Heian Period Japan

2019-01-01

inoshishi wild boar legends

. i 亥 inoshishi 猪 inoshishi wild boar - 2019 .
- Introduction -
zodiac animal for the year 2019

. wild boar and Haiku .
inoshishi, shishi - Sus scrofa
yamakujira 山鯨 whale of the mountain forest
shishinabe 猪鍋 wild boar stew

. Folk Art with the Wild Boar .

. Yama no Kami 山の神 God of the Mountain
and his messenger, the inoshishi 猪 wild boar .
- 伊吹山の山の神は「白猪」White Wild Boar from Mount Ibukiyama
- 下河辺行平 Shimokobe Yukihira (around 1180)
- Ehime 愛媛県: Yamanokami 山の神 Misaki ミサキ / shishi misaki シシミサキ "Wild Boar Misaki Deity"
- Hyogo 兵庫県 : 神崎郡 Kanzaki district : 山の神の祟り the curse of Yamanokami
- Hyogo, Kanzaki : Yamanokami Koen 「山の神」公園 Park named Yamanokami
- Nagano 長野県 : Inoshishi, Monkey and wolf - messengers of Yamanokami .
- Yamanashi 山梨県 : 山の神の天罰 divine punishment of Yamanokami

. Tanokami, Ta no Kami 田の神 God of the Rice Fields .
and inoko 亥の子 / イノコ / 亥子　the "young wild boar"

. Tengu 猪 - 天狗と伝説 Legends about wild boar and Tengu .

. Marishiten 摩利支天 riding on a wild boar .

- CLICK for more photos !

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There are place names with 猪 :

岩手県大船渡市猪川町 Iwate, Ikawacho

猪野谷 Inoyatani in Gifu 岐阜県大野郡宮村

猪草が淵 Igusagafuchi in Mie 三重県

猪鼻岬 Inohana Misaki, Kagawa - see below

猪小路 Inokoji hamlet, Tottori 西伯郡 Saihaku district 南部町 Nanbu town

猪鼻ヶ嶽 Inohahagatake, Kanagawa, Kintoki legend

There are family names with 猪 :
猪熊教利 Ino Yoritoshi (? - 1583) - wikipedia -

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大猪草 Giant Hogweed
Heracleum mantegazzianum
. . . CLICK here for Photos　 !

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

Shiraisan 白猪山 "White Boar Mountain"
812 m high, Mie prefecture
伊勢の経ケ峯と白猪山の山麓の民話

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. kinkei 金鶏と伝説 Legends about the golden rooster .
oogon no tori オウゴンノトリ / 黄金の鶏 golden rooster // 金の鶏 / 金のにわとり kin no niwatori
from
松坂市 Matsuzaka city, 員弁郡 Inabe district 梅戸井村 Umedoicho and 一志郡 Ichishi district 久居町 Hisai

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飯南郡 Iina district 飯南町 Iinan town

. daija, orochi 大蛇 the huge serpent, great snake .
A huge serpent living on the mountain was swept downhiss during a large landslide and left, breathing fire.
The cave where the serpent has lived is called 蛇穴 Jaketsu or Saragi,

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. ashi koshi 足腰お守り amulets for strong feet and legs .

The wild boars came to help the samurai Wake no Kiyo Maro 和気清麻呂 Kiyomaro, when he was banned from Kyoto and on his way to exile in Kyushu. A group of assassins tried to kill him, and he fell and hurt his leg, But the wild boars helped him.

ema 絵馬 votive tablets at the Shrine 護王神社 Go-O Jinja, Kyoto
dedicated to Wake no Kiyomaro and the Wild Boar 和気清麻呂と猪

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- - - - - Kanpo, Kampo 漢方 traditional Chinese medicine - - - - -

i no abura 猪膏 wild boar lard
If a woman has problems giving birth with a breech baby, take 14 pubic hairs of her husband, mix with wild boar lard to the size of a soy bean and have her drink it.
This will bring the baby back into the right position.

In Miyazaki in 日向国中村 Naｋamura village
someone had a strange swelling on the cheek which broke open. Somethink like the lard of a wild boar came out. There were also 200 hairs that came out.
After that, the wound healed fast.
kaminoke 髪の毛 hair

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猪苓湯 Choreito
by ツムラ Tsumura

indicated for the relief of the following symptoms of those patients who complain of decreased urine volume, dysuria, and oral dryness:
Urethritis, nephritis, renal calculus, hennorrhagic inflammation, micturition pain, hematuria, edema of the lower part of the body from the waist down, feeling of residual urine, and diarrhea
--- Active Ingredients
Polyporus Sclerotium3.0g, Poria Sclerotium3.0g, Alisma Rhizome3.0g, Talcum crystallinum3.0g, Asinus gelatin3.0g, Crude 2.4g dry extract made from the water extract (water extract Choreito)
- source : mimaki-family-japan... -

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- - - The Samurai Shimokōbe Yukihira 下河辺行平 - - -
- - - tried to shoot a wild boar, which had been Yamanokami, but did not hit the animal.
He died the same night.

Shimokobe Yukihira was a Japanese samurai of the late Heian and early Kamakura period. He was one of the closest retainers of Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first Kamakura shōgun, and was a personal tutor to the second, Minamoto no Yoriie.
... He reputedly had tremendous martial skill, particularly with the bow, demonstrating his skill frequently in yabusame archery, yumi-hajime (弓始) and deer-hunting.
He later taught archery to Minamoto no Yoriie.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

. yama-inu, yamainu　山犬、豺 "mountain dog" - wolf and wild boar legends .
- ookami 狼 wolf legends and the wild boar

. Shrine Mitsumine Jinja 三峰神社 Chichibu .

This shrine has amulets called shishiyoke 猪よけ / 猪除け　boar deterrents, to be used by peasants to spare their crops from the ravages of deer and wild boar.
. . . CLICK here for more shishiyoke Photos !

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

東加茂郡 Higashi-Kamo district

. tanuki 狸 - mujina 狢　－ racoon dog, badger legends .
A hunter had shot a wild boar when suddenly out of nowhere an old woman with a small bucket appeared and begun to cut off the meat of the wild boar.
The hunter shot at the old woman but nothing happened. He then aimed at the pail and now the woman fell down. It changed into an old Badger.

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新城 Shinshiro

At the 豊田 Toyota family there was a woman servant since many years. She finaly got married to a hunter from the Shimabara village.
One day the hunter had shot a wild boar and was about to take out the intestines, when he heard the animal shout
"Oh, it hurts "!
But he payed no attention, cut the meat and prepared food with it.
At that time his wife was just about to give birth. Soon she had a girl, but the baby hat a wound from the breast to the stomach, just like a wild boar cut open with a knife.
The woman got divorced soon.

......................................................................................... Ehime 愛媛県

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今治市 Imabari city 玉川町 Tamagawa

mashoo 魔性 something devilish
On the 16th day of the first lunar month, the hunting grounds become haunted.
Hunters may get a lot, but sometimes humans are seen as wild boars and shot down.
Many hunters get hurt on this day.
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. shishigamisama 獅子神様 wild boar Deity .

