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10 Oct 2018

HEIAN - Yamanokami legends Miyagi

https://japanshrinestemples.blogspot.com/2017/08/yamanokami-regional-19-miyagi.html

Yamanokami Regional 19 Miyagi

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. Yama no Kami 山の神 Yamanokami - Introduction .
. Ta no Kami 田の神 Tanokami - Introduction .
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Yama no Kami 山の神 God of the Mountain
and Legends from Miyagi 宮城県

. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.

Yamanokami Sha 山神社（やまのかみしゃ）Shrine
宮城県遠田郡美里町 Toda district, Misato town, Kogota
Kogota (小牛田町 Kogota-chō) was a town located in Tōda District, Miyagi
the Yamanokami Shrine and various ancient burial mounds dating from before 250BC.

山神社は、崇徳天皇の御代である永治元年（1141年）、摂津国の住人で、現宮司家の祖先である小山田清寧 Oyamada Kiyoyasu が家の守り神として勧請したのが始まりだと伝えられている。その後、清寧の後裔である浄円が元亀2年（1571年）に神璽（神体）を奉じて、陸奥国遠田郡小牛田旧屋敷にやってきて移り住み、天正3年（1575年）には祠を建てて神体を鎮め祀ったという。
寛文2年（1662年）、仙台藩により小牛田駅が造られ、南小牛田村の町割りが行われた際に旧屋敷地区から近くの南小牛田町屋敷地区に間口九間・奥行四間の社殿が造営され、そこに遷座した。 ...
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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akakura no yamanokami 赤倉の山の神　Yamanokami from Mount Akakura
Once a woman was happy to announce to the ancestors that she had brought up her children and went to worship at Mount Akakura. But there she was possesed by Yamanokami.

. Mountains named Akakura .

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heso no o へその緒 umbilical cord
After giving birth, a woman gets an amulet from Yamanokami and some hemp rope to wrap around the umbilical cord. Together with the name and date of birth she puts it in a bag and keeps it.
When the person thus born dies, this bag is placed into the coffin (in the Matsushima and Sendai region).

. heso no o へその緒と伝説 Legends about the umbilical cord .

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. Tengu no kamikakushi 天狗と神かくし / カミカクシ abduction .
If a child gets lost and does not come home any more, people of old thought it was taken away by a Tengu or Yamanokami.
So they took bells and gongs and went to the mountain forest to search.
Once a child got lost while playing "hide and seek" till late in the evening and thought it was taken away by Yamanokami !

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makura 枕 pillow
As a wish for a save birth, a woman has to go to 塩釜神社 Shiogama Jinja Shrine and to the shrine for Yamanokami and get a pillow from each one. After a safe birth, she brings back the pillows.
The pillow is usually kept at the kamidana 神棚 shelf of the Gods.
During birth, it is kept near the pillow of the woman. Very seldom it may be borrowed to a woman in the neighbourhood who does not have one.

. kamidana 神棚　household Shinto altar, "shelf for the Gods" .

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. mochi 餅と伝説 Legends about rice cakes .
okasane mochi オカサネ餅 piled-up rice cakes
A decoration for the New Year. After offering them to Yamanokami, they are eaten by the family members.
If they have cracks, the weather in the coming year will be fine.
If they have no cracks, there will be a lot of rain in the coming year.

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osaidogiyaki オサイドギヤキ burning the offerings
On the evening of the 15th day of the first lunar month, the offerings for Yamanokami were burned at the entrance of the home.
If all the offerings of soybean shells and straw burned down, the coming year would bring a good harvest.
If some parts remained, there would be a rather bad harvest.

