sama is venerated as Hibuse no Kami 火防の神 Deity to prevent fire, also as the Yama no Kami 山の神 Deity of the Mountain and the pillow of this Tengo is on top of the mountain.
- reference source : navi.city.chichibu.lg.jp -


.......................................................................... Yamanashi 山梨県  ......................................
芦川村 Ashigawa

One of the villagers of Ashigawa had been abducted by a Tengoo San オテンゴウサン Tengu.
All villagers walked around the mountain forest, hitting gongs and searching for the man, but they did not find him. Then a few days later they found him hanging on a rack for pumpkins, sleeping.
He woke up and told them he had been walking around with a Tengu, throwing Mochi rice cakes at people.
In this district, people who build a new home have a special ritual where these Mochi are thrown from the gables to appease the Deity of the Mountain. So this was a Tengu after all.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -

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. Japanese legends and tales 伝説 民話 昔話 - Introduction .

- Yookai 妖怪 Yokai Monsters of Japan -
- Introduction -

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. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

- #tengosama #tengotengu #tengotoyama #Toyamatengo -
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[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]

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10 Aug 2016

HEIAN - keyaki zelkova tree legends


- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説 民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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keyaki 欅と伝説 Legends about the Zelkova tree

. keyaki karu 欅枯る(けやきかる)withering zelkova tree .
- kigo for all winter -


CLICK for more photos !
Keyaki is a very special tree, often venerated as a ritual tree of the gods, 欅神木 shinboku.

- quote -
Zelkova serrata (Japanese zelkova, Japanese elm or keyaki; Japanese: 欅 (ケヤキ) keyaki / 槻 (ツキ) tsuki)
is a species of flowering plant native to Japan, Korea, eastern China and Taiwan. It is often grown as an ornamental tree, and used in bonsai.
- more in the wikipedia -


. 箪笥 Tansu: Traditional Japanese Cabinetry .
Many are made of Keyaki wood.
The wood is very strong and was also suited for making wooden nails, which were used by the traditional carpenters.

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dotei no gyooja 土定の行者 / ドテイノギョウシャ an ascetic burried in the ground

In the autumn of 1817 a huge Keyaki tree suddenly fell down and in the hole in the ground a 石櫃 stone sacrophagus appeared. From inside there was a voice heard reciting the holy Sutras and ringing a bell. This must have been the Saint Ascetic who was burried there alive about 150 years earlier.
The long line of visitors coming here to pray lasted until the winter of that year.

. Sokushinbutsu 即身仏 the Living Mummies of Japan .
土定 (dojoo) - Others offered their life in a fire 火定 (kajoo) or in water 水定 (suijoo).

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

.......................................................................... Aichi 愛知県 ......................................
北設楽郡 Kitashitara 設楽町 Shitara

穴瀧という瀑布があり、近くに大蛇の遊木と言われた大欅があった。ある時、ある男が大欅を切り倒そうとした。すると美女が現れて名残惜しそうに立っていた。男はそのまま仕事を続けていたが、ふと大蛇の化身ではないかと思いついた。急に戦慄を覚え家に逃げ帰ったが、病床に臥してそのまま死んでしまった。


.......................................................................... Akita 秋田県 ......................................

. Gyokuzooji 玉蔵寺 Gyokuzo-Ji .
The main hall has been erected in 1983, with stems from precious old keyaki zelkova trees 神代欅.


.......................................................................... Fukui 福井県 ......................................
今立郡 Imadate district 池田町 Ikeda

Daishogun no Mori 大将軍の森
There was a Zelkova tree surrounded with Tsuta ivy, venerated by a family nearby.
In 1951 this tree was felled and soon after the family died out.

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Once there was a Sake brewer in the village. At night, from the nearby Zelkova tree, a 天狗Tengu sneeked in with a paper lantern and begun to drink the new Sake, slurping happily. When the brewer heard this sound, ne knew that he had made a good rice wine that time and was grateful to the Tengu.

