HEIAN - keyaki zelkova tree legends

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. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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keyaki 欅と伝説 Legends about the Zelkova tree

. keyaki karu 欅枯る（けやきかる）withering zelkova tree .
- kigo for all winter -


CLICK for more photos !
Keyaki is a very special tree, often venerated as a ritual tree of the gods, 欅神木 shinboku.

- quote -
Zelkova serrata (Japanese zelkova, Japanese elm or keyaki; Japanese: 欅 (ケヤキ) keyaki / 槻 (ツキ) tsuki)
is a species of flowering plant native to Japan, Korea, eastern China and Taiwan. It is often grown as an ornamental tree, and used in bonsai.
- more in the wikipedia -


. 箪笥 Tansu: Traditional Japanese Cabinetry .
Many are made of Keyaki wood.
The wood is very strong and was also suited for making wooden nails, which were used by the traditional carpenters.

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dotei no gyooja 土定の行者 / ドテイノギョウシャ an ascetic burried in the ground

In the autumn of 1817 a huge Keyaki tree suddenly fell down and in the hole in the ground a 石櫃 stone sacrophagus appeared. From inside there was a voice heard reciting the holy Sutras and ringing a bell. This must have been the Saint Ascetic who was burried there alive about 150 years earlier.
The long line of visitors coming here to pray lasted until the winter of that year.

. Sokushinbutsu 即身仏 the Living Mummies of Japan .
土定 (dojoo) - Others offered their life in a fire 火定 (kajoo) or in water 水定 (suijoo).

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

.......................................................................... Aichi 愛知県 ......................................
北設楽郡 Kitashitara 設楽町 Shitara

穴瀧という瀑布があり、近くに大蛇の遊木と言われた大欅があった。ある時、ある男が大欅を切り倒そうとした。すると美女が現れて名残惜しそうに立っていた。男はそのまま仕事を続けていたが、ふと大蛇の化身ではないかと思いついた。急に戦慄を覚え家に逃げ帰ったが、病床に臥してそのまま死んでしまった。


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

. Gyokuzooji 玉蔵寺 Gyokuzo-Ji .
The main hall has been erected in 1983, with stems from precious old keyaki zelkova trees 神代欅.


.......................................................................... Fukui 福井県 ......................................
今立郡 Imadate district 池田町　Ikeda

Daishogun no Mori 大将軍の森
There was a Zelkova tree surrounded with Tsuta ivy, venerated by a family nearby.
In 1951 this tree was felled and soon after the family died out.

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Once there was a Sake brewer in the village. At night, from the nearby Zelkova tree, a 天狗Tengu sneeked in with a paper lantern and begun to drink the new Sake, slurping happily. When the brewer heard this sound, ne knew that he had made a good rice wine that time and was grateful to the Tengu.

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遠敷郡 Onyu district 上中町 / 名田庄村 Natasho

tsurube otoshi 釣瓶落し "throwing a well-bucket"
Once there was a large Zelkova tree and when someone passed it by night, a well-bucket fell down from the tree top and hurt the person. So to our day it is called the "Well-Bucket Throwing Tree" and people do not dare to pass here at night.

tsurube otoshi is also a kigo for all autumn, referring to a fast sunset,
lit. "the sun goes down like a bucket in the well"
. nichibotsu　日没 sunset, evening sun .



CLICK for Keyaki trees from Fukui !


.......................................................................... Fukushima 福島県 ......................................
南会津郡 Minami Aizu district 檜枝岐村 Hinoemata

shihoogatame no ki 四方がための木 shiho-gatame, four trees to appease the four directions
and protect a village from evil influence. These trees are not to be cut.
If someone cuts them they will leek red blood and moan and groan like a wounded human.

In the East in the Keyaki tree 東にけやき.
南に唐松 South: Karamatsu - 北に黒松 North: Kuromatsu - 西に赤松 West: Akamatsu


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いわき市 Iwaki

Kuramochi Mishima Hachiman 蔵持三島八幡
蔵持に里という美しい少女（未亡人という説もあり）がいて、たそがれに軒端で歌っていた。その声に寄せられて毎夜同じ時刻に若者がたずねてきた。そのころ、村人が蔵持三島八幡境内にあるえのき（神白村ぼんてん山の大けやきという説も）を切り倒してお里の家の近くに橋をかける話をまとめた。毎夜お里を訪ねてきた若者は、悲しそうに今夜限りで会えないといって帰った。村人たちがその木を切ると、血が流れ出た。ようやく切り倒して運ぼうとしても動かない。お里を呼んで歌を歌わせ、音頭をとらせたら、木は自分から動き出した。その夜から若者の姿はみられなくなった。この橋を里也橋という。
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さとや橋の南にあった大きなけやきの木を切って橋をかけようとすると、木から血が出て、倒すのに７日間もかかった。ところが重くて動かない。お里という女に木やり節を歌わせたら軽々運べた。

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大沼郡 Onuma district 金山町 Kaneya

八町のだだ坊 Hatcho no Dadabo Tanuki
At the local shrine of Hatcho village there lived a strange monster called Dadabo , which would often eat children. So the villagers asked 中井坊 the blind priest Nakai to drive away the monster.
The blind priest placed a すり鉢 mortar on his head, grabbed a howe and a mallet and went to the Shrine. He threw the monster into the mortar and hit it with the hoe and mallet until it begun to bleed and run away.
Next morning the villagers followed the blood and game to a hole under the Zelkova tree near the shrine. They found 古狸 a bleeding tanuki badger without much hair. They killed it and made some Tanuki soup out of the meat.
From that day on, the monster never showed up.

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田村郡 Tamura district 小野町 Ono

A few years go someone found a straw doll hammered into the stem of the Zelkova tree in the shrine compound. That is quite astonishing for our century.

. wara ningyoo 藁人形 straw dolls for curses .


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

上州一ノ宮貫前神社 Shinshu Ichi no Miya Nuisaki Jinja
敗戦近くの頃、上州一ノ宮貫前神社の欅の神木に蛙の形の茸が生え、神木に宿る軍神が怒って現れたものと言われた。さらに、大戦果時には大きくなり、玉砕などの時はしぼんだとか、敗戦直前には蛙に蛇が巻きついた形になったなどという話にまで発展した。


.......................................................................... Ibaraki 茨城県 ......................................

Once at 常陸 Hitachi a shabby looking monk begged at a home for a lodging, but was refused. When the master of the home later found out that it was Kobo Daishi, he climbed on a large 欅 zelkova tree and called out for the monk to come back.
弘法様よーい、弘法様よーい Kooboo sama yoooi, kooboosama yooi
Eventually the man turned into a 蝉 cicada calling ちばひめ chibahime.


source : otafuku.cocolog-nifty.com
若宮八幡宮の大けやき The Keyaki zelkova tree in the compound of the shrine Wakamiya Hachimangu in Hitachi Ota 常陸太田市.

It is said that to our day the cicadas of the region come to this tree on the 23rd of July (this is the day when Kobo Daishi is supposed to have passed here).

. Kōbō Daishi Kūkai 弘法大師　空海 - 伝説　 Kobo Daishi Kukai Legends .

