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30 Aug 2018

EDO - Udagawa district Shibuya

https://edoflourishing.blogspot.com/2018/07/udagawa-district-minato-shibuya.html

Udagawa district Minato Shibuya

River Udagawa 宇田川 can not be seen from this district.
It used to be a small shopping district of Tokyo, but recently many highrise buildings were erected.

The name might refers to a retainer of the Hojo clan
宇田川和泉守長清 Udagwa Izumi no Kami Nagakiyo
who had his estate in this area.
In 1590, Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeated the Hojo in Odawara and Hojo Ujimasa killed himself.
Later Udagawa in Edo became the head man of a district named after him.

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River 宇田川 Udagawa is a tributary of the river 渋谷川 Shibuyagawa.
In a print by 長谷川雪旦　Hasegawa Settan, Yoyogi Hachimangu, there is a Shinto shrine on a hill, with the river Udagawa running below.
In the Edo period, there was a bridge, 五石橋 Goseki-Kyo over the river.
(Now this is around 神山町5番 Kamiyama, fifth sub-district.
It flowed into the Shibuyagawa close to Shibuya station, at the bridge 宮益橋 Miyamasubashi.

The Udagawa River is a tributary of the Shibuya River. Though now a culvert, its name lives on -- the district north of JR Shibuya Station is called Udagawacho. The Shibuya River used to flow round an elevated area, which was to the right of the land depicted in the print -- and which encompasses what are now Yoyogi Park and Meiji Shrine. Today it runs along part of Meiji-dori near Ebisu Station and then on into Tokyo Bay.
. Yoyogi Hachimangu 代々木八幡宮 .

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- Not related -

. Udagawa Yōan 宇田川榕菴 Udagawa Yoan (1798 - 1846) .
a 19th-century Japanese scholar of Western studies, or "Rangaku".
Tsuyama Archives of Western Learning　津山洋学資料館
The origin of the Chinese characters for coffee 珈琲
Mead, Mede in the Edo Period in Japan ミード / 蜂蜜酒　

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26 Aug 2018

EDO - Aoyama district Minato

https://edoflourishing.blogspot.com/2018/07/aoyama-district-minato.html

Aoyama district Minato

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Aoyama 青山 Aoyama district, "Green Mountain"
港区 Minato ward 北青山一丁目から三丁目 Kita-Aoyama North, first to third sub-district
南青山一丁目から七丁目 Minami-Aoyama South, first to seventh district
and Omote sandoo, Omotesandō 表参道 Omotesando

- quote -
Aoyama (青山 "Green Mountain" or "Blue Mountain")
is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods of Tokyo, located in the northwest portion of Minato Ward. The area is well known for its international fashion houses, cafes and restaurants.
Kita-Aoyama (北青山) or "North Aoyama" refers to the area on the north side of Aoyama-dori (Aoyama Street) between the Akasaka Palace and Aoyama Gakuin University, while Minami-Aoyama (南青山) or "South Aoyama" refers to the area to the south of Aoyama-dori and extends to the northern edge of Roppongi, Azabu and Hiroo.
During the Edo period,
Aoyama was home to various temples, shrines, and samurai residences. The name Aoyama derived from a samurai named Aoyama Tadanari who served the Tokugawa Shogunate and held his mansion in this area. Today, along with Shibuya and Harajuku, it is one of the most popular entertainment and shopping areas "Omotesandō",
for young people in Tokyo. It is well known for its fashion houses, restaurants, and shopping.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

- quote -
Aoyama Tadanari 青山忠成 (1551 – 1613)
was a Tokugawa general and chief retainer at the end of the Sengoku and start of the Edo period. He was the father of Aoyama Tadatoshi, and the Aoyama region of Shibuya is named after him.
- - - - - History
The Aoyama clan were provincial lords of Dōdo village, Nukata District in Mikawa Province (present Okazaki, Aichi). Aoyama Tadakado, Tadanari's father, served both Matsudaira Hirotada and Tokugawa Ieyasu, and thus Tadanari served near Ieyasu since he was young. In 1572, his father died in battle with Takeda Shingen and Tadanari inherited the estate.
Tadanari was highly trusted by Ieyasu,
and in 1585 he commanded him to guard his son Hidetada. In 1588, Tadanari accompanied Hidetada to the capital where he was granted Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade of Hitachi Province by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In 1590 Ieyasu relocates to Kantō and promotes Tadanari to magistrate of Edo with lands worth 5,000 koku (increased by 2,000 koku in 1593). His estates centered on Harajuku village and extended from part of Akasaka to Shibuya. Present day Aoyama is so named because one of Tadanari's mansions was located there.
In 1600,
Tadanari joined Hidetada's army at the Battle of Sekigahara and obtained 15,000 koku of lands between Kazusa Province and Shimōsa Province. In addition to being the Edo magistrate, he also served as the general magistrate for the entire Kantō region. After the start of the Edo shogunate, he was heavily involved in shogunate policy along with Honda Masanobu and Naitō Kiyonari. Along with Naitō in 1606, he is temporarily sentenced to house arrest but is soon pardoned.
Tadanari's son Tadayoshi was to fall out of favor with Shôgun Tokugawa Iemitsu, though the family's name would be restored during the time of Tadanari's grandson, Munetoshi.
- source : wikipedia -

When Shogun Ieyasu was hawk hunting together with Tadanari, they passed the area and Ieyasu told him:
"I will give you all the land you want around here!"
So Tananari took a long rope, sat on his horse and begun a long ride, connecting the trees on the way. It reached from Akasaka to Shibuya.
The area had been called 原宿 Harajuku, but when Aoyama Tadanari begun to built his estate here, it was re-named after him.
To the South-West was the sub-district 青山御手大工町 Ote-Daiku machi, where soon many carpenters came to live.
In the East was 青山百人町 Hyakunin cho. This was a district of low-ranking Samurai, who had to work for their living, mostly making paper umbrellas. There were at least 12 shops selling umbrellas in the area.