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Takebera Taro 竹箆太郎 Shippei Taro

. The legend of the spiritual dog Hayataro 霊犬早太郎伝説 .
Nagano, Kozen-Ji Temple : Legend of 岩見重太郎 Iwami Jutaro (Kanesuke Susukita) and Shippeitaro (Hayataro)

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yamairi no kinki 山入りの禁忌 taboos about going to the mountain
On the 12th day of the second lunar month was 山の神の祭日 the Festival of Yamanokami and nobody was allowed to go into the mountain forest.
But one day a young fellow went to the forest to cut down a tree. On a huge boulder deep down the river walley he saw a half-naked woman with long black hair. When he called at her, she gave him a strange look. He fled in a hurry, but later became ill and died soon after.
This woman was Yamanokami.

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

. matagi 又鬼 - マタギと伝説 Legends about bear hunters .

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伊具郡 Igu district 丸森町 Marumori

. Sanno Iwaya 山王岩屋，Sarutobi 猿跳 Monkeys Jumping .
山王権現 Sanno Gongen and 安倍貞任 Abe no Sadato
阿武隈川峡谷 the gorge of river Abukuma

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刈田郡 Katta district 七ヶ宿町 Shichikashuku

. zaimoku iwa, zaimoku-iwa 材木岩 Timber Rocks .
and the river 白石川 Shiroishigawa,

. Kobo Daishi 弘法大師 and Zaimoku-Iwa .
at Gifu 岐阜県, 上宝村 Kamitakaramura, 双六 Sugoroku

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栗原郡 Kurihara district

Yamanokami does not like the love song サンサシグレ "sansa shigure" , which is song for various rituals.
Forest workers are not allowed to hum the melody while working.
Hunters are not allowed to use the word MONKEY while they are in the moutains.

- - - - -

栗原郡 Kurihara district 花山村 Hanayama village
花山村御嶽山（石楠花山）The mountain is also called Shakunage Yama.
Ontake Jinja, Miyagi 御嶽神社 with Shakunage fields.
- reference source : miyagi-kankou.or.jp... -

御嶽山の神 Ontakesan no Kami / Mitakeyama no Kami
Mount Ontake / Mitake in Miyagi is only 472 m higｈ.
During the season the whole moutain seems covered with rhododendron, Shakunage.
If someone comes to pick the flowers, the weather will turn bad, because Yamanokami, who loves these flowers, becomes angry.

. shakunage 石南花 rhododendron .

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黒川郡 Kurokawa district 大和町 Taiwa

tomeyama 止め山 "rest of the mountain"
On the 12th day of the 10th lunar month, villagers observe a day of "Rest of the Mountain", when Yamanokami goes back to the mountain.
This day and the 12th day of the second lunar month are the days when Yamanokami walks in the mountains.
People who do forest work on these days will get some heavenly punishment.

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仙台市 Sendai city 太白区 Taihaku

. 万二万三郎 The Brothers Banji and Banzaburo .

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Taihakuyama no Kami 太白山の神 Yamanokami from Mount Taihaku
udo 独活 Japanese Spikenard
Since Yamanokami lost her eye when trying to get some spikenard, the villagers at the foot of the mountain never grow or eat this vegetable.
. udo 独活 Japanese Spikenard, Aralia cordata, .

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登米郡 Tome district

. hibashira 火柱と伝説 Legends about a pillar of fire .
On the 12th day of each month, the Day of Yamanokami, people are not allowed to go into the forest.
People make a pillar of fire. If someone is hit by a pillar of fire, his home will have a fire.
That is the curse of sakasabashira 逆さ柱 the upside-down pillar.

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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.

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- - - - - . Join the Updates of Facebook ! . - - - - -

. Yama no Kami 山の神 - Table of Contents - .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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sangaku shinkoo　山岳信仰 religion of the High Mountains is a different matter.

. Shrine, Shinto Shrine (jinja　神社) - Introduction .

