Ise Shima legends

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話 昔話 - Introduction .
- Ise Kaido伊勢街道, see below
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Ise-Shima 伊勢志摩 と伝説 Legends about Ise-Shima

. Ise Grand Shrine 伊勢神宮 Ise Jingū .
- Introduction -



The G7 summit will be held on 26–27 May 2016
at the Shima Kanko Hotel in 賢島 Kashikojima Island, 英虞湾 Ago Bay, Shima, Mie Prefecture, Japan.
- Summit reference : -

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.......................................................................... Mie 三重県 ......................................

- - - - - First let us look at 志摩市 Shima Town and 志摩郡 Shima district

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hebi 蛇 Serpent

In 大王町 Daio Town
Once a family had a lot of bad luck, one after the other, and finally asked a priest fro the 日蓮宗 Nichiren sect for advise. He told them one of their ancestors had once felled a pine at 三島山 Mishimayama and killed a serpent. Now they suffer from the curse of this animal, but when they started to venerate the serpent, things got better.

While building a road and scratching away at a mountain slope with a bulldozer, the home of a serpent got destroyed. Soon after there were many ill people in the village, so they begun to venerate the
hebigami 蛇神 "Serpent Deity" and things got better.


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Ikegami 池神 Snake "Deity of the Pond"

In 大王町 Daio Town
there was an old couple doing their farming work near 城山 Shiroyama. They were talking about weather a deity would live in the pond or not. While they were talking, the water of the pond begun to swirl in a furious whirl.
Since then they begun to venerate the "Deity of the Pond", which was in fact the Snake Deity.

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Jizoo 地蔵 Jizo Bosatsu - Shian Jizo and Nakiri 波切

In 大王町 Daio Town
around 1825 in the villages of 船越村と波切村 Funakoshi and Nakiri there arose a fight about a whale who had washed ashore. The headman of Funakoshi insisted in his claim, even by cutting his guts and committing 切腹 Harakiri. Now there is a Jizo Statue to venerate in place of this headman. But the family which had placed the statue was struck by misfortune. When they asked a diviner about their problem, they were told that the statue faced toward Namikiri and Jizo was angry about that. So they turned the statue to face in the opposite direction.
If children behave bad or do mischief in the presence of this Jizo statue, there will be no good catch for the fishermen (fusagu フサグ（不漁).

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- - - - - Shian Jizoo 思案地蔵 Shian Jizo, the reflecting Jizo



with a legend from 1830 - 天保元年(1830)9月23日 about the villagers around Nakiri pilfering a shipwrecked boat.

- source : blogs.yahoo.co.jp/hinoshonin -

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- - - - - . Nakiri Jinja 波切神社 Nakiri Shrine .
and the kujira ishi 鯨石 "Whale Stone"

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ishibotoke (sekibutsu) 石仏 Stone Buddha

In 志摩町 Shima Town
there is a stone Buddha, also called
shiobotoke 潮ボトケ "Tidal Buddha" or nurebotoke ぬれボトケ "Wet Buddha".
In the early Meiji period, the 弥吉老人 Old Man Yakichi had a special dream:
"I am the Jizo Bosatsu of this place. By a turn of fate I arrived here at this place. If someone prays to me with all their heart, I will heal any illness they have from the hips down to the feet.
I will sleep in the sea water and thus help to cleanse the sins of the people, so do not replace my stone to a higher place."
The head priest 児玉芳山 Kodama Yoshiyama of the temple 潮音寺 Choon-Ji in Shima decided to have a hospital here.

There is a temple of the same name, 潮音寺 Choon-Ji, in Toba 鳥羽市答志町.
It has three Kannon Statues of three different periods, Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi.
- reference : kankomie.or.jp -

- Jizo Bosatsu 地蔵菩薩 - Introduction -
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Konjin, Konjin Sama 金神, 金神様 deity of metal

If a woman gives birth facing the Konjin deity 金神 the baby will be blind or eaven be born dead.

. Konjin, Konjin Sama 　金神, 金神様 deity of metal .


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Nagagami (Choojin) 長神 Serpent "Long Deity"

In 大王町 Daio Town
Once a family was hit by the curse of a serpent and begun to venerate
Nagagami to appease it. Every month on the 14th day they have a special purifying ritual.

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oni 鬼 demon and zoori ゾウリ sandals

In 大王町 Daio Town
fishermen make huge straw sandals of the size of one Tatami mat every year and float it on sea, together with sekihan 赤飯や酒 ritual red rice and Sake. There is a Demon living on a reef close by and when he sees the big Tatami, he thinks that there must be a huge Demon living on land. This stops him from coming to the shore and do harm to the village.


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ooika 大烏賊 huge squid

In 志摩市 Shima Town
The 鰹船 bonito fishermen once found a floating dead body near Oki but did not bother to haul it up with their nets. A few days later they saw a huge octopus （7、8尺四方） and more strange things begun to happen. Eventually all of the crew drowned, only the one man who had seen the dead body first survived.

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oozame 大鮫 huge shark

In Shima town
旧暦の6月1日は、大島の神の祭日で、その日に二神が海中で逢うので海女は仕事を休む。昔、この日に海女が海に行くと、海水が渦巻いていたので帰った。それ以来、決してこの日には海で仕事をしない。


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Tengu 天狗

In 大王町 Daio Town
on the last night of the year, a Tengu comes and hangs a light on a tree.


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yonaki matsu よなき松 / 夜泣き松 "Pine crying at night"

In 大王町 Daio Town
During the 伊勢湾台風 Isewan Taifun an old pine tree of more than 1000 years broke down.
When they cut it clean the tree begun to cry.

. Isewan typhoon 伊勢湾台風 1959 - Typhoon in the Isewan Bay - Legends .