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茨城町 Ibaraki Town

諏訪大社　Suwa Taisha
お諏訪様の欅の上辺りに、大きな提灯が下がっていて、これは、むじなのいたずらだと言われた。春先のことだった。

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tamase, hitodama 人魂
A bluish-white fireball 火の玉 fell down to the ground near a Zelkova tree.
The local folks called this tamase タマセ（魂) (tamashi) a soul.



.......................................................................... Ishikawa 石川県 ......................................
能美郡 Nomi district 川北村 Kawakita

Tengu 天狗
During the Meiji period, a boy named サク Saku got lost and was missing. His parents called out for two nights:
「鯖食うたサク」 saba kuuta saku
(Saku has been eating mackerels)
(It is said that the Tengu dislikes mackerels!)
And then found him sleeping in the store house.
He told them he had been caught by a Tengu and spent the time as prisoner in the branches of a Zelkova tree. Eventually the Tengu had let him down.

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

鯖 天狗 / 天狗は鯖が苦手 / 天狗の鯖ぎらい
Saba and Tengu comes with more legends on its own.



.......................................................................... Iwate 岩手県 ......................................
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岩手県花巻市東和町北成島５－１ Hanamaki


source :　hidemichitanaka.net

成島毘沙門天 Narushima Bishamonten
The largest statue in Tohoku, made from one stem of keyaki wood, 4.73 meters high.
. Bishamon-Ten 毘沙門天 Bishamonten (Vaishravana) .


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

There is a keyaki 欅 zelkova tree in 亀岡市 Kameoka that was planted by Abe no Seimei.
If people want to cut it or hurt it, they will be cursed.
. Abe no Seimei 阿倍晴明 (921 - 1005) .


.......................................................................... Miyagi 宮城県 ......................................
黒川郡 Kurokawa district 大和町 Taiwa

kasa ni baketa mujina 笠に化けた狢
吉岡館主但木土佐より前の時代の話。宇古館地内に欅の大木があった。ある夜一人の若者がそこを通ると枝に饅頭笠が懸かっていたので，怪しんで笠の紐を掴み，地面に叩き付けるとそれは笠に化けた狢であった。亡骸を埋めた所を近年までキンタマ塚などと呼んでいたが，今は自衛隊キャンプ敷地になっている。

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仙台市 Sendai 青葉区 Aoba

Tennozuka 天皇塚 Mound of the Emperor
On a hill near the 阿弥陀堂 Amidado hall there were the huge roots of a Zelkova tree. People say that the gibutsu 御物 imperial treasures of 安徳天皇 Antoku Tenno are burried here.
Many woman come here to pray for an easy birth.

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柴田郡 Shibata district 村田町

Yamato Takeru 日本武尊
At the shrine Shirotori Jinja 白鳥神社の祭神は日本武尊。境内に、今も二条の大藤がからみつく大欅がある。源頼義父子は前九年の役に際してこの境内に宿陣し、夢に祭神が現れ大勝した。戦いの初め、官軍が苦戦した時、この藤が二頭の大蛇となって敵を敗走させたという。

. Yamato Takeru 日本武尊 / 倭健命 - Introduction .


.......................................................................... Nagano 長野県 ......................................
東筑摩郡 Higashichikuma district 麻績村 Omi

At the shrine of the hamlet Kanori 叶里のお宮 there is a Zelkova tree that should not be cut down.
But then a villager tried to cut it down anyway. The tree begun to bleed red blood and the man died soon.

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北佐久郡 Kitasaku district 立科町 Tateshina

kimon yoke no keyaki 鬼門除けのけやき
The Zelkova tree between the Hachiman shrine and the Myojin Shrine is supposed to ward off evil. Once three farmers said they could not pass there with their horses and tried to uproot the tree by pulling it sown with ropes. All three of them soon died at a young age.

. kimon 鬼門 "Demon Gate" in the Northern direction .


.......................................................................... Nagasaki 長崎県 ......................................
対馬市 Tsushima

o hideri sama オヒデリ様
氏神の維持金を捻出するためにオヒデリ様（神無月の間の留守番の神様）の山の一部と大欅を売ったら、区長の次男の足が悪くなって立てなくなった。責祈祷をすると上手くいかなかったが、後で和尚に神様が乗りうつり、欅の木を売ったせいだということがわかった。代わりに欅を植えたが、次男は死んでしまった。


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

. Nakayama Jinja 中山神社 .




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阿哲郡 Atetsu district 神郷町 Shingo

yashikigami 屋敷神
備中北部の神郷町の8ヶ村を支配する庄屋の家の西に接する山裾には、欅造りの荒神祠がある。そこに祀られている荒神はもとは庄屋の屋敷神であったが、今では牛の加護を祈るものとなっている。
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阿哲郡神郷町三ヶ市の荒神は、欅の大木の下に祠があり、部落の者みんなで祀っている、この部落の氏神は国司様であり、子供の宮参りにはこちらに参り、荒神には参らない。



.......................................................................... Shizuoka 静岡県 ......................................
庵原郡 Ihara district 両河内村 Ryogochi

Once the farmers wanted to cut down a large Zelkova tree in the forest. A nearby 藤 wisteria tree became so sad about the loss of its companion that it was howling and then begun to have blossoms, right in the middle of winter. The owner of the tree wrote a peaceful Waka poem on a slip of decorative paper and fixed it to the wisteria tree. The wiseria then stopped flowering and they could finish their work.
Yama no Kami 山の神, the deity of the mountain, had become angry, the farmers thought.



.......................................................................... Tochigi 栃木県 ......................................
上都賀郡 Kamitsuga district 東大芦村 HigashiOashi

When Kobo Daishi Kukai visited 日光登山 Mount Nikko he planted his staff in the ground at Higashi Oashi village. It grew to a large Zelkova tree.


.......................................................................... Tokyo 東京都 ......................................
八王子市 Hachioji

namakubi 生首 the cut-off head
In former times, when the 滝山城 Takiyama Castle was lost, the cut-off head of the Lord of the castle rolled down to the Zelkova tree and then jumped up to bite in the head of the victorious Samurai.
Since then the soul of the cut-off head resides in the Zelkova tree and sometimes comes down to bite people.
Once the head bit a man into the leg and the scars were seen and never healed. A learned man said it was the Yokai monster Jinmensoo 人面瘡 Jinmenso and suggested to offer it some おにぎり rice balls to eat every day. And indeed, after two months, the wound healed.



source : てくてくお気楽ダイアリー

jinmenso 人面瘡 - a supernatural tumor with a human face

- - - - - Not related, it seems, but interesting is the legend of

Jinmenju 人面樹　– The Human Face Tree
This tree is found in mountain valleys. The fruit of the tree looks like a human head. It doesn't say a word, but it is constantly laughing. It is said that if the fruit laughs too heartily, it falls from the tree.