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伊予郡 Iyo district 松前町 Masaki town

. funadama, funatama 船玉 / 船霊 / 船魂 guardian deity of a boat .
The Funadama deity dislikes 女、蛇、猪、猿、猫、味噌、ラッキョウ
women, serpents, wild boars, monkeys, cats, Miso paste and shallots.
So these words are not to be used on a boat.

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南宇和郡 Minami-Uwa district 城辺町 Johen town

Inoshishi
The Onishi family of 城辺町中緑太衛門駄馬 had once shot a wild boar and was cursed.
They venerated the wild boar as Yamanokami.
In autumn, wild boars come to the fields and destroy the rice fields, eating the rice. Sometimes they dig 猪穴 holes beside the fields.

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

shishiana 猪穴 and shishigaki 猪垣

shishiana are holes the wild boars dig near fields.

shishigaki are walls the farmers built as protection of the fields.

- samples from 星宮神社 Hoshinomiya Jinja
- reference source : sukima.com/08_hida00_02... -

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

. kitsune densetsu 狐と伝説 fox legends .
Once upon a time, there was a fox named
Osan-gitsune 於三狐 / オサンギツネ, a fox with three tails.
There lived a man in the village named 寅 Tora, and these two tried to deceive each other.
Once Osan and Tora were talking, Osan asked Tora what he was afraid of. "Wild boars", answered Tora.
Since then every time the two met the fox took a ten Yen bill and transformed it into a wild boar. Tora took the bills and made a good fortune.

- source : ShotaKotake on DeviantArt -

. O-San illusion of 大名行列 a Lord's procession .

Osan-gitsune is popular in Western Japan and the Chugoku region.
The one that lived at 江波山 Ebayama in Hiroshima is well known: 江波の於三狐
6 more legends to explore

......................................................................................... Hyogo 兵庫県
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神崎郡 Kanzaki district 神河町 Kamikawa village

. Legends about the Black Cow, Black Bull 黒牛と伝説 kuro-ushi, kuroushi .
and hunting for wild boars
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. Yamanokami Koen 「山の神」公園 Park named Yamanokami .
福崎町 Fukusaki 西田原 Nishi-Tawara

In this park is a statue of a mother inoshishi イノシシ wild boar, a 妖怪 Yokai monster named Yamanokami.

......................................................................................... Kagawa 香川県
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三豊郡 Mitoyo district 豊中町 Toyonaka city 猪鼻岬 Inohana Misaki

mamono 魔物 monster
Once a person came home fom 猪鼻岬 Inohana Misak in the evening, when he met a monster. He became very afraid, but then a dog appeared and protected him.
The monster had a huge split mouth from ear to ear.
When he came home safely, he prepared red auspicious rice for the dog. After eating the food, the dog disappeared.

猪鼻 / 猪ノ鼻 Inohana 三豊郡 Mitoyo 財田町 Saitacho town- Kagawa
猪ノ鼻道路 - in various parts of Japan
- photo source : joj.nivavsuaz.art... -

......................................................................................... Kagoshima 鹿児島県
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大島郡 Oshima district 喜界町 Kikai town

A man did not sell all his flowers and threw the left-overs into the sea.
The ネインヤ Neinya were greatful and gave him a dog. Then they hunted a 猪 wild boar for him.
His brother got jealous and came to borrow the dog. But the dog did not follow him, so he killed it.
The man burried the dog, then bamboo grew on the area and the man, selling it, became very rich.
His brother tried to imitate him again, but became ill and died.

......................................................................................... Miyagi 宮城県
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白井市 Shiroi city 白川 Shirakawa

. inu sotoba ishi 犬卒塔婆石 Sotoba memorial stone for a dog .
who helped chase away 大猪 a huge wild boar with Ono no Takamura 小野篁 (802 - 852)

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

. Hair coming from a wound in the cheek .

......................................................................................... Nara 奈良県
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吉野郡 Yoshino district 川上村 Kawakami village

. Izasao 猪笹王 /［いざさおう］/ Yokai / Inosasao Boar Bamboo King .

［いのささおう］I no Sasao
Kumasasao 熊笹王 Yokai / 一本足の鬼 an Ippondatara Oni Demon with one leg

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吉野郡 Yoshino district 吉野町 Yoshino town

. tanuki 狸 - mujina 狢　－ racoon dog, badger legends .
To watch the wild boars destroying his fields a villager built a small hut and stayed there over night.
At night a Tanuki called his name and knocked at the door. This happeded every night. The man became suspicious and cut the hand of the tanuki with his hatchet.
The next morning he followed the blood trail and the dead Tanuki.
From that time on, the family became quite poor because of curse of this Tanuki.

......................................................................................... Nagano 長野県
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南佐久郡 Minami-Saku district 川上村 Kawakami village

. Yamaotoko, yama-otoko 山男と伝説 Legends about the "Mountain Man" .
- - - - - "kindly giant of the hills"
Once a forest worker saw a wild boar running past very fast. Behind it came a half-naked huge man chasing it with a stick.
This was a yamaotoko 山男 man of the mountain.

......................................................................................... Osaka 大阪府
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菟餓野 Shiganu

akai, aka-i 赤猪 red wild boar
In the hamlet of Shiganu in 摂津 Settsu there was a ukehigari 祈狩(うけひがり) divination.
A red wild boar appeared and when they tried to stop it, it killed and ate the prince.

......................................................................................... Saga 佐賀県
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杵島郡 Kishima district 白石町 Shiroishi town

At the temple 福泉寺 Fukuzen-Ji there came a wild boar and drunk the hot water for the Buddhist tea offering.
At that time, the voice of a baby was heard from behind 仏殿 the Buddha Hall.
When the priest went to have a look, this wild boar had been giving birth to a human baby and was trying to give it milk.
In the evening 塩田庄大黒丸 Daikokumaru from 藤津郡 the Fujitsu district had a dream:
An old priest appeared and told him: Your child had been killed. But your child is now in the back of the temple hall of Fukuzen-Ji. You may go and get it .
So he went to get the child. It was later to become the famous 和泉式部 Izumi Shikibu.

Izumi Shikibu 和泉式部 (b. 976?)
was a mid Heian period Japanese poet. She is a member of the Thirty-six Medieval Poetry Immortals (中古三十六歌仙 chūko sanjurokkasen). She was the contemporary of Murasaki Shikibu, and Akazome Emon at the court of empress Joto Mon-in.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

fuku musubi 福結び to bind good luck

......................................................................................... Shizuoka 静岡県
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. namikozoo 波小僧 Namikozo, Nami Kozo, Monk of the Waves .
... The legend has it that namikozo originated from one of the two straw dolls produced from the harvested rice. Priest Gyoki (highly respected priest during mid 8th century) chanted the sutra and told the dolls to help the farmers to forewarn the storms and threw them into the river.
弘法大師が猪除け Kobo Daishi later declared these dolls to be shishi yoke, shishiyoke 猪よけ / 猪除け boar deterrents.

