koi carp legends

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. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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koi 鯉 と伝説 Legends about carps - Karpfen

koi, the carp　 鯉 - - koi, the love　恋 - - koi, come here　来い

. The Carp in Japanese Culture - Introduction .

. Koi 鯉 carp and fish as folk toys .

. higoi 緋鯉 / ヒゴイ Legends about the Red Carp .

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Oniwakamaru driving out a Koi fish monster - 鬼若丸の鯉退治


岩窪初五 Iwakubo Hatsugoro

igyoojin oniwakamaru 異形人おに若丸 The Monstrous Oniwakamaru
- reference : Igyoujin Oniwakamaru - Manga 漫画作品 -

Musashibo Benkei was called Oniwakamaru - "demon child, ogre child" in his youth.
His mother was pregnant for 18 months with him and when the baby was born, it has already hair and teeth.
He was so strong he could fight against 200 men and win.
Since he was such a problem, he was given to Western Part of the mountain monestary at Hieizan 比叡山西塔. At that time he was called 西塔鬼若丸 "Saito Oniwakamaru".

. Musashibo Benkei 武蔵坊弁慶 .
and more clay dolls of Oniwakamaru with the carp


CLICK for more photos !
歌川国芳 Utagawa Kuniyoshi


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- quote -
Koi are a legendary fish. Graceful, vibrant, and one of the most recognizable fish in the world, koi are well-loved and respected. Often associated with Japan, koi actually originated from Central Asia in China. They were introduced to Japan by Chinese invaders.

- - - Waterfall Legend
- - - Symbolism and Meaning
Koi fish are also symbolized according to their coloration.. . .
- source : koi-fish-meaning-and-myth-

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :


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

. Hidari Jingoroo 左甚五郎 Hidari Jingoro - master carver .
The carp at the main hall of the shrine 久津八幡宮 Kuzu Hachimangu ....




.......................................................................... Kyoto 京都府 ......................................
亀岡市 Kameoka city 大井町 Oi town

. shinshi 神使 messenger of god, divine messenger .
At 丹波国並河村 the village Namikawa in the old Tanba province the messenger of the deity Koi Daimyojin 鯉大明神 is koi 鯉 the carp. Every month he comes downriver of the 大堰川 Oigawa to be the messenger of 松尾明神 Matsuo Myojin. The parishioners of this Shinto shrine never eat carp. If they try, they get painful swellings in the mouth.




.......................................................................... Mie 三重県 ......................................
久居市 Hisai town 榊原村 Sakakibara

hazekoi はぜ鯉 sanshouo 山椒魚 Salamander
A villager caught a huge carp, but the animal had legs and fas in fact a salamander. It is called "hazekoi". After he caught this animal, suddenly the water supply of the village became less and less. It was the curse of the Salamander.
Now people never catch any salamander and pray at the local shrine for its well-being.
And the greatful salamander now shape-shifts into real carp every year to grant them a good fishing harvest.

. sanshoouo, sanshoo uo 山椒魚 salamander .




.......................................................................... Tochigi 栃木県 ......................................
小山市 Oyama

In the year 1028 a person named 角田将監 Kakuda Shogen was hit by a huge typhoon. The big 大榎 huckberry tree in his garden had fallen down, so be begun to dig a well in this place. After a short while, clear water welled up from the ground and a huge higoi 緋鯉 golden red carp showed up. This was an auspicious sign. When the village headman 持田 Mochida went to Tokyo to report the event.
奇瑞と言って、神主の持田某と京都に上ったところ、時の天皇に禁鯉宮の勅額を賜ったうえ井戸を掘ることと鯉の合火を禁じられた。後に生活に困難を来したために禁制は解かれたが、氏子は今でも鯉を神聖視している。




.......................................................................... Yamagata 山形県 ......................................
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米沢市 Yonezawa city

. korori no yuurei コロリの幽霊 the ghost of cholera .



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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
85 to explore (04)

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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 ! .

- #koicarp #carpkoi # karpfen #oniwakamaru #benkei #higoi #redcarp -
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