Heian Period Japan

2017-05-04

matagi bear hunter legends

マタギ奇談 - 狩人たちの奇妙な語り
工藤隆雄 Eto Takao

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越後三面山人記 - マタギの自然観に習う
田口洋美 Taguchi Hiromi

日本の狩猟文化研究の第一人者、東北芸術工科大学教授兼狩猟文化研究所所長・田口洋美氏の若き日の意欲作、隠れたロングセラーを文庫化。
朝日連峰の山懐、新潟県の三面川(みおもてがわ)中流の深い谷間にあった三面集落。
今は三面ダムの底に沈んだこの山里の狩猟文化・山村習俗を、四季折々の山の民の暮らしを追うかたちで詳細に記録した、著者若き日の意欲作。
第一章狩りの日の出来事
第二章降りしきる雪の中で-冬-
第三章山の鼓動とともに-春-
第四章むせるような緑に抱かれて-夏-
第五章時雨れる雲ノ下で-秋-
第六章山人の自然学

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

.......................................................................... Akita 秋田県 ......................................

. Yama no Kami 山の神 God of the Mountain - Akita .
In Akita there are many bear-hunter communities.
On the festival day of the female Yamanokami, who is very jealous, their womenfolk do not dare to go outside all day.

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kodama nezumi コダマ鼠 / 小玉鼠 Kodama Nezumi Yokai monster - Little Ball Rat

source : twitter.com/meirojp/status

It is feared by the Matagi of Akita, especially in Ani. Some say it evolved from seven Matagi who died the same day during a hunting accident.
If the rat hears the sound of a gun, it will rush to the spot and interfere with the hunting. When it spots a human, it stops what it's doing, inflates like a balloon, explodes and splatters the hunter with its own blood and guts.
If the hunters become aware of one, the Matagi will retreat from the mountain as fast as they can.

- reference : kodama nezumi yokai -

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Once upon a time in winter
a group of seven young Matagi went to the mountain forest. At night it begun to snow. On the second morning a young woman came to their hut and asked to be allowed to take shelter. On that night, the woman sucked the soul out of six of them and killed them. The last one woke up in time, took his hatched and chased the monster away.

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kakesu カケス / 橿鳥 / 懸巣 jay, Garrulus glandarius
If the jay make a racket, it will certainly rain. The Matagi pay attention to them.

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北秋田郡阿仁町 Ani

Once their was a Matagi family wanting for food. Just then Kobo Daishi passed their hut and they wanted to take away his robes. He tried to understand their plight and told them, "Even if you now repent,
mata oni ni naru - you will become Oni again!
Hunting is your job, so go ahead and do it."
This is the origin of their name.
.
Yamagami no sakabu 山神のサカブ（叫び）は細く硬い声で、遠いところで響く鉦の音に似ている。女の声にも似ているが少し違う。明治３０何年かに、この声で７尺５寸もある大きな熊を発見して捕ったことがあったという。

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鹿角郡 Katsuno district 小坂町 Kosaka town

iwana 岩魚 fish of the Salvelinus family
昔柴内という村の八郎 Hachiro というマタギが、仲間と共に奥瀬山に入った時、雪溶け水に泳ぐ岩魚を救って食べた。するとあんまり喉が渇き、持っていたワッパで飲んでも間に合わず、腹ばいして鯨飲しているうちにその身が蛇身と化し、遂に十和田湖へ飛び込んで主となったという。

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仙北郡 Senboku district 角館町 Kakunodate

If the mice are disappearing from a Matagi's mountain hut, they know that something is amiss and disaster looming.
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Once a young Matagi let a monkey caught in a trap run free.
Next day the monkey and his monkey friends brought 苺や栗 strawberries and chestnuts to show their gratitude.
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Once a Matagi was caught in an avalanche and burried in snow. BUT some villagers had seen a young man carrying a pole on his shoulder coming down from the mountain. This must have been his ghost.
So now nobody dares to go to the mountain carrying a pole on the shoulder.
- - - - -
Once a wife took some lunch to her father working in the mountain. But the female Yamanokami became jealous and when the father cut a tree, he fell below it and died.

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山本郡 Yamamoto district 藤里町 Fujisato town

When the Matagi are out hunting, a youngster stays in the hut to take care of cooking.
Sometimes a yamabito (sanjin) 山人 "mountani man" comes. The weather usually tunrs bad soon after that.

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bears and hunters enjoying a break
野間仁根色紙 painting by Noma Hitone

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

... matagi no kinki マタギの禁忌 taboos for bear hunters ...
If the wife of a hunter had given birth, her husband should not go to the mountain for 27 days, because Yamanokami dislikes 穢れ unclean things.
Others say they had to stay out of the mountain forest until the seventh night was over.
If a hunter would go anyway, he did not find any animal to shoot. Others would loose their way and not come home.
Another hunter was found having committed suicide in the forest . . . and more strange tales are told.

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マタギの家では寒三十日の間は決して豆を煎らない。豆を煎ったとき豆の跳ねる音がすると、その響きで山に雪崩が起きるという。また、節分の日に豆を煎り、その豆を食べて山へ出かけると災難に遭わず、その豆を山に持参すると災厄を除くという。

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yamanokami 山ノ神 likes Okoze stone fish
If the Matagi bear hunters do not find an animal, the leader takes a piece of Okoze wrapped in white ritual paper out of his pocket and offers it to Yamanokami.
And - oh wonder - they soon find their pray.

. okoze 虎魚 / 鰧魚 / オコゼ / ヲコゼ stonefish .