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庵原郡両河内村 Ihara district

. hebi 蛇と伝説 Legends about snakes and serpents .
A young woman went to 猪の番小屋 the small wild boar watch hut in the fields, where soon a young man came and they enjoyed each other.
But this was rather strange and one night she put a needle in her hair. The man died and revealed his true features as a serpent.
She gave birth later to seven little serpents serpents and the place was called
ななたらや島 Nanatarayashima.

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引佐郡 Inasa district

. Jizo Bosatsu and mochi rice cakes 地蔵と餅 .
- awamochi Jizoo 粟餅地蔵 Jizo eating millet mochi cakes.

......................................................................................... Tokushima 徳島県
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. Inugami 犬神 "Dog Deity" - wolf legends .

inugami 犬神 and 弘法大師 Kobo Daishi
Once upon a time
when Kobo Daishi was roaming in Shikoku, a farmer had been very helpful and friendly, so Daishi sama wrote a special amulet and told the farmer to place it near his field to 猪除け ward off damage of wild boars. But the farmer was not allowed to open the amulet. When he seecretly took a peek, he saw the painting of a dog.
This dog jumped out of the painting and became Inugami.
- In another version it was a painting with four dogs which became alive.
- This legend is also told in 愛媛県 Ehime, Matsuyama.

. Kōbō Daishi Kūkai 弘法大師　空海 - 伝説　 Kobo Daishi Kukai Legends .
(774 - 835)

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matsu no ki no baasan 松の木の婆さん the old hag from the pine tree
This old hag was very pious, but one day a hunter took her fro a wild boar and shot her.
Now people visit her grave to pray for protection from disasters.

. matsu 松と伝説 Legends about the pine tree .

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

赤猪岩神社 Akaiiiwa Jinja
232 Terauchi, Nanbu, Saihaku District, Tottori

- quote -
The principal god of Akaiiwa Shrine is Okuninushi.
The shrine also enshrines the gods of Susanoo-no-Mikoto and Inatahime-no-Mikoto. According to myth, Okuninushi in his younger days incurred the enmity of his brothers over Yakamihime and met his death in this area after a large rock that burned red was dropped on him. However, he was then supposedly revived by his mother. Worshippers from inside and outside the prefecture come to pray for recovery at this shrine that is called the setting of recovery and rebirth.
- source : .sanin-tourism.com/en... -

......................................................................................... Wakayama 和歌山県
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西牟婁郡 Nishi-Muro district 日置川町 Hikigawa town

reikan 霊感 divine inspiration
If someone eats his lunch at 池ノ谷のコモン the little forest near Ikenotani, he has to place a bite of food on the ground as an offering.
If he does not do that, he will experience harm.
Branches from this forest are also used to make a fire to ward off wild boars.

......................................................................................... Yamanashi 山梨県
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南都留郡 Minami-Tsuru district 道志村 Doshi mura village

. kitsune densetsu 狐と伝説 fox legends .
A man who often hunted for wild boars had gone to the river fishing. At night a young wild boar (ウリボウ / 瓜坊 uribo) came along.
The man went after this boar and tried to catch it, but could not.
When he came back to the river, a fox had stolen all his fish!

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choko 猪口 sake cup, "mouth of a wild boar"

- CLICK for more sake cups with inoshishi !

Once upon a time in Oita, Usa city 大分県宇佐市
an old woman found a sake cup on the riverside and took three sips of water with it.
She turned into a young woman of 17 or 18 years.
Her husband became envious, took the sake cup and run to the river to take three sips.
But because he was so eager to turn younger, he changed into a baby !

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

イノシシは転ばない　「猪突猛進」- wild boars do not stumble
福井栄一 Fukui Ei-Ichi

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shirai, shira-i, shiroi inoshishi 白猪 white wild boar

- quote -
The white wild boar is a messenger or familiar of the fire deity
The cult originated in Shugendō practices on Mount Atago in Kyoto, and Atago Gongen is worshiped as a protector against fire. There is a Shinto shrine on Mount Atago, Kameoka, to the northwest of Kyoto. Atago Jinja is the head of nine hundred Atago shrines throughout Japan.
The white wild boar 白猪 (shirai, shira-i) is a messenger of the fire deity.
- source : japanesemythology.wordpress.com... -

. Shogun Jizo 将軍地蔵 riding a white wild boar .
The white wild boar 白猪 (shirai, shira-i) is a messenger of the deity of Atago Jinja 愛宕神社.
It is celebrated on the forth day of the second month.

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2018-12-20

Benten Benzaiten legends

- - - - - Benten on a dragon
. Benten, Benzaiten 弁財天 Sarasvati .
- Introduction -

Originally a Hindu deity named Sarasvati.
In India, the sound of her lute is said to evoke the sound of a flowing river and thus provide rain for the dry areas.
Her temples and shrines are almost invariably in the neighborhood of water.
弁天卵 "Benten Boiled Eggs" are served at some Benten shrines on the evening of December 31,
Benten no taki 弁天の滝 Benten Waterfall
pokkuri Benten ポックリ弁天 / ぽっくり弁天　Benten granting a sudden death
Uga Benzaiten　宇賀弁財天.
She is one of the
Shichi-Fukujin　七福神　Seven Gods of Good Luck.

Benten and serpents 蛇 (tba)
. hebi 蛇と伝説 Legends about snakes and serpents .

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

Edo - Benzaiten Shrine at Inokashira in Snow
Hiroshige

............................................................................... Aichi 愛知県
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南知多町 Minami-Chita

. Kuki gun 九鬼軍 the army of the Kuki clan .
hikeshi Benten 火消し弁天 "Benten extinguishes a fire"

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豊田市 Toyota city 中町 Nakamachi

raika 雷檛 lightning and thunder
三河国碧海郡重原庄竹村郷、鈴木山竜興禅寺の什宝に雷檛がある。長さは9寸9歩で平面である。これは雷が寺内にある弁財天を安置した小島杉に落ちた時、そのあとで拾った物であるという。

............................................................................... Fukushima 福島県

Once upon a time
飯盛山 Mount Iimoriyama was called 弁天山 Benten-yama, because deep in the mountains there was a small shrine to venerate the deity Benten.

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

. Harunasan 榛名山と伝説 Legends about Mount Haruna .
The wife of 千葉常将 Chiba Tsunemasa is venerated as Benten sama.

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邑楽郡 Ora district 板倉町 Itakura town

. Benten sama no tatari 弁天さまの祟り the curse of Benten .