. Hyakuninchoo　百人町 Hyakunincho district .
(hundred-member town)

Harajuku, Omotesando 原宿 - 表参道

- quote -
Omotesandō 表参道 "frontal approach"
is a zelkova tree-lined avenue located in Shibuya and Minato, Tokyo, stretching from the Meiji Shrine entrance to Aoyama-dori (Aoyama Street), where Omotesandō Station can be found.
Omotesandō was originally created in the Taishō era as the frontal (表 Omote) approach (参道 Sandō) to Meiji Shrine, which is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken.
Omotesandō is the main vehicle and pedestrian thoroughfare for Harajuku and Aoyama. .....
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

明治神宮外苑の紅葉 Autumn at Meiji Jingu Gaien (outer park)

- quote
Omotesandō 表参道 Main Approach to the Meiji Shrine
Today, Omotesandō is one of Tokyo's most fashionable and expensive neighborhoods. It's famous for Japanese and international brand shops and world-renowned hair salons. Its location next to Harajuku, a fashion center for young people, serves a balancing act making Omotesandō a fashion playground for adults.
But what does Omotesandō mean?
A 参道 sandō is the general word for a road that leads up to a shrine.
Every shrine has a sandō, even if the word isn't preserved in a place name. 表 omote means "front" or maybe better put into English as "main." If you go north from Harajuku on the Chiyoda Line, you'll find a station called 北参道 Kitasandō (North Approach to the Shrine).
The area was a sparsely populated suburb in the Edo Period and Meiji Period. The shrine was finished in the mid-1920's and the area began to attract business and residences.
omotesando nogi maresuke
The main street that leads up to the Meiji Shrine is called 青山通りAoyama dōri and not Omotesandō.
Aoyama dōri is not the Omotesandō. It has been Aoyama-dōri. But beginning in 1920, a bus that traveled up Aoyama dōri to the 表参道 omote sandō began service. The name of the bus was the "Omotesandō Bus." This is when the connection with the shrine's omote sandō began. The station that is now Omotesandō Station was originally called 青山六丁目駅 Aoyama roku-chōme eki. Later it was renamed 神宮前駅 Jingū-mae eki.
By the 1970's the neighborhood had a personality of its own, distinct from Harajuku, Aoyama and – of course – the Meiji Shrine, so it was renamed 表参道駅 Omotesandō eki.
- soruce : japanthis 2013 -

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- - - - - Sub-districts of the Edo period

青山原宿町 Harajuku - 青山緑町 Aoyama Midori cho
青山御掃除町 - 慶応4年青山掃除町に改称
青山御手大工町 - 慶応4年青山手大工町に改称
青山善光寺門前
青山御炉路町
青山浅河町
青山若松町
青山久保町
青山六軒町
青山百人町
青山五十人町

- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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- - - - - Subway stations
Aoyama-itchōme Station (Ginza Line, Hanzōmon Line, Toei Ōedo Line)
Omotesandō Station (Chiyoda Line, Ginza Line, Hanzōmon Line)
Gaiemmae Station (Ginza Line)
Nogizaka Station (Chiyoda Line) – located in the southeastern corner of Minami-Aoyama adjacent to Roppongi

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. Aoyama Gakuin 青山学院大学 University .
private university in Shibuya 渋谷区

. Meiji Jinguu 明治神宮 Shrine Meiji Jingu .
and the Shrine festivals

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Aoyama 青山　東京

. hitodama　人魂 / 人霊 / 人玉 spirit of a dead person .

hitodama ヒトダマ / Aoyama bochi 青山墓地 cemetery
Sometime ago, after a rainfall, on a quiet evening a person saw a human spirit. It was all round and green-white, with a flaming border around it. It also had a small tail like a triangle and swayed loosely in the air.
Another person had also seen this kind of Hitodama at the Aoyama cemetery. In fear he had poked it with his umbrella and it soon disappeared. On the umbrella were trails of burning.

- quote -
Aoyama Cemetery (青山霊園 Aoyama reien) is a cemetery in Aoyama, Minato, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The cemetery is also famous for its cherry blossoms, and at the season of hanami, many people visit.
- - - - - History
The cemetery was originally the land of the Aoyama family of the Gujō clan (now Gujō, Gifu) in the province of Mino (now Gifu). The Japan's first public cemetery was opened in 1874, and in the Meiji era the main locations of foreigners' graves.
The cemetery has an area of 263,564 m2.
- - - - - Grave of Hachikō
One of the cemetery's most famous graves is that of Hachikō, the faithful and dutiful dog whose statue adorns Shibuya Station, was buried alongside with his two owners, Hidesaburō Ueno and Yaeko Sakano.
..... The Japanese section includes the graves of many notable Japanese, including: .....
..... The cemetery includes a gaikokujin bochi (foreign cemetery), one of the few such plots in Tokyo.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Kiku 菊 Lady Chrysanthemumm, 青山主膳 Aoyama Shuzen and the Sara-yashiki
O-Kiku had claimed to be 青山の子 the child of Aoyama.

. Sara yashiki　皿屋敷 "the Dish Mansion" .
- where the ghost of O-Kiku comes out of a well.
The story of Aoyama Daihachi and Okiku.

歌川広重 Utagawa Hiroshige

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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24 Aug 2018

EDO - Negishi district

https://edoflourishing.blogspot.com/2018/07/negishi-district-taito.html

Negishi district Taito

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
. Persons and People of Edo - Personen .
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Negishi 根岸 Negishi district - Taito ward
台東区根岸 / Taitō-ku, Negishi / 根岸一丁目から根岸五丁目 from the first to the fifth sub-district
Located in the North of the Uenodai plateau.