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遠敷郡 Onyu district 上中町 / 名田庄村 Natasho

tsurube otoshi 釣瓶落し "throwing a well-bucket"
Once there was a large Zelkova tree and when someone passed it by night, a well-bucket fell down from the tree top and hurt the person. So to our day it is called the "Well-Bucket Throwing Tree" and people do not dare to pass here at night.

tsurube otoshi is also a kigo for all autumn, referring to a fast sunset,
lit. "the sun goes down like a bucket in the well"
. nichibotsu 日没 sunset, evening sun .



CLICK for Keyaki trees from Fukui !


.......................................................................... Fukushima 福島県 ......................................
南会津郡 Minami Aizu district 檜枝岐村 Hinoemata

shihoogatame no ki 四方がための木 shiho-gatame, four trees to appease the four directions
and protect a village from evil influence. These trees are not to be cut.
If someone cuts them they will leek red blood and moan and groan like a wounded human.

In the East in the Keyaki tree 東にけやき.
南に唐松 South: Karamatsu - 北に黒松 North: Kuromatsu - 西に赤松 West: Akamatsu


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いわき市 Iwaki

Kuramochi Mishima Hachiman 蔵持三島八幡
蔵持に里という美しい少女(未亡人という説もあり)がいて、たそがれに軒端で歌っていた。その声に寄せられて毎夜同じ時刻に若者がたずねてきた。そのころ、村人が蔵持三島八幡境内にあるえのき(神白村ぼんてん山の大けやきという説も)を切り倒してお里の家の近くに橋をかける話をまとめた。毎夜お里を訪ねてきた若者は、悲しそうに今夜限りで会えないといって帰った。村人たちがその木を切ると、血が流れ出た。ようやく切り倒して運ぼうとしても動かない。お里を呼んで歌を歌わせ、音頭をとらせたら、木は自分から動き出した。その夜から若者の姿はみられなくなった。この橋を里也橋という。
.
さとや橋の南にあった大きなけやきの木を切って橋をかけようとすると、木から血が出て、倒すのに7日間もかかった。ところが重くて動かない。お里という女に木やり節を歌わせたら軽々運べた。

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大沼郡 Onuma district 金山町 Kaneya

八町のだだ坊 Hatcho no Dadabo Tanuki
At the local shrine of Hatcho village there lived a strange monster called Dadabo , which would often eat children. So the villagers asked 中井坊 the blind priest Nakai to drive away the monster.
The blind priest placed a すり鉢 mortar on his head, grabbed a howe and a mallet and went to the Shrine. He threw the monster into the mortar and hit it with the hoe and mallet until it begun to bleed and run away.
Next morning the villagers followed the blood and game to a hole under the Zelkova tree near the shrine. They found 古狸 a bleeding tanuki badger without much hair. They killed it and made some Tanuki soup out of the meat.
From that day on, the monster never showed up.

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田村郡 Tamura district 小野町 Ono

A few years go someone found a straw doll hammered into the stem of the Zelkova tree in the shrine compound. That is quite astonishing for our century.

. wara ningyoo 藁人形 straw dolls for curses .


.......................................................................... Gunma 群馬県 ......................................

上州一ノ宮貫前神社 Shinshu Ichi no Miya Nuisaki Jinja
敗戦近くの頃、上州一ノ宮貫前神社の欅の神木に蛙の形の茸が生え、神木に宿る軍神が怒って現れたものと言われた。さらに、大戦果時には大きくなり、玉砕などの時はしぼんだとか、敗戦直前には蛙に蛇が巻きついた形になったなどという話にまで発展した。


.......................................................................... Ibaraki 茨城県 ......................................

Once at 常陸 Hitachi a shabby looking monk begged at a home for a lodging, but was refused. When the master of the home later found out that it was Kobo Daishi, he climbed on a large 欅 zelkova tree and called out for the monk to come back.
弘法様よーい、弘法様よーい Kooboo sama yoooi, kooboosama yooi
Eventually the man turned into a 蝉 cicada calling ちばひめ chibahime.


source : otafuku.cocolog-nifty.com
若宮八幡宮の大けやき The Keyaki zelkova tree in the compound of the shrine Wakamiya Hachimangu in Hitachi Ota 常陸太田市.

