SHRINES Aburahi Jinja in Shiga

https://japanshrinestemples.blogspot.jp/2016/10/aburahi-jinja-shiga.html

Aburahi Jinja Shiga

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. Shinto Shrine (jinja　神社) - Introduction .
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Aburahi Jinja 油日神社 Aburahi Shrine, Shiga



滋賀県甲賀市甲賀町油日1042 / 1042 Kokacho Aburahi, Koka, Shiga

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Located in Koka, Shiga Prefecture, not much is known about the establishment of Aburahi-jinja but it is known that Shotoku Taishi founded it. Long ago it is said that the god 油日大明神 Aburahi-dai-myojin ascended the nearby mountain of Aburahidake; upon his ascent he emitted a dazzling light like that of oil that was lit on fire, and thus the name 油火"Aburahi" was given to the mountain.
Due to this legend, this shrine receives much reverence from people who work in the oil industry. The shrine has an unusual "straight line" layout with a solemn "romon" gate, prayer hall, and main hall. All of these were constructed during the Muromachi Period (1336 - 1573) and all of them are designated as Important Cultural Property of Japan.
There are also trees on the premises that are over 700 years old and an umbrella pine tree that is designated as a Natural Monument of Shiga Prefecture.

Every year on the first of May a "Taiko Dance" is held as a prayer for rain; this is designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Asset of Japan.
Another event that is held is the "Yakko-buri"(Yakkofuri); this event is held every 5 years and involves a procession of over 60 people singing unique songs and wearing eye-catching costumes. This event is designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Asset of Shiga Prefecture.
- source : japanhoppers.com/kansai

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- - - - - Deitiy in residence - - - - -
Aburahigami, Aburahi no Kami 油日あぶらひ神
油日大神 Aburahi no Okami
In the Eastern Hall 東相殿に罔象女神 - Mizuba no Me no Kami
In the Western Hall 西相殿に猿田彦神 - Sarutahiko no Kami

This deity brings good luck and winning in war and was thus revered by the Samurai.
And also by merchants dealing in abura - Oil.


福大夫面 面、長さ20cm、巾14.8cm、mask



- quote -
福大夫面附ずずい子 mask and zuzuiko figure
ずずい子全身像、丈52cm

徳川の末まで毎年正月初申の夜、拝殿にて上・下の瀬古神主家が勤めていた稲講会、種蒔神事に用いた祭具で、面は、長さ20cm、巾14.8cm、背面には 「奉寄進正一位油日大明神田作福太夫神之面、永正5年（1508）戊辰6月18日櫻宮聖出雲作（花押）」の銘があり、ずずい子は全身像で丈52cm、背面 には「出雲明秀（花押）」の銘があり、花押、出雲などから見て同一人の作と思われる。
ずずい子は鈴の転訛で男のほめ言葉らしい。
彫りは共に素朴で美しく力強い線を出して名工の作とされている。稲講会の歌は21あり、宝暦、安永の古器古書に書き残されている。永禄八年（1565）、 足利義昭将軍当時、覚慶公方が当社にお参りしてこの面をかぶり、ずずい子を抱いて「われは油日のくぐつなり」と自嘲したことはあまり世に知られていない。
- reference source : fdi.ne.jp/koka/koka2.html -

zuzuiko is a word deformation of suzu 鈴 (bell), referring to a strong man with a large penis. It is a symbol of fertility and agricultural blessings for a good harvest.
This figure dates back to about 1508 or 1509. It is about 52 cm high.

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- - - - - The Shrine was founded by
聖徳太子 Prince Shotoku Taishi (574 - 622)
or
用明天皇朝 Yomei Tenno (? - 587) - or - 天武天皇 Tenbu Tenno (? - 686)


. tenpi, tenbi, tenka 天火 "fire from heaven" .
天火（落雷 rakurai） lightning
hi no tama 火の玉 ball of fire
and aburabi 油火 "oil fire"


Aburahidake 油日岳（694m）



The whole mountain Aburahidake is seen as the female deity
. Mizuha no me no kami 罔象女神 Mizuba no Me no Kami .


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shuin　朱印 stamp



omamori お守り amulets - Daruma in five colors


- - - - - HP of the Shrine
- source : aburahijinjya.jp-

The shrine has often been a part of TV dramas:
油日神社の映画ロケ情報
- reference source : aburahijinjya.jp/roke -

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朝野の崇敬と甲賀の総社 The most important of the Shrines of Koka
元慶以降御代々々神階は累進して弘和の頃正一位に昇り給い、明応の棟札を始め古書古器皆正一位油日大神と見えている。この神階奉授のこと、或は朝臣参向の こと共朝廷の御崇敬の厚かったのを窮い得る。中世に入ると、或は明応の本殿再建、永禄の楼門建立となり、或は天正年間永代神領百石の寄進、元和奉献の鐘楼 など甲賀武士及地頭領主等の数々の尊信の跡を残している。然もこゝに特筆すべきは、郡下官民が当社を以て「江洲に無隠大社」と仰ぎ「甲賀の総社」としてそ の御神徳を敬いまつったことである。
即ち明応年間本殿造営の御奉加は実に近郷一円に亘り、油日谷、大原谷、佐治谷、岩室郷に於いて 頭殿 をはじめ多くの所役をつとめて当社大祭を奉仕し来たことは千年来の事実である。岩室の鎮守瀧樹神社、小佐治の明神佐治神社、石部の古社吉御子吉姫神社等の 間に現に存している幾多の縁由、杣、横田、野洲、遠くは大戸の地域に及ぶ郡下全円その史実古伝に於いて或は神輿を頒ち、之を祭り、祭日を特定し、或は分霊 と伝え、親子の縁を称し、その崇敬の跡を豊富に存している。
野洲川（天安河）の上流祝詞ケ原の聖地からは、常に油日大神と天照大神が遙祭されていた。かくして現に崇敬者は郡下四万余戸に及んでいる。この深い広い崇 敬は即ち社頭の隆盛となり、維新前はその神領に於ても野山除地村内にて五百四十余町歩、近郷にて千百三十余町歩の山手米を有し、境内亦十一町三反七畝歩を 算した。
現に楼門内社前の壮厳な結構は六町歩の神奈備と相俟って他にその例なく、
よく「甲賀の総社」としての真面目を呈している。
- reference source : aburahijinjya.jp/yuisyo -

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Yearly Festivals　年中行事

Yakkofuri 奴振 Yakko-furi
and Taiko Odori 太鼓踊 Drum Dance
This festival is held every five years on May 1. The last time was in 2016

この油日神社の祭礼として行われる油日祭りは、平年は4月25日に行われる獅子の布付け神事に始まり、6日間にわたる獅子巡行を経て、5月1日に御輿渡御で終る。



油日祭りの奴振・甲賀市 - with more photos
- reference source : shigabunka.net/archives -



CLICK for more photos !