The name might have been
beyond the gake 崖 cliff of the plateau 上野台 Uenodai. Below was the kishi/gishi 岸 shore line looking garbled like ne 根 roots of trees.
The name is already mentioned in books of the Muromachi period as
武蔵国豊島郡根岸村 Negishi village in the Toshima district of Musashinokuni.
In the Edo period, it became part of 武蔵国豊島郡金杉村 Kanasugi mura village.

Edo Meisho Zue

Negishi no Sato 根岸の里 Negishi village
It was a rural district with uguisu and kawazu 蛙 frogs and many people of good taste lived here. It had something special for any season.
A Saijiki of 1838 mentions the voice of the first uguisu 鶯 in Edo and Negishi is one of the areas.
. uguisu no hatsune 鶯の初音 first call of the nightingale .
- Kigo season word for spring

So Negishi was also called
hatsune no sato 初音の里 village of the bush warbler
A legend from 1670 tells of a priest from Kyoto, Hieizan, who came all the way to hear the voice of the nightingales. But the shy birds from the forests in Ueno did not sing for him.
So he went back to Kyoto and asked 尾形乾山 Ogata Kenzan to gather about 3500 nightingales from the forests around Kyoto and bring them to Ueno. The birds were set free in Ueno and soon the local birds were able to sing just as beautiful as their friends from Kyoto.

Now Uguisudani station 鶯谷駅 "Nightingale valley" is located in Negishi
東京都台東区根岸一丁目4-1, first sub-district

Ogata Kenzan 尾形乾山 (1663–1743), potter and painter.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. Minowa　三ノ輪 / 箕輪 Minowa district .
including 根岸 Negishi 5th district

. Yanaka - 根岸谷中辺絵図 Negishi Yanaka Map .

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Saizooin 西蔵院 Temple Saizo-In
3 Chome-12-38 Negishi, Taitō

Edo Meisho Zue
People are playing 囲碁 Igo in a tea stall
In front is
the pine O-gyoo no matsu 御行の松 O-Gyo no Matsu
Pine of the Religious Practise

The pine was in the temple Saizo-In with a hall for 不動堂 Fudo Myo-O.

The first O-Gyo no Matsu must have been quite famous, since it is depicted in the Edo Meisho Zue and by Utagawa Hiroshige.
A priest of the temple 上野寛永寺 Kanei-Ji in Ueno practised austerities under this tree. Nearby in Arakawa ward, Nippori, is the
otooto matsu 弟松 Younger Brother Pine
In 1925, this pine became a 天然記念物指定 national treasure. At that time it was about 14 m high.
In 1928, the tree withered and died, so the national treasure position was revoked. It must have been more than 350 years old at that time.
In 1956, the second pine was planted, but it soon withered.
In 1976, a third pine was planted and right by its side a bonsai-version of a pine was also planted to give the local people more incentive to look after its well-being.
Legend says
the statue of Fudo Myo-O was carved from the roots of the first pine.

- reference with more photos : blogs.yahoo.co.jp/yutahon0281... -

. pine 松と伝説 Legends about the pine tree .

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Negishi no Sato 根岸の里 Negishi village
絵本江戸土産（広重）Ehon Edo Miyage, Hiroshige

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The Rakugo storyteller family of 海老名 Ebina live in Negishi in the 7th generation
根岸は落語家の7代目林家正蔵一門（海老名家）
Hayashiya Sanpei the first 初代林家三平 was even called
Negishi no shishoo 根岸の師匠 The Teacher from Negishi
Now 8代目桂文治 Katsura Bunji in the 8th generation lives here.

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Taito 台東区

. 東叡山寛永寺 Ueno Tōeizan Kanei-Ji .
1 Chome-14-11 Uenosakuragi, Taitō,

gama 蝦蟇 toad - - - hebi 蛇 serpent
In November 1820 a couple went to 東叡山根岸の弁才天の祠 the Benten shrine in the compound of the Kanei-Ji (Negishi).
That night one of their man-servants had a dream of a toad. The toad said it lived under the kitchen sink and was 癩蝦蟇 Kattai-gama, leprosy toad.
It said the mistress had violated the rules of the shrine visit and next night a serpent would come for revenge. But the Toad would protect them.
Next morning when they looked they found a large dead toad under the sink.
The next night the toad appeared in the dream of the master. It said: "I have died but I left enough children to keep protecting you!"
Then following night the serpent appeared in his dream and said: "From now on, I will also protect your home and family!"

. gama 蝦蟇と伝説 Legends about toads .

. hebi 蛇と伝説 Legends about snakes and serpents .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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- - - - - H A I K U and S E N R Y U - - - - -

Masakoa Shiki 正岡子規　and his
. "Negishi no sato no wabizumai" 根岸の里の侘び住まい
the simple abode of the retired poet in Negishi .

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6 Aug 2018

EDO - Aoto and Kasai district

https://edoflourishing.blogspot.com/2018/07/aoto-district-katsushika.html

Aoto district Katsushika

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
- for 葛西 Kasai, see below
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Aoto 青砥 /　青戸 Aoto district, Katsushika
葛飾区青戸 / 青戸一丁目から青戸八丁目 from the first to the 8th sub-district

alternative writing for おおと Aoto in old manuscripts : 「青津」「大戸」「大津」
Aoto mura 青戸村 Aoto village in the Edo period.
The villagers grew rice and also vegetables and flowers and sold them in Edo.

ao 青 blue, green
to 戸 door, in this case a river crossing or sluice gate
to 砥 polishing

This area has been a flourishing harbour along the river 利根川 Tonegawa since olden times, already mentioned in 1288.
In 1288, 青戸二郎重茂 Aoto Jiro Shigemochi was the 代官 Daikan governor of Katsushika

At 青戸七丁目 Aoto seventh sub-district along the road 環七通り沿い Kanshichidōri-zoi there are the remains of 葛西城址 Kasai castle. Now all is left of this is 葛西城址公園 Kasai Joshi Koen Park.
7 Chome-28 Aoto, Katsushika

During the Kamakura period, the area was governed by 青砥藤綱 Aoto Fujitsuna.