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仙台市 Sendai 太白区 Taihaku

. The brothers 万二万三郎 Banji and Banzaburo and the matagi マタギ hunters of Nikko. .

24 more legends from Miyagi

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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
マタギ 49 to explore (02)
Akita 12 0K

Nametoko yama no kuma なめとこ山の熊 The bears of Nametoko Mountain
宮沢賢治 Miyazawa Kenji

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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 ! .

- #matagi #bearhunter -
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2017-04-20

Soga Iruka Emishi

- quote -
Soga no Emishi 蘇我蝦夷 (587 – July 11, 645)
was a statesman of the Yamato Imperial Court. His alternative names include Emishi (毛人) and Toyoura no Ōomi (豊浦大臣). After the death of his father Soga no Umako, Emishi took over Ōomi, the Minister of state, from his father.
According to the Nihonshoki,
from the end of the reign of Empress Suiko to that of Empress Kōgyoku, Emishi enjoyed influence in the court. After the death of Empress Suiko, Emishi succeeded in installing Prince Tamura on the throne as Emperor Jomei by citing the will of Empress Suiko. Although Prince Yamashiro was another candidate, Emishi murdered Sakaibe no Marise, his uncle who nominated Oe no Ou, paving the way for his favorite. After the discernment of Emperor Jomei, Emishi supported Empress Kōgyoku.
His daughter, Soga no Tetsuki no Iratsume, was a wife of Emperor Jomei and bore Emperor Jomei one daughter Princess Yata.
In 645, when his son Iruka was murdered in front of the Empress, Emishi committed suicide the next day.
- source : wikipedia -

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- quote -
Soga no Iruka 蘇我入鹿 (? - July 10, 645)
was the son of Soga no Emishi a statesman in the Asuka Period of Japan.

He was assassinated at court in a coup d'état involving Nakatomi no Kamatari and Prince Naka-no-Ōe ("Isshi no hen" 乙巳の変; Murder in the Year of Isshi - Isshi Incident), who accused him of trying to murder Prince Yamashiro, a charge which Soga no Iruka denied.
Soga no Emishi also committed suicide soon after his son's death, and the main branch of the Soga clan became extinct. Prince Naka-no-Oe latter ascended the throne as Emperor Tenji, and Nakatomi no Kamatari was promoted and given the name Fujiwara no Kamatari.
- - - - - In 2005, the remains of a building which may have been Soga no Iruka's residence were discovered in Nara. This discovery appeared to be consistent with the description found in Nihon Shoki.
- source : wikipedia -

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- quote -
Soga no Umako 蘇我馬子 (?551 - June 19, 626)
was the son of Soga no Iname and a member of the powerful Soga clan of Japan.
In the late 6th century, Soga no Umako went to great lengths to promote Buddhism in Japan, and was instrumental in its acceptance.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Iruka Soga's kubizuka 首塚 Head Mound
Iruka Soga's Kubizuka, Asuka, Asuka Village. It is located on the edge of rice field, about 100 m west of Asukadera 飛鳥寺 Asuka-dera temple. It is the oldest one in Japan, founded by Soga no Umako.
There was a public space in the west of Asuka-dera, where Emperor Tenji played "kemari" kickball with Fujiwara-no-Kamatari and planned to assassinate the clan leader Soga no Iruka.

This head mound monument, reportedly made in the Kamakura Period (1285-1333), indicates the mound where
Iruka Soga (蘇我入鹿, ?-645)'s head was allegedly buried.

He was assassinated by Prince Naka-no-Oe (中大兄皇子), Saeki-no-muraji-komaro (佐伯連子麻呂) and
Kazuragi-no-waka-Inukai-no-muraji-Amita (葛城稚犬養網田) in the presence of the 35th Empress Kogyoku (皇極天皇, 594-661; r.642-645) at the Asuka-Itabuki-no-miya Palace (飛鳥板葺宮), which is called
"Isshi no hen" (乙巳の変; the Murder in the Year of Isshi, Isshi Incident) on June 12, 645.

Empress Kogyoku, deeply shocked at the murder, soon abdicated the throne to
the 36th Emperor Kotoku (孝徳天皇, 596?-654; r.645-554).

The Soga-clan was a very powerful family who took over the reins of government and killed
Shotoku Taishi (聖徳太子)'s son Prince Yamashiro-no-Oe (山背大兄皇子), but they perished in 645 by Prince Naka-no-Oe (中大兄皇子; later Tenji-tenno [天智天皇], 626-678;r.668-671) and Kamatari Nakatomi (中臣鎌足, 614-669), the founder of the Fujiwara clan (藤原氏). It is called "Taika-no-Kaishin" (大化の改新; the Reformation of the Taika Era).

Copyright (c) 2006 Eishiro Ito. All rights reserved.
- source : :Atelier Aterui - with more information !

. kubizuka 首塚 head mounds of Japan .

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Iruka Jinja 入鹿神社 Iruka Shrine
奈良県橿原市小綱町 / Shokocho, Kashihara, Nara

Deities in residence
蘇我入鹿 Soga no Iruka
スサノオ Susanoo (since Meiji)

The main deity is a wooden statue of a seated Iruka:

(replica of the statue)

Around the shrine are many families with the name of Soga 「蘇我」- 「曽我」.
曽我町 Soga town is close by and there is the shrine 宗我都比古神社 Sogatsuhuiko Jinja founded by
蘇我馬子 Soga no Umako, where the Soga clan is venerated.