- reference : aburahi shrine yakko -

. yakko 奴 halberd-bearers and servants of a Daimyo .


2月18日　祈年祭 New Year Ritual

9月11日　岳ごもり - staying at the top of the mountain and burning a ritual fire all night.
油日岳頂上にて徹夜でご神火を焚き上げ参籠

9月13日　大宮ごもり - Autumn Festival
11月23日　新嘗祭 Niiname Ritual

諸願成就月次祭　- 毎月1日 Monthly rituals on the 1st.
油の月次祭 - 毎月13日 Monthly rituals on the 13th.

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. Shootoku Taishi, Shōtoku Taishi 聖徳太子 Prince Shotoku Taishi .

- Reference : 油日神社
- Reference : aburahi jinja


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

. kami　神　Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

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- - - - -　 H A I K U　 - - - - -

油日の神の御饌田の田亀かな
aburahi no kami no gosaiden no tagame kana

the giant water bug
from the Shrine fields of the God
Aburahi no Kami . . .

岡井省二 Okai Shoji (1925 - 2001)
Haiku poet from Mie.

. tagame 田亀 / 水爬虫(たがめ) "field turtle" .
Japanese giant water bug / beetle / Lethocerus deyrollei
- kigo for all summer -

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- #aburahi #aburahijinja #aburahishiga -
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SHRINES - Hashihime Bridge Deity

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. Shinto Shrine (jinja　神社) - Introduction .
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Hashihime, Hashi Hime 橋姫 / はし姫 "Princess of the Bridge"
"bridge maiden", "The Lady at the Bridge"

Uji no Hashi Hime 宇治の橋姫, 織津比売 (せおりつひめ)の神
. Checkpoints, barriers around Kyoto .

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Hashihime (橋姫) ("the maiden of the bridge")
is a character that first appeared in Japanese Heian-period literature, represented as a woman who spends lonely nights waiting for her lover to visit, and later as a fierce "oni" or demon fueled by jealousy. She came to be associated most often with a bridge in Uji.


Kyōka Hyaku-Monogatari 1853

Very little is known about the origin of Hashihime. The most common interpretation is that she was a lonely wife pining for her husband / lover to return but due to his infidelity, she became jealous and turned into a demon.
- source : wikipedia

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Hashihime no Yashiro 橋姫の社
Hashihime Jinja 橋姫神社 Hashihime Shrine



橋姫の社（はしひめのやしろ）　は宇治橋の西づめにあり。はじめは二社なり。一社は洪水のとき漂流す。いま、礎存せり。
『古今』　　さむしろに衣かたしくこよひもやわれをまつらんうぢの橋姫　　読人しらず
この歌の評説をもって祭る神をしか云ふなり。『袖中抄』に、「住吉大明神橋姫の神にかよひ詠みたまふ歌なり」とぞ。清輔の説には、「山には山の神あり、橋には橋の神あり。姫とは佐保姫・竜田姫などに同じ。旧妻を橋姫になぞらふ」となり。一条禅閤（いちじょうぜんこう）の御説には、「離宮の神、夜ごとに通ひたまふとて、暁ごとにおびたたしく狼のたつ音のする」となん。
玄恵（げえん）法印の日く、「むかし嵯峨天皇の御とき、をとこにねたみある女、貴船のやしろに七夜丑の時参りして、この河瀬に髪をひたし悪鬼と化す。これを橋姫といふなり」。宗祇（そうぎ）の説には、「おもひかはしたる妻、立ちわかれて恋しきままに、『なれもわれをまつらん』とはし姫を妻によそへて、かこちいへる儀なるべし」。また『源氏物語』に「橋姫」の巻あり。これはなぞらへて書けるのみなり。この歌に付きてさまざまの儀侍れどもその詮なきよし、定家卿も宣ひけるとぞ。また逍遥院（しょうよういん）殿の御説も、清輔・宗祇のいふところに同じ。佐保姫・竜田姫・橋姫、これを三姫といふて、深き口授のあるよし、歌道の師によりて明らむべし。


あじろ木にいざよふ浪の音ふけてひとりやねぬるうちの橋姫　
ajirogi ni izayou nami no oto fukete hitori ya nenuru uji no hashihime　
慈円 - Jien (1155 - 1225) - 『新古』

橋姫のおるや錦とみゆるかな紅葉いざよふうぢの河波　　
後宇多院 Gouda-In (Gouda Tenno) (1267 - 1324) - 『新千』　


宇治市宇治蓮華47 Uji
- source : sites.google.com/site/miyakomeisyo -


Writing Margins: The Textual Construction of Gender in Heian and Kamakura Japan
By Terry Kawashima
The figure of Hashihime, . . .
- with poems about the Hashihime
- source : books.google.co.jp -



はし姫のもみぢ重やかりてましたびねは寒し宇治の川かぜ
Hashihime no momijigasane ya kari te mashi tabine wa samushi Uji no kawakaze.

Wondering if I should borrow
from the Princess of Bridges
this robe of autumn leaves—
my rest while traveling so cold...
the Uji River wind.

Otagaki Rengetsu (1791 - 1875)

- source : rengetsu.org/poetry_db -


さむしろに衣かたしきこよひもや我をまつらむうぢのはしひめ
samushiro ni koromo katashiki koyo mo ya ware o matsuramu uji no hashihime

On a thin straw mat
Beneath a single layer of clothes
On this night, too,
I wonder, does she await me,
My maid at Uji Bridge.

source : Anonymous - wakapoetry.net



さむしろや待つ夜の秋の風ふけて. 月をかたしく宇治の橋姫
ｓamushiro ya matsu yo no aki no kaze fukete tsuki wo katashiku uji no hashihime

How cold!
waiting out the autumn's weary night
deepening as the wind blows
she spreads out the moon's light
the Princess of Uji Bridge.

Fujiwara no Teika
- source : wikipedia -


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- quote -
橋姫（はしひめ）
は、橋にまつわる日本の伝承に現れる女性・鬼女・女神である。
- Image 鳥山石燕『今昔画図続百鬼』より「橋姫」。解説文に「橋姫の社は山城の国宇治橋にあり」とあることから、宇治の橋姫を描いたものと解釈されている。
- Image 鳥山石燕『今昔画図続百鬼』より「丑の刻参り」
- Image 現在の堀川と戻り橋
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Hashihime – The Bridge Princess
From Mizuki Shigeru, Yōkai Stories
Nothing quite embodies the saying "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" like the Hashihime. A human woman consumed by jealousy and hatred, she transformed herself through sheer willpower—and the assistance of a helpful deity who taught her a complicated ritual—into a living demon of rage and death. A yokai from the Heian period, she is one of the most powerful and fierce creatures in Japan's menagerie.