In the Edo period, Aocho was always under the supervision of the Edo Bakufu government.
In the Edo period, the area was used as a hunting ground by the Shoguns Ieyasu, Hidetada and Iemitsu and the castle of Kasai 葛西城 became their resting place,
Aoto goten 青戸御殿 Aoto palace.

In 1889, 青戸村 Aoto village was merged with 亀有村 Kameari village、砂原村（西亀有付近）、上千葉村 as the village 東京府南葛飾郡亀青村 Kameao mura.
In 1918, 青砥駅 Aoto station was built.
In 1932, when the ward of Katsushika was created, 青戸町1 - 4丁 Aoto cho was allocated from the first to the fourth sub-district.
After WWII, the population increased sharply and Aoto got 8 sub-districts 青戸町一丁目・二丁目、本田淡之須町、亀有町二丁目、本田立石町、本田中原町のそれぞれ一部が再編され現在の青戸一-八丁目

Since 1973, the construction of the 環七通り city highway begun and was finally finished in 1985.

Aoto eki 青砥駅 Aoto station
is a railway station in Katsushika, operated by the private railway operator Keisei Electric Railway. The station is served by the Keisei Main Line and the Keisei Oshiage Line.

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Aoto Jinja 青砥神社 Aoto Shrine
7-34-30, Aoto, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo

- source and more photos : ambassador.localinfo.j -

In the 万葉集 Manyo-Shu poetry collection about the good quality of the early rice harvest
にほどりの葛飾早稲を贄すとも　そのかなしきを外に立てめやも

The area also had suitable clay and was known since 古墳時代 the Kofun period for its pottery items.

The main deity in residence (apart from 8 others) is
猿田彦命 Sarutahiko no Mikoto

It relates to the story of Aoto Fujitsuna, see below, who said about his lost coins:
『落とした十文は永久に失せることなく、　松明を買った五十文は　
諸家が利益を得ることになり、これは天下の恵みではないか』

- HP of the shrine
- reference source : aoto-jinja.com... -

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Aoto Fujitsuna 青砥藤綱
councilor of the Kamakura Shogunate (1192-1333)

source : wikipedia

Aoto Fujitsuna's coins
The Taiheiki mentions the Namerigawa in a story well known to all in Kamakura. The stele on the spot near Tōshō-ji where events are supposed to have taken place describes the story as follows:
According to the Taiheiki,
Aoto Fujitsuna was judge in Kamakura at the time of Regents Hōjō Tokimune and Hōjō Sadatoki. One evening, having lost 10 mon (文) in the Namerigawa, he bought a torch for fifty mon, entered in the water and started looking for the lost coins, finally finding them. Heard the story, people made fun of him saying that he ended up spending far more than he had lost. Fujitsuna replied that ten mon were not many, but losing them forever would have been a great loss. He had personally lost fifty mon, but he had done that for the benefit of all.
- source : wikipedia -

- quote -
Aoto Fujitsuna
from the series Instructive Models of Lofty Ambition - by Inoue Yasuji, 1885
Aoto Fujitsuna 青砥藤綱, a councilor of the Kamakura Shogunate (1192-1333), directing the search for a few coins he has lost in the Namerigawa River.
... Aoto Fujitsuna was a minister under the Hōjō regents Tokiyori and Tokimune in the 13th century, famous for his thrift and uprightness. One night he accidentally lost a small amount of money, 10 mon, in the Namerigawa River [滑川]. He ordered his servants to look for the money in the river, handing 50 mon to a servant to buy flaming torches. While the money was found, many people could not understand why Fujitsuna would spend 50 mon to find only 10 mon and they called him a fool.
Fujitsuna replied:
"It only shows that you are interested in neither public interests nor charity. If I had not looked for the 10 mon in the river, it would have been lost forever. The 50 mon that I payed for the torches profited the merchant.
There was no loss at all. It was a benefit to the public, wasn't it?"
His critics became speechless with admiration and he was thought very wise.
This story is first told in the Taiheiki (太平記), a Japanese historical epic written in the late 14th century. There are numerous versions of this story, involving various amounts of money and slightly different circumstances.
- reference source : myjapanesehanga.com - The Lavenberg Collection

- CLICK for more photos !

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Kasai 葛西 The Kasai district
. 江戸川区 Edogawa ward .

with the following sub-districts in the North, Central, West, East and South:
Kitakasai / Nakakasai / Nishikasai / Higashikasai / Minamikasai

Kasai Rinkai Koen 葛西臨海公園 Kasai Seaside Park
- quote -
Opened in 1989, Kasai Rinkai Park (葛西臨海公園, Kasai Rinkai Kōen) is the largest park in central Tokyo, located just across the Edogawa River from Tokyo Disney Resort. It was built on reclaimed land and developed in an effort to restore and preserve natural Tokyo Bay habitat.
The park
offers a nice break from the surrounding cityscapes and has a number of walking trails that crisscross the gardens, lawns and beaches. In addition, the park features an aquarium, a ferris wheel, a seabird sanctuary and an observation building.
... Near the center of the park is the Tokyo Sealife Aquarium
... the Diamond and Flowers Ferris Wheel
... the Sea Bird Sanctuary
- source : japan-guide.com... -

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葛西城 Kasai jo, Kasai castle

The 葛西氏 Kasai clan dates back to the 桓武平氏 Kanmu Heike.
They left Kyoto and build a castle here in what is now Katsushika, Aoto and the park is all that remains of it.