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勢多郡 Seta district 赤城村 Akagi mura village

. ワクタマ Wakutama clear water .
溝呂木 Mizoroki town

............................................................................... Hyogo 兵庫県
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神戸市 Kobe city

弁財天女
摂州の丹生山田庄原野村には、むかしから栗花落左衛門という者が代々住んでいた。この者の先祖は、横佩右大臣豊成の娘白滝姫と山田の庄人直勝という者の息子・真利である。この白滝姫が死んだ時、死骸を家の東境に埋めたところ、五月に栗の花が落ちる時に霊泉が湧き出でたという。この話が朝廷に届き、白滝の墓を弁財天女と崇め、真利を左衛門佐に任じて栗花落という姓を与えた。毎年梅雨の時水が湧き出るという。

............................................................................... Ibaraki 茨城県
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茨城町 Ibaraki village

Once there was a Dragon Light. Since this was the place where the Dragon rested, people built a temple hall and venerated 弁天様 Benten there.
. ryuutoo 龍燈 / 龍灯 / 竜灯と伝説 Legends about Ryuto, "Dragon Lantern" .

.......................................................................
稲敷郡 Inashiki district 桜川村 Sakuragawa mura village

. Benten with burning wounds .
and a yakushuu tonya 薬種問屋 wholesaler of medicinal herbs

............................................................................... Tochigi 栃木県
.......................................................................
足利市 Ashikaga city

. bijin Benten 美人弁天 Benten for Beauty .
at Itsukushima Shrine, 厳島神社 / 栃木県足利市本城2丁目1855 - Tochigi, Ashikaga

............................................................................... Tokyo 東京

. Edo no Benten 江戸の弁天 Benten Legends from Edo .
- - - - - Inokashira Benten pond 井の頭弁天 / 井ノ頭辨天池

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

. Tengu 妙音坊 Myoon-Bo, Myoonbo .
The legend of the Tengu from 高野山弁天岳 Mount Bentendake (984 m).
Benzaiten is venerated at the shrine 弁財天社 on this mountain.

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

. Yamanokami and 杉山弁財天 Sugiyama Benzaiten .

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

- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
28 弁財天 (02)
37 蛇弁天 (03) in Edo
122 弁天 collecting

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. 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 -
- Introduction -

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

. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

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- - - - - #benten #bentenelgends #benzaiten -
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2018-12-18

mikoshi palanquin legends

mikoshi with kokeshi wooden dolls こけしみこし

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

............................................................................... Okayama 岡山県
.......................................................................
北木島町 Kitagishima town

. sekiri 赤痢 an epidemic broke out .

............................................................................... Shizuoka 静岡県
.......................................................................
磐田市 Iwata city

. Mitsuke Tenjin 見付天神 festival .

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

- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
24 to explore (02)

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. 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 -
- Introduction -

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

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- - - - - #mikoahi #palanquin #festival -
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2018-12-16

kaki fire legends

- - - - - Fire Prohibited ! - - - - -

. hibashira 火柱と伝説 Legends about a pillar of fire .

. hi no tama 火の玉と伝説 Legends about fire balls .

. kaika 怪火 fireball, atmospheric ghost lights yokai from Shiga and Kyoto. .
and Abura-bo 油坊 the Oil Priest
. kaika 怪火 ghost fire at Nerima 練馬区 Tokyo .

. kitsunebi 狐火 "fox fire", will-o'-the-wisp .

. onibi 鬼火 / kika キカ "demon fire", "devil's fire" .

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

. Tengubi 天狗火 a Yokai / Tengu no hi 天狗の火 Tengu fire .
Tengubi is a fireball phenomenon.

At the time of 天武天皇 Tenmu Tenno (? - 686)
星 stars were falling down in the Eastern direction.
In 737 in the fifth lunar month, many 星 stars came flying by very low.
In 771 星 stars were falling down in the South-Western direction . . .
, , , and more such events are known.
It looked like some 火気 fire falling from the sky and many said it must have been a Tengu.

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

yuurei 幽霊 ghost
Once 秀吉 Toyotomi Hideyoshi was having a tea party when suddenly he saw
the ghost of 利休 Sen no Rikyu sitting by the side of the stove.
There was a strange sparkle in his eyes and 呼吸に火気 fire came out of his mouth when he was breathing.
Hideyoshi rebuked him, saying this was impolite, so the ghost went sitting a bit further away.
When Hideyoshi left the 数奇屋 tea room he asked his servant to keep an eye of Rikyu, but as the servant looked, Rikyu had disappeared.

. Toyotomi Hideyoshi 豊臣秀吉 / Taiko Hideyoshi 太閤秀吉 .

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

. Legends about Akagisan, Akagiyama 赤城山 .
Fire around 1720

............................................................................... Shizuoka 静岡県
.......................................................................
磐田市 Iwata city

Mitsuke Tenjin 見付天神
At 東海道の見付宿 the postal station of Mitsuke on the Tokaido Highway they celebrate the Festival at 天満宮 the Tenmangu Shrine, where the 神輿 Mikoshi palanquin with the deity is carried out at night. During this ritual, people are not allowed to make fire.
They are not allowed to talk aloud, otherwise they might experience bad luck and disaster in the coming year.

Yanahime Shrine (Mitsuke Tenjin Shrine)
1114-2 Mitsuke, Iwata City

- HP of the Shrine - 矢奈比賣神社（やなひめじんじゃ）
- reference source : mitsuke-tenjin.com...-

- quote -
Mitsuke Tenjin Naked Festival
This is a chain of festivals held following the event in which the principal god Yanahime no Mikoto is moved to Omi Kunitama Shrine, a Soja shrine (a shrine enshrining several gods) in Totomi Province.
It is held on Saturday and Sunday before August 10 according to the lunar calendar. Naked men wearing straw coats parade around Mitsuke district. It is called the Naked Festival because the boisterous dance at the worshipping hall of the Mitsuke Tenjin Shrine. The best time of the festival is from 21:00 to midnight on the first day.
About 1,000 naked men surge into the worshipping hall of the Mitsuke Tenjin Shrine. The Oni (ogre) Dance is grand and it reaches the climax at midnight.
- source : nihon-kankou.or.jp... -

. Yanahime Jinja 矢奈比売神社 .
and
霊犬早太郎伝説 The legend of the spiritual dog Hayataro

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

At the foot of the 立山 Tateyama mountain range there is a bridge over the river 岩倉川 Iwakuragawa.
People form other domains of Edo-period Japan could not cross it easily.
They called the river 三途の大川 Sanzu no Okawa, Great River to The Other World.
The mountains to the East of the river were called Shide no Yama 死出の山, Mountain where people die.
There was always some kind of fire to see at its top, so this must be jigoku 地獄 the Hell.

. Sanzu no Kawa 三途の川 River Sanzu, the river on the way to hell .

. Tateyama Shinkō　立山信仰 Tateyama mountain worship .

.......................................................................
高岡市 Takaoka city

Harumi matsuri 晴見祭り Harumi festival
For the festival the villagers have to capture four hebi 蛇 serpents. The serpent which is captured the first is called
oharemi, O-Haremi オハレミ.
It is put in a box and kept well.
On an auspicious day 卯月中の巳の日 in the fourth lunar month on mi no hi 巳の日 the day of the snake there is a divination ritual.
If the snake does not put her head out of the box there will be good weather in the coming year.
If the snake puts her head out and licks her tongue many times, there will be many fires.
If the snake crawls out of the box and onto the floor, there will be a lot of rain.
If the snake crawls out but not onto the floor, where will be strong winds.
The person who had captured the first snake will then bring it back to the place where he caught it. He must not look at it during this time.