What Does Hashihime Mean?
With only two kanji, her name is straight-forward: 橋 (hashi; bridge) 姫 (hime; princess). But there is a secret meaning hidden inside. In ancient Japanese, the word airashi (愛らしい; pretty; charming; lovely; adorable) could be pronounced "hashi." So "Hashihime the Bridge Princess" was also a homophone for (愛姫) "Hashihime the Pretty Princess."
The only real question is why does such a horrible demon have such a lovely, delicate name? This is because the name predates the monster. There have been Bridge Princesses—benign deities of the water—for far longer than there have been jealous women with crowns of iron and burning torches clenched between their teeth.
- - - Hashihime as Water Goddess
Going back into ancient, pre-literate Japan, there has long been a mythology built around bridges. Japan was—and still is—an animistic culture where nature is embodied by spirits of good and ill. The wonders of nature, like particularly large and twisted trees or odd and out of place rocks, had their own guardian deities called kami. Rivers too, especially large rivers, were the abodes of gods. ...
In the year 905 CE, we get one of the oldest known written mentions of the Hashihime, in a poem from the 14th scroll of the Kokin Wakashū (古今和歌集; Collection of Poems of Ancient and Modern Times). This is especially notable because it mentions not just any Hashihime, but the Hashihime of Uji—a legend that would come to dominate all images of this fantastic creature.

Upon a narrow grass mat
laying down her robe only
tonight, again –
she must be waiting for me,
Hashihime of Uji

- - - Hashihime as Female Demon
How the transformation happened—from benign, sexy river goddess to avatar of female rage—is unknown. Most likely it happened like all folklore, organically and over time. The shrines to the Hashihime existed near bridges, and as people forgot their original purpose they began to make up new stories. Most of these stories tended to include some legend of the Hashihime as "woman done wrong." There are old legends of a woman whose husband went off to war and never came back, and she wept by the river bank in sorrow until she was transformed into the Hashihime. Others are stories of jealousy and revenge. ...
While Lady Rokujo is not the Hashihime, ...
- - - The Heike Monogatari and the Hashihime of Uji
...The Heike Monogatari emphasizes repeatedly than the Hashihime is a "still-living" oni. ...
Toriyama's Text:
"The Goddess Hashihime lives in the under the Uji Bridge in Yamashiro province (Modern day Southern Kyoto). That is the explanation for this drawing of the Hashihime of Uji."
- - - Kanawa 鉄輪 – The Iron Crown
The Noh play Kanawa (鉄輪; The Iron Crown) comes from one of the versions of the Hashihime story from the Heike Monogatari. ...
- - - Other Hashihime
Although she is by far the most famous, the Hashihime of Uji is not the only Hashihime. Nagarabashi bridge over the Yodogawa river in Osaka and the Setanokarabashi bridge over the Setagawa river in Sega prefecture also lay claim to their own Hashihimes.
- - - The Hashihime Shrine
..... Shrine records claim the Hashihime Shrine dates back to 646 CE, making it older than most known legends of the Hashihime of Uji. Most likely it was originally dedicated to the water goddess under the bridge, and the kami of the shrine evolved along with the legends. ...
- source : Zack Davisson -

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- quote -
The Tale of the Hashihime of Uji
Translated from the Heike Monogatari
During the Imperial reign of the Emperor Saga, there lived a courtly lady consumed by jealousy. So powerfully was she in jealousy's grip that she made a pilgrimage to the shrine at Kifune and cloistered in prayer. For seven days, she devoted herself to a single-minded wish: "Oh great and powerful Kami of Kifune, grant me the powers of a devil while I am still living. Make me a fierce being, terrible to behold. Let my outer form match the flame of jealousy that burns so brightly within. Let me kill."



That great miracle-working Kami of Kifune understood the depths of her desire, and heeded her call. "I am moved by pity and by the sincerity of your prayer. If you wish to become a living oni, to change into a monstrous form, get thee to the Kawase river in Uji. Perform the ceremony I shall now teach you, and then return to submerge yourself in the waters of the river. Do this for 21 days." This courtly lady saw and heard the manifestation of this celestial being, and was in rapture.
- continued here
- source : Zack Davisson -


. ikiryoo 生霊 . 生き霊 Ikiryo"living spirit" .
vengeful spirit, mostly female
ushi no toki mairi

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totose 十歳 - an expression from the Genji Monogatari.
Hashi Hime, Hashihime 橋姫

その人もかしこにてうせ侍にし後ととせあまりにて
sono hito mo kashiko ni te use haberi ni shi nochi,
totose amari nite

quote
A pictorial subject based on "The Lady at the Bridge" Hashihime, Chapter 45 of GENJI MONOGATARI 源氏物語 (The Tale of Genji).



The last ten chapters of the Tale are known as UJI JUUJOU 宇治十帖 (The Ten Books of Uji). This chapter, the first of the ten, introduces the Eighth Prince Hachi no miya 八宮, a half-brother of Genji, and his two daughters, Ooigimi 大君 and Naka no kimi 中君, who live with him in his self-imposed retirement at Uji (south of Kyoto). The prince is known for his piety and wisdom. Kaoru 薫, whose serious character is engendered by deep misgivings about his paternity, begins to study under Hachi no miya.
Eventually he learns from Ben no kimi 弁君, the daughter of *Kashiwagi's 柏木 wet nurse, that he is not in fact Genji's son, but rather the illegitimate son of Kashiwagi. The scene most frequently chosen for illustration shows Ooigimi playing a lute biwa 琵琶 and Naka no kimi a harp koto 琴 under the moon and clouds while Kaoru secretly peers in through a break in the villa's bamboo fence.
This scene survives in a section of the earliest illustrated version (12c) in the Tokugawa 徳川 Art Museum.
source : Jaanus


. Matsuo Basho - totose 十歳 .
aki totose kaette Edo o sasu kokyoo

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Tea Bowl, Known as "Hashihime" (bridge maiden)
Mino ware, Shino type, Azuchi-Momoyama - Edo period, 16th - 17th century



- source : Tokyo National Museum -

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- Reference : 橋姫
- Reference : Hashihime


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

. kami　神　Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

- #hashihime #hashihimeshrine -
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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

Shrine Hashihime no Yashiro, Uji
京都府宇治市宇治蓮華47番地

If the procession of a wedding passes before this shrine, someone will certainly become very ill or even die. It is also possible that the wedding will not be successful and the couple divorced.

During the Time of Minamoto no Raikō many people suddenly disappeared.
When he investigated the events, he found that during the times of 嵯峨天皇 Saga Tenno a very jealous woman cast a spell at 貴船の社 Kifune Shrine.
The shrine is therefore associated with the Ushi no toki mairi　丑の時参り, the ritual of wearing candles on one's head and laying a curse at a shrine during the "hour of the Ox", since it is from the resident deity that Hashihime learns the prescribed ritual to turn herself into an oni鬼 demon to exact vengeance.
This story is told in the Noh play Kanawa 金輪 ("The Iron Crown").