- source : hyakumonogatari.com　- Zack Davisson -



.......................................................................... Toyama 富山県 ......................................
東礪波郡 Higashitonami district 平村 Taira

Once a 天狗 Tengu lived in a large Zelkova tree with two stems. When he went out to work he prayed to the tree to let him go safely. When he came back at night he gave thanks in prayer with folded hands.


keyaki with two stems 双幹 / 二股に分かれた幹


吉田神社の欅 - 長野県長野市吉田１丁目 / Yoshida Shrine, Nagano

- Check out this page with many special Keyaki trees:
- source : azumauta.web.fc2.com/kengai-

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中新川郡 Nakaniigawa district 上市町 Kamiichi

daija 大蛇 huge serpent
滝橋集落の青どろという淵に、深い洞が２つあって、大蛇が棲んでいた。大蛇は女の子に化けて、欅の木の下によく出た。ある人が大蛇の化けた女に「一番嫌いなものは何だ」と訊いたら、「タバコのヤニだ」と答えたので、タバコのヤニを取って手桶に入れて大蛇の化けた女に掛け、「俺は大判小判が嫌いだ」と叫んで逃げ出した。その晩、大蛇は仕返しに男の家に大判小判を投げ込み、男は長者になった。


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

. Nagata Jinja 長田神社 .





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

Once there was a Zelkova tree of more then 2000 years (樹齢数千年の欅).
But one day the villagers tried to cut it down. That night 怪僧 an strange monk appeared and killed all men who had helped.
This Zelkova tree is the seat of a great deity 大神様, where the God comes to rest.



.......................................................................... Yamanashi 山梨県 ......................................
富士吉田市 Fujiyoshida

ジュウバコタタキ，ゴロチ
舟久保泰明氏の生まれたうちにはかつて月の木とよばれる欅の木があった。その木にジュウバコタタキだとかゴロチとかいう鳥か獣が来たといって、「ジュウバコがくるぞ」とか、「ジュウバコが縄を下ろしてひもひき上げちまうぞ」などとおどかされた。

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北杜市 Hokuto

meoto keyaki 夫婦欅 "husband and wife Zelkova"
At the Suwa Jinja shrine of 日野春村長坂上條村社 there are two Zelkova trees. The one on the left side is the 婦木 Wife, the larger one on the right is the 夫木 Husband.
The bark of the Husband Tree is very rough with many warts. People come here to wipe the warts with a 紙縒 paper string, and then their own イボ warts, to make them go away.

日野春村長坂上條村社の諏訪神社に夫婦欅とよばれるケヤキがある。社殿の右を夫木、社殿の左を婦木といい、夫木の表皮には多数の突起が疣状についている。紙縒をこの突起に結ぶとイボが治ると言われている。

- - - - -There are other trees of this kind


CLICK for more photos !
meoto keyaki 夫婦欅 "husband and wife Zelkova"


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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -
27 to explore ケヤキ (00)

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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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- - - - - HAIKU 俳句 - - - - -

葉を脱いで欅すらりと月の中
ha o nuide keyaki surarito tsuki no naka

Having shed its leaves
the zelkova stands svelte
in the moonlight
Tr. Hiroaki Sato

. Tada Chimako 多田智満子 (1930 - 2003) .

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仙台 ケヤキ並木 The famous Keyaki Road in Sendai, Miyagi


CLICK for more photos !

仙台の欅を慕いわたしは水
Sendai no keyaki o shitai watashi wa mizu

渋谷道 Shibuya Michi (1926 - )

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初冬の好日欅一樹立ち
松村蒼石

千年の杉や欅や滝の音
草間時彦

八幡宮夏至の欅が亭々と
高澤良一

- MORE haiku about the Keyaki tree:
- reference : haikureiku database -

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. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

- #keyaki #zelkova -
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. Legends about trees - - 木と伝説 .

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
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Posted By Gabi Greve to Heian Period Japan on 8/08/2016 09:40:00 am

LEGENDS - ishibitsu stone coffin legends

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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ishibitsu, sekibitsu 石櫃と伝説 Legends about stone coffins
いしびつ box-shaped funerary urn made of stone


. haka 墓 grave and funerals .
- Introduction -

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source : museum.pref.yamanashi.jp

This stone box contains two 朱印状 trade licenses with personal seals,
one from 徳川家康 Tokugawa Ieyasu and one from 羽柴秀勝 Hashiba Hidekatsu (1568 - 1586), the fourth son of Oda Nobunaga and adopted child of Hashiba Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
They give permissions for trade to the businessmen of 右左口村 Ubaguchi village in Yamanashi prefecture.


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dotei no gyooja 土定の行者 / ドテイノギョウシャ an ascetic burried in the ground

In the autumn of 1817 a huge Keyaki tree suddenly fell down and in the hole in the ground a 石櫃 stone sacrophagus appeared. From inside there was a voice heard reciting the holy Sutras and ringing a bell. This must have been the Saint Ascetic who was burried there alive about 150 years earlier.
The long line of visitors coming here to pray lasted until the winter of that year.

. Sokushinbutsu 即身仏 the Living Mummies of Japan .
土定 (dojoo) - Others offered their life in a fire 火定 (kajoo) or in water 水定 (suijoo).


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Once upon a time
the villagers wanted to built a 祠 small Shinto shrine in the mountains and when they begun digging, a stone coffin came to light. Inside were the bodies of a man and a woman, almost like still alive, but when the coffin was opened, they suddenly disappeared into the breeze. There was also a 刀と鏡 sword and mirror in the coffin, so the villagers brought them to the lord of the domain.
But from this day on, suddenly an epidemic begun to haunt the village.
So they asked for the sword and mirror to have them back and bury them properly in the new shrine,
saying prayers for the souls of the man and woman.


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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

.......................................................................... Shizuoka　静岡県 ......................................
伊豆の国市 Izunokuni town

伊豆の国市北江間横穴群大北支群 Kitaema cave mound / Kita Ema Caves
Kitaema Cave Tomb Cluster


source : sgkohun.world.coocan.jp/archive



.......................................................................... Tokushima 徳島県 ......................................
千代ヶ丸山 Chiyogamaruyama

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



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


.......................................................................... Yamanashi 山梨県 ......................................

The 甲府中納言殿 regent of Kofu, a member of the Tokugawa family, visited the state mansion 桜田御殿 Sakurada Goten, when he suddenly became very tired and fell ill.
The attendants called a mountain priest named 義孝 Yoshitaka to performe some rites for healing.
The priest revealed that there was something quite frightening below the bedroom of the mansion.
When they started digging, they found a stone coffin. Inside was a doll with a human figure.
The priest performed exorcist rituals with all his might and dilligence and indeed, the regent recovered in no time.


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

- reference : 石櫃と伝説 -

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


. 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 ! .

- #ishibitsu #stonesarcophagus -
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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]

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Posted By Gabi Greve to Heian Period Japan on 8/10/2016 09:44:00 am

HEIAN - tokko dokko Vajra Thunderbolt legends

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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tokko 独鈷 と伝説 Legends about the Vajra Thunderbolt

tokko, dokko, toko, doko 独鈷 / 獨鈷 / とっこ single-pointed Vajra, single-pointed "Thunderbolt", Donnerkeil
kongoosho 金剛鈷

. tokko, dokko 独鈷 Thunderbolt, Vajra .
- Introduction -



(kongoosho 金剛鈷, kongoochisho, kennesho, basara) Donnerkeil, Vajra
(tokkosho, dokkosho 独鈷杵, toko; S: ekasuucika vajra, dokosho) - Einspitziger Vajra
Donnerkeil mit drei Spitzen (sankosho; S: tri-sanku) - Dreispitziger Vajra
(gokosho, 五鈷杵 gohoo kongoo, gochi koomyoohoosho ; S: panca-suucika vajra, panca sanku) Fünfspitziger Vajra.
(kukosho　九鈷杵) Neunspitziger Vajra
- and many other variations.