. hebi 蛇と伝説 Legends about snakes and serpents .

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

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

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

. 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 -
- Introduction -

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2018-12-14

kitsunebi fox fire legends

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説民話昔話 - Introduction .
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kitsunebi 狐火と伝説 Legends about the "fox fire"

. kitsunebi 狐火 "fox fire" .
"fox lantern", 狐の提燈 kitsune no choochin
"devil's fire", onibi 鬼火　（おにび）
- Introduction -

Kitsunebi is a phosphorescent fire (or ignis fatuus) believed to be vomited from the mouth of a fox.
David Lanoue

"a mysterious light associated with spirits,
found in various folklore tales"

. onibi 鬼火 "demon fire", "devil's fire" .

. kaki 火気と伝説 Legends about fire .
- Introduction -

. Ooji no kitsunebi 王子の狐火 (おうじのきつねび)
day of the fox deity at Oji Inari Shrine .
kigo for late winter
and more about
Ooji Inari Jinja 王子稲荷神社 Oji Inari Fox Shrine Tokyo

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

Kitsunebi to Hitodama 狐火と人魂
伊那郷土史学会, 1959

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

reibi 霊火 "soul fire"

鬼火，狐火 onibi, kitsunebi
phosporous light is Onibi. It is often seen at graves.
燐は鬼火という。墓などには狐火といって化生物などが火をともして見えたり消えたり、行きつつ戻りつつする。鬼火は化け物などのともす火をいう。

source : creatorsbank.com/mushimaru...

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hotaru 蛍 fireflies
蛍をくちくさという。礼記で腐草は蛍となるという。また燐の字を蛍と読む。馬の血は蛍となる。ならば馬の血が蛍になるというのはもっともなことである。また狐火を燐火ということがある。この燐の字に馬の血の意味がある。これで世俗に狐火とは馬の骨を燃やすというのではないか。

. hotaru 蛍 fireflies .

............................................................................... Nagano 長野県
.......................................................................
伊那郡 Ina district 高遠町 Takato machi

reibi 霊火
夜な夜な霊火が出る所は、対岸からもそれが見える。その場所は自学屋敷といわれ、城主の侍臣であったのが、主を害した罪によって毎日指を一本ずつ切られた後、殺されたことへの怨みであろうという。

.......................................................................
南佐久郡 Minami-Saku district 川上村 Kawakami village

. seen along the river 千曲川 Chikumagawa .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
140 collecting (7)

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

. 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 -
- Introduction -

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

. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

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- - - - - #kitsunebi #foxfire #willofthewisp #hotaru -
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2018-12-08

Nikko Tochigi legends

jatai no kami 蛇体の神 The Snake Deity
mukade no kami ムカデの神 The Centipede Deity

These two animal deities fought at Senjōgahara 戦場ヶ原 Senjogahara, the "Battlefield" marshland in Nikko.
They were the vassals of the deity of 男体山 Nantaisan in Chuzenji and the deity from 赤城山 Akagisan.
Now there is an Akanuma　赤沼 "Red swamp" of the blood from the Mukade.

There are other place names relating to these mythological events in Nikko.

. mukade 蜈蚣と伝説 Legends about the centipede .

赤城と日光の戦い The fight of Akagi and Nikko
昔々のずっと昔、Once upon a very very VERY long time . . .

赤城の神さまと日光の神さまは絶えず争っていた。戦（いくさ）の原因は、日光の中禅寺湖が満々と水をたたえているのに対し、赤城の山は岩だらけで、水が無かったからであった。 ...
- source : nihon.syoukoukai.com/modules/stories -

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

. Nikkoo Kaidoo 日光街道 Nikko Kaido Road .
From Edo to the Toshogu Shrine and the grave of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

. Nikko Toshogu Shrine Festivals 日光東照宮 .

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

. 日光山 Nikkosan - Temple 輪王寺 Rinno-Ji .
- and the common name for the three 日光山 Nikko mountains:
男体山 Nantaisan（2,486m）, 女峰山 Nyohosan（2,464m） and 太郎山 Tarosan（2,368m）

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

............................................................................... Fukushima 福島県
.......................................................................
田人村 Tabitomura village

Once Sarumaru Daiyu was hunting a white deer and came down all the way to Nikko. The Huge Mukade 大ムカデ from Nikko eats the children of the white deer, this deer mother had called the famous arrow shooter Sarumaru to help.
He put some spittle on his arrow and shot the centipede dead.
Even now if people want to kill a centipede, they use spittle.

. Sarumaru Daiyu 猿丸大夫 a waka poet .

Sarumaru 猿丸
追放された有宇中将と朝日の長者の二人は、日光の山神になり、その前の大マナゴ山には二人の子供である猿丸が住んでいる。

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

. Akagisan, Akagiyama 赤城山と伝説 Legends about Mount Akagi .

.......................................................................
勢多郡 Seta district 富士見 Fujimi

At Akagiyama there is the valley 九十九谷 Kujukudani (99 valleys). If there would be one more valley, it would be like the 100 valleys of 高野山 Koyasan in Wakayama. Then the fight between Akagi the Mukade and Nikko the Snake started.
The Mukade from Akagi was bound with オカボの藁 the leaves of okabo, Kabocha pumpkin.
Since that time the believers in 赤城様 the Akagi deity do not grow pumpkin.

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

. 二荒山の神 Futarasan no Kami .
- and 万二万三郎 Banjibanzaburo, Banji Banzaburo
The brothers Banji and Banzaburo and the matagi マタギ hunters of Nikko.
In a dispute between the goddess of Mount Nikko and the god of Mount Akagi, Banzaburo helped the goddess by shooting out the eye of the Akagi god, who was incarnated as a huge snake (or a huge centipede in some versions of the story).

............................................................................... Tochigi 栃木県

中禅寺湖 Lake Chuzenji
The temple 中禅寺 Chuzen-Ji is at the eastern side of the lake.
Its main statue, Kannon Bosatsu, is carved out of a tree which is still rooted into the ground today.

.......................................................................
日光市 Nikko city

. hashiri Daikoku 走り大黒 / 波之利大黒天
running Daikoku Ten / walking Daikoku .
and the story of the founder of Nikko 日光開山, Saint Shodo Shonin 勝道上人.