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Kashikojima Island, the venue of Summit

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The Ise-Shima areas are located in the eastern tip of Mie Prefecture, which is on the eastern side in Kii Peninsula, the largest peninsula in Japan. -
Meotoiwa Rocks of Futamiura
Mikimoto Pearl Island and woman divers
Ago Bay
Amano-iwato Shrine - where the legend has it that the Sun goddess hid herself
Izawanomiya Shrine
- source : japan-magazine.jnto.go.jp/en -


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鳥羽市 Toba

In 石鏡町 Ijikacho
同年代の子どもが死ぬと、家々で小さめの握り飯を二つずつ作り、きな粉をまぶして子どもの両耳に当てた後、これを食べさせる。十歳くらいまでの子どもによく行う。今では握り飯は石に代わっているという。

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shirohebi 白蛇 white serpent

At the Shrine 加布良湖明神社 in 加布良崎 a white serpent is the Deity in residence.
She is the couple together with the 山の池 white serpent from the pond in the mountain.
On the last day of every month 毎月晦日 the two can meet late at night.


Izawa Jinja 伊射波神社 - 志摩國一宮 Shima no Kuni Ichi no Miya
三重県鳥羽市安楽島町字加布良古
- source : genbu.net/data/sima/isawa -


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Ise Kaido 伊勢街道 / 伊勢参宮街道 Ise Sangu Kaido / 伊勢路 Ise ji
A very popular pilgrims road to the Ise Shrine.



Leaving the Tokaido at 日永の追分 Hinaga no Oiwake, leading to Ise.
Now mostly Highway 428.



伊勢本街道 Ise Hon Kaido, Honkaido
From Osaka, Shrine 玉造稲荷神社 Tamatsukuri Inari Jinja, passing 奥津（津市）Tsu city leading to Ise.

伊勢参宮街道 Ise Sangu Kaido
Leaving the 初瀬街道 Hase Kaido at 桜井 Sakurai (Nara), past 宇陀市 Uda city to Ise.

伊勢路 Iseji, Ise ji
From the Shrine 伊勢神宮 Ise Jingu to Kumano Sanzan 熊野三山 the three shrines of Kumano.

- - - - - There are many shido 支道 branch roads leading to the main Ise Kaido.


伊勢別街道 Ise Betsu Kaido
- turning off the Tokaido at Seki 関宿, via 椋本宿 Mukumoto (Tsu city), back to the Ise Kaido at 江戸橋 Edobashi in Tsu city.

初瀬街道 Hase Kaido
伊賀街道 Iga Kaido
上街道 (上ツ道) Kamitsumichi
清滝街道 Kiyotaki Kaido
暗越奈良街道 Kuragarigoe Nara Kaido (Kuragoshi, Kurayami)
奈良街道 Nara Kaido
竹内街道 Takenouchi Kaido
和歌山街道 Wakayama Kaido
横大路 Yoko-Ooji


安永餅 Yasunaga mochi
- Mochi Kaido 餅街道 Road of the rice cakes -
From 桑名 Kuwana until the Ise Shrine.
There are many tea stalls on the roadside serving tea and rice cakes. They all have a special taste to offer and are very popular to our day.
There are also many tea stalls along the nearby road to Kumano 熊野街道.



................................................................................. Nagano 長野県
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下伊那郡 Shimoina district 阿南町 Anan town

okuwa sama, o-kuwa sama オクワ様 / 鍬 venerable hoe
The reason why O-Kuwa sama is venerated:
Around 1860 a group of politicians wanting change started from the Shrine 皇太神宮 Kotai Jingu in Ise. They walked along all the villages of the 伊勢街道 Ise Kaido, carrying the hoe in a palanquin, singing local songs, performing shishimai 獅子舞 lion dances and tried to involve the villagers.
They were not allowed to pass the sekisho 関所 barrier station at 帯川 Obikawa, so they left all their tools there and went back home.
Now they venerate O-Kuwa Sama only in years with a good harvest.


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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
108 to explore (03) / / 志摩市 OK
66 志摩郡 (09)



日本の伝説 (32) 伊勢・志摩の伝説
駒敏郎 (著), 花岡大学 (著)


- quote -
- - - - - Legends about Ise-Shima
『浜島の久須ひめものがたり』 - 『大王の堂の山の夜泣き松』- 『初音姫のものがたり』
『磯部の手力男命の手形石、阿児の横山の八大竜王』 -
『大倉島の竜宮』- 『志摩の豊玉姫ものがたり』- 『ガンガン井戸と馬乗り石』など . . .
- source : city.shima.mie.jp/shisei -


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. Hebigami 蛇神と伝説 Legends about the Snake Deity, Snake God .
Ikegami 池神 Srepent "Deity of the Pond"
Nagagami (Choojin) 長神 Serpent "Long Deity"

. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話　昔話 - Introduction .

- Yookai 妖怪 Yokai Monsters of Japan -
- Introduction -

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- #iseshimalegends #ise-shima #summitg72016 #hebigami -
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koi carp legends

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. 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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tako octopus legends

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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tako 蛸と伝説 Tako Legends about Octopus

. tako 蛸 Octopus in Japanese Culture .
- Introduction -

In the Edo period, money was called "o-ashi" 足 legs, 　
and things with many legs, like ika cuttlefish and tako octopus were considered auspicious gifts.



The Fisherman and The Octopus
Kusakabe Kinbei 日下部金兵衛 Kusakabe Kimbei
(1841 – 1934) - fotografer

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CLICK for more photos of Ukiyo-E and the Tako !
Hokusai 北斎

The Tako was a kind of hero in lady's dreams
(or maybe in the men's dreams who made the prints).

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. tako bikuni 蛸比丘尼 the Octopus nun .


. Tako Yakushi 蛸薬師 Octopus Yakushi Nyorai .

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In some regions there are legends about an octopus changing into a huge serpent or vice versa.


source : youkaitama.seesaa.net/archives

hebidako 蛇蛸（へびだこ） serpent-octopus

In many parts of 北九州 Kita Kyushu.

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Ayakashi (妖 - あやかし) is the collective name for yōkai that appear above the surface of some body of water.


"Ayakashi" from the Konjaku Hyakki Shūi by Sekien Toriyama

In the Nagasaki Prefecture, the kaika 怪火；カイカ　(ghost lights) that appear above water are called this, and in the funayūrei 船幽霊 (boat spirits) in the Yamaguchi Prefecture and the Saga Prefecture are also called this. In the western part of Japan, they are said to be those who died at sea and are attempting to capture people to join them.In Tsushima, they are also called "kaika of ayakashi (ayakashi no kaika)," and appear on beaches in the evening, and it would look like as if a child were walking in the middle of the fire. On coasts, kaika would appear as mountains and obstruct one's path, and are said to disappear if one doesn't avoid the mountain and tries to bump into it intently.