- - - - - Many legends and tales about the Tokko are related to
. Kōbō Daishi Kūkai 弘法大師　空海 - 伝説　 Kobo Daishi Kukai .

Hitting the ground to produce a healing spring or well produces
dokkozui, dokkosui (dokko mizu) 独鈷水　/ ドッコ水, also read
O-koozui 独鈷水（おこうずい）"Vajra Water"
O-Koozui お香水 O-Kozui, "fragrant water"



. sanko-ken 三鈷剣 "three-pronged vajra sword" .
attributed to Fudo Myo-O　不動明王



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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

.......................................................................... Chiba 千葉県 ............................
館山市 Tateyama

. En-no-Gyôja 役行者 En no Gyoja (Jimpen Dai-Bosatsu) . - (634 - 706)
En-no-Ozuno 役小角

At the temple Yoorooji 養老寺 Yoro-Ji thre is a special spring, the 独鈷水 Tokkozui, which never dries out, even in the worst drought.
Once En no Gyoja came to this area on this way from 大島 Oshima and hit the ground with his magic 独鈷 Tokko .


.......................................................................... Fukushima 福島県 ............................
いわき市 Iwaki

At the 薬師堂 Yakushi Hall of 閼伽井薬師 Akai Yakushi

there is a stone in the form of a 独鈷 Tokko, which looks very much like the real thing. But now it is not there any more.
There is also a well (Akai 閼伽井) where Kobo Daishi had hit with his 独鈷 Tokko to produce healing water for eye diseases.

. Joofukuji 常福寺 Jofuku-Ji .
Akaidake Yakushi 閼伽井嶽薬師/ Akaidake Fudo 赤井嶽不動

.......................................................................
二本松市 Nihonmatsu

In former times there was no well in the region, but then came Kobo Daishi, hit the ground with his 独鈷 Tokko and produced water for all in the village.
In some parts of the waterways there are now snakes.


.......................................................................... Hyogo 兵庫 ............................

. Dokkosan 独鈷山, Kaburaiji 鏑射寺 Kaburai-Ji .
Dokko Mizu no Ido 独鈷水の井戸 Kukai Kobo Daishi passed here and dug the well.


.......................................................................... Kagawa 香川県 ............................
さぬき市 Sanuki

. Ookuboji　大窪寺　Okubo-Ji .
The last one of the 88 Henro Pilgrimage.

When Kobo Daishi passed here, he hit a rock with his 唐伝来の独鈷 Tokko from China and indeed, fresh water came forth.


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

Yokoku Kannon no O-koozui 柳谷観音の独鈷水（おこうずい）"Vajra Water"

. Yookokuji 楊谷寺 Yokoku-Ji .
長岡京市浄土谷堂ノ谷2　 Donotani-2 Jododani, Nagaokakyo, Kyoto

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

Tokonagesan Senjuji 獨鈷抛山千手寺 Mount Tokonage-San, Senju-Ji
- 薭田野町鹿谷大タワ７ / 7 Otawa, Rokuya , Hiedano-cho, Kameoka
Rokuya (Valley of the White Deer)



On his way to China, Kukai Kobo Daishi's boat was in great distress and he mad a vow to carve a statue of Kannon with Thousand Arms, if he could return safely to Japan. On the way back he threw his vajra scepter 独鈷 Tokko (Dokko) in the air praying for a place to start his new temple in Japan. Back in Japan he stayed some time at the shrine 春日大社 Kasuga Taisha. The Deity 春日明神 Kasuga Myojin revealed to him that the Tokko had stopped in 丹波国山内庄 Tanba, so he should go there fast and carve the Kannon with 1000 Arms, then the Deity would show him the way.
When Kobo Daishi came to the Tamba region a white deer (messenger of the Kasuga Deity) and showed him the way to the valley. There hang his Tokko in the branches of a pine tree and light shone far and wide. So without delay he carved the Kannon and founded this temple. This is how it got its name.
The Tokko then took off to reach Mount Koyasan (see below).

The Kannon with 1000 Arms of this temple cures eye diseases. The water of the temple well can be used to wash an eye disease away. It is called O-Koozui お香水 O-Kozui, fragrant water.
This cure is especially powerful on the 17th of April and July, when a visit to the temple will count as 1000 days visiting 千日参 sennichi mairi.
The legend knows this about the spring:
Once there was a sparkling light every night in this region, maybe the spook of a fox or tanuki badger, the farmers were worried and one of them shot an arrow in the direction. He felt a hit and went looking. The found the arrow and a bloody trail to the temple Senju-Ji, where he saw that the left eye of the Kannon Statue was bleeding. He pulled the arrow out of her eye and made a vow never to use bow and arrow again.
Soon after this the spring of the "Fragrant Water" begun flowing in the temple compound, healing all kinds of eye disease.

- - - HP of the temple
- source : odn.ne.jp/tokonage_san -

. ganbyoo chiyu kigan 眼病治癒祈願 prayer for healing of eye disease .

. senju Kannon 千手観音 Kannon Bosatsu with 1000 arms .



.......................................................................... Miyagi 宮城県 ............................
角田市 Kakuda 小田 Oda

Kannon Dokko Mizu 観音独鈷水 Dokko Water and Kannon Bosatsu

The Kannon of Mount Tokura 斗蔵山 produced a clear well, お授け清水 O-Sazuke Shimizu,
when Kukai Kobo Daishi passed there.



Tokuraji 安狐山 斗蔵寺 Ankosan Tokura-Ji
宮城県角田市小田斗蔵９５ / Tokura-95 Oda, Kakuda-shi, Miyagi
The Kannon Hall was built in 807 by
. Sakanoue no Tamuramaro 坂上田村麻呂 (758 - 811) .
to house a special bronze statue of a Kannon with 1000 Arms.
In the same year Kobo Daishi passed by and praized the statue as a place with no second in the Northern Region:
紫雲天になびき　奥州無二の霊地なり
- Look at the statue here:
- source : city.kakuda.miyagi.jp/syoko -

.......................................................................
仙台市 Sendai

Kooboo shimizu 弘法清水 "Fresh Water from Kobo Daishi"
In former times the area around Sendai had very poor water distribution.
Once Kobo Daishi passed here and asked an old woman in a poor farmhouse for a drink. The woman had to walk quite a way to fetch some water for the monk. He was very greatful for her deed and produced a spring beside her home. But now it has dried out.