- - - - -

hebi 蛇
狩人が道に迷って沼のほとりに泊まったとき、美人が現われて同棲するようになったが、女が蛇であることがわかったので逃げた。追い詰められて沼に飛び込んだが、蛇も入ってきた。蛇は沼の主であったと言われる。

- - - - -

Konsei Ssama / Kinsei Sama 金精様
明治大正の頃、日光の湯元の某旅館の石製の金精様を借りて自室に安置し、朝夕おがんで勉強すると試験に合格した。

Konseisama in Okayama　岡山県
Kanamaro sama カナマロ様性病や寝小便に霊験のある金精様 Konsei Sama やカナマロ様には、桐の木や瓦でできた男根を奉納する。

Konseisama in Aomori 青森県
クニチ，シトギマワシ
9月9日・19日・29日には、新米で餅をついて神様に供える。シメクニチの29日に、シトギマワシといって、老女や主婦が三欠けずつ稲荷様、月山様、日月様、地蔵様、馬の神様、不動様、金精様、権現様に供えた。「クニヂにの、餅食わねばホイド抜げネ」と言われた。

- - - - -

reihai ishi 礼拝石
日光二荒山神社の別宮に瀧尾神社というのがある。このお宮の周りにある1間四方位の石は子種石と呼ばれているが、「日光山誌」によれば、この石を礼拝石、もしくは助石といって、日光責で気絶したものをこの上に置くとたちまち蘇生するという。

- - - - -

. reikoku 霊告 a revelation .
and 八木主税之介信之 Yagi Mondonosuke Nobuyuki

- - - - -

ringyo 鱗魚 fish with scales
On the top of 日光山 Mound Nikkosan there are 48 lakes.
All the fish that live in the lakes of 下野 Shimotsuke have no scales.
All the fish that live in the two lakes toward 越後 Echigo have scales.

- - - - -

. そうめん地蔵 Somen Noodles Jizo .

- - - - -

yanone ishi 矢ノ根石，yajirii ishi 鏃石，hirekijin 霹靂碪
日光金原では、暴風雨の後に、鏃形の石が降ることがある。

.......................................................................
日光市 Nikko city 山内

hagutsuru 白鶴 white crane
寛永14年4月のはじめ、東照大権現の造替の地引があり、多くの人が集まっていたところに白鶴が1羽やってきた。そういう時でもあったので、みんながめでたいしるしと思っていると、また天から鶴がやってきて同じ所に舞い降りた。これも御代の栄えを象徴し、神が納受されたしるしと考えられた。

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

Toshogu 日光東照宮 Nikko Toshogu Shrine

nemuri neko 眠り猫
日光東照宮にある眠り猫は左甚五郎の作と言われていて、これを掲げてから宮内では鼠害が絶えたといわれている。
.
左甚五郎は大阪天王寺にある牡の眠り猫と日光東照宮の牝の眠り猫、２つだけを作ったといわれている。眠り猫は魔除けの猫といわれ、この猫の絵を描いて蚕室に貼っておくと鼠害がないという。居室に貼ると神経衰弱や不眠症にならないという。嗜眠性や居眠り癖がある場合は、この猫が大きく目を見開いた絵を貼っておくと眠くないという。

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

uma 馬 horse
寛永の頃、江戸に耳の下に長さ2寸程の角の生えた駿馬がおり、日光山に進呈された。

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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
66 to explore (20)
日光 nikkoo : sunshine . . . not included
新潟県東蒲原郡阿賀町 - 津川の日光寺

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

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

. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話　昔話 - Introduction .

- Yookai 妖怪 Yokai Monsters of Japan -
- Introduction -

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2018-12-06

Akagisan Mount Akagi legends

- quote -
Mount Akagi (赤城山 Akagi-yama, Red Castle) 1,828 m
The broad, low dominantly andesitic stratovolcano rises above the northern end of the Kanto Plain. It contains an elliptical, 3 x 4 km summit caldera with post-caldera lava domes arranged along a NW-SE line. Lake Ono is located at the NE end of the caldera. ...
Mount Akagi, along with Mount Myōgi and Mount Haruna, is one of the "Three Mountains of Jōmō" (上毛三山),
and the cold north winds down from it are called Akagi-oroshi (赤城おろし) or Karakkaze (空っ風).
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

赤城山の神 The deity of Akagisan is a huge mukade ムカデ centipede.

source: 画図百物語bot on Twitter

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Shrine 赤城神社 Akagi Jinja
Maebashi city 群馬県前橋市富士見町赤城山 4-2

- quote -
The shrine is the focus of more than 300 branches spread all over the prefectures not only in Gunma but in Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa and Niigata. This shrine is believed to have been built during the reign of the Emperor Sujin from 97 B.C. to 29 B.C.
The agriculture gods of Onamuchi-no-mikoto and Toyoki-irihiko-no-mikoto are worshipped here. It is a sanctuary surrounded by ancient trees, including three 1,000-year-old cedars.
- - Akagi Jinnja Somon (The Gate of Akagi Shrine
The gate stands 500 meters away from the shrine itself. According to the records, it was constructed in 1556 in the style of Koraimon which features beams and bars.
- - Akagi Jinja Honnden and Chumon (Akagi Inner Shrine and Inner Gate)
Beyond the outer shrine are the inner shrine and the inner gate. There were originally the two shrines according to the records of 1406, and they were united in 1869. Although the outer shrine was burned down in 1894, the inner shrine and gate remain unchanged.
- - Akagi Jinja Honden Naikuden (Akagi Shrine Sanctuary)
This looks like a portable shrine where the gods descend. The decorative sculpture and the painting on it date from the Muromachi Era. The backside of the door bears the name of the donor Minamotono Narishige who was a general in Ota City today and devoted himself to the gods of Akagi.
- source : maebashi-cvb.com/english... -

- HP of the Shrine
- reference source : akagijinja.jp...-

At Akagi Jinja 赤城神社 Akagi Shrine there is an amulet with the centipede.

source : koinu2005.seesaa.net/article

Since the centipede has "many legs" it will help bring "many legs" to a shop and is thus an amulet for prosperous business.
The Snake Deity is venerated for bringing iron sand to the local river, thus promoting the local iron industry.
The Mukade Deity is venerated for digging underground, helping the mining industry, even finding gold.

ryuukotsu 竜骨 bones of a dragon
At the top of Mount Akagisan is a temple named 常光寺 Joko-Ji. Its special treasure are the bones of a dragon.
Using pure water from Akagi Shrine and adding a few splinters of these bones will make rain fall.
. ryuukotsu 竜骨と伝説 Ryukotsu, Legends about dragon bones .

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. Temple 赤城山金剛院 Akagizan Kongo-In .
善福寺金剛院 - 沼田成田不動尊
Kaio-zan Zenpuku-Ji, Numata Narita Fudo Son
1108 Boshindenmachi, Numata, Gunma

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

source : toki.moo gate 605

Akagisan no oni 赤城山の鬼 The Demons from Akagisan and Harunasan
Once the tow demons got into a fight. The demon from Akagi threw 小石 small stones and the demon from Haruna threw bara バラ（茨）plants with many thorns.
Therefore on Mount Akagisan there are many plants with thorns and on Mount Harunasan there are many small stones.

Akagisan no Tengu 赤城山の天狗 Tengu from Mount Akagisan
The Tengu made Akagisan in one night and then Harunasan in one night. Next he wanted to make a mountain bigger than 富士山 Fujisan and begun to pile up earth, but then a cock called out the morning and there was just enough earth to make
ヒトモッコ山 / ひともっこ山 Mount Hitomokkoyama, a small mountain to the West of 榛名富士 Haruna Fuji.
Other sources quite 上野の天狗と駿河の天狗 the Tengu from Ueno and Suruga for creating Mount Hitomokkoyama.