There is the folk belief that if a live sharksucker　(Echeneis naucrates), an actual fish, gets stuck to the bottom of the boat, it would not be able to move, so ayakashi is a synonym for this type of fish.

In the Konjaku Hyakki Shūi by Sekien Toriyama, the ayakashi is represented by a large sea snake, but this may actually be an ikuchi, sea snake or octopus.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

.......................................................................... Aichi 愛知県 ......................................
知多郡 Chita district 南知多町 Minami Chita

shoojagama しょうじゃがま
昔、須佐の海に大蛸が住んでいた。ある少女が毎日その足を切って売り、暮らしをたてていた。８本目の足を切りに行った時、遂に大蛸の為海中へまきこまれて死んでしまった。しょうじゃは少女が訛って、がまは水中の大きな穴と言われている。


.......................................................................... Fukui 福井県 ......................................

蛇が蛸になる a serpent becomes an octopus
蛸の中には蛇が化して蛸になったものがいるという。ある人の話に、越前で、大岩にあたって尾が裂けたものがやがて脚になったのを見たという。その人の従僕も、山から小さな蛇がたくさん降りてきて水際で小石にあたって、だんだんと変化して水に入っていったという。

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敦賀市 Tsuruga

There was a rock with many shells, so a man once went there diving to harvest them. But he never came back to the surface. When his friends found him in the water, he was circling around a large pillar. They pulled the body up and found that the pillar was in fact the leg of a huge octopus and the head of the animal was huge like a rock.




.......................................................................... Hyogo 兵庫県 ......................................

猿，蛸，バケモノ
旅の男が蛸に絞められている猿を助けてお礼にと風呂敷を貰った。その夜、宿に泊まっていると、大風が吹いてバケモノがやってきた。風呂敷を外に出し布団をかぶっていると、風が止んだ。朝になって見ると風呂敷の中はナメクジであり、バケモノはそれで滑ったようだ。




.......................................................................... Iwate 岩手県 ......................................

At the Shrine Watatsumi Jinja 綿津海神社
Tako is seen as a deity 蛸神様 / たこ神さま Tako Kamisama.



Once a woman fishing for kelp cut off one leg of a Tako, who later became the
Octopus Deity with Seven Legs "七本足の蛸"を蛸神様
- reference : moon.ap.teacup.com/syunjun -



.......................................................................... Kagawa 香川県 ......................................

ヤザイモン / 八左兵門 Yazaimono Tako
Once a huge Tako took a nap on a rock. When Yasaimon 八左兵門 (Yazaemon) saw this, he cut off one leg each day. On Day 8 he wanted to cut off the last leg, but the huge Tako threw him into the sea with it and then continued his nap.
Since that time, the huge Octopus is called ザイモン蛸 Yazaimon in this area.

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坂出市 Sakaide

daija 大蛇 huge serpent and oodako 大蛸 huge octopus
Once upon a time a huge serpent and a huge octopus had a fight and the huge octopus threw the serpent into the sea - so he had won! Ten years later there was oil oozing out of the sea where the serpent had perished. A fisherman found the oil, threw out his load of rice and hauled the bones of the snake into his ship. He sold it as medicine in Osaka and became a rich man.

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小豆郡 Shozu district 土庄町

At 天津神社 Amatsu Jinja there is a stone with a paining of an octopus.
Once a fisherman caught an octopus and killed it, so the curse of this animal came over the fisherman. To appease it, the fisherman had the carving made and prayed for forgiveness.




.......................................................................... Kanagawa 神奈川県 ......................................
北下浦村

昔、漁夫が磯へ出て大きな章魚を見つけたが、あまりに大きいので足一本だけ切って桶に入れて帰った。それから毎日、足を一本だけ切って帰った。８日目に最後の一本を切ろうとしたら、章魚は一本の足で漁夫をとらえ海へ引きずり込んだ。



.......................................................................... Kagoshima 鹿児島県 ......................................
大島郡 Oshima district 瀬戸内町 Setouchi

. Throwing octopus at the kenmun ケンムン Yokai .

人蛸 チュドホ "human Tako"
白浜に大蛸がいるときにはとらないものだという。妻が夫に白浜にいる人蛸を捕ってくるよう頼み、夫が捕ろうとしたところ、人蛸が男を一掴みにし、手二つを鼻の穴に、手二つで帆を吹かして上に捧げて行ってしまった。

ケンムン Kenmun - Kenmono
ケンムンと仲良しになったある人が、一番恐いものを尋ねられ、お金と答えた。一方ケンムンは、ヤツデマル（蛸）が恐いと言った。ある日、その人がケンムンにやけどを負わすと、ケンムンは仕返しにたくさんの金を小屋に投げ込んだ。その人は、蛸を捕ってきて、小屋にかけたため、ケンムンは二度と来なくなり、その人は大金持ちになった。
.
海辺によく現れ相撲を挑んでくる。頭に皿があり、割れると霊力を失う。初めて海からケンモンが上陸した時蛸に襲われ難儀した。ガジュマルの木に住むことを許されたのでそこに住んでいる。

ケンモン Kenmono - a Yokai from Amami islands - Amami kappa kenmun
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

- and Kenmun from Okinawa
ケンムンの特徴は、体が小さく子供のようで、赤い毛がはえていて、ウスクかガジアルの木にすむ。顔は猫のようだとも犬のようだともいわれる。足は長く、竹のように細い。漁が大好きで魚の目玉だけ食べる。相撲が好きでよく人に挑んでくる。7月頃海から山へ登っていく。蛸が苦手。ケンムンが家に着くと裕福になるといわれている。

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Yokai of Tako and Shells タコや貝の妖怪

英一蝶 Hanabusa Itcho (1652 - 1724) - 『田原藤太秀郷』
- source : ameblo.jp/pandemonium0299 -


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.......................................................................... Miyagi 宮城県 ......................................