. kami　神　Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

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- #yamanokami #godofthemountains #tanokami #yamanokamimiyagi #miyagi -
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29 Sept 2018

EDO - Ondenmura onden district

https://edoflourishing.blogspot.com/2018/08/onden-mura-village-shibuya.html

Onden mura village Shibuya

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Ondenmura, Onden mura 隠田村/ 穏田村 Onden village "with secret fields"
渋谷区 Shibuya 神宮前 Jingu-mae first to sixth sub-district
onden could be written 穏田, 隠田 or 恩田.

onden 穏田 referes to secret fields, which the farmers kept hidden and did not have to pay taxes to anyone.
Another theory points to the Samurai clan 恩田氏 Onda shi, who ruled this area on orders of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who changed the written name to 穏田.

This name existed before the Edo period.
The region to the South-West of central Edo was a rice farming area, where waterwheels had been built in the late Edo period.
The river flowing to this region was the 穏田川 Ondengawa (further down called 渋谷川 Shibuyagawa).
Most of the Shibuyagawa area was a swamp and the villagers had to drain it first. Along the river they could then transport the grains.

When Tokugawa Ieyasu came to Edo, he gave this area to　the people from 伊賀 Iga.
Around 1820, it came under the jurisdiction of the Edo Bakufu government, but remained a farming district.

穏田川 Ondengawa

To the East were estates of Samurai like 浅野光晟 Asano Mitsuakira 安芸守 Aki no Kami (1617 - 1693), 戸田忠時 Toda Tadatoki (1637 - 1712), 水野忠政 Mizuno Tadamasa (1493 - 1543) and others.
After the Meiji restoration, many military personnel and generals came to live here.

Around 1909, with the rapid modernization, the rice fields disappeared and the busy town spread to this area.
Prior to 1965, Onden, referred to the low-lying area close to Meiji Street and the Shibuya River.

The name ONDEN disappeared from the official names in 1965, but remained in
穏田商店会 Onden Shoten Kai Shopping Group
神宮前穏田区民会館 Jingu-mae Onden Kumin Kaikan Hall and others.

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Onden Jinja 穏田神社(穩田神社) Onden Shrine
5 Chome-26-６ Jingumae, Shibuya

Built as a protector Shrine for the Onden area.
The main festival is on the 9th of September.

- - - Deities in residence:
淤母陀琉神（おもたるみのかみ）Omotarumi (Omodarumi) no Kami
阿夜訶志古泥神（あやかしこねのかみ）Aya Kashikone no Kami
櫛御倉野神（くしみけぬのかみ）Kushimikenu no Kami

- HP of the Shrine
- reference source : onden.net/jinja... -

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. kawa 江戸の川 -- 江戸の河 the rivers of Edo .

- quote -
The Shibuya River (渋谷川 Shibuya-gawa)
is a river which flows through central Tokyo, Japan.
The river is 2.6 km in length originating close to Shibuya Station and passing through Shibuya and Minato wards before merging with the Furu River near Hiroo and flowing into Tokyo Bay near Shiba Koen park.
The Shibuya River banks are predominantly unlandscaped; the major tributary of the river, the Onden River, originates in Sendagaya and passes largely unnoticed directly under Cat Street in the heart of Ura-Harajuku. The Onden River merges with the Uda River in central Shibuya forming the Shibuya River which then flows directly under Shibuya Station as a covered concrete drain.
Redevelopment plans for Shibuya Station include the prospect of a more accessible Shibuya River with landscaping and pedestrian access.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Ondengawa　隠田川 River Onden
The Onden River merges with the Uda River in central Shibuya, forming the Shibuya River which then flows directly under Shibuya.

Onden no suisha 隠田の水車 Watermill at Onden
葛飾北斎 Katsushika Hokusai

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16 Sept 2018

SHRINES - Mimeguri shrine Tokyo

https://japanshrinestemples.blogspot.com/2018/09/mimeguri-inari-shrine-tokyo.html

Mimeguri Inari Shrine Tokyo

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Shinto Shrines (jinja　神社) - Introduction .
. kami　神　Shinto deities .
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Mimeguri Inari Jinja 三囲稲荷神社 Mimeguri Inari Shrine, Tokyo
Mimeguri Jinja 三囲神社 / 三圍神社 Mimeguri Shrine

東京都墨田区向島2-5-17 // Tokyo, Sumida ward, Mukojima

- - - - - Deities in residence - - - - -
Uka no Mitama no Mikoto (Uganomitama) 宇迦之御魂 / 倉稲魂命

Legend says the former name of the Shrine was Tanaka Jinari 田中稲荷 Inari shrine in the fields.