. 源頼光 Minamoto no Yorimitsu, Raiko (948 - 1021) .
Minamoto no Raikō


- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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Posted By Gabi Greve to Japan - Shrines and Temples on 6/18/2016 10:35:00 am

SHINTO - shinboku - divine tree

[http://darumasan.blogspot.com/2005/01/digest-january-2005.html]
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shinboku 神木, shinju　神樹　sacred tree, divine tree

kami no ki, kaminoki 　神の木、神ノ木 tree of the deity, tree of God
go shinboku, goshinboku, go-shinboku, go-shin-boku 御神木　"honorable sacred tree"
reiboku 霊木 divine tree, "tree with a divine soul"

kamisugi, kamusugi 神杉 divine pine tree


source :　s-hoshino.com
等々力渓谷の近くにある神社　at a shrine near Todoroki Keikoku Valley in Kyoto


quote
Shinboku, Shinju
Literally, "divine tree," a tree regarded as sacred, as the symbol of sacred territory or a place in which the kami dwell. When viewed in this way, the cutting or polluting of such trees is avoided. On the other hand, in some cases the term is used to denote the lumber dedicated for building shrines. During the Heian period, the sacred nature of certain trees was exploited for political ends, as when priests (jinin) of the Kasuga Shrine in Nara carried a sacred sakaki tree when making demands in Kyoto.

Since ancient times certain trees or entire groves within shrine precincts were regarded as sacred, as attested by expressions such as "the cryptomeria revered by the priest (hafuri or hōri) of Miwa," or "the sacred forest (kannabi)" (both expressions found in Man'yōshū), or from the records of Emperor Kōtoku in Nihongi, "he despised the way of the kami by felling the trees at the Ikukunitama Shrine." Sacred trees are seen frequently today, encircled by sacred border ropes (shimenawa) or enclosures.

In most cases such trees represent very old or large specimens. In other cases, certain specific trees may be linked in some way to the kami of the shrine, such as the shirushi no sugi at Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Shrine and the Ōmiwa Shrine, or the pines of the shrines Ōharano Jinja, Kitano Tenmangū and Sumiyoshi Taisha, the cryptomeria (nagi) of Kasuga Taisha and Kumano Taisha, the tataegi of the Suwa Taisha, and the "flying plum tree" (tobiume) at Dazaifu Tenmangū.
source : Sakurai Haruo, Kokugakuin 2005



Kannabi, kamunabi, iwasaka, himorogi and other names refer to a place in nature where the gods are believed to reside, a "purified place". It is also a kind of yorishiro resting place for the god.
. kannabi 神奈備 sacred forest .

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imiki, imi ki (imigi) 忌み木 "taboo tree"
忌む木
. imi 忌み / 斎み / 禁忌 imi - taboo - Introduction .

Sacred trees where deities come to reside during their travels in this world and the other.
Forest workers, charcoal makers and local villagers found special trees in the forest that were not to be cut down, because 山の神 the Deity of the Mountain resides in them. It they were touched improperly, that person would hurt himself, get ill and eventually die. There are many legends of this kind of punishment of the Deity.
If for some special reason a taboo tree had to be cut down, there need to be a ritual first performed by a Shinto or Buddhist priest to ask for forgiveness and understanding.

-- The following is an ABC list (to be updated) of vocabulary related to these trees:

aioi matsu アイオイマツ（相生松）"mixed pine tree"
赤松と黒松 red and black pine tree grown together, in 幡多郡十和村 Towa village, Kochi.
. bifurcated pine tree and the Takasago legend .

aogi アオギ（和名クロガネモチ / 黒鉄黐 kuroganemochi no ki）Ilex rotunda
Grows low in valleys. People often say
une no kasamatsu ni tani no aogi ウネ（尾根）の傘松に谷のアオギ Kasamatsu on the ridge and Aogi in the valley

engi エンギ（縁木）"trees bound by fate"
One tree with one more different type of 寄生 parasite
enmusubi no ki 縁結び木 Tree to come for finding a good partner (or other kind of EN)

hidarimakigi ヒダリマキギ（左巻木）"left-winding tree"
at 北川村 Kitagawa village, 安芸市上尾川 Kochi

hookigi ホーキギ（箒木）"broom tree"
The branches have the form of a broom. Often observed in mountain cherry trees 山桜 (hookizakura 箒桜), also called hotegi ホテギ.

source : kkakehi.cocolog-nifty.com/photos
For example in 十和村 - 鏡村 Towa and Kagami village, Kochi.

kasamatsu カサマツ（傘松） "umbrella pine tree"
The branches have the form of an umbrella.
In 吾川村寺村 Agawa village Teramura, Kochi, people say
山の神の性根の入った木 (the strong personality of the Mountain Deity resices here)
or 「天狗の休み木」A tree where the Tengu take a rest.


kusegi クセギ（癖木） "tree with a special habit"
A tree which grows in strange, unnatural ways. Some are quite elegant and tasteful.


madogi マドギ（窓木）"window tree"
Trees with two stems, that parted at some point and were re-united further up again.
Trees with this "window" opening facing east-west were especially auspicious.

source :blog.livedoor.jp/thbigthree/archives
yama no kami no yadorigi 山の神の止り木
yama no kami no yasumigi 山の神の休み木
yama no kami no oshimigi 山の神の惜み木
Also called renriboku, renrigi 連理木（れんりぼく、れんりぎ）


oyadakigi オヤダキギ（親抱き木）tree like a "parent embracing a child"
In 東律野村大古味 Tsuno willage, Okomi

. sakaki 榊 Sakaki tree, Cleyera japonica .

sashieda サシエダ（差し枝）tree with very long branches
In 北川村 Kitagawa village, Kochi.

shakujoogi シャクヂョーギ（錫杖木）"walking staff tree"
The stem is parted in the middle like a walking staff.
In 香北町 Kahoku village, Kochi.

Tengu no tomarigi テングノトマリギ（天狗のとまり木）a tree where Tengu take a rest
Their legends are handed down in the villages. If someone tries to cut a tree town, he will be flipped in the air or falls under the tree.
At night such a tree sometimes makes a loud, painful sound, or falls down all by itself 天狗の倒し木 (tree cut down by a Tengu),
If villagers check in the morning, sometimes there is nothing special to be seen.

toriigi トリイギ（鳥居木） Torii tree
Tree grown in the form of a Torii Shinto gate.
In Yamanashi this tree is used by the Deity of the Mountain or a Tengu.
Sometimes a tree falls down by itself. Villagers then cut some branches and ask the deities to enjoy them instead.

tsurugi ツルギ / tsurigi ツリギ tree with two branches growing together 癒着.
tsurugi, tsurugu means 交合 copulation in the local dialect of 池川町椿山、十和村 Towa village, Kochi.

yutoo ユトー（湯桶）tree like an earthen pot
in 土佐山村 Tosayama village, Kochi. The branches look like 土瓶の取手 the handle of a dobin pot.