In the Meiji period, it was thought improper to venerate a human as deity, so Susanoo was enshrined.
The name of the shrine was to be changed to 小綱神社 Koami Jinja, but due to strong protest of all the Soga around, the name IRUKA was kept.
In the compound of the shrine was also a temple, 仏起山普賢寺 Bukkizan Fugen-Ji, where 大日如来 Dainichi Nyorai is venerated. In the Meiji period, the temple was destructed, and the statue of Dainichi Nyorai given to temple 成等山正蓮寺 Shoren-Ji.

Part of the temple named 大日堂 Dainichi Do Hall with the statue remains to our day.

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蘇我蝦夷・入鹿
門脇禎二

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. Japanese Legends - 伝説　民話　昔話 – ABC-List .

.......................................................................... Aichi 愛知県 ......................................
犬山市 Inuyama

Iruka-ike 入鹿池 Iruka Pond

ryuujin 龍神 Dragon Deity
Once the Dragon Deity of the Iruka Pond turned herself into a young woman and got married to a human.
Once a man named 福富信蔵 Fukutomi Nobuzo had a visitor every night and when their talk was over, she went to the Iruka pond, slipped in as a serpent and then became a dragon. But he could not get her as his wife.

Iruka no Sato 入鹿の里 Hometown of Iruka, at the Iruka Pond

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

Soga no Iruka's Assassination.

After the beheading, the head of Iruka took off to the sky with a loud roar.
Three villages in Nara prefecture claim to be the place where his head landed.

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橿原市 Kashihara

Soga Iruka no kubi 蘇我入鹿の首 the head of Iruka
When Kamatari beheaded Iruka, his head flew away, an fell down at home near the bridge 橿原市曽我の首落橋.
The house nearby was called おって屋 Otte-ya.

source : kashikoken-yushikai.org/index

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桜井市 Sakurai

Soga Iruka no kubi 蘇我入鹿の首 the head of Iruka
Near the shrine 多武峰談山神社 Tanzan Jinja there is a huge rock where Iruka hid. But he was found by Kamatari and beheaded.

The head then took off with a roar. and fell down at 談上ヶ森 / 談所ヶ森 Tanjo no Mori.
On that night there was a great storm in the region.

. Tanzan Jinja 談山神社 Tanzan Shrine .
多武峯社 Tōnomine Shrine
and Fujiwara no Kamatari 藤原釜足

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高市郡 Takaichi district 明日香村 Asukamura

Soga Iruka no kubi 蘇我入鹿の首 the head of Iruka
When Kamatari beheaded Iruka, his head flew away with a loud roar. The head then begun to pursue Kamatari, who run away, passed Tonomine and run all the way to Asukamura, to the shrine 気都和既神社 Kitsuwaki Jinja. There Kamatari thought "The head will not find me here and not come here " (ここまでくれば、もうこぬ moo kone), and sat down on a rock in the forest which is now called
moo kon no mori もうこんの森 / "もうこの森" "The forest where he will not come", Moko Grove .
The head of Iruka then took off to the border of Ise, to 高見山 Takamiyama.

鎌足の腰掛石 The Rock where Kamatari rested

気都和既神社 Kitsuwaki Jinja
Nara-ken, Takaichi-gun, Asuka-mura, Kamura, 172

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

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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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- - - - - H A I K U - - - - -

秋の蛇蘇我入鹿の野心もて
aki no hebi Soga Iruka no yashin mote

this snake in autumn
seems to be just as ambitions as
Soga Iruka

小林貴子 Kobayashi Takako

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入鹿池半分涸れてゐて碧し
Iruka-ike hanbun karete ite midori shi

the Iruka pond
is half dried out
and still so green

神谷定女 Kamiya Teijo

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. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

- #sogairuka #sogaemishi #soganoiruka -
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2017-04-04

Kishibojin Kishimojin

by 小妻要

. Kishibojin 鬼子母神 .
- Introduction -
Kijibojin mairi 鬼子母神参 pilgrimage to visit Kishibojin at temple 三井寺 Miidera
Kishibojin matsuri 鬼子母神祭 Kishibojin Festival

. kishi, oniko, oni-ko 鬼子　/ 鬼コ demon (from Tsugaru) .

at temple 法華寺 Homyo-Ji, Tokyo

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

.......................................................................... Aichi 愛知県 ......................................
知多郡 Chita district

おじゅらつさま / 十羅刹女即 O-Juratsu sama，幸魂千足姫命 Sachimitama Chitarihi no Mikoto
The name of Juratsu-Nyo has been changed in the Meiji period in 1873 to Sachimitama Chitarihi no Mikoto
She had 1000 children herself and still used to eat those of the humans.

Once upon a time in 乙方村 Okkata village there were many children dying within two years. So the villagers decided to built a place to pray to O-Juratsu Sama (Kishibojin) to protect their children. The villagers prayed that 1000 children would be born in the following year in their vllage. Each family made dumplings until they had 1000 and the whole village prayed for seven days and nights.
And oh wonder, children were now born in the village, all healthy and strong.

.......................................................................... Akita 秋田県 ......................................

gomiso ゴミソ kamisama カミサマ

荒川つよ Arakawa Tsuyo married into a family with 4 children, and later had 7 children with her new husband.
Kishibojin appeared in her dream and told her what to do.
She accepted her position as kamisama カミサマ "wife" and lived for 30 years. She could beat a drum and call on the deity and tell the future by the flame of a wax candle.

.......................................................................... Chiba 千葉県 ......................................
夷隅郡 Isumi district

kitsune 狐 fox
There was a horse carriage driver who was skilled to roast a fox in an earthen pot.
There were many foxes causing troulbe in the village. So Kishibojin came to 狐退治し help drive out the foxes.