The founding date is not quite clear, maybe around the 9th century by a painter-priest from 近江国三井寺 Omi no Kuni Miidera, named 僧源慶 Genkei, who died in 1216.
He heard about the Tanaka Inari shrine and wanted to build a bigger hall. As he was digging the ground, he found a pot. In it was a statue of an old white fox, holding a hoju 宝珠 wishfulfilling jewel in the right hand and an ear of rice in the left hand. Out of nowhere an old fox appeared,
walked around the statue (meguri) for three times (三 mi)
and then fell down dead. This is the origin of the name.

Later the 三井家 Mitsui Family made this shrine their protector Shrine.
The Chinese character for Mimeguri 三囲 includes the 井 of the Mitsui name in the second character.

The Mitsui family also had a torii 鳥居 Shrine gate made with three pillars:
三囲神社の三柱鳥居

There is a stone lantern offering from the Mitsui family with only three openings :

. Echigoya 越後屋 and the Mitsui Family　三井 .

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shuin　朱印 stamp

omamori お守り　amulets

- more in the Wikipedia -

In the compound is a Kagura-den hall for ritual dance.

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. Sumida-gawa hakkei 隅田川八景 .
Mimeguri-zutsumi no sekishoo 三囲堤夕照 Sunset Glow at Mimeguri Embankment

広重 Utagawa Hiroshige

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Excursion to Mimeguri Shrine at Mukojima
鳥居清長 Torii Kiyonaga (1752 - 1815)
Beautiful scene of young women on an excursion to Mimeguri Shrine at Mukojima. The pause on a pathway, the two beauties at right sharing an umbrella under the afternoon sun. The woman at left smiles happily as she looks back over her shoulder, holding the end of her red obi. Fields stretch out into the distance with a few people strolling along the paths in between them. Boats can be seen on the river, and buildings line the opposite shore. The slender beauties are drawn with graceful, flowing line work, with lovely fine detail in the elegant kimono and obi fabrics.
An attractive, classic Edo era subject by Kiyonaga
- source - fuji arts -

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In the compound of the Shrine is

a place to pray to 恵比寿 Ebisu and 大国神 Daikoku
Part of the Pilgrimage to 隅田川七福神 the Seven Gods of Good Luck along the river Sumidagawa.

. Sumidagawa Shichi Fukujin 隅田川七福神 Seven Gods of God Luck .

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- Reference : 三囲神社
- Reference : Mimeguri Shrine

. Shrine, Shinto Shrine (jinja　神社) - Introduction .

. kami　神　Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

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- - - - -　 H A I K U　 - - - - -

. Kobayashi Issa in Edo .

棒杭に江戸を詠る蛙哉
boogui ni Edo o nagamuru kawazu kana

on a stake
a frog gazes long
sings of Edo
Tr. Chris Drake

This is a spring hokku,
but it was written just after New Year's in the 1st month (February) of 1825, probably before many frogs were singing in the snow country where Issa lived. Issa's note says "Mimeguri Shrine," a reference to a Shinto shrine near the Sumida River in northeast Edo, the largest city in Japan in Issa's time. The hokku must be a hokku of memory, since Issa was far from Edo in his hometown when he recorded it in his diary. A woodblock print of the Mimeguri Shrine from Issa's time shows a row of stakes along the river's edge, protecting the base of the high embankment on the east side of the Sumida River. There are also high tethering poles along the bank used by small ferry boats when they stop at a riverside landing to unload or pick up visitors to the shrine.