- reference : geocities.jp/kyoketu -

- Legends and tales about these trees: (to explore)
- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
aogi アオギ (03)
engi 縁木 (03)
kasamatsu 傘松 (04)
madogi 窓木 (13)

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. WKD : ki, jumoku 木　－　樹木　.


. tachikibutsu 立木仏 trees with carved Buddhas . 　

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source :　Michihito on facebook
at 大阪の門真市

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神木は釘を打れて時雨けり
shinboku wa kugi o utarete shigure keri

a nail pounding
into sacred wood...
winter rain
Tr. Lanoue



shimboku wa kugi o utarete shigurekeri

a god's tree --
as a nail is hammered in
it drops cold rain
Tr. Chris Drake

This winter hokku is from the 10th month (November) of 1823, five months after Issa's wife Kiku died and two months before his ailing infant son Konzaburo will die. The hokku is about someone doing what is called "nailing a curse during the hour of the cow (1 a.m.-3 a.m.)." The most sacred time in Shinto is the middle of the night, when most of the important secret ceremonies are carried out, and curses were also popularly believed to be more powerful if made at that time, though they had nothing to do with Shinto. Those who made the curses, however, dressed in white pilgrim's robes, put candles on round holders on their heads, and wore other clothes as if they were doing austerities. The person making the curse secretly goes to a Shinto shrine between 1 and 3 a.m. night after night until s/he believes the curse is beginning to take effect. The curse itself is made by nailing a straw doll in the shape of the person being cursed to the trunk of a tree at a shrine with a long five-inch nail. Something owned by the person can also nailed to the tree.
The "god's tree" here could refer to any tree within precincts of the shrine, although in some contexts it means the tree-body of a god. Since a tree embodying a god usually had a fence or sacred barrier around it and was hard to approach, I take this to be an ordinary shrine tree sacred to the god.

In the hokku someone goes stealthily into the precincts of a Shinto shrine well after midnight and nails a straw doll to a shrine tree with a long iron nail, no doubt driving the nail through an area of the doll that would be fatal if actually driven through the person the doll represents. However, Issa evokes the tree responding to the nail as if to punish the person making the curse. The hard hammering shakes the tree and causes the nearly freezing raindrops still on its limbs after a day and evening of passing showers to fall down. Cold raindrops soak the nailer's head, perhaps putting out the candles s/he is wearing.

Chris Drake
. WKD : Kobayashi Issa 小林一茶 in Edo .





. Wara ningyoo 藁人形 straw dolls for curses .
At midnight, a nail is hit through the heart of the doll to fix it to a tree in a shrine.
ushi mitsu, the old double-hour of the ox beginning at one o'clock. mitsu signifies the third part of this time slot.

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宿木も共に神木小鳥来る
yadorigi mo tomo ni shinboku kotori kuru

the mistletoe too
is part of the divine tree -
small birds come here

Kawasaki Keiko 川崎桂子

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神木を遊び場にして鴉の子
shinboku o asobiba ni shite karasu no ko

this divine tree
is the playground
for baby crows

Takazawa Ryooichi 高澤良一 Takazawa Ryoichi


. karasu no ko 鴉の子 children of the crow, baby crow .
kigo for all summer


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注連さげし杉の神木花粉撒く
shime sageshi sugi no shinboku kafun maku

the sacred cedar tree
with the sacred rope
scatters its pollen . . .

Murakami Tatsuyoshi 村上辰良


. WKD : sugi no kafun 杉の花粉 cedar pollen .
kigo for late spring


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神木も倒して隠岐の野分かな
shinboku mo taoshite Oki no nowaki kana

this typhoon
has even blown down the divine tree
at Oki island

Yoshikawa Umeko 吉川梅子


. WKD : nowaki 野分 "parting the fields" "field-dividing" wind, "field-divider" typhoon .
kigo for mid-autumn


Oki Islands (隠岐諸島, Oki-shotō, or 隠岐群島 Oki-guntō)
are a group of islands in the southwestern part of the Sea of Japan and belong to Japan.
Already under the Nara period the islands were used as an exile for persons from the mainland.
From the Kamakura period the islands were administrated as "Oki no kuni" (Oki Province) and primarily governed by the shugo (governor) from Izumo Province.
Under the Edo period the Tokugawa family took control over the islands and they were put under the direct control of the Shogun through a governor. Later they became part of the Matsue Domain. During that time the islands were a stopover point for trading boats traveling to and from Asia.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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天の木といふ涼しさの未来より
ten no ki to iu suzushisa no mirai yori

coolness
called a celestial tree
from the future
Tr. Fay Aoyagi

Sanuka Masami 佐怒賀政美


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餅焼いて神木の箸こがしけり
mochi yaite shinboku no hashi kogashikeri

as I grill rice cakes
the chopsticks of divine wood
get burned . . .

Suzuki Yaeko 鈴木ヤエコ



Hinoki wood chopsticks from Ise Shrine

Some shrines, especially the Grand Shrine at Ise, prepare special chopsticks from the divine trees for rituals or sell them as amulets to people.

. Ise Jinguu (伊勢神宮 Ise Jingu, Ise Grand Shrine .


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kamisugi, kamusugi 神杉 divine pine tree



神杉や三百年の蔦紅葉
kamisugi ya sanbyakunen no tsuta momiji

divine pine trees -
and the red leaves of ivy
for three hundred years

. Masaoka Shiki 正岡子規 visiting Nikko 日光 .


The tsuta vines are fond of old pine trees and like to grow around them.
. WKD : tsuta momiji 蔦紅葉 red leaves of Japanese ivy .


. Matsuo Basho in Nikko .