If a pregnant woman eats octopus, the child will have warts.

.......................................................................
本吉郡 Motoyoshi district 本吉町

小浜海岸で夜釣りをしていた人が、光る皿のようなものが二つ飛んでくるのを見た。それは蛸で、光るものは蛸の眼だった。


.......................................................................... Nagasaki 長崎県 ......................................
南島原市 Minami Shimabara

ある寡婦が磯漁りに行ったところ、蛸の足が石の上に出ていた。彼女は喜んでこれを切って持って帰り、夜の慰みに使った。このようなことを7度繰り返し、8度目に最後の足を切ろうとしたところ海に引きずりこまれて死んでしまった。それ以来山から原城の沖へ毎晩火が飛んでいくようになった。



.......................................................................... Niigata 新潟県 ......................................
刈羽郡 Kariwa district

蛇が蛸になる a serpent becomes an octopus
文化9年の6月に、石地町に住む文四郎とその友達3人とともに、近くの賽の河原と呼ばれる海浜で遊んでいたところ、石の六地蔵から大きな蛇が出てきた。撃ち殺そうと追いかけると、蛇は海中には入り逃げたが、結局捕まえて見てみると、7本足の蛸に変化していたという。


.......................................................................... Okinawa 沖縄県 ......................................

bunaga ブナガ，木の精
ブナガが毎晩家を訪れ、材木を運んだり家の手伝いをしてくれる。しかしそのような交際が嫌になった家の人が、この世で一番嫌いな蛸を投げつけると二度と訪れなくなった。それ以降毎年８月は蛸を飾りお祓いをするという。


キジムナー，アカガミ kijimunaa akagami
昔あるお婆さんが海で蛸をとっていた。その蛸はキジムナー蛸であったので、他の人は誰もとれなかった。そこへキジムナーがきて、「どうしておまえはその蛸をとるのか」と訪ねた。お婆さんはアカガミという神で、キジムナーより格が上であることを話したが、キジムナーは納得できず、奪い合いになった。しかし最後はキジムナーがあきらめて「あなたには負けたよ」と帰っていった。
.
おじいさんが夜に蛸取りに行って、キジムナーと友達になったが、しつこいので蛸を取ってぶつけたらそれ以来、来なくなった。
.
薪割がキジムナーと友達になり、毎日昼は山へ、夜は海へと行くうちに、眠くて仕方なくなり、斧で頭を殴り殺そうとしたり、蛸を投げつけようとしたりするが失敗する。怒ったキジムナーは薪割りを引き裂いて殺してしまう。
.
薪割りの男がキジムナーと友達になり、昼夜連れ回されて疲れて仕方ないので、キジムナーを追い払おうとキジムナーの嫌う蛸を投げつけた。キジムナーは怒って男を殺した。
.
キジムン，キジムナー
セーマ、ブナンガヤーとも言う。木の精である。子供の形であらわれ全身毛で覆われている。漁が上手で、仲良くするといつでも魚が食え、金持ちにもなれる。蛸を嫌う。旧8月10日は妖怪日で全ての妖怪が出る日とされる。


.......................................................................... Yamaguchi 山口県 ......................................
大島郡 Oshima district 周防大島町 Suo Oshima

Once upon a time there lived a skilfull fisherman named 甚平 Jinbei.

昔、甚平という漁師が住んでいた。魚を捕ることが巧みで近隣の者は皆知っていた。ある日甚平が岩の近くで魚釣りをしていると、急に船が傾いた。見れば大きな蛸の足が船縁を掴んでいた。甚平はその足を包丁で切って持って帰った。その味を覚えた甚平が翌日も岩へ行ったところ、その日も蛸が現れた。こうした日が5日続き、8本の足が3本にまで減った日に、甚平はこの蛸を捕ってやろうと包丁の代わりに縄を持っていった。それきり甚平は帰らず、主のいない船が夕方に浦へ流れ着いた。村人達はきっと蛸に食われたのだろうと噂した。それ以来その岩を甚平岩と呼ぶようになった。
.
There was an unskilfull fisherman called 甚平 Jinbei.
甚平という下手な魚釣りがいた。甚平は正直者であったので、神様が1本づつ蛸の足を切らせるようにした。ところが切っていく途中で甚平が欲心を起こしたので、神様は腹を立て蛸に甚平を殺させた。



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

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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 -


門司ヶ関人形工房 / たこ TAKO


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. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

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Hokigami Hahakigami

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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Hookigami, Hōkigami 箒神 (ほうきがみ) Hokigami, Hahakigami Legends about the Broom Deity
箒神 (ははきがみ) Hahakigami
箒の神 (ホウキノカミ) Hoki no Kami


百器徒然袋　－by 鳥山石燕 Toriyama Sekien

In my dream I saw a broom,
just as one uses to clean up after an autumn typhoon,
just as poets use when warming their saké among the trees,
just like the ones used by attendants during morning cleanings.

- source : Matt Alt - facebook -


- quote -
broom spirit
APPEARANCE:
A hahakigami is a tsukumogami which takes up residence in a broom. They can sometimes be seen on cold, windy late autumn mornings, sweeping wildly at the blowing leaves.

ORIGIN:
Long ago, brooms were not household cleaning tools, but actually holy instruments used in ritual purification ceremonies. They were used to on the air in a room or area in order to purify it and sweep out any evil spirits and negative energy that might be lingering there. Like any tool used for many years, a broom which reaches a very old age becomes a perfect home for a spirit — perhaps even more so in the case of a hahakigami because of the ritual nature of its origin.



Hahakigami
are used also as magical charms for safe and quick childbirth. Because brooms are used to “sweep out” evil energy, a hahakigami acts as a sort of totem to “sweep out” the baby from its mother safely.
They are also used as charms to keep guests from overstaying their visit. Anyone who has stayed beyond their welcome might also be “swept out” by the power of the hahakigami.
- source : yokai.com/hahakigami -

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- - - - - Shrines were Hahakigami is venerated 箒神を祀る神社
産神 Ubugami equals 箒神 Hokigami
A mother has to sweep the floor with a broom or stamp on the broom forcefully to have a safe birth.
Women who did not take good care of their brooms often had a difficult birth.