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. 葛西三郎 / 葛西清重 Kasai Saburo Kiyoshige (1161 - 1238). .
and the Horikiri district 掘切 "digging a moat"

. 堀江町 Horie Cho district .
Located in the South of 江戸川区南部 Edogwa district, 葛西地域 Kasai area.
The name has been used until 1932 and later (1979) became part of the Kasai area.

. Nagashima no Fujizuka 長島の富士塚 .
at Shrine 香取神社 Katori Jinja at 東葛西 Higashi Kasai

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. Katsushika ku 葛飾区 Katsushika ward .

. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government .

. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .

. Doing Business in Edo - 商売　- Introduction .

. shokunin 職人 craftsman, craftsmen, artisan, Handwerker .

. senryu, senryū 川柳　Senryu poems in Edo .

. Japanese Architecture - The Japanese Home .

. Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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4 Aug 2018

EDO - Okubo district Shinjuku

https://edoflourishing.blogspot.com/2018/07/okubo-district-shinjuku.html

Okubo district Shinjuku

. Hyakuninchoo　百人町 Hyakunincho district .
Hyakunin (hundred-man) brigade of shooters
During the Edo period, the villages of 柏木 Kashiwagi and 大久保 Okubo were agricultural districts on either side of Hyakunin-cho where samurai warrior residences were located.

Ookubomura 大久保村 Okubo village
In 1713, the village came under the jurisdiction of the Edo Bakufu government.
In the South was the Shimo-Yashiki estate of 一橋the Hitotsubashi family.

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- quote
Shin-Ōkubo 新大久保
is a neighborhood within Tokyo's Shinjuku ward known for its extensive Korean community. It is built around Shin-Ōkubo Station and is accessible on the Yamanote Line. Shin-Ōkubo is home to both Korean residents in Japan as well as Korean immigrants, and has seen an upsurge in popularity due to Hallyu pop-culture. In recent years Nepali people have settled in the area and have opened up Nepali restaurants.
Shin Sang-yoon, the director of the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan, stated that Koreans began coming to Shin-Ōkubo around 1983 because at that time it was one of the most inexpensive areas of Tokyo. By July 2013 several nationalistic anti-Korean demonstrations done by Japanese have occurred in Shin-Ōkubo.
- source : wikipedia

新大久保コリアンタウン Shin-Okubo Koreatown

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- quote -
新大久保 Shin-Ōkubo, literally New Okubo.
... this area wasn't Edo.
West of Edo Castle was all suburbs. The first shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, strategically relocated many of his 旗本 hatamoto direct retainers out here. He gave some of them extraordinarily large fiefs for their rank and charged them with the defense of the roads coming into his capital. Very much a Sengoku Period general, he rightly assumed that attacks from the sea in the east would be unlikely, but a land based attack from the west could prove a threat. One of the main entrances to the city was the Yotsuya Ōkido 四谷大木戸 Yotsuya Checkpoint on the Kōshū Kaidō 甲州街道 Kōshū Highway which was in this area. This area, by the way, was known not as Edo, but as 武蔵国豊多摩郡 Musashi no Kuni Toyotama-gun Toyotama District, Musashi Province in those days.This place name,
while seemingly auspicious on the surface, is generally believed to have quite humble roots. You see, a river called the 蟹川 Kanigawa used to flow through the area between Kabukichō 1-2 chōme 1st & 2nd blocks of Kabukichō and Shinjuku 6-7 chōme 6th & 7th blocks of Shinjuku. By their very nature, rivers tend to be in geographic depressions, which made this area good for farming, but prone to flooding. This part of Toyotama seems to have been no different. At the area dividing Nishi-Ōkubo West Ōkubo and Higashi-Ōkubo East Ōkubo, there was a particularly noticeable drop in elevation, an 大きな窪地 ōki na kubochi, if you will. If the story is to be believed, the locals called it an 大窪地 ōkubochi which was eventually reduced to ōkubo.
- source : japanthis -

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Ookubo eki 大久保駅 Okubo station / Shin-Okubo station
is a railway station on the Chūō-Sōbu Line in Shinjuku.
1-17-1 Hyakuninchō, Shinjuku, Tokyo

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. Shrine Kaichu Inari Jinja 皆中稲荷神社 .
Once upon a time there was a region called Okubo 大窪 in the Musashi plain.
Descendants from the Ise Shrine called Oshi 御師 settled there and soon built a shrine (around 1533).

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Nishimuki Tenjinsha 西向天神社
東京都新宿区新宿6-21-1
This shrine had been built by Saint Togano Myoe 栂尾明恵上人 in 1228. Since the main hall faces West, it is called
"West-facing Tenjin Shrine".
It was the protector shrine of 東大久保村鎮守 Higashi Okubo village.

. Myoe Shonin 明恵上人 (1173 - 1232) .

Once the third Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu came here for hunting with hawks. He gave a golden natsume 棗 tea caddy to the head priest with the request to rebuilt the shrine.
The shrine is therefore also known as
Natsume Jinja 棗神社

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The name Ōkubo-ke 大久保家 Ōkubo Family, Okubo clan
is a distinctly samurai name of rather high pedigree. They were a branch of the Utsunomiya-shi 宇都宮氏 Utsunomiya Clan which could trace their lineage back to the 900's. The founders of this new branch were among the most loyal retainers of 松平弘忠 Matsudaira Hirotada. In case you don't recognize that name, he was the father of the first Edo shogun, 徳川家康 Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Later, the Ōkubo clan served Ieyasu well. In fact, the second family head, a certain 大久保忠世 Ōkubo Tadayo, served in nearly all Ieyasu's military campaigns and even commanded his corps of bodyguards. After Ieyasu had secured the title of shogun, he elevated Tadayo to daimyō status gave him Odawara-han 小田原藩 Odawara Domain. This meant the Odawara clan controlled the 箱根関所 Hakone Sekisho Hakone Check Point as well as 箱根山 Hakone Yama Mt. Hakone, a region famous in Japanese mythology and renowned for its natural hot springs, beautiful lakes and coastal areas.
Odawara, Mt. Hakone, and the Ōkubo clan have nothing to do with this suburb of Edo.
- japanthis

. Okubo Hikozaemon 大久保彦左衛門 - Ōkubo Tadataka 大久保忠教 .
(1560 – 1639)

. Okubo Nagayasu 大久保長安 .