. Harunasan 榛名山と伝説 Legends about Mount Haruna .
And Akagiasn

- - - - -

. mukade 蜈蚣と伝説 Legends about the centipede .
the main legend about the huge centipede from Akagi and the snake of Nikko.
jatai no kami 蛇体の神 The Snake Deity　/ and mukade no kami ムカデの神 The Centipede Deity
These two animal deities fought at Senjōgahara 戦場ヶ原 Senjogahara, the "Battlefield" marshland in Nikko.
They were the vassals of the deity of 男体山　Nantaisan in Chuzenji and the deity from 赤城山　Akagiyama.
Now there is an Akanuma　赤沼 "Red swamp" of the blood from the Mukade.
- Legends from 桐生市 Kiryu town 新里町 Niisatomura, 邑楽郡 Ora district 大泉町 Oizumi, 邑楽郡千代田町 Chiyoda, 勢多郡富士見 Fujimi, 沼田市 Numata town 利根町 Tone.

The ancestor of the 赤堀家 Akahori family is Hidesato.
At 赤堀 Akahori every year there was a home where an arrow with white feathers stuck in the front door.
This family had to offer the daughter to 小沼 Lake Kono, a volcanic lake.
Then one day Hirosato came by and killed the centipede in the lake. Thus the village was saved.
. Fujiwara no Hidesato 藤原秀郷 - 俵藤太 Tawara Tōda, "Lord Bag of Rice" .
killed the huge centipede.

赤堀道元 Akahori Dogen is involved in legends about the centipede and serpents, see below.

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. Nikko 日光と伝説 Legends about Nikko .

. The hunters 万二万三郎 Banji and Banzaburo .
In a dispute between the goddess of Mount Nikko and the god of Mount Akagi, Banzaburo helped the goddess by shooting out the eye of the Akagi god, who was incarnated as a huge snake (or a huge centipede in some versions of the story). ...

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. Harunasan 榛名山 Mount Haruna .
Lake Harunako 榛名湖 is also called Ikaho no numa 伊香保の沼 Swamp of Ikaho.

. hebi 蛇と伝説 Legends about snakes and serpents .

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榛名町 Haruna town

The princess daughter of 木部様 Lord Mokubu becomes master of the Lake.
Rituals were held in her memory on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.
- - - Another version:
The wife of Lord Mokubo threw herself into the Swamp of Ikaho and became a large serpent. When Lord Mokubo went there to look meet her, she told him she had been a serpent to start with and shape-shifted into a human. Her maid servants also jumped into the Swamp and became crabs.
Lord Mokubo built the shrine 金子の宮 Kaneko no Miya and submerged it in the swamp. Sometimes on a light summer evening, it can be seen in the water.
Lord Mokubo also built the temple 善導寺 Zendo-Ji and held rituals for the souls on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month.
- - - Another version:
The mother of 道阿上人 Saint Doan visited the Shrine of Haruna Gongen in 1394 on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month and threw herself into the Swamp of Ikaho.
She became a huge serpent, 機尋 / はたひろ Hatahiro, about 24 m long. Doan built a memorial stone for her at the lake side.
She had been a serpent at 筑紫広島池 and became a human to get the benefits of Buddhist teachings.

Hatahiro, loom-spun (by Toriyama Sekien)
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA ! Ikaho town

chisen 地仙 the local saint
At the 温泉 hot spring of Ikaho there was a wood cutter, but nobody knew how old he was.
Some village elders claim he was a flag holder of Minamoto no Yoshitsune and came here on his way to The Northern Territory to fight the Ezo. To show his appreciation, Yoshitsune taught him how to use 灸 moxibustion, which Yoshitsune had learned from the Hermit Hitachibo Kaison. He used this medicine to become a long-living saint in the village.

. Hitachibo Kaison Sennin 常陸坊海尊仙人 . *

. Minamoto no Yoshitsune 源の義経 .

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

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勢多郡 Seta district 宮城村 Miyagi village

ryuujin 竜神 Dragon Deity
The Dragon Deity of Akagi is 唵佐羅摩女, the Dragon Deity of Ikaho Swamp (Lake Haruna) is 吠戸羅摩女.
When these two had a fight, their land was thrown to the West (Ikaho) and to the East (Akagi).

. ryuujin 竜神 Dragon Deity / Dragon King　龍王 Ryu-O .
Some tales call it Dragon, others huge serpent, others just serpent.
Girls of the age of 16 are not allowed to climb Mount Akagisan.

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桐生市 Kiryu city 新里町 Niisato city

The Mukade Deities from Akagi and the Snake Deity from Nikko had a fight.
Nikko lost and run away. All the trees became red from its blood and the mountain was then called
"Red Tree Mountain", 赤木山 Akagi. Later the spelling changed to 赤城山

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勢多郡 Seta district 富士見 Fujimi

At Akagiyama there is the valley 九十九谷 Kujukudani (99 valleys). If there would be one more valley, it would be like the 100 valleys of 高野山 Koyasan in Wakayama. Then the fight between Akagi the Mukade and Nikko the Snake started.
The Mukade from Akagi was bound with オカボの藁 the leaves of okabo, Kabocha pumpkin.
Since that time the believers in 赤城様 the Akagi deity do not grow pumpkin.

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. daija, orochi 大蛇 the huge serpent, great snake .
Tales of a girl going into the swamp or lake and become a huge serpent (some also a dragon).

The story of the daughter of 赤堀道元 Akahori Dogen.

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伊勢崎市 Isesaki city 西小保方町 Nishi-Obokata town

The daughter of 赤堀道元 Akahori Dogen begun to grow three fish scales on her side at the age of 16. Thus she gave up becoming a woman and went to Mount Akagisan, throwing herself into the swamp 小沼, Lake Konuma,
The Akahori family makes offerings for her on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month, throwing sekihan 赤飯 red auspicious rice into the water.

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桐生市 Kiryu city 黒保根町 Kurohone town

Once the 16 year old daughter of Akahori Dogen, who was born out of prayers to the deity and had scaled at her side, climbed the mountain, jumped into the 沼 swamp and became a huge serpent / a dragon.
Dogen dug a canal to drain the swamp, the remains are to be seen in our day.
The robes of the girl have been given as amulets to local temples.
At the temple 湧丸の医光寺 Wakimaru no Iko-Ji her belt is shown every year on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month.
There is a special dance st the temple
涌丸獅子舞「ささら舞」

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桐生市 Kiryu city 黒保根村 Kurohone mura village

Her father asked クロクワセンチョウ（土木集団）Kurokuwa Sencho, a group doing public workers, to drain the swamp. His daughter appeared on 白い牛 a white bull and called:
やめてくれ - Stop it, stop it!
After all, she had become a huge serpent.
Since then girls of the age of 16 are not allowed to go to Mount Akagi.
On the 8th day of the 5th lunar month, the Akahori family brings offerings of red auspicious rice and throws it into the lake.
At the temple 医光寺 Iko-Ji they keep her belt.