There are other wells and springs related to Kobo Daishi in Miyagi:
弘法清水 Kobo Shimizu （仙台市若林区六丁ノ目）
毬清水 Mari Shimizu （仙台市太白区鉤取栗木)
弘法井 Kobo I （石巻市田代島大泊松盛院）
弘法独鈷水 Kobo Dokkosui（桃生郡河南町北村高福寺)
弘法水 Kobo sui （名取市秋保野尻）


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

Tokkosan 独鈷山 Mount Tokko San
Koizumi Kotaro 小泉小太郎 / Izumi Kotaro 泉小太郎 (Izumi no ko, Taro)

A young priest was studying an Mount Tokkosan, and a beautiful girl came to visit him regularly. But he became suspicious and followed her to the riverside 鞍ケ淵, where she turned into a 大蛇 huge serpent (other sources quite a dragon). In due time the serpent gave birth to a boy and died.
The boy was picked up by an old hag (Tatsu) who named him
Koizumi Kotaro. The boy grew up to be a strong warrior.

龍の子太郎 Tatsu no Ko Taro
A novel, manga and movie telling his story.



- quote -
Taro, the Dragon Boy by Miyoko Matsutani
... In the distant past of Japan a lazy and selfish Taro loves to eat and sleep and wrestle with the animals. With no direction in his life, a Tengu appears that gives him a special potion. With this potion, he gains the strength of a hundred men - but he can only use it when he is helping others. After drinking the potion, Taro, day by day, begins to understand what it means to help others, ...
... his mother, Tatsu, now lives. Tatsu tells Taro why she was transformed, as a mother heavy with child fulfilling her duties to her unborn child, she needed to eat, but neglecting her duties to the rest of her village, she left nothing of her catch for the other workers. ...
- source : wikipedia -


CLICK for more photos and toys with Kotaro !


Kotaro no Haha, Tatsu 小太郎と母龍
Similar legend from 千曲（ちくま）の湖 the lake Chikuma in 信濃 Shinano.
- source : nihon.syoukoukai.com/modules/stories -



source : daiya.co.jp/blog


.......................................................................... Nara 奈良県 ............................
御所市 Gose

. En-no-Gyôja 役行者 En no Gyoja (Jimpen Dai-Bosatsu) . - (634 - 706)
En-no-Ozuno 役小角

When En no Gyoja practised austerities at 葛城山 Mount Katsuragisan at age 17, he was tempted by a beautiful woman. When he hit her with his 独鈷杵 (とこしょ) Tokosho the vanished, leaving behind a bad smell. When he followed the smell in a South-Western direction, he came to a pond and saw her turn into a 大蛇 large serpent. When he tried to fight with her, The Deity of Kamo Ducks 鴨の神 came to his help and drove her away. So this area is now called
Oitsuki no Mori 追付の森 "Forest of Pursuit"
and the deity venerated there is
Oitsuki Daimyoojin 追付大明神 Oitsuki Daimyoji.


Shrine 追着神社 Oitsuki Jinja



.......................................................................... Shiga 滋賀県 ............................

Ikagu Jinja 伊香具神社 - Dokko sui 「独鈷水（ドッコ水）」

Kobo Daishi produced a spring with clear water.
It is a special water source to our day.

滋賀県長浜市木之本町大音 / 688 Kinomotocho Ooto, Nagahama, Shiga


source : 家庭菜園の番人日記



.......................................................................... Shizuoka 静岡県 ............................

. Shuuzenji 修善寺 Shuzen-Ji .
Hitting the rocks with his tokko 独鈷 Vajra, Kobo Daishi produced a hot spring to heal all kinds of illnesses, Tokko no yu 独鈷の湯 Tokko Hot Spring.


.......................................................................... Tokyo / Edo　東京　江戸 ............................
目黒 Meguro

. Meguro Fudo Myo-O 目黒不動 .
Ennin hit the ground with his Tokko and produced a spring with fresh water.

. Ennin 円仁 -　Jigaku Daishi 慈覚大師 . (794 – 864)

.......................................................................
台東区下谷 Shitaya - 清水稲荷 Kiyomizu Inari

Parents of a child which was very ill prayed to Kukai for help. So he hit the ground with his tokko 独鈷 Vajra and a well begun flowing out with healing water.


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


higyoo no sankoshoo 飛行三鈷杵 The flying Vajra
三鈷金剛杵
It flew all the way to Mount Koyasan.
Part of the story has been told above, at Kyoto, Mount Tokonage-San, Senju-Ji .

Sanko no matsu 三鈷の松 The Pine and the three-pronged Vajra, Trident Pine
To our day it has some pine needles with three needles.
三鈷の松の葉

michibiki inu 導き犬
Two dogs let Kobo Daishi to the right place, sent by the deity 丹生都比売神 or 狩場明神.

. Koya San in Wakayama 高野山　和歌山県 .
On returning to Japan, Kobo Daishi Kukai looked for the sankosho and finally found it hanging on a pine tree in Koyasan in the year 816. After more than 1,200 years, the pine tree is still revered by monks and visited by many tourists daily.

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

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


. 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 ! .

- #tokko #dokko #vajra #thunderbolt #donnerkeil -
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]

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

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Posted By Gabi Greve to Heian Period Japan on 8/06/2016 01:25:00 pm

HEIAN - tabi socks legends

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

tabi 足袋 と伝説 Legends about Tabi socks

If you go to bed with split-toe socks on,
you will not be able to see your parents at their deathbed.

足袋を履いて布団に入ると親の死に目に逢えないといわれている。




. tabi 足袋 traditional Japanese socks .
- Introduction -



tabi oni　足袋鬼 the Tabi monsterlin
Once the young Tabi-Oni lost his Tabi and went on a long trip to find them again. But after more than a few hundred years he had still not found them. Eventually horns grew on his head and he became a full-blown Oni.
Nowadays young people worry more about a fashionable pattern than about the Tabi themselves.
So the journey of Tabi-Oni continues to our day.
- reference : youkaiwiki.com/entry - 束酢子太郎 -





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Taboo for fishing

In winter it is better to put some ritual sand from the Shrine into the Tabi.

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

.......................................................................... Aichi 愛知県 .................................
美浜町 Mihama

If you go to bed with split-toe socks on, your eyes will become ill.

.......................................................................
北設楽郡 Kitashitara district

At the pass 御園峠 Mizono Toge there is the grave of 望月右近太夫 Mochizuki Ukon Daiyu. He had been to the pass and for some reason killed one of the local people. An old woman from the village said she would help him flee and gave him some gold to put in his Tabi to protect him from the mountain bandits.
But later he was killed by the locals and they took the gold out of his Tabi.
The family of the old woman was cursed for many generations.



.......................................................................... Aikta 秋田県 .................................

If you sit in the kotatsu 火燵 heated table with split-toe socks on,
you will not be able to see your parents at their deathbed.

The same is told in Gifu 岐阜県.


.......................................................................... Gifu 岐阜県 .................................
和良村 Wara village

kitsune no yome-iri 狐の嫁入り "the fox taking a bride"
Once on a day like that, when a rainbow was seen in the evening sky,a young woman went to the toilet outside at night with her white Tabi on and hair nicely dressed up in a 島田Shimada knot. Then she took a lantern and went off to the mountain.