高忍日売神社 Takaoshihime Jinja
愛媛県伊予郡松町徳丸387番地 Ehime
- source : takaoshihime.jp -


徳井神社 Tokui Jinja
Hooki no Miya 箒の宮 "Shrine of the Broom"
兵庫県神戸市灘区大和町４丁目 -- 4 Chome-5-5 Yamatocho, Nada Ward, Kobe, Hyogo
- reference : kamnavi.jp/en/settu/tokui -


. ubugami 産神 "deity of birth" .
guardian deity of pregnant women, newborn babies and one's birthplace

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source : cromag.blog8.fc2.com
箒神（ははきがみ）

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

Hokigami is the first to show up during a birth. If he does not show up, a woman can not give birth safely. Sp she has to take good care of her broom.

This saying is told in many parts of Japan, in Kagawa 香川県, Kanagawa 神奈川県, Nagasaki 長崎県, Oita 大分県


.......................................................................... Ehime 愛媛県 ......................................
松山市 Takamatsu

Takaboozu 高坊主 Takabozu
He comes instead of Hokigami to help with a birth.
ある商人が箒の神の堂に泊まった晩、箒の神の代わりに出産に立ち会った臼の神が、女の子が生まれたが18で近江のなまずのえじきになると伝える。その娘は商人の子だった。大きくなった娘が伊勢参りに行くので、商人は弁当と饅頭を買う金を与えた。近江の湖で高坊主が現れたが、娘は高坊主に弁当と買った饅頭をあげたため、83まで生きられることになったという。



source : youkai.tou3.com

. Takaboozu 高坊主 Takabozu monster (Large Priest) .
It has the figure of a very large monk and appears on crossroads and in the mountains, to take people by surprise.


.......................................................................... Fukuoka 福岡県 ......................................
星野村 Hoshino

Hokigami is the Deity of Birth. If a woman walks over a broom, she will have a difficult birth.

The same is told in Ehime 愛媛県.




.......................................................................... Kagawa 香川県 ......................................

There are various tales and lore on the topic of giving birth.
A woman has to go to a special hut for giving birth, there a broom has to stand up to make sure the Hokigami will come to help.
If the pregnant woman steps on the broom by accident, the Hokigami will get angry and she can not give a safe birth.




.......................................................................... Miyazaki 宮崎県 ......................................
Higashi Kunisaki district

If the bottom of a newborn baby is blue, they say the Hokigami has blown it out.

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東臼杵郡 Higashi Usuki district

If Hokigami and Benjogami (Deity of the Toilet) do not show up in time, a woman can not give birth. Therefore a woman has to keep the toilet clean too.

. Benjogami 便所神 God of the Toilet .




.......................................................................... Nagano 長野県 ......................................

To help with an easy birth, people weave a basket of material from a broom and put a knife into it.




.......................................................................... Oita 大分県 ......................................

If Hokigami does not show up, a woman can not give birth safely.




.......................................................................... Tokyo ......................................
.......................................................................
神津島 Kozushima

Hokigami is the same as Izumo no Kami 箒神は出雲の神 and is the first to show up during a birth. If a woman takes good care of her broom, she will have an easy birth. But if not, five days after giving birth, a 河童 Kappa in the form of an old grandpa will snow up and take the baby away to its death.

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Ōta 大田区 Ota ward

Hokigami, Arakamisama and Benjogami
These three deities show up for a birth. So women have to venerate them every day to get their help when they need it.
The toilet has to be kept especially clean, especially by pregnant women.
If a newborn baby has a bruise at the bottom, it signifies that Arakami Sama has been there and pinched it to come out fast.
The Hokigami must be honored be never stepping over a broom. A broom must never be used to hit people, otherwise the birth might become a problem.




.......................................................................... Yamaguchi 山口県 ......................................

. Yōka 八日様 Yoka Sama, the Honorable Day Eight .

.......................................................................
Once upon a time
a 乞食 poor beggar woman gave birth to a baby girl under a bridge.
A person passing over the bridge heard the Deity of the Broom and the Deity of the Toilet talking, saying that whoever would get married to this girl would become the richest man in the village. So this girl was lucky, got married and lived to a long and rich life.




.......................................................................... Yamaguchi ......................................
西八代郡 Nishi Yatsushiro district 上九一色村 Kami Kuishiki

Once a traveling businessman stayed over night in a temple of 荒神様 Kojin Sama. There the Hokigami came along and invited Kojin Sama to come and assist with a birth tonight, but Kojin Sama refused. The Hokigami went alone to help. When he came back he told that the child had been born safely, but its life would be short, because on this and that day a Kappa (Enko エンコ) would come and get it.
The businessman thought this was about his own child. On the day when the life of the child was supposed to come to an end the child went to the river with her old nurse. But the nurse was in fact the Kappa, took the child by the hand and wanted to jump into the river. Just in this moment the father gave a loud ring with a sacred bell. So the Kappa fled in haste and the child was saved.


. Aragamisama, Koojinsama 荒神様 Kojin Sama .

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


- source : blog.zige.jp/la-comic -

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. shuro hooki 棕櫚 ほうき broom made from Shuro palm .

. 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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source : teramoto.co.jp/history

Seller and buyer of Hoki brooms in Edo
「hooki uri ほうき売り」and「hooki kai ほうき買い」
It was truly a recycle society.


. Doing Business in Edo .

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dokuro sharekobe skull

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. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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dokuro 髑髏と伝説 Legends about the Skull
gashadokuro, gasha-dokuro がしゃどくろ "rattling skull
sharekoobe しゃれこうべ Sharekobe


. skull (dokuro, sharekoobe 髑髏) .
- Introduction and Haiku -



. Shigeru Mizuki (水木 しげる Mizuki Shigeru) .

- quote -
Gashadokuro, Gasha Dokuro がしゃどくろ
TRANSLATION: onomatopoeic; rattling skull
ALTERNATE NAMES: ōdokuro (giant skeleton)
HABITAT: any; usually found near mass-graves or battlegrounds
DIET: none, but enjoys eating humans anyway

APPEARANCE:
Gashadokuro are skeletal giants which wander around the countryside in the darkest hours of the night. Their teeth chatter and bones rattle with a “gachi gachi” sound, which is this yokai’s namesake. If they should happen upon a human out late on the roads, the gashadokuro will silently creep up and catch their victims, crushing them in their hands or biting off their head.