It is said that to our day the cicadas of the region come to this tree on the 23rd of July (this is the day when Kobo Daishi is supposed to have passed here).

. Kōbō Daishi Kūkai 弘法大師 空海 - 伝説  Kobo Daishi Kukai Legends .

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茨城町 Ibaraki Town

諏訪大社 Suwa Taisha
お諏訪様の欅の上辺りに、大きな提灯が下がっていて、これは、むじなのいたずらだと言われた。春先のことだった。

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tamase, hitodama 人魂
A bluish-white fireball 火の玉 fell down to the ground near a Zelkova tree.
The local folks called this tamase タマセ(魂) (tamashi) a soul.



.......................................................................... Ishikawa 石川県 ......................................
能美郡 Nomi district 川北村 Kawakita

Tengu 天狗
During the Meiji period, a boy named サク Saku got lost and was missing. His parents called out for two nights:
「鯖食うたサク」 saba kuuta saku
(Saku has been eating mackerels)
(It is said that the Tengu dislikes mackerels!)
And then found him sleeping in the store house.
He told them he had been caught by a Tengu and spent the time as prisoner in the branches of a Zelkova tree. Eventually the Tengu had let him down.

. Tengu 天狗と伝説 Tengu legends "Long-nosed Goblin" .

鯖 天狗 / 天狗は鯖が苦手 / 天狗の鯖ぎらい
Saba and Tengu comes with more legends on its own.



.......................................................................... Iwate 岩手県 ......................................
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岩手県花巻市東和町北成島5-1 Hanamaki


source : hidemichitanaka.net

成島毘沙門天 Narushima Bishamonten
The largest statue in Tohoku, made from one stem of keyaki wood, 4.73 meters high.
. Bishamon-Ten 毘沙門天 Bishamonten (Vaishravana) .


.......................................................................... Kyoto 京都府 ......................................

There is a keyaki 欅 zelkova tree in 亀岡市 Kameoka that was planted by Abe no Seimei.
If people want to cut it or hurt it, they will be cursed.
. Abe no Seimei 阿倍晴明 (921 - 1005) .


.......................................................................... Miyagi 宮城県 ......................................
黒川郡 Kurokawa district 大和町 Taiwa

kasa ni baketa mujina 笠に化けた狢
吉岡館主但木土佐より前の時代の話。宇古館地内に欅の大木があった。ある夜一人の若者がそこを通ると枝に饅頭笠が懸かっていたので,怪しんで笠の紐を掴み,地面に叩き付けるとそれは笠に化けた狢であった。亡骸を埋めた所を近年までキンタマ塚などと呼んでいたが,今は自衛隊キャンプ敷地になっている。

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仙台市 Sendai 青葉区 Aoba

Tennozuka 天皇塚 Mound of the Emperor
On a hill near the 阿弥陀堂 Amidado hall there were the huge roots of a Zelkova tree. People say that the gibutsu 御物 imperial treasures of 安徳天皇 Antoku Tenno are burried here.
Many woman come here to pray for an easy birth.

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柴田郡 Shibata district 村田町

Yamato Takeru 日本武尊
At the shrine Shirotori Jinja 白鳥神社の祭神は日本武尊。境内に、今も二条の大藤がからみつく大欅がある。源頼義父子は前九年の役に際してこの境内に宿陣し、夢に祭神が現れ大勝した。戦いの初め、官軍が苦戦した時、この藤が二頭の大蛇となって敵を敗走させたという。

. Yamato Takeru 日本武尊 / 倭健命 - Introduction .