. kitsune no yomeiri　狐の嫁入り "the fox taking a bride" .
spell of sunshine during a rainy period



Inari fox split-toe socks


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

On the day of the specal Ebisu ceremonies エビス講, you are not to wear Tabi to walk to the temple.

. Ebisu えびす　/ エビス 恵比寿　 .
エビス講 Ebisu Ceremony Group
Ebisu is one of the seven gods of good luck.



.......................................................................... Kagawa 香川県 .................................
三木町 Miki

tanuki 狸 badger
Once upon a time, there was a girl sitting at the beach for a long time. She was wearing white Tabi and had streched her legs. A passer-by asked her twice why she would not go home, but she did not say a word. So he kicked her legs with his wooden 下駄 Geta sandals. She gave a loud cry and disappeard in a moment. Yes, it was a Tanuki after all !





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

If you go to bed with your Tabi on, you will become ill.


.......................................................................... Niigata 新潟県 .................................
吉川町 Yoshikawa

itachi いたち / 鼬 weasel
Once a man walked alone on a full-moon night, when a woman approached him. She was wearing white Tabi, a formal 袴 Hakama skirt and carried an umbrella, although it was not raining. When she came closer, she disappeared and only the sound of her steps was to be heard. The man realized he had been tricked by an Itachi weasel.



.......................................................................... Saga 佐賀県 .................................
塩田町 Shioda



Izumi Shikibu 和泉式部
Once upon a time, an old couple without children went to the Kannon Hall to pray for offspring. The temple is located in 和泉村 Izumi village.
The priest from the temple 福泉寺 Fukuzen-Ji (Auspicious Spring Temple) told them they would get a child. They stayed over night at the temple, when they suddenly heard the voice of a baby. A mother deer was giving milk to a human baby! So the old couple took the child home and reared her as their own. She grew up to a most beautiful girl, but she had only two toes, like a deer, and were quite different from human feet.
This child was no other than the poetess Izumi Shikibu. And to hide her feet she had to wear Tabi all her life.

Another version
福泉寺に猪がやってきて仏の茶湯を捨てたのを飲むようになった。あるとき、仏殿の後ろから赤子の鳴く声が聞こえたので見に行くと、件の猪が人の子を産んで乳を飲ませているところだった。暁、藤津郡の塩田庄大黒丸の夢に老僧が現れ、「お前は年頃子を切ったことがある。お前の子が福泉寺の堂の後にいるから取って来いという告げがあり、赤子を取りにいった。これが和泉式部であったという。

Essay: 和泉式部の足袋
by 柳田国男 Yanagita Kunio, 1962 (Teihon Yanagita Kunio Shu 定本柳田国男集)
(The Selected Original Works of Yanagita Kunio).
11 legends to explore
鹿の子 - similar to the Shikibu tale
狐女房 / 熊太郎 / 鹿娘,鹿姫 / .浄瑠璃御前 / 清少納言 Sei Shonagon / 赤染衛門 Akajimeemon
- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -


.......................................................................... Wakayama 和歌山県 .................................
田辺市 Tanabe

Once a beautiful young Samurai came to the Tabi shop. When he showed his leg for a try, they were quite hairy. Then he stumbled and turned into 古だぬき an old Tanuki. He payed two Ryo and disappeared.
But looking closer at the money, it turned into itadori 虎杖 (いたどり) Japanese knotweed, konpachiゴンパチ in the local dialect.





.......................................................................... Yamanashi 山梨県 .................................

If you go to bed with your Tabi on,
you will not be able to see your parents at their deathbed.

The same is told in Fukushima 福島県, Miyagi 宮城県.

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

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


- source - yahoo auctions -

oni tabi 鬼足袋　Demon-Tabi for sale


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


. 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 ! .

- #tabisocks #tabi #splittoesocks -
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]

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

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Posted By Gabi Greve to Heian Period Japan on 7/12/2016 09:35:00 am

HEIAN - mukade cenitpede legends

http://heianperiodjapan.blogspot.jp/2016/07/mukade-centipede-legends.html

mukade centipede legends

- BACK to the Daruma Museum -
. Japanese legends and tales 伝説　民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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mukade 蜈蚣 と伝説 Legends about the centipede

red centipede, aka mukade 赤蜈蚣（あかむかで）
red-headed centipede, akazu mukade赤頭蜈蚣（あかずむかで）
blue-green headed centipede, aozu mukade 青頭蜈蚣（あおずむかで）
centipede with a bird-head, tobizu mukade 鳶頭蜈蚣（とびずむかで）
"one hundred legs" mukade 百足虫（むかで / ムカデ）

- - - yasude 馬陸 (やすで) millipede
. mukade, hyakusoku 百足虫（むかで）"one hundred legs" .
- Introduction -


Fujiwara no Hidesato 藤原 秀郷　- Tawara Tota 俵藤太
is shooting the centipede at the Dragon King's Palace
近江国三上山の百足退治 Omi, Mount Mikamiyama
Print by Tsukioka (Taiso) Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) - 俵藤太絵巻


. Fujiwara no Hidesato 藤原秀郷 - 俵藤太 Tawara Tōda, "Lord Bag of Rice" .
and the Dragon King of Lake Biwa - the full legend.
田原藤太 Tawara Tota

Many legends center around Hidesato Tawara Tota and the centipede.
Read more below.

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. Bishamonten 毘沙門天 Tamonten (Vaishravana) .

The messenger (retainer) of Bishamon was thought of as a centipede (mukade, hyakusoku 百足 ), who also protected the gold mines. Centipedes are said to possess an ability to spot gold mines. Therefore people used to carry centipedes in bamboo tubes when they went to the mountains in search for gold.
The warlords Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin both used a centipede on their flags.
mukade 無加天、蜈蚣

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source : yasumi on facebook

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The following reveals the main legend about the huge centipede from Akagi and the snake of Nikko.
The legends from 日光 Nikko and 近江 Omi are very similar.

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　Akagiyama.
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.

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 -

- quote -
Senjogahara 戦場ヶ原 the "Battle Plain"
Legend has that the gods of two mountains, Mt Nantai and Mt Akagi, fought here over control of
Lake 中善寺湖　Chuzenji-ko.
Nantai was losing so he consulted another god, Kashima Daimyojin, who introduced him to an expert archer called Sarumaru (who was actually one of Nantai's grandsons). Nantai transformed himself into a white deer to lure Sarumaru out onto the plateau. The gods fought on Senjogahara where Akagi transformed himself into a huge horned centipede and Nantai transformed into a snake.
Sarumaru then shot the centipede through the eye.
Thus the winner was Mt Nantai who now stands watch over the lake.
- source : travelsonasmallisland.wordpress.com -


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.

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gokoo ゴコウ / 蜈蚣 a long-living centipede

Once a man was beginning to reform his home and when tearing down the entrance, they found a name plate with a nail going right through the body of a centipede. The animal was still alive.
But the name plate showed that it was put in place at least 20 years ago !
A similar story is told about a centipede nailed down with a 祈祷札 temple prayer plate.

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- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :

.................................................................................... Aichi 愛知県
幡豆郡 Hazu district

If ants and centipedes come into a house, it will rain soon.