.......................................................................... Gunma 群馬県 ......................................
吾妻郡 Agatsuma district 中之条町 Nakanojo

On the 16th day of the first and 8th month, people prepare senbiki-gayu 千匹ガユ "rice porridge for 1000 animals" and make special offerings of rice, barley and sweets. They do this with prayers to Kishimojin to protect their children.
Kishibojin had 1000 children herself and had eaten 999 human children in her demon times . . . so people now make offerings at the crossroads for her.

.......................................................................... Miyagi 宮城県 ......................................
仙台市 Sendai 青葉区 Aoba ward

Ottsu matsuri オッツ祭 - 唖 Oshi
On the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, people celebrate the Ottsu festival at the 鬼子母神堂 Kishiboji Hall.
Ottsu is the local dialect for oshi 唖, people who can not talk.
Since Kishibojin had been stealing human children in her demon times, she is also called 盗人神 "thief Deity".

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栗原市　Kurihara

The 菅原家 Sugiwara family does not only celebrate their own ujigami 氏神 family deity but also Kishibojin.
Since they started this, their children never had accidents or wounds and grew up healthy.

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都城市 Miyakonojo

Kishibojin is venerated as Ubugami-sama 産神様, the deity of birth.

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

On 小正月 the 15th day of the first lunar month people have special rituals to pray for a long life.
The elder folk wrap their chopsticks in straw ropes and offer them to Kishibojin by hanging them outside on the eaves of the house.

.......................................................................... Okayama　岡山県 ......................................

. madoo 魔道 - まどう Mado, road where monsters pass .
ma no toorimichi 魔の通り道 / mamono no toorimichi 魔物の通り道
masuji, ma-suji 魔筋

Tengu no tooorimichi 天狗の通り道 / テングノトオリミチ road where Tengu pass

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北房町 Hokubo

kishiojin キシオジン / キシオヂン / きしおじん Kishio-Jin, Kishibojin
Once on the day of 庚申 Koshin the child of a certain family did not come home at night. Three days (months) later they found some of her cloths and some hair at an old temple near 古坊 Furubo. They showed them to カンパラ（祈祷師), a diviner at Soja. He found that キシオジン Kishiojin (the name of the deity in the local dialect) had taken her away.
The house of her family was built along a road where the Tengu pass.
(Other sources say a キシオジンの通り筋 road where Kishiojin passes.)
Also called Kishiojin-suji キシオジン筋.

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

雑司ヶ谷鬼子母神堂　　Zoshigaya Kishimojindo Hall

A deity eating children, later pomegranates (zakuro 吉祥果 / ザクロ) instead of meat. The plant has many seeds, to bring many children to praying mothers.

- HP of the temple 法明寺 Homyo-Ji

東京都豊島区雑司ヶ谷3-15-20 / 3 Chome-15-20 Zōshigaya, Toshima ward
- reference source : kishimojin.jp/index -

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

fukuroo kishoomon 腹籠起請文 written ritual pledge keep in the stomach of the statue

At the temple 中山遠寿院 Nakayama Onju-In they have a special pledge people prepare and which is kept in the stomach of a statue of Kishibojin.

- - - - - Maybe this is a mix with the temple of the same name in Chiba
2 Chome-3-2 Nakayama, Ichikawa, Chiba
遠寿院所蔵の起請文
- reference source : onjuin.com/index -

.......................................................................... Yamanashi 山梨県 ......................................
身延町 Minobu

The 鬼子母神堂 Kishibojin Hall at the temple in Minobusan is located along the route to the Oku-no-In sanctuary at the Chigo-Ike 稚児池 pond.

At the 鬼子母神堂 Kishibojin Hall, there was an ema 絵馬 votive tablet of a horse, which comes out at night to devastate the fields. The horse had been painted by 狩野探幽 Kano Tanyu and for some reason, the priest found dirt on its hooves and in its mouth every morning.
So special rituals were held to keep it in place.

kishi megami　鬼子め神　"Child eating female deity"

. Minobusan 身延山 and Saint Nichiren .

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Statue from temple Miidera

- Kariteimo - Introduction by Mark Schumacher -

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

source : miyakobutsuzou.com/item/kisibojin

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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 ! .

- #kishiboshin #kariteimo #kishimojin -
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2017-02-18

Ichijo Tenno

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. ABC List of Heian Contents .
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Ichijō-tennō, Ichijoo Tennoo 一条天皇 Emperor Ichijo
Emperor Ichijyo

- quote -
Emperor Ichijō 一条天皇 Ichijō-tennō,
(July 15, 980 – July 25, 1011) was the 66th emperor of Japan,
according to the traditional order of succession.

Ichijō's reign spanned the years from 986 to 1011.