Ōkubo Toshimichi 大久保利通 (1830 – 1878)

- - - More Okubo names in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Okubo 大久保

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
tba

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28 Jul 2018

SENNIN - Chuzan Chusan

https://heianperiodjapan.blogspot.com/2018/04/sennin-chuzan-chusan.html

Sennin Chuzan Chusan

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. sennin　仙人と伝説 Legends about Immortals .
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Chuusan Shoonin, Chūzan, Chūsan 中算上人 (ちゅうざん） Saint Chuzan

He is Nr. 32 of
. 日本の仙人37人 - The 37 Immortals of Japan .

Not much to be found about this Immortal.
(935 - 976)

山階寺の僧である中算 Chuzan from temple Yamashinadera
興福寺の僧である中算 Chuzan from the temple Kofuku-Ji

... Chusan, another disciple of Kusei, worked miracles at Nachi ...

- quote -
One of the leaders of the Yamashina temple community was the monk 中筹 Chusan, who was staying at a small residence near the Kangaku-In while his community was putting pressure on the government officials. One night, in the presence of a number of his disciples, Chusan suddenly said that someone was approaching, but his disciples could see no one, no matter how hard they looked.
Nevertheless, shortly afterward the disciples could hear Chusan conversing with someone, and when they asked him with whom he was speaking, he replied that it was Ryogen of the Enryaku-Ji.
the monks incredulous, exclaimed: "What are you saying? But, Ryogen is dead!..."
Then, realizing that it must have been the departed spirit of the deceased Ryogen that came to speak with their master, they became speechless with fear.
The next day Chusan, saying that he felt ill, excused himself from attending the hearing on the Gion question. Without their leader, and recalling the eerie event of the preceding night, the monks of the Yamashina temple were confused and upset, and when the court failed to issue the judgement that they were hoping for, they quickly left Kyoto and withdrew to their home temple.
... Chusan died in 969, sixteen years before Ryogen died . . .
- source : citeseerx.ist.psu.edu... pdf file -

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Kōfukuji and the Mountains of Yamato
..... Later, during a terrible drought,
Chusan struck the rock of a mountain with his sword and cool water gushed forth "like a waterfall." ...
- source : jstor.org/stable .. Tyler Royall .. -

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. Kōfukuji, Koofukuji 興福寺 Kōfuku-Ji .
Kōfuku-ji has its origin as a temple that was established in 669 by Kagami-no-Ōkimi (鏡大君), the wife of Fujiwara no Kamatari, wishing for her husbands's recovery from illness. Its original site was in Yamashina, Yamashiro Province (present-day Kyoto).
In 672, the temple was moved to Fujiwara-kyō, the first artificially planned capital in Japan, then again in 710, moved to its current place, on the east side of the newly constructed capital, Heijō-kyō, today's Nara.

- wikipedia -

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- quote -
今昔物語 - Konjaku Monogatari 　
今ではもう昔のことだが、一条摂政殿のお住まいになっていた桃園は、現在の世尊寺という寺である。そこで摂政殿が季の御読経を行われたときに、比叡山・三井寺・奈良の並々ならぬ学僧たちを選んでお招きになったので、学僧たちは皆参上したのだが、夕座を待っている間に、僧たちは並んで座って、ある者は経を読み、ある者は世間話などして座っていた。
寝殿の南側の部屋を御読経所として用意してあったので、その御読経所に並んで座っているうちに、南側の築山・池などがたいそう美しいのを見て、興福寺の僧中算が言うことには、「ああ、この御殿の木の立ち方は、よそでは見られないすばらしさだよ」と言ったのを、そばに木寺の基僧という僧が座っていて、この言葉を聞くやいなや、「奈良の法師はやはり無知なものである。いやしいものの言い方をするものだなあ。『こだち』と言うのに、『きだち』と言っているようだな。心もとない（＝その学識も不安に思われる）言葉づかいだな。」と言って、爪弾きをぱちぱちとした。中算はこのように言われて、「妙な言い方をしたことだ。しかし、それならばあなたのことを、小寺の小僧と申さなければなりませんね」と言ったところ、その場にいたすべての僧たちは、皆これをきいて大声をあげて爆笑したということだ。
その時に摂政殿が、この笑う声をお聞きになって、「何を笑っているのか」とお尋ねになったので、僧たちがありのままに申し上げたところ、摂政殿は、「これは中算がこのように（＝小寺の小僧）言おうと思って、基僧の前で言い出したこと（＝きだち）を、どうしてか気付かないで、基僧が中算のわなにはまって、このように（＝小寺の小僧）と言われたのは愚かなことだ」とおっしゃったので、僧たちはよりいっそう笑って、それから後、小寺の小僧というあだ名が付いたのであった。「へたに言葉とがめをして、あだ名が付いたよ」と言って基僧は悔しがった。
この基僧は木寺に住んでいたから、木寺の基僧と言うのである。中算は並々でなく優れた学僧であったのに、また（一面）このようにおもしろいことを言う人だった、と、世間では語り伝えているということだ。
- reference source : geocities.jp/kougoyaku -