.......................................................................... Nagano 長野県 ......................................
東筑摩郡 Higashichikuma district 麻績村 Omi

At the shrine of the hamlet Kanori 叶里のお宮 there is a Zelkova tree that should not be cut down.
But then a villager tried to cut it down anyway. The tree begun to bleed red blood and the man died soon.

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北佐久郡 Kitasaku district 立科町 Tateshina

kimon yoke no keyaki 鬼門除けのけやき
The Zelkova tree between the Hachiman shrine and the Myojin Shrine is supposed to ward off evil. Once three farmers said they could not pass there with their horses and tried to uproot the tree by pulling it sown with ropes. All three of them soon died at a young age.

. kimon 鬼門 "Demon Gate" in the Northern direction .


.......................................................................... Nagasaki 長崎県 ......................................
対馬市 Tsushima

o hideri sama オヒデリ様
氏神の維持金を捻出するためにオヒデリ様(神無月の間の留守番の神様)の山の一部と大欅を売ったら、区長の次男の足が悪くなって立てなくなった。責祈祷をすると上手くいかなかったが、後で和尚に神様が乗りうつり、欅の木を売ったせいだということがわかった。代わりに欅を植えたが、次男は死んでしまった。


.......................................................................... Okayama 岡山県 ......................................

. Nakayama Jinja 中山神社 .




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阿哲郡 Atetsu district 神郷町 Shingo

yashikigami 屋敷神
備中北部の神郷町の8ヶ村を支配する庄屋の家の西に接する山裾には、欅造りの荒神祠がある。そこに祀られている荒神はもとは庄屋の屋敷神であったが、今では牛の加護を祈るものとなっている。
.
阿哲郡神郷町三ヶ市の荒神は、欅の大木の下に祠があり、部落の者みんなで祀っている、この部落の氏神は国司様であり、子供の宮参りにはこちらに参り、荒神には参らない。



.......................................................................... Shizuoka 静岡県 ......................................
庵原郡 Ihara district 両河内村 Ryogochi

Once the farmers wanted to cut down a large Zelkova tree in the forest. A nearby 藤 wisteria tree became so sad about the loss of its companion that it was howling and then begun to have blossoms, right in the middle of winter. The owner of the tree wrote a peaceful Waka poem on a slip of decorative paper and fixed it to the wisteria tree. The wiseria then stopped flowering and they could finish their work.
Yama no Kami 山の神, the deity of the mountain, had become angry, the farmers thought.



.......................................................................... Tochigi 栃木県 ......................................
上都賀郡 Kamitsuga district 東大芦村 HigashiOashi

When Kobo Daishi Kukai visited 日光登山 Mount Nikko he planted his staff in the ground at Higashi Oashi village. It grew to a large Zelkova tree.


.......................................................................... Tokyo 東京都 ......................................
八王子市 Hachioji

namakubi 生首 the cut-off head
In former times, when the 滝山城 Takiyama Castle was lost, the cut-off head of the Lord of the castle rolled down to the Zelkova tree and then jumped up to bite in the head of the victorious Samurai.
Since then the soul of the cut-off head resides in the Zelkova tree and sometimes comes down to bite people.
Once the head bit a man into the leg and the scars were seen and never healed. A learned man said it was the Yokai monster Jinmensoo 人面瘡 Jinmenso and suggested to offer it some おにぎり rice balls to eat every day. And indeed, after two months, the wound healed.



source : てくてくお気楽ダイアリー

jinmenso 人面瘡 - a supernatural tumor with a human face


- - - - - Not related, it seems, but interesting is the legend of

Jinmenju 人面樹 – The Human Face Tree
This tree is found in mountain valleys. The fruit of the tree looks like a human head. It doesn't say a word, but it is constantly laughing. It is said that if the fruit laughs too heartily, it falls from the tree.

