horagai conch legends

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説 民話 昔話 - Introduction .
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

horagai 法螺貝 と伝説 Legends about conch shells, Muschelhorn

- quote -

Horagai (法螺貝) (or jinkai (陣貝)
are large conch shells, usually from Charonia tritonis,
that have been used as trumpets in Japan for many centuries. The instrument, which has served a number of purposes throughout Japanese history, has been given a number of Japanese names depending on its function. Special schools still teach students to play the traditional music associated with the conch. The conch shell, blown as a trumpet, served a number of purposes in Japanese history. It is called jinkai (陣貝), horagai (法螺貝), or a number of other names in Japanese depending on its function.
The conch is perhaps most associated with its use by Buddhist monks for religious purposes. Its use goes back at least 1,000 years, and it is still used today for some rituals, such as the omizutori (water drawing) portion of the Shuni-e rites at the Tōdai-ji in Nara.Each Shugendo schools have his own conch schell melodies which can be recognised by every Yamabushi...
Unlike most shell trumpets from other parts of the world which produce only one pitch, the Japanese hora or horagai can produce three or five different notes. The process of transforming a shell into an instrument is kept somewhat secret, but it involves the attachment of a bronze or wooden mouthpiece to the apex of the shell's spire. At freezing temperatures (often encountered in the mountainous regions of Japan) the player's lips freeze to the metal surface, so some players prefer wooden or bamboo mouthpieces. The symbolism of the conch schell form inside the Buddhist Dharma is the sanscrit letter BAN which is Cosmic Buddha: Dainichi Nyorai.
The hora is especially associated with the yamabushi, ascetic warrior monks of the Shugendo sect. The yamabushi used the trumpet to signal their presence (or movements) to one another across mountaintops and to accompany the chanting of sutras.
In war, the shell, called jinkai, or 'war shell', was used as a signaling trumpet.
A large conch would be used and fitted with a bronze (or wooden) mouthpiece. It would be held in an openwork basket and blown with a different combination of "notes" to signal troops to attack, withdraw, or change strategies, in the same way a bugle or flugelhorn was used in the west. The trumpeter was called a kai yaku (貝役). The jinkai served a similar function to drums and bells in signaling troop formations, setting a rhythm for marching, providing something of a heroic accompaniment to encourage the troops and confusing the enemy by inferring that the troop numbers were large enough to require such trumpeters. Many daimyo (feudal lords) enlisted yamabushi to serve as kai yaku, due to their experience with the instrument.
- source : wikipedia -

. yamabushi 山伏 "ascetic mountain priest" .
- Introduction -

. horagaisoo 法螺貝草 "conch trumpet plant" .
horagai mochi 法螺貝餅 Horagai sweets
gyooja mochi 行者餅 Mochi for Yamabushi mountain priests


::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :


......................................................................................... Nagano 長野県
.......................................................................
南佐久郡 Minami-Saku district 小海町 Koumi town

Takanebayashi no horagaishi 高根林のほらが石
conch-shell stone of Takanebayashi forest
North of the forest of 諏訪神社 Suwa Jinja there is a stone looking like a horagai 法螺貝 consh-shell.
If there are strange things to happen in the village, the stone makes a warning sound of a conch-shell.
Nearby is also a statue of 地蔵様 Jizo Bosatsu, and some call the stone
Jizo no horagaishi 地蔵のほらが石 conch-shell stone of Jizo.

. Jizō - Jizo Bosatsu 地蔵菩薩 - ABC List .




......................................................................................... Tottori 鳥取県
.......................................................................
智頭 Chizu town

. kitsune densetsu 狐と伝説 fox legends .
Once a child was bewitched by a fox. A Buddhist priest performed rituals and blew his horagai ホラ貝 conch shell during the whole night. Next morning the child was dead.



......................................................................................... Yamagata 山形県
.......................................................................
最上郡 Mogami district
. nogitsune / Yako 野狐 fox Yokai monster .


..............................................................................................................................................


- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
31 法螺貝 to collect

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

. Kaido highway legends 街道と伝説 - - ABC list .

. animals and their legends 動物と伝説 - - ABC list .

. plants and their legends 　植物と伝説 - - ABC list .

. trees and their legends 　樹木, 木と伝説 - - ABC list .

. Persons, People, Personen and their legends - - ABC list .

. 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 -

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::



. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- #horagai #conchshell #shell #yamabushi #trumpetshell -
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::