Before he ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (imina) was Kanehito-shinnō.
Kanehito-shinnō was the first son of Emperor En'yū and Fujiwara no Senshi, a daughter of Fujiwara no Kaneie. Since there are no documented siblings, it is supposed that he was an only child.
Ichijō had five Empresses or Imperial consorts and five Imperial sons and daughters.
His reign coincided with the culmination of Heian period culture and the apex of the power of the Fujiwara clan.
In 984,
he was appointed as crown prince under 花山天皇 Emperor Kazan. It was rumored contemporarily that his maternal grandfather Kaneie plotted to have Kazan retire from the throne.
Ichijō ascended the throne at the age of six.
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Ichijō had two empress consorts. First was Teishi (or Fujiwara no Sadako), a daughter of Fujiwara no Michitaka, second was Shōshi (or Akiko), a daughter of Fujiwara no Michinaga, a younger brother of Michitaka. Most people thought it impossible to have two empress consorts, but Michinaga claimed that the empress held two separate titles, Chūgū and Kōgō, which were different in principle and could therefore given to two different women.
The courts of both empresses were known as centers of culture.
Sei Shōnagon, author of The Pillow Book, was a lady in waiting to Teishi. Murasaki Shikibu was a lady in waiting to Shoshi. There were other famous poets in the courts of the empresses.
Ichijō loved literature and music.
For this reason, high ranked courtiers felt the necessity for their daughter to hold cultural salons with many skillful lady poets. Particularly he was fond of the flute. Ichijō was known for his temperate character and was beloved by his subjects.
.....
Ichijō is buried amongst the "Seven Imperial Tombs" at 竜安寺 Ryoan-ji Temple in Kyoto. The mound which commemorates the Emperor Ichijō is today named 衣笠山Kinugasa-yama. The emperor's burial place would have been quite humble in the period after Ichijo died.
.....
The years of Ichijō's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.
Eien 永延 (987–988)
Eiso 永祚 (988–990)
Shōryaku 正暦 (990–995)
Chōtoku 長徳 (995–999)
Chōhō 長保 (999–1004)
Kankō 寛弘 (1004–1012)
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. 瑠璃山 Rurizan 正光院 Temple Shoko-In .
港区元麻布3-2-20 / 3 Chome-2-20 Motoazabu, Minato ward, Tokyo

The main statue of this temple is
Koyasu Yakushi 子安薬師 Yakushi Nyorai to protect children

The statue was made by 恵心僧都源信 Eshin Sozu Genshin in the middle Heian period, carved at the birth of 一条天皇 Ichijo Tenno with prayers for the baby to grow up healthy. This wooden statue was lost in WWII, the present statue is a gift from Mount Koyasan.

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. Tsubosakadera 壷阪寺 .

This Temple is the sixth of 33 scared place of Kannon in the West of Japan and the principal image Juichmen Kanzeon Bosatsu (Eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy) enshrined in the Temple has been extensively worshipped as the goddess marvelously responsive to eye diseases.
Emperors Gensho, Ichijo and Kanmu and man other famous historical persons prayed for the recovery from their eye diseases.

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. Kani Yakushi 蟹薬師 "Crab Yakushi" .
大寺山願興寺 Daiji San, Ganko-Ji // Mitake no Kani Yakushi 御嵩の蟹薬師

closely related to the emperor Ichijoo Tennoo 一条天皇 Ichijo Tenno, when the annual festival 蟹薬師祭礼 started.

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. Shiba Daijinguu 芝大神宮 Shiba Daijingu .

Founded in 1005, by the Emperor Ichijoo Tennoo 一条天皇 Ichijo Tenno.

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----- A legend about this Tenno:

He was maybe the first "pet lover" in documented history.

source : ntt-card.com/trace

He had a cat which he loved very much. One day a dog chased the cat, so he banned the dog for a while from his view. Even when the dog was allowed to come back, he was so afraid of his master that he did not eat a thing.
Therefore the Tenno pardoned him explicitly and took him in his lap again. The happy dog soon begun to eat again.

. Japanese Legends - 伝説　民話　昔話 – ABC-List .

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- quote -
Emperor Ichijo 一条天皇 (Ichijou tennou)
Emperor Ichijô was an emperor of the Heian period, perhaps most well-known as being the reigning emperor during the composition of the Tale of Genji and Murasaki nikki by Murasaki Shikibu, and of The Pillow Book by Sei Shônagon. It was in Ichijô's court that much of the events related or referenced in these works took place.
A son of Emperor En'yû,
born in the Sanjô Palace and largely raised there by his grandfather Fujiwara no Kaneie, he succeeded to the throne upon the abdication of his uncle Emperor Kazan on 986/6/23. His accession ceremony was held on 7/22 that year. Ichijô's grandfather Fujiwara no Kaneie served as sesshô (regent for an emperor in his minority) from 986 until 990, and very briefly as kanpaku (regent for an adult emperor) following Ichijô's genpuku (coming of age) that year at the age of ten. Later that same year (990), Fujiwara no Michitaka took over as regent, holding the title of sesshô until 993 and then that of kanpaku until 995. Finally, Fujiwara no Michikane served as kanpaku briefly in 995.
He took Fujiwara no Akiko, a daughter of Fujiwara no Michinaga, as his First Empress; she came to be known as Empress Shôshi. In 1000, he promoted Fujiwara no Sadako, also known as Empress Teishi, to First Empress, demoting Shôshi to Second Empress and creating considerable factional tension within the palace. As Murasaki Shikibu served Shôshi and Sei Shônagon served Teishi, this event contributed to rivalries between the two women which appear in their writings.
Ichijô abdicated the throne on 1011/6/13
in favor of his cousin, a son of Emperor Reizei, who took the throne as Emperor Sanjô. Ichijô then formally took the tonsure and entered retirement on 6/19, but died several days later on 1011/6/22.
One of his sons would later succeed Emperor Sanjô as Emperor Go-Ichijô.
- source : wiki.samurai-archives.com/ -

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- quote -
MUSIC AND RELIGION IN JAPAN
In the reign of the Emperor Ichijyo (r. 986–1011),
mikagura was performed in the Naishidokoro (Kashikodokoro) Palace to the accompaniment of kagurabue (a bamboo transverse flute), hichiriki (a double-reed pipe), and wagon.
- source : 2005 Thomson Gale -

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. Sei Shōnagon 清少納言 Sei Shonagon .

. Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部 .

. Japanese History / The Middle Heian Period .

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一条天皇 (人物叢書) bu 倉本一宏

- Reference - 一条天皇 -

- Reference - Emperor Ichijo -
Emperor Go-Ichijō was the 68th emperor of Japan

- Reference - Emperor Ichijyo -
Abeno Seimei Shrine was reportedly built by the 66th Emperor Ichijyo in 1007.
There was a very clever girl who was a daughter of Emperor Ichijyo.
Ichijyo Modoribashi

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. Legends - Heian Period (794 to 1185) - Introduction .

. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話　昔話 - Introduction .

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. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

- #ichijo #ichijotenno #ichijyo-
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2016-12-26

Totsukawa Legends

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話昔話 - Introduction .
- for kuchinawa, guchiwa serpent, see below !
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Totsukawa / Totsugawa 十津川と伝説 Legends about Totsukawa village

- quote -
Totsukawa (十津川村 Totsukawa-mura) is a village located in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, Japan, along the Totsukawa river.
It's recognized as the largest village in Japan in terms of land area.
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Onsen - Hot Springs
Totsukawa has many natural onsen or hot springs. Tosenji hot spring in Totsukawa was put on the list of the best one hundred hot springs in Japan. The water from some of these hot springs is safe to drink. The source temperature of the water is about 70℃ and is also said to cure your cuts and burns. The hot springs in Totsukawa are unusual because the hot spring water is used, as is, directly from the source without reheating or recycling. Good onsen are said to keep you warm even long after bathing and many people claim this of the hot springs in Totsukawa.
There are also many footbaths in Totsukawa which are said to have health benefits for feet.
Footbaths in Totsukawa are free of charge.
- More in the Wikipedia -

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. Kaido 街道 the Highways of Japan .

Totsukawa Kaido 十津川街道 Totsukawa Highway
The road to the Totsukawa Hot Spring, passing
栄山寺 Temple Eisan-Ji (五條市 Gojo City)
天辻峠 Tentsuji Toge pass (大塔村 Oto village)
猿谷ダム　Sarutani Dam
谷瀬の吊橋 Tanise no tsuribashi hanging bridge
風屋ダム Kazeya Dam
玉置神社 Shrine Tamaki Jinja

. Shrine Tamaki Jinja 玉置神社 .
The Ten Treasures 十種神宝 tokusa no kandakara

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. Legends about Onsen Hot Springs　温泉と伝説 .
- Introduction -

Totsukawa Onsen 十津川温泉 Totsukawa Hot Spring
Nara Prefecture, Yoshino-gun, Totsukawa-mura Hiraya / 奈良県吉野郡十津川村平谷

En no Gyoja met a couple of Oni who were eating humans. He asked them not to do that any more but they did not listen to him. He hid in a cave but they wanted to give him human flesh to eat even there.
Now 不動明王　Fudo Myo-O comes along and pressured the couple not to eat humans any more. So they promised to change their ways.
Zenki went to 洞川 Dorogawa (now a famous hot spring), and Goki went to 十津川 Totsukawa .

. Zenkibō 前鬼坊 Zenkibo, Zenki-Bo .
his wife Goki 後鬼.

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Totsugawa Go 十津川郷 The Totsugawa Region
There are legends about serpents, cats, wolves and other animals.
Waterfalls also feature in these stories.

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When someone feels a buzzing and ringing in the ear, very soon a person of his/her age will die.

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hebi 蛇 serpent, snake // daija 大蛇 huge serpent and グチナワ kuchinawa/guchinawa

Sometimes villagers have sighted the bones of huge serpents.

The white serpent 白いグチナワ Guchinawa (Kuchinawa) is seen as a messenger of the Gods.

Once an old woman begun to venerate a white serpent near her home and soon the family became quite wealthy.

Once some forest workers saw a white serpent coming from between some rocks where they wanted to built a road. They became afraid and could not continue. They called a priest, had purification rites performed and then could continue the work.

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Many people have seen huge serpents, some with a body like a huge pumpkin and more than 3 meters long.

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After a strong typhoon, a tree had fallen right over the road. When they tried to remove the tree, it suddenly started to move all by it self!
Whow, it was a huge serpent !!

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Once the locals angered a serpent, but in revenge 50 serpents came along with their 蛇の親分 Serpent Oyabun Boss. So the people had to stop working and hold a ritual for the serpents.
Once there came a huge white serpent and a small white one along to live here. Rumors spread and no more workers came to help, even borrowing money became very expensive.

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At the waterfall 平内滝 Heinaitaki there live about 10 small serpents.
Some have seen a serpent wound around a human skull.

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Ryuujin 竜神 Dragon King
There is a huge hinoki 桧 Japanese cypress where the Dragon King lives. It is covered by thick fuji 藤 and kazura 葛 vines. If people break the vines, there is a strange sound. If this sound is heared, a 大蛇 huge serpent will appear.

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Aichi 愛知県

hikigaeru ヒキガエル toad，kuchinawa クチナワ large serpent
A Samurai who lived near the Edo gate of Owari castle had a Kuchinawa in his garden. Then all the toads came together and formed a circle around the serpent. The serpent then turned into water. On this water the toads peed and then went back home. After some time many hiratake 平茸 mushrooms begun to grow and soon the toads came back to eat them.

- reference : 9 guchinawa legends -
7 kuchinawa くちなわ / クチナワ legends

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neko 猫 cat - monster cat

The waterfall from Nekoyoshi 猫良滝 is known as a place of the neko no kai 猫の怪 Monster Cat.