ORIGIN:
Soldiers whose bodies rot in the fields and victims of famine who die unknown in the wilderness rarely receive proper funerary rites. Unable to pass on, their souls are reborn as hungry ghosts, longing eternally for that which they once had. These people die with anger and pain in their hearts, and that energy remains long after their flesh has rotted from their bones. As their bodies decay, their anger ferments into a powerful force – a grudge against the living – and this grudge is what twists them into a supernatural force. When the bones of hundreds of victims gather together into one mass, they can form the humongous skeletal monster known as the gashadokuro.
Too large and powerful to be killed, gashadokuro maintain their existence until the energy and malice stored up in their bodies has completely burnt out. However, because of the large amount of dead bodies required to form a single one, these abominations are much rarer today than they were in the earlier days, when wars and famine were a part of everyday life.

LEGENDS:
The earliest record of a gashadokuro goes back over 1000 years to a bloody rebellion against the central government by a samurai named Taira no Masakado. His daughter, Takiyasha-hime, was a famous sorceress. When Masako was eventually killed for his revolt, his daughter continued his cause. Using her black magic, she summoned a great skeleton to attack the city of Kyoto.
Her monster is depicted in a famous print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi.
- source : yokai.com/gashadokuro -




相馬の古内裏 Soma no Furu-Dairi - 歌川国芳 Utagawa Kuniyoshi
善知鳥安方忠義伝（うとうやすかたちゅうぎでん）
- reference : wikipedia -


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kitsune 狐 fox

A fox of 100 years will become an inpu 淫婦, a prostitute.
A fox of 100 years will become a 美女 beautiful woman.
A fox living on a kofun 古墳 Tumulus will become a beautiful woman.
Others say a fox has to become 800 years or 300 years, before shape-shifting into a human.


CLICK for more foxes with skulls 髑髏被り !

A fox might place a skull on his head and pray to the 北斗七星 big dipper. The skull is a 霊天蓋 ritual canopy for the fox. But he has to practise so the skull will not slip from his head. If he can manage to see the Big Dipper 100 times, he will gain the power to shape-shift into a human.

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dokurozake 髑髏酒 drinking Sake from a skull

Once in autumn a man left the village on a horse. In the evening he met a woman who offered him a drink. Just then came a hunter with a dog. And the woman shape-shifted back into a fox. The cup in the man's hand suddenly turned into a skull cup.




dokuro hai 髑髏杯 / どくろ杯 scull cups
from the enemies of 織田信長 Oda Nobunaga,


. kitsune densetsu 狐　伝説 fox legends .


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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

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

yamanba 山姥 the old hag from the moutain
岩陰から湧き出る水によってできた鞍が淵には、山姥が美しい螺鈿の鞍となって淵に浮かんでいた。通りすがりの人が目にとめ欲を起すが最後、その人は手も足も離れ離れになり、髑髏になって岸に投げ上げられなければならなかった。


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

On mount 金勝山 Konzeyama there is a rock cave with a skull placed on an altar. The skull is pierced by a sword behind the two ears. The skull is about three times as large as a human one. What might it be?




.......................................................................... Hiroshima 広島県 ......................................

. sharekobe 髑髏 skull in the bamboo grove .
a story of the year 774 from Bingo no Kuni 寶龜９年備後國.




.......................................................................... Ibaraki 茨城県 ......................................
真壁郡 Makabe district 協和町 Kyowa

suika 西瓜 watermelon
Once a farmer found a watermelon in his field, but he did not remember having planted any. When he looked closer, there was a skull and the melon had grown from its eye.


source : アマゾネス




.......................................................................... Kanagawa 神奈川県 ......................................
鎌倉市 Kamakura

深沢の大蛇 the huge serpent of Fukazawa
In the year 1676 there was enormous flooding in the area of Fukazawa and a lot of landslides happened.
Out of one of them came a large skull of about one meter with huge teeth.


source : okab.exblog.jp

In 江の島の縁起 the history of Enoshima it is called "the huge serpent of Fukazawa".

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Oodate Jiroo 大舘次郎 Odate Jiro

Once the blind poet 高野蘭亭 Takano Rantei (1704 - 1757) wanted to get hold of a skull cup. When he begun looking for it at the 大館次郎の塚 Mound of Odate Jiro, suddenly the fine weather changed, it became cloudy and soon a huge storm and thunder filled the sky.


source : 4travel.jp/travelogue - 鎌倉十一人塚 -

Odate Jiro is related to the battle of 新田義貞 Nitta Yoshisada.

- quote -
Juichininzuka (十一人塚) Juichininzuka Mound of 11 people
The monument was erected in memory of Odate Jiro (大館次郎) and eleven of his followers. (The inscription incorrectly adds the character "又" to his name:又次郎.)
In 1333, when imperial troops headed by Nitta Yoshisada (新田義貞, 1301-38) attacked Kamakura, Odate, a general of the Nitta forces, rushed to Gokurakujizaka Pass with a large number of his soldiers. Evading a hail of logs and rocks from both sides of the pass, they broke through the Hojo (北条) defense and headed towards Yuigahama, where the enemy awaited.
Faced with a counterattack by the troops of Honma Yamashirozaemon (本間山城左衛門) of the Hojo side, Odate's army was forced to retreat to Gokurakuji (極楽寺), where Odate and most of his men were killed near the Inasegawa River (稲瀬川).
In the end, only eleven of Odate's men were left, but rather than give up and surrender they chose to take their own lives with their own swords.
The eleven are said to have been buried here, and a statue of Eleven-faced Kannon (十一面観音菩薩, Juichimen Kannon) was erected to their memory under the name Juichininzuka, "Mound of the Eleven." Generally, tsuka (塚, also pronounced zuka) refers to a tombstone, but this particular tsuka was erected later as a memorial.
- source : kcn-net.org/e_kama_history-




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

oni no kubi 鬼の首 the neck of an Oni demon
At the temple 建仁寺 Kennin-Ji there is a skull of about 30 cm which is seen as the head and neck of a demon.