- quote -
寝殿造りの南側、庭に臨む縁の部分を御読経所に当てていたので、僧たちはそこにずらっと並んで座っていた。南側の池や中島の築山のようすがたいそう趣き深いのを見て、興福寺の若手の学僧として有名だった僧中算（ちゅうざん）が、こんなことを言った。
「ああ、ここのお屋敷のキダチは他のところとはまるで違いますな。ま、何とすばらしいものだ。」
ところが、傍にいた木寺（きでら）の基増（きぞう）という叡山の僧が、これを聞いて、「いやいや、奈良の法師はずいぶんと物を知らん。何とまあみっともない言葉遣いじゃ。コダチとは言うがキダチとは。ああ、何ともはや、情けないことで。」
いかにもあざけるように、爪をパチパチ鳴らしながら言ったものだ。
中算はあわてず、
「おやおや、これは言い間違いをしましたな。では、あなた様の事も小寺（こでら）の小僧（こぞう）と申し上げなければなりませんな。」
とニヤリと笑って見せた。
中算の言葉を聞いた満座の僧たちは、口々に
「小寺の小僧、小寺の小僧とな！　これは、これは」
と、ギャハハハハと腹を抱えて大笑い！
さて、この大騒ぎを別室で聞いた摂政殿は、何事かと聞きにやらせると、僧たちがその場のようすをかくかくしかじかと説明したので、摂政殿は
「やれやれ、これは中算がこんな風に言ってやろうと、わざわざ基増の前で言って見せたのじゃ。それを何にも気付かずに基増がまんまと引っかかってしまったのだろう。愚かな奴じゃのう。」
これを聞いて僧たちは、ますます大笑い。その後、基増には『小寺の小僧』という実にありがたくないあだ名がついてしまったので、
「ああ、下手にとがめだてして、いらんあだ名を付けられてしまったわい。」
と、基増は後々まで悔しがった。
この基増は比叡山の幹部の一人で、木寺というところに住んでいたために「木寺」と呼ばれるようになったのである。一方の中算は興福寺きっての俊英だけに、こうした物言いも上手であったと、語り伝えられている。
- reference source : eonet.ne.jp/~jujiro/setuwa... -

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. sennin 天狗と仙人伝説 Legends about Tengu and Immortals .

. sennin　仙人と伝説 Legends about Immortals .

. Japan - Shrines and Temples - Index .

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- - #senninchuzan #chuzansennin #chusan-
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18 Jul 2018

SENNIN - Kanda Sao-Uchi

https://heianperiodjapan.blogspot.com/2018/04/sennin-kanda-sao-uchi.html

Sennin Kanda Sao-Uchi

source : toki.moo.jp/gaten/ 475 ...

For some reason he was mentioned in a book from 1097:
本朝神仙記伝 / 本朝神仙伝 Honcho Shinsenden - Lives of Japanese immortals.

「竿打（さをう）ちの仙（ひじり）は、大和の國の人なりけり。仙（ひじり）の道を学べども俗骨（ぞくこつ）猶（なお）し（しはなおを強めていう語）重くして、藥餌（やくじ）の力も施（ほどこ）し難くぞありける。地を離れて飛べども、その高さ七八尺に過ぎざりしかば、年少（としわか）き兒童（わらべ）ら、皆竿（さを）を捧げて追ひたり。故（かるがゆゑ）に此（かか）る名をぞ得たりける。その終（は）つるところを知らざりけり」

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. sennin 天狗と仙人伝説 Legends about Tengu and Immortals .

. sennin　仙人と伝説 Legends about Immortals .

. Japan - Shrines and Temples - Index .

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- - #senninkanda #kanda #kandasennin #saouchi -
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11 Jul 2018

SENNIN Juge

https://heianperiodjapan.blogspot.com/2018/04/sennin-jugeso-juge.html

Sennin Jugeso Juge

大津市北小松 Otsu town, Kita-Komatsu

- Deity in residence
. 鴨玉依姫命 / 玉依姫命 Tamayori Hime no Mikoto .

The origin of this shrine is not quite clear.
In 982, 佐々木成頼 Sasaki Nariyori ordered the construction of the 日吉十禅師 Juzenji of Hiyoshi.
This shrine flourished as the protector shrine of the Sasaki clan in 近江国 Omi (now Shiga prefecture).
The shrine was destructed by Oda Nobunaga, but later rebuild.
In 1870, it was named 十禅師社 Juzenji Shrine

Minamoto no Nariyori 源成頼 (676 - 1003) = Sasaki Nariyori

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大津市南比良 Otsu town, Minami-Kira

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大津市木戸 Otsu town, Kido

This shrine was constructed on orders of 佐野豊賢 Sano Toyokata. the regent of 木戸城 Kido castle, to protect the area and his clan.
The shrine was destroyed by Oda Nobunaga and later rebuilt in 1578.

- reference source : shiga/otsu-kido-jugejinja... -

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- quote -
Juge Jinja is a small shrine in the Higashi-Hongu area of Hiyoshi Taisha. This structure is classified as an Important Cultural Asset.
Hiyoshi Taisha
is dedicated to Sanno Gongen, the deity of Mount Hiei, and dates back to 806. The shrine is located at the base of the mountain in Sakamoto near the shores of Lake Biwa. Because of its proximity to Hieizan, it has always been associated with Enryaku-ji. The shrine was destroyed in 1571 when Nobunaga eliminated the Enryaku-ji monks, but it was rebuilt soon after.
Hiyoshi Taisha. Otsu, Shiga.
- source : flickr.com/photos/jpellgen... -

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. sennin 天狗と仙人伝説 Legends about Tengu and Immortals .

. sennin　仙人と伝説 Legends about Immortals .