At the waterfall ネコマタの滝猫又 Nekomata "Monster Cat Legs" a group of travellers once had to take a pee. The Cat Lord of the Waterfall got very angry about this and it started to rain in no time.

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Waterfalls along Totsukawa River

Sasa-no-taki (Waterfall of the Bamboo Grass) This waterfall was put on the list of 100 best waterfalls in Japan.
- - - - - Look at all the waterfalls here
- reference source : nps.ed.jp/totsukawa-hs/sub/yoshikuma -

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nozuchi 野槌 / tsuchinoko ツチノコ Hammerspawn
a legendary snake-like cryptid

Once there lived a large ノーヅチ Hammerspawn named 大八太郎 Daihachitaro.
An old woman was cutting weeds in the fields when some stones came flying along - or so she thought.
But in fact it was a Hammerspawn. - She got poisoned by its bite and died soon after.

. nozuchi 野槌 / tsuchinoko ツチノコ - Introduction .

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ookami 狼 wolf

If villagers have to go around to spread the word that someone has died, they always should go two of them. If for some reason only one can go, he must carry a knife ready to pull out of his breast pocket. This is a spell against being attacked by wolves.

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tanuki 狸 Tanuki, badger

Some villagers have been tricked by the Tanuki.
In the evening there was sand and stones thrown at them, but when they got after it calling 「おのれ、打ち殺すぞ」 "You beast, we are going to kill you", there was nothing.
Once they heard the sound of an ax felling a tree at lunchtime, but there was nobody. They could only feel the touch of a Tanuki.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
64 十津川 to explore (21)

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● How the village Totsukawa got its name:
At the time when Tenmu Tenno 天武天皇 was still a prince called 大海人皇子 Oama no Miko and was hiding in Yoshina, he looked all the way South and sighed in grief:
「とほつかは」 tootsuka wa

. Ōama no ōji 大海人皇子 Prince Oama - 天武天皇 Tenmu Tenno .

● How Mount Hatenashi 果無山 got its name :

In the Southwest of Totsukawa, near the border to 紀州 Kishu, Wakayama, there is a mountain range called Hatenashisan (Hate-nashi-san).
There was a busy road 上り下り七十二丁 up and down for about 8 kilometers for people to walk to Kumano.
But in the mountains lived an ogre called いっぽんだたら Ippondatara, with only one leg and eyes like huge plates.
Sometimes it brought harm to the farmers, but on the day hate no hatsuka ハテの廿日 / 果ての二十日 (the day 20 of the 12th month).
On this day, the appeased Ogres and Oni demons were free to roam, and it was especially dangerous. So people did not walk along this pass.
This is a pun: ハテナシ山 - On the day HATE there was no traffic (NASHI) - Mount Hatenashi.

. Obamine no Ipponashi 伯母峯一本足 Ippondatara .
in in Wakayama, 北山村 Kitayama village.

. hate no hatsuka 果ての二十日 the final day 20 of the year .

● Tengu-ura 天狗崖《てんぐうら》Tengu Cliff
At 高津 Takotsu the Totsukawa river runs through a gourge with steep cliffs, called Tengu-Ura.
There live some large and small Tengu. In autumn they all come here to enjoy the colored leaves.

● . shichinin misaki 七人ミサキ Misaki of Seven People .
- a group of persons who died in an accident or in unnatural circumstances.
At 吉野郡十津川村榎谷 - 山天　Yamaten in olden times, 七人旅 seven travellers have died of hunger. Now they come out for revenge, if seven people travel along this road.
If a group has to travel here, they make sure to be six or eight people, never seven.

- reference source : 十津川村の伝説 -

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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 ! .

- #totsukawa #totsukawanara #totsugawa -
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2016-12-20

Tengu no Ma - Legends

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話昔話 - Introduction .
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Tengu no Ma 天狗の間 - 伝説 Legends about the Tengu Room
Tengu-no-ma - "Tengu's Room", Tengu (“Long-Nosed Goblin”) room

. Tengu 天狗と伝説 Tengu legends "Long-nosed Goblin" .
- Introduction -

- - - - -and konoshiro このしろ fish legends, see below

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

.......................................................................... Ishikawa 石川県 ......................................
羽咋村 Hakui

In the home of the 雄谷家 Oya family, there is Tengu Room. From time to time they hear the sound of drums and flutes from there.

.......................................................................... Nara 奈良県 ......................................
吉野郡 Yoshino district 野迫川村 Nosegawa vilage

At the pass 陣ヶ峰峠 Jingamine Toge there is the tea stall 天狗見茶屋 Tengumi Chaya with a room of 8 tatami mats, the Tengu no Ma 天狗の間 Tengu Room.
The son of this family, 仙太郎 Sentaro, was quite a Yakuza hanging around gambling. So the Tengu came to teach him a lesson and waited in front of the house.
But Sentaro did not listen to his sermon and instead invited him to come along gambling. The angry Tengu picked up the young man and threw him into the large Tengu Room. Sentaro was quite surprized, fell ill and soon died. That is how the room got its name.

.......................................................................... Shimane 島根県 ......................................

Tengu no ma no yuurei 天狗の間の幽霊 The Ghost of the Tengu Room

This room is located in the 5th floor of 松江城 Matsue castle.

Once upon a long time, the new lord of Matsue castle wanted to relax in the Tengu Room of the main castle tower.
Suddenly a lovely maiden with a robe from the Heian period came right out of the back wall.
The lady told the lord:
"This castle (konoshiro) belongs to me. I want to have it back. Please leave here at once!"