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tooru no daijin no rei 融の大臣の霊 / Tôru daijin / The Minister Toru
Most of the stories of ghosts are about people becoming ghosts and appearing as a skull.
One of the oldest records is the Nihon Ryooiki 日本霊異記 Nihon Ryoiki.
宇多院 Emperor Uda (867 - 931) made an official visit to 河原院 Kawara no In (the official residence of Minamoto no Tooru 源融 Toru (822 - 895).
The late owner of this Kawara residence, Toru, appeared clad in 衣冠 formal robes as a ghost to greet the visitor.

. Kawara no In 河原院 源融 Minamoto Toru . (822 – 895)

. Nihon Ryōiki 日本霊異記 Nihon Ryoiki .
Ghostly Strange Records from Japan
Record of Miraculous Events in Japan
by Kyookai 景戒 （きょうかい/けいかい) Kyokai - Keikai, priest of Yakushi-Ji in the Nara period

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source : kimono-kyoto.jp

Decoration of the inside of a Haori Jacket.



- source and more photos : karapaia.livedoor.biz -

dokuro to tokage 髑髏と蜥蜴 Skull and Lizard
河鍋暁斎 Kawanabe Kyosai (1831 - 1889)

. . . CLICK here for more spooky ukiyo-e about skulls !

歌川国芳　「相馬の古内裏」
歌川国芳　「於岩ぼうこん」
歌川国芳　「国芳もやう正札附現金男野晒悟助」
歌川国芳　「源頼光公館土蜘作妖怪図」
葛飾北斎　『百物語』より「こはだ小平次」
月岡芳年 「地獄太夫悟道の図」
月岡芳年 「清盛福原に数百の人頭を見るの図」
月岡芳年　「新撰東錦絵 一休地獄太夫」
月岡芳年　「和漢豪気揃 髑髏」
歌川広重　平清盛福原にて怪異を見る図」
小林清親　「地獄太夫」
河鍋暁斎　「美女の袖を引く骸骨たち」
河鍋暁斎　「一休地獄太夫」
河鍋 暁斎　「髑髏と蜥蜴」
小林清親　「清親放痴 東京谷中天王地」and more modern paintings


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.......................................................................... Nagano 長野県 ......................................

Hitotsume Kozoo 一ツ目小僧 (一つ目小僧) Hitotsume Kozo - Young Monk with One Eye
and his grave 一ツ目小僧の墓所
His grave is said to be here in the mountains. During the early Meiji period, an old grandpa wanted to clear the place and opened it. He dug out some human bones and re-arranged them anew, because there have been roots of 山芋 mountain yam (Dioscorea japonica) going through one eye of the skull.

There are other regions in Japan who claim his grave is there.

and some graves are dedicated to Jizo Bosatsu
- 一つ目小僧地蔵 Hitotsume Kozo Jizo -
where people found a skull with only one eye opening 眼窩が一つしかない頭蓋骨.

. Hitotsume Kozoo 一つ目小僧 Hitotsume Kozo - Young Monk with One Eye .




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

The emperor 花山院 Kazan-In (Kazan Tenno 花山天皇 (968 - 1008)) was suffering from a severe headache.
His "doctor", Abe no Seimei, said this was caused by a problem in his former life. The emperor had been a mountain pries and died near mount Omine 大峯の某の宿. Because of his good deeds he was then re-born as the 天子 Imperial Prince. But the skull of his former body had fallen between two rocks, so now he had to suffer headaches. They searched for the skull, took it out and buried it properly. And what do you say - the headache was healed, of course.




. Abe no Seimei 阿倍晴明 (921 - 1005) .

. Matsuo Basho at Natadera 那谷寺 .
The name was changed to Natadera by the emperor Kazan, who ruled during the Heian Period.


... the 65th emperor of Japan ...
Morosada-shinnō (師貞親王) - his priestly name was Nyūkaku.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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hikarimono 光物 the sparkling something

In the year 1672 at a place named 厨子 Zushi, something was sparkling and shining all night long. When the villagers dug at that place, they found something like a skull. They did not like it and feared its power, so after they disposed of it, the shining and sparkling stopped.




.......................................................................... Okinawa 沖縄県 ......................................
石垣市 Ishigaki

. majin, mashin 魔神 - akujin, akushin 悪神 devil, Teufel .
Once the grandfather of the store ナーマ屋 Ｎａmaya when to the beach where he met majin 魔神 the devil. He had long dissheveled hair, a poisonous snake around his neck and a wig of dokuro 髑髏 skulls. Around his hip was a chain of skulls. He wore a red fundoshi 褌 loincloth. He begged grandfather for some water and gave him an amulet and advise to avoid bad influence.
Using shimenawa 七五三縄 a ritual rope and chanting ナーマヤーヌ・マリビキドー Naamayaanu marihikido was part of it.
Grandfather taught this to the other villagers and they never experienced bad things.




.......................................................................... Tokushima 徳島県 ......................................
大原町千代ヶ丸 Ohara, Chiyogamaru

In the year 1702, on the 24th day of the 4th month, the 観音堂 Kannon Hall at Chiyogamaru was to be repaired. In the ground they found a large stone sarcophage 長さ9尺8寸、高さ2尺9寸、奥行き3尺. Inside were two skulls and two swords, spears and arrow heads. The skull was about 3尺7寸 in diameter, and 1尺4寸 in length.,
1尺 - 30 cm, 1寸 - 3 cm



- reference and photos : awa-otoko.hatenablog.com -




.......................................................................... Tokyo 東京都 ......................................

tatari たたり a curse
At the 服部坂 Hatorizaka slope there was a Zen temple called しうりん院 Shorin-In.
Once they found a skull in the back mountain of the temple. So they made a grave marker and venerated it on the 位牌堂 Hall for Ancestral tablets (ihai).
But after seven days, the skull begun dancing out of the hall with its tablet. The head priest could not sleep and became ill. When another priest visited, he took the skull and stamped on it in the garden until it was broke. Then the curse was broken and the head priest healed.