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.......................................................................　Tokyo, Sumida 墨田区 .....

. amagoi　雨乞い rain rituals .
to pray for rain or to pray for the end of a long rainy period.

At the Shrine 三囲神社 Mimeguri Jinja there was a sub-Shrine for 稲荷社 the Inari Fox Deity.
In the fifth month of 1705, there was one fox roaming the compounds of the Shrine. If people made offerings of sweets, the fox would come out and show itself.

A disciple of haiku poet 松尾芭蕉 Matsuo Basho, Kikaku Shinshi, wrote a haiku to pray for rain at the Shrine in 1693

雨乞や田を見めぐりの神ならば
amagoi ya ta o mimeguri no kami naraba

And indeed, it started to rain after that.

. Takarai Kikaku 宝井其角 / Enomoto Kikaku (1661-1707) 榎本其角 .
- Shinshi Ki 晋子忌 Shinshi Memorial Day

. Sumida ku, Sumida-ku 墨田区 Sumida ward, "ink field" .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- #mimeguri #mitsui #amagoi -
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13 Aug 2018

EDO - Samegahashi district Shinjuku

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

Samegahashi district Shinjuku

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Samegahashi 鮫ヶ橋 / 鮫河橋 "Shark bridge" district
新宿区 Shinjuku ward, Wakaba　若葉, Minami-Motomachi 南元町
(Sometimes spelled Samagahashi in English.)

The bridge was rather small, only 3,6 m long, as can be seen in the depiction of the Edo Meisho Zue.
It was a bridge over the Sakuragawa 桜川支流鮫川.

江戸名所図会　Edo Meisho Zue

- Various explanations for the name are known :

Samegamura 鮫が村 "Shark village"
Samegahashi, Kitacho 鮫河橋北町 Northern District of Samegahashi.

The bridge over a river called Samegawa 鮫川 / 鮫河 "Shark river".
In the Edo period the district was on a plateau above the sea, and shark could be seen from above.
Nearby was 豊島の入江 Toshima no Irie inlay.

- - - - - Another hint for the naming:
In the Edo period, a horse with white eyes was called
sameuma, same-uma 𩥭（さめうま）

- - - - - sameuma kanji with horse and fish
A tale knows this:
Once a priest from the temple 牛込行願寺 Gyogan-Ji in Ushigome had brought such a Sameuma as an offering.
But he fell down from the bridge and both were killed. The bridge was then called after the horse,
さめ馬ヶ橋 Samegahashi.

- - - - - Another hint for the naming:
The bridge was located over tani 谷 steep valley, which was only filled with water when it rained a lot
- 雨 ame .. same - 雨（さめ）ヶ橋 - - - 雨ヶ橋 "Rain Bridge".

Maybe
it was a 駮馬 Sameuma horse belonging to 源義家 Minamoto no Yoshiie.
or
Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu had a 駮馬 Sameuma and when it died, it was carried from 千駄ヶ谷村 Setagaya village for a burial. While crossing the bridge the horse fell into the valley.
or
samizu 冷水（さみず) cold water was flowing below the bridge.

- Another district with the name SAME
. Samezu 鮫洲 "Shark sand bar" district . - Shinagawa

In the Edo period, there were various Samegahashi districts
元鮫河橋表町
元鮫河橋仲町 - 旧字仲殿田
元鮫河橋南町 - 旧鮫河橋千日谷町
元鮫河橋北町
元鮫河橋八軒町
元鮫河橋陽光寺門前 - 江戸時代後期には空き地化
鮫河橋新伊賀町 - 後に鮫河橋谷町

In the beginning of the Meiji period, the following names were used

元鮫河橋町 - 明治5年（1872年）元鮫河橋表町南部、元鮫河橋仲町、武家地が合併
元鮫河橋南町 - 明治2年（1869年）元鮫河橋八軒町、明治5年武家地を合併
鮫河橋谷町一丁目 -(1872年）鮫河橋谷町南部、元鮫河橋北町、元鮫河橋陽光門前、武家地、寺地が合併して成立
鮫河橋谷町二丁目 - 明治5年（1872年）鮫河橋谷町北部、寺地が合併して成立