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27 Jun 2018

PERSONS - Minamoto no Toru

https://heianperiodjapan.blogspot.com/2018/04/kawara-no-in-minamoto-toru.html

Kawara no In Minamoto Toru

- quote -
Minamoto no Tōru 源融 (822 – September 21, 895)
was a Japanese poet and statesman. He was born the son of Emperor Saga and a member of the Saga Genji clan. He is sometimes mentioned as the model for Hikaru Genji in important Japanese literary classic The Tale of Genji.
Under his title Kawara no Sadaijin (河原左大臣, Minister of the Left of Kawara), he is the author of poem 14 in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu poetry anthology:

陸奥のしのぶもぢずり誰ゆゑに
乱れそめにしわれならなくに

Michinoku no
Shinobu-mojizuri
Tare yue ni
Midare somenishi
Ware naranaku ni

Like Michinoku prints,
Of the tangled leaves of ferns,
It is because of you,
That I have become confused;
But my love for you remains.

The poem originally appeared in the Kokinshū, no. 724. Here is another translation:

The dye with hare's-foot-fern, of Michinoku
who else would have made me feel as disturbed?

The poet is also famous for making a replica of the uta-makura Shiogama ("poetic place name") in his garden.
His tomb resides at the Seiryō-ji, a Buddhist temple situated on what was once Saga Moor in Kyoto.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Shiogama in Kyoto 京都の塩竈

source : yomigaereshiogama.jp...

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. Matsuo Basho visiting Shinobu .

みちのく（陸奥）の　しのぶもぢずり（忍ぶ綟摺り）
誰ゆえに　乱れ染めにし　我ならなくに

shinobu mojizuri is a special cloth dyed in the region of the village
Shinobu gun Fukushima 福島県信夫郡.
Made from shinobugusa 忍ぶ草、hare's-foot fern, deersfoot fern
Davallia bullata and others
. Michinoku roads みちのく路 .

As wholly confused
as cloth dyed in moss-fern design
from Michinoku
so distraught is my heart now
and for no one else but you.
Tr. Steven D. Carter

and

I long to find a path
to the depths of Mount Shinobu
that I might fathom
the secrets of
another's heart
Tr. Shirane

- quote
Shinobu Mottling Rock, Fukushima
6 km north-east from Fukushima City sits the village of Shinobu (present-day Mojizuri). Three seemingly unconnected objects - a large, moss-dappled rock, the Michinoku (Tohoku) kimono design of mottled ferns made famous in the Heian period (794 - 1185), and an impossible love story - have together made Shinobu a vastly recognized and esteemed location of utamakura.
Utamakura is a place-name used in waka (traditional Japanese poetry) which, through alternative readings of the name's kanji (Chinese characters) or its associations with national histories and figures, can be used as an allusive tool towards sentiment and meaning within waka; an incredibly popular and admired poetic device which was employed even in everyday conversation at the Heian Kyoto Court.

In the 9th century, Minamoto no Toru (a high-ranking noble of the Heian Imperial Court in Kyoto) traveled to the "great north," Michinoku, which was at that time deemed an uncivilized land due to its distance from the shining capital. At some point, he passed through Shinobu, a village well-known by the Imperial Court for its unique production of a kimono design called Shinobu Mojizuri (fern mottle). It was not uncommon for high-ranking nobles to undertake vast journeys north for state affairs. And on these journeys, it wasn't completely unheard of to learn of nobles falling in love with villagers of little, or no, social status.

Unfortunately for Minamoto no Toru and the lady of Shinobu, he did just so. Staying with the lady's father and delaying his return to the capital for over a month, he was eventually called back to court and the separation was impossible to withstand for both of them. Minamoto no Toru did as all Heian courtiers in his day could do; he wrote a poem about it. And the lady of Shinobu took to her bed with grief, dying before the verse could reach her.
The verse adopts the word 'shinobu' and its three potential readings in Japanese: the name of the village Shinobu; the type of fern found in abundance around the village, called shinobugusa; and the verb shinobu, "to love secretly."
In just five lines, Minamoto no Toru encapsulates his sentiment, the history and relevance of the setting to his story, and appropriate similes for such a saddening poem in incredible subtlety and talent in his employment of utamakura.

Like the cloth printed
with ferns in far Shinobu
of the deep north —
if not for you
for whom would I dye my heart
with tangled love?

Since this all occurred over twelve centuries ago, Shinobu has welcomed such admirers of its history and poetry as Basho Matsuo, who came to compose a haiku on the subject in his Oku no Hosomichi pilgrimage of Michinoku utamakura locations.

早苗とる手もとや昔しのぶ摺

Deft hands that now pluck
seedlings, once you used to press
patterns from the stones.
Tr. Donald Keene

The mottling rock upon which the famous Michinoku kimono was mottled with fern is enshrined by an open gate. The two poems are also on the grounds, set in stone. All are surrounded by a wonderful view of Fukushima, the Kannon-Do Temple and Phoenix Pagoda, and a river also famous in traditional waka, the Abukumagawa.
- source : http://ja.japantourist.jp

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

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

文知摺石 Mojizuri Ishi
Minamoto no Toru stayed some time at the residence of a rich family near the Mojizuri Ishi stone. He fell in love with the beautiful Torajo 虎女 (Tiger Woman), but eventually he had to go back to Kyoto. There was no further news from him.
Torajo was so sad, waiting and waiting for her lover. She made a vow to the stone, to show her the image of her lover Toru. After praying for many days, her wish was fulfilled and his figure appeared on the stone.

source :　HeartLand-Icho

mojizuri ishi 文字摺石 - 信夫文知摺石 mojizuri mottlilng stone, rock
shinobu mojizuri しのぶもじずり / 忍捩摺り／信夫捩摺り

The lower part of the stone has been used so often that it is all shining and the stone was once called
kagami ishi 鏡石 mirror stone.

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

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

-
oni 鬼 demon
When 栄爵 Eishaku and his wife from the countryside came to Kawara no In to find work, she was taken away by a demon.

. Onipedia 日本の鬼 The Demons of Japan .

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- reference : Nichibun Yokai Database -

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. sennin 天狗と仙人伝説 Legends about Tengu and Immortals .

. sennin　仙人と伝説 Legends about Immortals .

. Japan - Shrines and Temples - Index .

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