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神の杉ましろき藤をかけにけり 岸風三楼 往来
神の杉焦げんばかりにどんと燃ゆ 大坂十縫
神杉に沿ひ昇る日やほととぎす 柳沢仙渡子
神杉に礫のごとし初雀 安川幸里
神杉に耳あててみる盆休み 朝妻力
神杉に谺し雪のびんざさら 伊藤いと子

神杉のもとに庖丁始の儀 黒田晃世
神杉の上をとびゆく滝しぶき 栗山渓村
神杉の千年の黙冷まじや 森戸光子
神杉の太根を頼み雪残る 林 翔
神杉の実の真青なる手向山 福井貞子
神杉の年縄寂ぶる若葉雨 中村祐子
神杉の明暗負ひて種下ろす 有働亨
神杉の根を踏み虞る梅雨豊前 井口荘子
神杉の樹齢を仰ぐ淑気かな 東 天紅
神杉の百尺に夏来たりけり 小村陽子
神杉の秀へ火の粉舞ふ八朔祭 佐藤栄美
神杉の秀を押上ぐる大初日 村上誠子
神杉の葉を添へて売る三輪暦 大島民郎

神杉やあまりちひさき秋の蝶 高橋淡路女

神杉を射て砕けたる初日かな 稲岡長
神杉を少し揺さぶり風光る 稲畑廣太郎
神杉を突いて鉄砲宮相撲 茨木和生

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

shinboku 神木 legends

................................................................................ Saitama 埼玉県
比企郡 Hiki district

. enoki 榎木 / 榎 nettle tree .
Celtis sinensis var. japonica.
武州比企郡鎌形村の農万右衛門の家で、享保末頃のある夏の日の午後、木の枕のようなものが突然家の中に転げ込んできたのを下女が怖がり、庭の榎木の空洞の中に入ってしまった。人々が空洞の中を探しても何も見つからなかったが、後にこの木を伐り倒そうとすると、木から血が流れて止まらなかったので中止したという。

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

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- #shinboku #iminoki #shinju
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Posted By Gabi Greve to Japan - Shrines and Temples on 6/20/2013 10:56:00 am

SHRINES - ichigami deity of market town

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. Shinto Shrine (jinja　神社) - Introduction .
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Ichigami　市神 / いちがみ deity of the market town, market deity

There are various shugojin 守護神 protector deities of market towns, many of then female.

- - - - - In Western Japan they are usually
エビスガミ Ebisugami，蛭子(ひるこ)神 Hirukogami
イチキシマヒメノミコト Ichikishima Hime no Mikoto 市杵島姫 / 大市姫 Oichihime

- - - - - In Eastern Japan they are usually
オオクニヌシノミコト Okuninushi no Mikoto
ヒコホホデミノミコト Hikohohodemi no Mikoto 彦火火出見
コトシロヌシノカミ Kotoshironushi no Kami 事代主命
イチキシマヒメノミコト Ichikishima Hime no Mikoto 市杵島姫 / 大市姫 Oichihime


CLICK for more photos !

They are venerated in various forms, from natural round stones to carved stones with the inscription 市神 or six-sided wooden pillars and small 祠 Hokora shrines.
They were placed at the entrance to a town or a fishing harbour, at a bridge or a four-road crossing.
There are no special days for their festivals but on some special days people make offerings:
正月の蔵(くら)開き Opening of the Storehouse at the New Year
小正月 End of the New Year festivities. (now January 14)



They are closely related to the Dosojin Wayside Deities.

. 道祖神 Dosojin Wayside Deities .


The oldest mention of an Ichigami is in 795, when 藤原冬嗣 Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu enshrined the 宗像大神 Munakata deity as protector of the East and West Town of Kyoto.

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There are various shrines in Japan named
Ichigami Jinja 市神神社 Ichigami Shrine

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Gifu no Ichigami Jinja
Gifu-ken, Ena-shi, Ōichō, 600



The deity in residence is 恵比寿様 Ebisu sama.
With a special market on every day with a seven - 七日市 / 七日福市.

- reference -

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Omi no Ichigami Jinja
15-4 Yokaichihonmachi, Higashiomi, Shiga Prefecture / 滋賀県八日市市本町１５－４

- Deities in Residence
事代主命　大国主命　猿田彦大神　額田王

- - - - - HP of the Shrine
- source : norichan.jp/jinja -


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- Reference : 日本語



source and more photos : nishizato.net/shirotorijiin


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

. kami　神　Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

- #ichigami -
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市神の狛犬に角木下闇
Ichigami no koma-inu ni tsuno koshitayami

the Komainu
of the Ichiba Deity has horns -
darkness under the trees

田中英子 Tanaka Eiko

. WKD : konoshita yami 下闇（こしたやみ） darkness under the trees .
- kigo for all summer




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Posted By Gabi Greve to Japan - Shrines and Temples on 5/28/2016 12:42:00 pm

SHRINE - Kabire Jingu

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. Shinto Shrine (jinja　神社) - Introduction .
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Kabire Jingu かびれ神宮 / 賀毘礼　Kabire Shrine, Ibaraki
Oiwa Jinja 御岩神社
御岩山山頂（かびれの高峰)　賀毘礼の高峰　　/ 賀び禮山（かびれさん）


CLICK for more photos !

茨城県日立市入四間町752 / 752 Irishiken-cho Hitachi, 317-0055, Ibaraki

- quote
Historical background of Oiwa Shrine
The origin of Oiwa Shrine was described in the Hitachi-Fudoki which is one of the oldest history books published in the 8th century． In the book it was explained that God lived at the foot of Mt.Kabire，ie Mt.Oiwa, and inhabitants built a shrine there． The precincts of the shrine is broad and many small shrines are scattered there. In the Edo-era, some temples were also erected. These shrines and temples were preserved by Mito Tokugawa family. Policy of separating the temple and shrine was carried out in the Meiji-era， but some evidence of temple is remained here.Therefore Festival of the shrine is under the influence of Shinto and Buddhism.
- - - Strolling the grounds of the shrine
There is a big torii gate at 50m south from there and you just walk inside the spiritual ground of the shrine. Here also is starting point of a trail up Mt.Takasuzu where is the highest mountain in Hitachi City. Passing under the torii gate, the huge cedar called Sanbon-sugi can be found. In fact, the stem of 9m in diameter is one and it is divided into three at 3 m above the ground. The cedar is 50m in height and is estimated to be over 600 years old. The cedar "Sanbon-sugi" is designated as the natural monument by Ibaraki Prefecture.
Then there is a two-storied gate which was reconstructed at 1990's, and Nio Guardians (Nio-sama) are worshipped at both sides of the gate. In the cedar grove, the way continues to Hall (Haiden) of Oiwa Shrine through a small bridge that is painted red. There are some monuments and small shrines along the way.



Climbing the narrow road behind the Haiden for about 20 minutes, Kabire shrine can be found in a dense and dark forest．
The narrow road is a mountain trail up to Mt.Takasuzu of 623m via Mt.Kabire (Mt.Oiwa) that is formed by oddly-shaped rocks．
- source : hyotanhitachi.web.fc2.com


- - - - - Deities in residence - - - - -
天照大神 Amatereasu Omikami
邇邇藝命 Ninigi no Mikoto
立速日男命 Tachihayahio no Mikoto (たちはやひをのみこと)
= 速経和気命 / 速経和気の命 Hayafuuke no Mikoto



source : 4travel.jp/travelogue

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source : blog.goo.ne.jp/howaitoyaiga

- - - - - HP of the Shrine
- source : oiwajinja.jp -


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- - - - - On the road


三王大神 水速女命
三王大神 Sanoo no Oomikami (さんのうのおおかみ）


Mizuhanome 水速女命 Deity of water

ミヅハノメは、日本神話に登場する神である。『古事記』では
弥都波能売神（みづはのめのかみ）、『日本書紀』では罔象女神（みつはのめのかみ）と表記する。神社の祭神としては水波能売命などとも表記される。淤加美神とともに、日本における代表的な水の神（水神）である。
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !


source : karu2pokapoka.cocolog-nifty.com

- quote -
Protector of wells, Mizuha-nome-no-mikoto, the well goddess
vs. Suijin-Sama, the water-god
The tutelar deity of well-cleaners is known by two names, Mizuha-nome-no-mikoto, the Goddess of Wells, and by the more generic Water-god, and usually male counterpart, Suijin-Sama whose role is to protect all wells and keep the water sweet and cool. The wells must be cleaned once a year, or the breaking of cleanliness law by the house-owners will incur the wrath of the deity, bringing sickness and death.
The goddess (god) rarely manifests her/himself, but when s/he does, s/he takes the form of a serpent. Her/His familiars or messengers, are usually a pair of fish called funa (crucian carp), a live pair are released into wells to eat the larvae inhabiting the well water.
..... The first water of the well must be drawn by a man, for the presumably jealous well goddess would be angered by a woman doing so.
..... R.A.B. Ponsonby-Fane in his "Studies of Shinto and Shrines", traces the Mizuhanome deity to one of the three Amashi-no-kami rain deities enshrined in the Nibu-kawakami jinja, located on Upper River Nibu in Yoshino-gun.
..... Ponsonby-Fane also hypothesizes that Mizuha-nome-no-mikoto (or Mizuhanome-no-kami) was one of the water deities venerated by local indigenous aboriginals when Emperor Jimmu arrived and which is why it was decided to build the Nibukawakami shrine at that very location, and thereby including the female Mizuha-nome-no-mikoto, along with the other Amashi rain deities, Takaokami and Kuraokami, the latter two being male raingods.

The earliest date recorded in the Engishiki for the receipt of "hei" (offerings given by the Imperial Court) by the goddess from the Imperial Court is 763 A.D. though the founding of the shrine is given as a hundred years earlier.
Kojiki and Nihonshoki record Mizuha-nome-no-mikoto as the water goddess born to Izanami-no-mikoto, from her urine. (According to Kojiki, Kuraokami and Kuramitsuha were produced from the blood as it collected on the hilt of Izanagi's sword and dripped through his fingers.)

The fact of the worship of a water goddess called Mizuha-nome-no-mikoto is thus corroborated by the Engishiki records, as well as both the Kojiki and Nihonshoki accounts.

According to Daniel Holtom's "National Faith of Japan"(at p. 96), earlier sources called the shrine Nibu Kawakami which means Nibu river rain-chief shrines, or simply Rain Chief shrines.

"The title translated Rain-Chief is read Okami in the original and is written with two ideograms, one meaning rain and the other chief or head. We are thus in possession of an easy key to understanding the meaning of the names of the two deities, just introduced. The gods of the Nibu shrines are Dark Rain-Chief Deity (Kura-Okami-no-Kami) and "Fierce Rain-Chief Deity" (Taka Okami-no-Kami), kura(kurai) being taken in the ordinary sense of dark and taka being taken in the sense of takeki "fierce" or "brave". [note: kura also means "narrow gorge beneath a cliff"]

The Upper River Nibu Kawakami shrine and the Lower River Nibu Kawakami shrine's identical documents thus reveal the true function of the two male water-gods Taka and Kura Okami. The note in the shrine text document explained that the two deities are rain dragons, the lower shrine deity being a guardian of the valley, and the upper one, a guardian dragon god of mountain tops. Both deities are considered to be one, and to be Amashi-no-kami, rain gods. A black horse was offered to the Kura Okami deity to induce the deity to produce rain during droughts, while a white horse was meant to halt the rain. See A study of rain deities and rain wizards of Japan.

On the more generic water god, the Encyclopedia of Shinto has more on Suijin-no-kami or Water god.

"Water-kami," a general term for tutelaries of water, found in a variety of forms. Water is of crucial importance in agriculture, and the availability and quality of water can spell life or death to farmers; as a result, tutelaries of water naturally came to be associated with rice-field tutelaries (ta no kami). Most suijin are found enshrined on the dikes of irrigation canals, or alongside paddy fields. In some cases, water kami may be found enshrined as "water distributing kami" (mikumari no kami) at the mountain springs forming the sources of agricultural waterways, in which cases they may also be associated with the kami of the mountain (yama no kami). In addition to their connection with the water used in agriculture, water kami are also found enshrined at sources of water used in everyday life, such as household wells, springs, and streams…"
- source : japanesemythology.wordpress.com-


. Takaokami-no-Kami and Kuraokami-no-Kami .
at Kifune Jinja 貴船神社, Kurama Kyoto

. Takaokami 高おかみ神 / 高淤加美神 , Kuramitsuha / Kuraokami,
闇淤加美神 Kuraokami no kami, Takaokami no kami .
and Rain Rituals


. Mizun no Kamisama 水の神様 Suijin 水神 .
and 罔象女神 Mizuhanome

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- Reference : かびれ神宮


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

. kami　神　Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

- #kabirejingu #mizuhanome -

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Posted By Gabi Greve to Japan - Shrines and Temples on 5/28/2016 09:44:00 am

HEIAN legends - otoragitsune fox

http://heianperiodjapan.blogspot.jp/2016/03/otoragitsune-fox-legends.html

Otoragitsune fox legends

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話 昔話 - Introduction .
Yamazumisama - see below
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Otoragitsune, O-Tora-Gitsune お寅狐 / オトラギツネ Legends about the Fox named Tora (Tiger)
おとら狐 / オトラギツネ

. kitsune densetsu 狐　伝説 fox legends .
- Introduction -


source : anaguma.moo.jp/blog


Otoragitsune no hanashi お寅狐の話
Tōkyō : Genbunsha, Taishō 9 [1920]), by 早川孝太郎　Hayagawa Kōtarō

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This is a fox Yokai from 愛知県 Aichi prefecture.