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

. oomukade 大ムカデ huge centipede .
藤原喜平 Fujiwara Kihei, also called 悪食喜平 Akujiki Kihei, liked to eat centipedes and snakes

.................................................................................... Aomori 青森県
八戸市 Hachinohe

kaineko 怪猫 the monster cat
Once 老猫 an old cat wanted to do harm to the priest, but he was saved by the crawing of a 義鶏 cock and the cat was killed instead. The cat turned into a 怪猫 monster cat, placed some poisonous animals like centipedes in a water puddle below the roots of an old cedar tree and prepared a poisonous liquid. Then she tried to splash the poison into the soup of the priest, but got caught again. The old cat was burried again properly under the cedar tree and all came to rest. Many years later the buds of a Tsuruurigusa (of the Asarina family) came sprouting out, right of the eye holes of the cat's skull.


.................................................................................... Ehime 愛媛県
上浮穴郡 久万高原町 Kumakogen

Once an old grandpa heard the talk of his neighbours by eavesdropping and now knew where a box of gold was placed. So he went to dig it out. But when he opened it, it was full of snakes and centipedes. The grandpa got angry, went to his neighbours home and threw the contents of the box into the house. But as they dropped down, the snakes and centipedes all turned into golden money.


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富郷町 Tomisatomura

nananinzuka 七人塚 and oomukade 大百足 huge Mukade
昔、大内次郎左ェ門が上猿田を開拓した後、高橋兵庫守の子孫がやって来た。そのため高橋は大内氏に正月の挨拶に行かなければならず、快く思っていなかった 高橋はある年、大内氏を名剣紫丸で斬った。このときに力余って茶釜も切ったが、以来、紫丸を抜くと必ず柄から大百足が出入りしていたという怪異が止んだ。 この大内氏を祭ったのが七人塚だという。


source : nichibun.ac.jp
大百足。全身が茶色い、巨大な百足が山野を這っている。頭部は水際の村落に近づき、下半身は山に巻きついている。頭は家1軒よりも大きい。
CLICK photo for more details !


.................................................................................... Fukushima 福島県
白河市 Shirakawa

According to an old medicine book from around the year 1720:
If bitten by a centipede, it is best to scratch some 歯くそ plaque from a tooth and put it on the bite.

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田人村 Tabitomura

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 .


.................................................................................... Gunma 群馬県　
桐生市 Kiryu town 新里町 Niisatomura

Once Hidesato came to a bridge near 粕川村室沢 Kasugawa Machimurozawa. He walked over the bridge,
but it was in fact a huge centipede.
In memory of this tale there is now the


mukade torii ムカデ鳥居 Shrine gate with a centipede.

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邑楽郡 Ora district 大泉町 Oizumi

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.

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邑楽郡 千代田町 Chiyoda

Hidesato was born in the hamlet of 舞木 Mogi. Since he later killed the centipede from Akagi, the villagers are not allowed to go to Mount Akagi. If they do, they will have great misfortune.

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勢多郡 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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沼田市 Numata town 利根町 Tone

The ancestor of the 赤堀家 Akahori family is Hirosato.
After fighting the centipeda at 三上山 Mikamiyama and saving the huge snake, he was married to the daughter of the snake. (Some legends say it was a dragon).



.................................................................................... Kochi 高知県　
仁淀川町 Niyodogawa

enkoo 猿猴 the local Kappa
Once a Kappa from 吾川郡 the Agawa district was stealing gourds from a field, but one evening he spilled the water from his head plate and could not move any more. A local farmer helped him and poured some water in his plate. To show his gratitude, the Kappa promised that in his home there would never be any 赤百足虫 red centipedes. This came true to our day.




.................................................................................... Miyagi 宮城県
仙台市 Sendai 太白区 Taihaku

二荒山の神 Futarasan no Kami，万二万三郎 Banjibanzaburo, Banji Banzaburo
The brothers Banji and Banzaburo and the matagi マタギ hunters of Nikko.
The brothers were once hunting for a 白鹿 white deer, but lost the track in the middle of the mountain forest. But there was a small shrine and the Deity of 二荒山 Futaarayama appeared. The Deity asked them to do something about the dangerous centipede from Mount Akagi. The God had taken the shape of a white deer to lead the two hunters. When they saw the centipede, each one of them shot one arrow in one eye of the animal and thus killed it.
For their brave deed they got permission to hunt in any forest of Japan - at least that is the legend told by 日光派のマタギ the special Matagi hunters of Nikko.

- quote -
According to legend, the first matagi were the brothers Banji and Banzaburo, who were famous for their archery skills. 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).
In return for his meritorious deed, the goddess gave him a scroll granting him the right to hunt in all mountains of the land.
- source : abiroh.com/en/senses-and-suki -

Berggottheit und Banjibanzaburo, Banji-Banzaburo
- reference german : nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp -

- a bit more about Banji and Banzaburo :

. Jikaku Daishi Ennin 慈覚大師仁円 (793-864) .

He made Banji and Banzaburo his disciples.
At 二口峠 Futakuchi Pass
二口峠の頂上で今の山寺の方を眺め、万二の持ち山であると知り、杖を地面に立てて衣をかけ、衣の影だけ借りることになった。陰は見る見る拡がって山寺の所 は全部入ってしまう。これを十年借りる約束で証文を渡すとき、大師は手早く十の字の上にノの字を書き込んだ。それを万二がのちに知り、千年貸してしまっ た。
- and
名取川水源の二口渓谷の左岸に屹立する大絶壁の山、これを陽（ひなた）磐司、背面の大行（なめ）沢右岸を陰（ひかげ）磐司という。万二万三郎兄弟の万二の 棲家で岩窟がある。慈覚大師の杖にかけた衣の影が広がっていく話、二荒山の神が二人に助けを請う話、木伐り坊の話などが伝わる。
- and a legend with 弘法大師 Kobo Daishi
もとの名取・宮城の郡境にまたがる根張りの広い山。弘法大師は山容を蓮葉にたとえ、霊場にするため九十九谷まで開いたが (Kujukutani)、天狗に妨げられ一谷を残して紀州に去り、高野山を開いた。
and the Zen priest priest 雲居希膺 Ungo Kiyo (1582 - 1659) 大悲円満国師 Daihi Enman Kokushi　－ 慈光不昧禅師
慶安3年（1650）慈光不昧禅師雲居和尚が瑞巌寺 Zuigan-Ji を引退してここに隠居したときも、天狗どもが和尚の法力をためそうといって和尚の障碍をしたが、この山を根城とした万二万三郎兄弟が和尚のために天狗を追 い払った。和尚はこれを徳として、山上に坐禅堂を建てたときに二王護国大権現の号を贈って一山の鎮護とした。

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tori no haka 鶏の墓 the grave of a rooster
Similar to the one told in Aomori, Hachinohe, about a monster cat.
寛文年間（1661～1673），宗禅時住職が次のような夢を見た。
「自分は檀家の某家で飼われていた鶏である。某家の飼っている古猫が一族を毒殺しようとしていたので，私は毎夜鳴いて警告したが，主人は夜鳴きをする鶏は 縁起が悪いといって私を殺して川に捨ててしまった。私は今六郷堰の杭の間を漂っている。主人にこのことを知らせてほしい。」住職が翌朝六郷堰に行ってみる と，確かに杭の間に鶏の亡骸が浮いている。住職は急いで某家を訪れ，夢の告げを話した。その時大きな黒猫が駆け込んできて汁鍋の上を飛び越えていったが， その拍子に尻尾の先を鍋の中に漬けていった。これに気付いた和尚が家人に猫のあとをつけさせると，猫は竹薮の中で竹の切り株に尻尾を漬けていた。切り株の 中ではトカゲ・ムカデ・ハンミョウ・毒蛾などが腐っていた。毒汁を溜めた場所は，一説では愛宕神社下の断崖の中腹，古杉の根元の洞の中だとも言う。主人は 鶏に恩を仇で返してしまった事を悔い，供養碑を建てた。



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


source : xxx
信貴山 ムカデの欄間 Centipede ranma transom
朝護孫子寺 . 信貴山 Temple Chogosonshi-Ji, Shigisan

. 信貴山 Shigisan and Bishamonten .