- At 新里町 Niisato town
a similar story is told, but the daughter was not found.
But the whole area of Akahori had enough water and could start planting rice.

- - - - - - This story is also told
- At 前橋市 Maebashi city 上泉町 Kamiizumi city
- At みどり市 Midori city 笠懸町 Kasakake town - they also offer 酒 Sake rice wine.
- At 沼田市 Numata city 利根町 Tone town
- At 勢多郡 Seta district 富士見村 Fujimi village,

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勢多郡 Seta district 赤城村 Akagi village

Once upon a time
a hunter was sharpening his arrow when a very very small snake appeared. The animal tried to wriggle around his finger, but he thrust his arrow very hard into her upper jaw.
The little wounded monster fled into the lake. There was a thunder and a sort of 龍巻 tornado.
When other villagers came to have a look, they found the master of the lake, the huge serpent, lying dead with its upper jaw broken.
- - - - -
Once upon a time
in the upper stream of river 利根川 Tonegawa a huge serpent came floating down.
Where it came to land is now the rock formation 龍王の岩 Ryu-O no Iwa, Rock of the Dragon Deity.
Between the two rocks is a steep valley where the river whirls and swirls. Down there is 竜宮 the Dragon palace, they say.

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- - - - - Tengu 天狗 - - - - -

. Akagiyama no Sugi no Bo 赤木山の杉の坊 Tengu .
"the Monk of the Cedar Tree from Mount Akagisan"
His sanctuary is the Asuka Shrine 大沼湖畔の飛鳥社 at Lake Onuma.
This tale is told at 有田郡 Arita district 由良町 Yura town.

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前橋市 Maebashi city 粕川町 Kasukawa village

During the absece of Lord Takanobe Ienari 高野辺家成, his second wife sided with some servants and tried to drown the two daughters of the first wife. When Ienari asked about them they told him a Tengu had abducted them. So he went to Mount Akagi to drive out the Tengu. When he learned it was his second wife and servants, he went back home and punished them.
Now three are small sanctuaries for the three daughters along the lake of Onuma and Konuma.
- Another version of this tale:
When Ienati looked for his two killed daughters, he saw them flying out of the lake on a kamo (keri) 鳧 duck. The duck turned into a bird and they flew to the top of Mount Akagisan.
There they became the island 小鳥ケ島 in 大沼 the Big Swamp lake.

- - - - -
Tengu making Mount Akagisan and Mount Harunasan, see above.

. Tengupedia - 天狗ペディア　- Tengu ABC-List .

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. kaki 火気と伝説 Legends about fire .
Around 1720 there had been 大火事 a major fire in Edo. And then at New Year four years later . . . there was a fire at Mount Akagi every night.
On the 14th day of the 4th lunar month, there was a fire at 青山 Aoyama that turned into a major fire.
There were also people who died in the Akagi area.

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shisha no sugata 死者の姿 appearance of a dead person
Families which had a dead in the past year climb 地蔵岳 Mount Jizodake and call his/her name. They might be able to see the appearance of their loved one, or maybe someone resembling it.

Jizodake 赤城山の地蔵岳 Mount Jizo, 1,674ｍ

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沼田市 Numata city 戸鹿野町 Toganomachi town

. kitsunebi 狐火と伝説 Legends about the "fox fire" .
Once a man did duty as 水車の見張り a watchman for the water wheel.
Suddenly he saw about 20 faint lights walking along the foot of Mount Akagisan. After a while, the mysterious fox fires vanished one by one.
- - - - -
. Yama no Kami 山の神 God of the Mountain .
A member of 桑原姓 the Kuwahara family climbed Mount Akagisan at age 16, but never came back.
That day there was a strong rain and deep fog and villagers say this was the curse of Yamanokami and the Master of the Pond.

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勢多郡 Seta district 赤城町 Akagi cho town

. Osaki-gitsune おさき狐 / オサキキツネ fox Yokai with a split tail .
Some families have a small Shrine for Osaki, the Fox Monster. This cult was forbidden in the late Edo period.

"Osaki-gitsune" (尾崎狐) from the Kyōka Hyaku Monogatari by Masasumi Ryūkansaijin.
The face of osaki peaks out from the bosom and the left sleeve of the man holding the balance.
- wikipedia -

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勢多郡 Seta district 赤城村 Akagi mura village

Benten 弁天
At the town of 溝呂木 Mizoroki there was a place named ワクタマ Wakutama where clear water came out of the mountain.
Beside it was a small Shrine for Benten, the Deity of Water. If people pour water on the Shrine, it would soon start to rain.

. Benten, Benzaiten 弁天 / 弁財天 - Sarasvati .

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勢多郡 Seta district 富士見村 Fujimi village

. kitsune densetsu 狐と伝説 fox legends .
Once upon a time, an old grandmother took her grandchild on the back and went to Mount Akagisan to pick up chestnuts. But they never came back.
Three days later grandma appeared at 赤城有料道路の料金所 the fee station of the Akagi Toll Road.
She told about a beautiful girl that guided her in the mountains, but she must have been bewitched by a fox,
the local Otoka オトカ（キツネ）.
As a wicked Otoka fox gets older, its tail splits into 7 and then 9 tails.

at 赤城山　南麓　宮城地区
source : souhonke.jugem.jp...

In 長野県 Nagano
at the Shrine 飯縄神社 Iizuna Jinja
there was a hole where the Honorable Fox オトカサマ Otoka Sama lived.
Sometimes people used his behaviour to divine god and bad luck.
Otoka sama could also bewitch people.
Some say it might have been mujina ムジナ local Tanuki badger.

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渋川市 Shibugawa city 赤城町 Akagi cho town

Suwa sama no shinboku 諏訪様の神木 sacred tree of the Suwa Deity
This sacred tree was supposed to be cut down for 江戸玉川上水 a waterway of the Tamagawa in Edo, but the chips of wood were all back over night. From the cut some red liquid was pouring out and they said 越後の杣人 a wood cutter from Echigo had died.

. shinboku 神木, shinju　神樹　sacred tree, divine tree .

. Tamagawa Joosui 多摩川上水 Tamagawa Josui Kanal .

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

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

. plants and their legends 　植物と伝説 - - 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 -
- Introduction -

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. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

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2018-12-02

kiku chrysanthemum legends

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. kiku jidoo 菊慈童 Kikujido "The Boy with Chrysanthemums" .
a sennin　仙人 Immortal

. Kikuzakachō 菊坂町 Kikuzakacho district .
Bunkyo ward, Tokyo

by Ogata Gekko - Viewing Chrysanthemums

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

............................................................................... Tokyo 東京
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Chuo ward district

. chrysanthemum and . yomogi 艾 / ヨモギ mugwort, Artemisia princeps . .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
276 菊 to collect (01)

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. 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 -
- Introduction -

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. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

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- - - - - #kiku #chrysanthemum -
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