The fox was the messenger of the Inari Fox Shrine at the Nagashino Castle, 長篠城の稲荷社. The fox had lost his "home" at the shrine and was now wandering around, causing trouble.
Otoragitsune bewitches people and causes a lot of trouble and harm. The first to have been bewitched was a young woman called "O-Tora", hence the name.
People often loose their eyesight on one eye or begin to limp on the left food. This is because the fox was hurt by bullets during the Battle of Nagashino. When he lay down to rest after his eye was hurt, another soldier came close and shot him in the left leg.
Many bewitched people can also suddenly tell stories about this battle.
Another shrine has later been built in the compound of temple 大通寺 Daitsu-Ji in 新城市 Shinshiro, Aichi.


source : blogs.yahoo.co.jp/hemulen_civa

Nagashino Inari Shrine 長篠稲荷 at Daitsu-Ji

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- quote -
The Battle of Nagashino (長篠の戦い Nagashino no Tatakai) took place in 1575 near Nagashino Castle on the plain of Shitaragahara in the Mikawa province of Japan (now Aichi).
Forces under Takeda Katsuyori had besieged the castle since the 17 June; Okudaira Sadamasa, a Tokugawa vassal, commanded the defending force. The Takeda forces attacked the castle because it threatened Takeda's supply lines.
Both Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga sent troops to assist Okudaira Sadamasa and break the siege, and their combined forces defeated Takeda Katsuyori. Nobunaga's skillful use of firearms to defeat Takeda's cavalry tactics is often cited as a turning point in Japanese warfare; many cite it as the first 'modern' Japanese battle. In fact, the cavalry charge had been introduced only a generation earlier by Katsuyori's father, Takeda Shingen. Furthermore, firearms had already been used in other battles. Oda Nobunaga's innovation was the wooden stockades and rotating volleys of fire which led to a decisive victory at Nagashino.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !



- LINK to many ema 絵馬 votive tablets with O-Toragitsune:
- source : youkaiodaie.blog.fc2.com -


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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

........................................................... Aichi 愛知県 .............................................................

There are many reports of people being bewitched by this fox.

A young person got bewitched by this fox. After about two years he came back to his normal safe. Then he went to Ise and became a boatsman.
- - -
An old man got bewitched. He had no teeth but he begun to eat raw fish, putting the fish head into his mouth and biting as fast as he could.
- - -
A granddaughter went to the mountain to get firewood. When she came back, O-Toragitsune followed her. He had bewitched her grandmother.
- - -
Another grandmother was bewitched. Every night a dog 牡犬 came to her home, but she was afraid of it. One day before she died, although she had been bedridden for about one year, she suddenly got up and dances like wild the whole night - and then died in peace.
- - -
One day in the morning the rooster was attacked by a fox. It was in fact the grandmother of the family, who had been bewitched by this fox.
- - -
A woman was recovering from an operation, but then got bewitched by this fox and tried to eat her faeces. A mountain priest was called to perform an exorcism for her, but it did have no effect. She died a short while later.

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東加茂郡 Higashikamo district 下山村

This fox オトラ狐 had lost one eye by a stray bullet in the battle.
A person with bad eyesight is said to have been cursed by オトラサン "Otora San", "the honorable Tora fox".
The curse stays in some families for a long time.


........................................................... Shizuoka 静岡県 .............................................................

In this area, there are many stories about people being bewitched by special fox, the
Toragitsune.
When he heard the sound of guns during the Battle of Sekigahara, he run away and became lame on one leg. People who are bewitched by this fox become lame, but also begin to talk about war strategy.

. The Battle of Sekigahara 関ヶ原の戦い .

This seems a mix-up with the name of the battle of Nagashino,
Nagashino Shitaragahara　長篠設楽原　(ながしの したらがはら).
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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
オトラギツネ / 山住様

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Yamazumisama 山住様 /ヤマズミサマ "Deity living in the mountains"

If someone is bewitched by Otoragitsune, people call for an 陰陽師 Onmyo-Shi Yin-Yang Master or a 修験者 Shugendo priest to perform exorcism rituals.
If this does not help, they have to go deep into the mountains of 秋葉山 Akibasan and call Yamazumisama for help. He has a helper, the sacred 山犬 Mountain Wolf and is also called
Oinusama 御犬様 O-Inusama, "Honorable Wolf Deity".



Yamazumi Jinja 山住神社 in Hamamatsu

- - - - - Deities in residence
大山積命 Oyamatsumi no Mikoto - オオヤマツミ（大山積神、大山津見神、大山祇神）
- Deity of the Mountains
事解男命 Kotosakao no Mikoto
伊邪冊命 Izanami no Mikoto
速玉男命 Hayatamao no Mikoto

- quote -
Yamazumi Shrine is a shrine with a long history of Wolf Worship.
It is said that the shrine was founded in 709, when Oyamazu no Kami, or generally called Yamazumi Daigongen, was invited here from Iyo province (present-day Matsuyama Pref.). Enshrined together are Kotosakao no Mikoto, Izanami no Mikoto and Hayatamao no Mikoto.
Yamazumi Shrine is famous for its wolf cult. When Tokugawa Ieyasu took refuge in a mountain to escape from the attack of the Takeda clan, the mountain suddenly began to quake and he heard great roaring of a wolf, which drove away the enemy. Because of this, it is said, Ieyasu paid great respect for this shrine.
Around 1700, Yamazumi Daizennosuke, the chief priest of this shrine, planted 360,000 cedar and zelkova trees in as long as 40 years to improve the rough mountain. Now Mt. Yamazumi is full of fine trees. In the precinct are two sacred cedar trees, which are over 1,200 years old.
- source : nippon-kichi.jp -

静岡県浜松市天竜区水窪町山住230番地
Yamazumi, Mizukubo-cho, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka
- reference : wikipedia -


. ookami 狼, yamainu 山犬 Okami, wolf legends .
yamainu 豺 "mountain dog" Wolf




........................................................... Nagano 長野県 .............................................................
飯田市 Handa town

クダショ Kudasho Fox
A person bewitched by Kudasho begins to sigh and moan in a loud voice day and night. He might also not be able to get up any more and tremble all over.
In a lighter case a simple exorcism might be helpful. In a difficult case, they have to call Yamazumisama to do the rituals. He brings a special shinsatsu 神札 "talisman of God" and calls on Oinusama to help. When the Wolf appears, the fox has to run away fast and the person is healed.


........................................................... Shizuoka 静岡県 .............................................................
磐田郡 Iwata district

クダショー Kudashoo Fox and Oinusama お犬様
When people get a high fever, stomach ache and begin to mumble in fever, they are bewitched by this fox. They need some exorcism to get healed. Yamazumisama changes his form into the wolf お犬様 Oinusama for the exorcism. But people who take part in this ritual are not allowed to look back at him.
Some say Kudasho is like a weasel (イタチ itachi) wit white hair.
If a family gets a bride from a family with Kudasho experience, this new family home will prosper soon.

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押出（おしで））押出の山住神社分社
a small sub-shrine in the village of Oshide
- reference : mis.janis.or.jp/~takao424

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kudashoo クダショー, kudasho クダショ "Pipe Fox"

- quote -
Mythology and Folklore - Kudakitsune:
In the area is also known as kudasho and it seems that some people saw a cat capture it.
It had black fur and they say it looked like a marmot.
- source : mugetsu.silverblood.net


. kudagitsune, kudakitsune クダ狐 / 管狐 "Pipe-Fox" .
- Introduction -

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. kitsune densetsu 狐　伝説 fox legends .

. 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 ! .

- #otoragitsune #foxlegends #yamazumisama -
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