.................................................................................... Niigata 新潟県

Since centipedes are the messengers of Bishamonten, you are not allowed to kill them.
They are seen as 福神様 Deities bringing good luck.

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越後 Echigo

People say that centipedes and 蜘蛛 spiders are killed by putting spittle on them.

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両津市 Ryotsu town

The families of 脇坂甚六郎家 Wakisaka and 三浦甚吉家 Miura venerate Bishamonten.
Therefore they are not allowed to kill any centipedes in their home.
12月31日の晩から正月2日の晩まで、脇坂甚六郎家と三浦甚吉家の当主は脇坂甚六郎家の地神としてまつられている毘沙門堂にお籠りをし、正月3日にはム ラの人びとが集まって、毘沙門堂の堂押しが行われる。昔、脇坂家の先祖甚六郎の昼寝の夢に毘沙門天が現れて月布施に連れて行くように告げたので、毘沙門天 を船に乗せて二度ヶ浜へ上陸し、屋敷内に堂を建てて安置した。商売繁盛のご利益で参拝する人は多い。また、当家では百足を殺すことは禁忌とされている。

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佐渡郡 Sado district 畑野町 Hatano

Hidesato killed the huge centipede from ニガミ山 Nigamiyama by putting spittle on it.

Fishermen on the boat are now allowed to pronounce the words for 蛇や百足 snake and centipede. If they have to say something about a snake, they use the word naga ナガ "the long thing".



.................................................................................... Osaka 大阪府

無家賃でも借り手のつかない屋敷に女が一人で住む事になった。ある夜、目が覚めて障子を見遣ると、その外側を幅約１尺、長さ約１丈余りもある大百足が音を立てて移動しているのを見た。その後、家を取り壊して百足稲荷を祀る事が決まった。
...
源満仲が夢の告げに従って空に矢を放つと、それは雷のように轟き光って飛び去った。夜が明け、老人の案内で、先年俵藤太秀卿が射とった百足の霊が９頭の大蛇となって棲むという池に行くと、大蛇は頭に鏑矢が当たって死んでいた。
...
Once there was a huge centipede of almost 6 meters long (長さ３間余り) and a diameter of about 3 cm (直径約１寸).
It was shown as 見世物 a great rarity to the people


.................................................................................... Shiga 滋賀県　
大津市 Otsu

The legend of Tawara Tota, Fujiwara no Hidesato, killing the Mukade, see link above.

俵藤太秀郷が瀬田の橋で三上山の百足を撃ったというが、瀬田と三上山は距離が遠い。このことを近江の人に尋ねると、百足の住んでいた山は、瀬田から1里ほど離れた所の小山であると伝えられているという。
.
Hidesato eventually killed the huge centipede that was threatening the female dragons at the 竜宮 Dragon Palace.
As a reward the servant of the Dragon, a Kappa わっぱ（童）delivered to him a special bale of rice (くびり俵 kubire tawara) and some shakudoo 赤銅 copper




The huge centipede had wrapped its body seven times around 三上山 Mount Mikamiyama.
But Hidesato eventually killed it.
Then he cut its body in three parts. The head fell at the village of 浮気 Fuke, the body at 勝部 Katsube and the tail at 瀬田 Seta. Each village burned the part. But the centipede also put a curse on these villages. So they made huge torches in the form of its head, body and tail and burned them again during the yearly festival. This custom has been cut off in Seta, but is still going on in Fuke and Katsube.


CLICK for more photos of the festival !

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tamukadebagen 多百足馬蚿 / タムカデバゲン
Tamukade Bagen (the local name for the centipede) did a lot of harm to the snake of the 勢多橋 Seta bridge,
but Hidesato killed it to help the large snake.


.................................................................................... Shizuoka 静岡県　
庵原郡 Ihara district 両河内村 Ryogochi

Once a samurai fell asleep at the 中沢峠 Nakazawa pass. A snake came down from the tree and wanted to drink his blood. Suddenly his sword turned into a centipede and drove the snake away.

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source : mag.japaaan.com/archives
Mukadeyama むかでやま
歌川国芳「ほふづきづくし」Utagawa Kuniyoshi - all about Hozuki lantern plants


.................................................................................... Tochigi 栃木県　
鹿沼市 Kanuma, 粟野町 Awano

When Hidesato tried to kill the huge centipede that had wrapped its body around Mount Akagi for seven rounds, he used 99 arrows and could not kill it. On the last arrowhead he put some spittle and now - the centipede was killed.

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宇都宮市 Utsunomiya

国幣中社下野一の宮、二荒山神社の使姫は蛇であった。使いの帰りに百足虫のために片目を潰されて以来、宇都宮に生まれる人は目が小さいと伝えられている。

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mukademushi 百足蟲 / 百足虫 centipede
If a centipede comes into the room of an ill person, this person will die.


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

Since a snake and a centipede will double its body when cut to kill it, it is of no use to do so.


.................................................................................... Toyama 富山県　
福野町 Fukuno

Hidesato killed the huge centipede with the spittle of a woman on his last arrow. As a thank-you present he got one snake baby from the Huge Snake. This snake now lives in 縄ケ池 Nawagaike pond.
(Other versions say it was a dragon, not a snake.)


source : geocities.jp/numada777

神島には、俵藤太（藤原秀郷）が放したという蛇の伝説がある。
城端町縄ケ池にある、俵藤太の竜の子の伝説とも関連性があり興味深い.


.................................................................................... Yamanashi 山梨県
富士吉田市 Fuji Yoshida

Snakes like to live in holes so young girls are not allowed to pee against a stone wall. If they do and hit a snake by mistake, they have to chant this spell:
「ヘビもムカデも出てくるな。俺は鍛冶屋の聟殿だ。も刀もまっ赤に焼いてまってるぞ。」
Snakes and centipedes, do not dare to come out.
I am a skilled blacksmith.
I am waiting here with a red-hot sword!

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


source : yasumi on facebook

Mukade from Kusatsu　草津

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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 -


source : lazy13.exblog.jp/page
Fujiwara Tota 俵藤太 百足退治

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. Join the friends on Facebook ! .

- #mukade #centipede #millipede -
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