- source : hyakumonogatari.com - Zack Davisson -



.......................................................................... Toyama 富山県 ......................................
東礪波郡 Higashitonami district 平村 Taira

Once a 天狗 Tengu lived in a large Zelkova tree with two stems. When he went out to work he prayed to the tree to let him go safely. When he came back at night he gave thanks in prayer with folded hands.


keyaki with two stems 双幹 / 二股に分かれた幹


吉田神社の欅 - 長野県長野市吉田1丁目 / Yoshida Shrine, Nagano

- Check out this page with many special Keyaki trees:
- source : azumauta.web.fc2.com/kengai-

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中新川郡 Nakaniigawa district 上市町 Kamiichi

daija 大蛇 huge serpent
滝橋集落の青どろという淵に、深い洞が2つあって、大蛇が棲んでいた。大蛇は女の子に化けて、欅の木の下によく出た。ある人が大蛇の化けた女に「一番嫌いなものは何だ」と訊いたら、「タバコのヤニだ」と答えたので、タバコのヤニを取って手桶に入れて大蛇の化けた女に掛け、「俺は大判小判が嫌いだ」と叫んで逃げ出した。その晩、大蛇は仕返しに男の家に大判小判を投げ込み、男は長者になった。


.......................................................................... Tottori 鳥取県 ......................................

. Nagata Jinja 長田神社 .





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

Once there was a Zelkova tree of more then 2000 years (樹齢数千年の欅).
But one day the villagers tried to cut it down. That night 怪僧 an strange monk appeared and killed all men who had helped.
This Zelkova tree is the seat of a great deity 大神様, where the God comes to rest.



.......................................................................... Yamanashi 山梨県 ......................................
富士吉田市 Fujiyoshida

ジュウバコタタキ,ゴロチ
舟久保泰明氏の生まれたうちにはかつて月の木とよばれる欅の木があった。その木にジュウバコタタキだとかゴロチとかいう鳥か獣が来たといって、「ジュウバコがくるぞ」とか、「ジュウバコが縄を下ろしてひもひき上げちまうぞ」などとおどかされた。

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北杜市 Hokuto

meoto keyaki 夫婦欅 "husband and wife Zelkova"
At the Suwa Jinja shrine of 日野春村長坂上條村社 there are two Zelkova trees. The one on the left side is the 婦木 Wife, the larger one on the right is the 夫木 Husband.
The bark of the Husband Tree is very rough with many warts. People come here to wipe the warts with a 紙縒 paper string, and then their own イボ warts, to make them go away.

日野春村長坂上條村社の諏訪神社に夫婦欅とよばれるケヤキがある。社殿の右を夫木、社殿の左を婦木といい、夫木の表皮には多数の突起が疣状についている。紙縒をこの突起に結ぶとイボが治ると言われている。

- - - - -There are other trees of this kind


CLICK for more photos !
meoto keyaki 夫婦欅 "husband and wife Zelkova"


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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
27 to explore ケヤキ (00)

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. Legends about Kobo Daishi Kukai - 弘法大師 空海 - 伝説 .

. Japanese legends and tales 伝説 民話 昔話 - Introduction .

- Yookai 妖怪 Yokai Monsters of Japan -
- Introduction -

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- - - - - HAIKU 俳句 - - - - -

葉を脱いで欅すらりと月の中
ha o nuide keyaki surarito tsuki no naka

Having shed its leaves
the zelkova stands svelte
in the moonlight

Tr. Hiroaki Sato

. Tada Chimako 多田智満子 (1930 - 2003) .

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仙台 ケヤキ並木 The famous Keyaki Road in Sendai, Miyagi


CLICK for more photos !

仙台の欅を慕いわたしは水
Sendai no keyaki o shitai watashi wa mizu

渋谷道 Shibuya Michi (1926 - )

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初冬の好日欅一樹立ち
松村蒼石

千年の杉や欅や滝の音
草間時彦

八幡宮夏至の欅が亭々と
高澤良一

- MORE haiku about the Keyaki tree:
- reference : haikureiku database -

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. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

- #keyaki #zelkova -
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. Legends about trees - - 木と伝説 .

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Posted By Gabi Greve to Heian Period Japan on 8/08/2016 09:40:00 am