The young lord soon realized that this was something quite unusual and thought about it for a while. Then he told the maiden:
"If you want (kono shiro　この城) this castle so much, I will give it to you. Please wait here for a while!"

He left the Tengu Room and went to the local fishermen to get some fish, which was called
konoshiro コノシロ　(Konosirus punctatus).

But the fishermen were too afraid to walk up to the Tengu Room.
So the lord said:
"Well, then, I will bring her the fish!"
As he said so, a young retainer called 久弥 Kyuya came up and said:
"I will carry it up to the Tengu Room."

Kyuya placed the fish on a 三方 ritual tray for Shinto offerings and then went up all the stairs to the castle tower to the Tengu Room.
Nobody was in the room when Kyuya placed the tray with the fish on the ground.
Then the lovely maiden with a robe from the Heian period came out of the back wall.
She looked quite puzzled at the tray: "What is this supposed to be?"
Kyuya answered:
"This is Konoshiro, a fish. So please accept it as promised."
The lady hesitated.
"Please, accept the offering!" Kyuya insisted.
So she took the tray.
Indeed, the young Lord had succeeded in fooling the maiden and keeping her promise.

- - - - - Tengu no Ma, the Tengu Room

Next morning Kyuya found the tray near the central Honmaru building of the castle.
And the Lovely Lady was never seen again.
She had been a "human offering" when the castle was built. By mistake not a girl from the village but the daughter of the first owner of the castle had been burried.

. hitobashira 人柱 "human pillar" - human sacrifice .
- Introduction -

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- Matsuo Basho, Oku no Hosomichi 奥の細道:
"I went to see the shrine of Muronoyashima. According to Sora, my companion, this shrine is dedicated to the goddess called the Lady of the Flower-Bearing Trees, who has another shrine at the foot of Mt.Fuji. This goddess is said to have locked herself up in a burning cell to prove the divine nature of her newly-conceived son when her husband doubted it. As a result, her son was named the Lord Born Out of the Fire, and her shrine, Muro-no-yashima, which means a burning cell.
It was the custom of this place for poets to sing of the rising smoke, and for ordinary people not to eat
このしろといふ魚 konoshiro, a speckled fish, which has a vile smell when burnt."

"Pay our respects to the Muro-no-Yashima Shrine.
Companion Sora relates: "The goddess here, Princess Konohanasakuya, is the same as at Mt. Fuji. She set fire to the birthing hut in proof of her wedding vows, so this place graced with the birth of Prince Hohodemi, and, from this, the shrine is called Muro-no-Yashima.
This is why the reading of smoke is practiced here."

They say that this fish when cooked gives off the smell of burning human flesh and therefore is associated with the Lady of the Flowerbearing Trees. This is also why people are forbidden to eat this fish.

. Station 4 - Muronoyashima, Muro no Yashima 室の八嶋 .

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. WASHOKU - Japanese Food Saijiki .

shad, gizzard shad, spotted shad 鮗 (このしろ)
Konosirus punctatus, Clupanodon punctatus
- kigo for all autumn -

shinko しんこ/ シンコ（新子) the smallest kohada fish
kohada 小鰭（こはだ） the bigger fish
konoshiro このしろ the grown fish

By changing its name, this fish is a typical "career fish" (shusse sakana) and thus auspicious for festival food.

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. Japanese Legends - 伝説　民話　昔話 – ABC-List .

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愛媛県 Ehime 西条市 Saijo

Children which are born in an unusual position should not eat Konoshiro fish all their life long.

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香川県 Kagawa 三豊郡 Mitoyo district 高瀬町 Takase

At the shrine 日枝神社 Hie Jinja the fish Konoshiro is used as a kind of amulet to avoid disaster and crying at night by children.
This also holds for children born in the year Showa 24, 25 and 52.
.
If a healthy person all of a sudden and for no good reason looses his health, it will often find an unusual death.
People can use the fish Konoshiro as an offering to avoid disaster. It is best to see the Shrine priest, because he can take a look at the face and make an apropirate diagnosis.

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- reference : Nichibun Yokai Database このしろ -

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江戸橋や鮗(このしろ)つもるふじの雪
Edobashi ya konoshiro tsumoru fuji no yuki

Edobashi bridge !
the snow of Mount Fuji
heaps up on Konoshiro fish

錐水 / 江戸弁慶 Edo Benkei / "Edo's tough men"
A haikai anthology compiled by Ikenishi Gonsui, 1680.

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すゞし江に鮗をうつ竿の露
suzushie ni konoshiro o utsu sao no tsuyu

加舎白雄　Kaya Shirao (1738 – 1791)

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. Osakabe no kami おさかべの神 at Himeji Castle .
Osakabe no Miko, a Yokai 妖怪 monster.

source : emmastyle.jp/articles/detail

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At 横川の大師 the Temple of Yokawa Daishi at Mount Hieizan, there is a Tengu Room. It is locked up with nails on all four sides.
Sometimes people can hear the sound of wings flapping inside.

. Myoogu, Myōgu 明救 Priest Myogu, Hieizan .
Tenjiku Tengu 天竺天狗 The Tengu from India, turned human.

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横浜を愛した昭和の文豪「大佛次郎天狗の間今昔散歩」
The famous author Daibutsu Jiro loved Yokohama.

. 大佛次郎 Daibutsu Jiro (1897 - 1973) .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
- reference : "天狗の間" -

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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 ! .

- #tengunoma #tenguroom #konoshiro -
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