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Fukiage Goten 吹上御殿 / Fukiage Gosho 吹上御所
Fukiage section of the Imperial Palace
On the sixth day of the sixth lunar month in 1727 there was a strong thunderstorm and a skull fell into the park of the palace.
It was about 18 cm long and 24 cm wide. It had two holed for the eyes and a mouth like the beak of a bird. The teeth were only in the upper chin.
They never found out if it was from a bird or fish or other strange animal.




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

In a former life 後白河法皇 Emperor Goshirakawa had been a mountain priest named 蓮華坊 Renge-Bo, but he had fallen into a ravine and lost his life. A willow tree grew on the spot, piercing the skull and causing the Emperor a constant headache whenever the wind blew the branches of the tree.
On a pilgrimage to Kumano to get rid of the headache, the Emperor learned of his former life and made a search for the skull. He buried the skull properly and used the willow tree to make a beam of the Sanjusan Gendo hall 柳で三十三間堂の棟木. Other versions say he had a Statue of Kannon made and placed the skull inside to show this greatfulness for being relieves of the headache.
This story is similar to the one of Kazan from Nara, see above.

To our day the temple has an event in January known as the Rite of the Willow (柳枝のお加持), where worshippers are touched on the head with a sacred willow branch to cure and prevent headaches.



. Sanjusan Gendo Hall in Kyoto, .

. Emperor Goshirakawa 後白河天皇 Go-Shirakawa (1127 - 1192) .


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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
21 髑髏 collecting
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勝川春章 Katsukawa Shunsho (1762 - 1793)
ドクロ DOKURO

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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 ! .

- #dokuro #sharekobe #skull -
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Yoka sama day eight

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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Yooka sama. Yōka 八日様 Yoka Sama, the Honorable Day Eight
O-Yooka sama お八日様

The eighth day of each month is called yooka, Yoka (not hachinichi).

- - - Many rituals are held to ward off the Deity of Disease:
. Yakubyogami 疫病神 Deity of Diseases .
eyami no kami えやみのかみ
gyooyakujin 行疫神 gyoyakujin
ekijin, yakujin 疫神

- - - In other regions rituals are held for the Deity of Bad Luck:
. yakujin 厄神 Deity of Bad Luck .
He can either bring bad luck or prevent it from happening.

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There are some puns with the pronunciation:
なにかようか、ここのかとうか　nanika yooka koko no ka too ka?
何か用か九日十日 (なにかようか　ここのかとうか)

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the ennichi 縁日 "Sacred Day" for Yakushi Nyorai is the eighth.
お薬師さまが八日
. Yakushi Nyorai 薬師如来 Bhaisajyaguru .
the Buddha of Medicine and Healing

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yookatoo, yooka too 八日塔 tower for Day Eight
Usually a stone memorial.



Yoka, Day Eight, is the Sacred Day of 湯殿山 Mount Yudono.
Kobo Daishi opened the Sacred Place of Yudono in the Year 807, on the 8th day of the fourth lunar month 大同二年四月八日.

There are also prayer groupd on Day Eight, 八日講, in Yamagata, Fukushima and Nagano, related to the rituals of Yudono.

These are Sacred Stones at Dewa Sansan, Yudono 出羽三山の湯殿山の供養塔
- source : blogs.yahoo.co.jp/wmoth155 -

. Mount Haguro, Gassan and Yudono 湯殿山 .

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

.......................................................................... Fukushima 福島県 ......................................
耶麻郡 Yama district 高郷村 Takasato

People prepare ankomochi あんこ餅 rice cakes with red Anko bean paste for the 厄神様 Deity of Bad Luck.
This deity is known for disliking these types of Mochi very much, so he will stay out of such a home.






.......................................................................... Tochigi 栃木県 ......................................
芳賀郡 Haga district 茂木町 Motegi

Soba to ward off the akki 悪鬼 bad demon
The 8th day of the 2nd month is called Yooka sama 八日様 Yoka Sama, the Honorable Day Eight.
People prepare Soba in the evening, make a small 八日塔 Yoka-To tower of Kumasasa 熊笹 grass and place the Soba there. They also pierce leek and Tofu on Kumasasa grass and place it at the kitchen door. They make a small basket and hang it on the roof with a pole - all to ward off the Evil Demon.




.......................................................................... Nagano 長野 ......................................

Villagers make a long straw rope Dragon for a pulling contest, tug-of-war.


source : city.matsumoto.nagano.jp
里山辺追倉（おっくら）のお八日様の綱引きで使う龍
and
入山辺舟付（ふなつけ）のお八日様で使う百足（むかで）入山辺舟付（ふなつけ）.
The messenger of this deity is mukade 百足（むかで） the centipede.




.......................................................................... Yamaguchi 山口県 ......................................
大島郡 Oshima district 久賀町 Kuka

hooki no kami 箒の神 (ホウキノカミ) the Yokai Hokigami
This is a day to spent quietly and not use the word to make sure nothing evil will happen.
Yoka-Sama is also seen as 疫病神 Yakubyogami. He has either very big eyes or only just one like a Yokai.
Hitotsume Kozo 一つ目小僧 is said to be the messenger of this Yakubyogami.

. Hōkigami 箒神 Hokigami, Hahakigami - the Broom Deity .
hahakigami ははきがみ

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okoto no kami, o-koto no kami オコトノカミ a deity taking notes
The Yoka Sama is celebrated on the 8th day in December and February.
He is a deity that goes around all year and writes the names of ill people. The records are then burned in the Dondoyaki fire and the people will heal.
He has very large eyes (some say he has only one eye). Yakubyogami 疫病神 the Deity of Diseases is afraid of deities with eyes larger than his own and will soon run away.
. dondon yaki どんどん焼き　Dondoyaki New Year Fire Ritual .




.......................................................................... Yamanashi 山梨県 ......................................
南都留郡 Minamitsuru district 忍野村 Oshino village

On February 8, a mamono 魔物 demon with one eye comes around and counts the eyes of the family members, so people hang things with many eyes, like baskets, on the entrance of the home to make the demon go away.
But if the demon can count the exact number, people will begin to do strange things.


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

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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 ! .

- #yookasama #yokasama #dayeight -
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