In 1911, the district of Samegahashi was split into districts in Yotsuya ward:
四谷区元町、南町、谷町一丁目、谷町二丁目
- reference : wikipedia

In 1696, the village along the bridge had become quite large and got the name
Samegahashitanichoo 鮫ヶ橋谷町 Samegahashi Tani Cho "Valley of the Shark bridge"

. Edo goyaku　江戸五役（ごやく）　the five official worker groups of Edo castle .
御駕籠之者 okagonomono, o-kago no mono
They had to look after the kago 駕籠 palanquins for the Shogun and his heirs.
Their quarters were relocated to 四谷鮫ヶ橋 / 鮫河橋 Yotsuya Samegahashi.

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赤坂御用地鮫が橋門 Akasaka Samagahashi Gate

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鮫ヶ橋せきとめ稲荷 Samegahashi Sekitome Inari Shrine
9-9 Minamimotomachi, 新宿区 Tokyo

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- quote -
Ke Brigade, Fifth Group, Samegahashi
Actor Jitsukawa Enjaku I as Yomoshichi,
from the series Flowers o Edo and Views of Famous Places (Edo no hana meishô-e)
「江戸の花名勝会　け　五番組」「与茂七　実川延雀」（初代実川延若）
The term "flowers of Edo" (Edo no hana) can refer, among other things, to fires. The title panel for each print in this series shows the lanterns and identifying standard (matoi) for one of the brigades of firefighters (hikeshi) assigned to various districts. On the west side of the Sumida River were 48 brigades named for the symbols of the kana syllabary and grouped into 8 numbered groups (1 to 10, minus the bad-luck numbers 4 and 7). On the east side of the river, brigades were numbered and assigned to directional groups. Outlying districts were covered by special brigades, here designated "extra" (bangai).
Each title gives the name or number of a brigade, its group, and its district, followed by the kabuki scene chosen to match it.
- source : Museum of Fine Arts, Boston -

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. Shinjuku　新宿区　Shinjuku 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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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - - - #samegahashitani #samagahashi #samegahashi - - - -
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EDO - Shibuya ward

https://edoflourishing.blogspot.com/2018/07/shibuya-ward.html

Shibuya ward

- quote
Shibuya, literally "Astringent Valley",
is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. A major commercial and business center, it houses the two busiest railway stations in the world, Shinjuku Station (southern half) and Shibuya Station.
The name "Shibuya" is also used to refer to the shopping district which surrounds Shibuya Station, one of Tokyo's busiest railway stations. This area is known as one of the fashion centers of Japan, particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area.
- - - - - History
Shibuya was historically the site of a castle in which the Shibuya family resided from the 11th century through the Edo period. Following the opening of the Yamanote Line in 1885, Shibuya began to emerge as a railway terminal for southwestern Tokyo and eventually as a major commercial and entertainment center.
The village of Shibuya
was incorporated in 1889 by the merger of the villages of Kami-Shibuya, Naka-Shibuya and Shimo-Shibuya within Minami-Toshima County (Toyotama County from 1896).
The village covered the territory of modern-day Shibuya Station area as well as the Hiroo, Daikanyama, Aoyama and Ebisu areas. Shibuya became a town in 1909.
The town of Shibuya merged with the neighboring towns of Sendagaya (which included the modern Sendagaya, Harajuku and Jingumae areas) and Yoyohata (which included the modern Yoyogi and Hatagaya areas) to form Shibuya suburban ward of Tokyo-fu (outside of the central Tokyo City) in 1932. Tokyo-fu became Tokyo Metropolis in 1943, and the present-day Shibuya-ku was established as an urban special ward on March 15, 1947.
- source : wikipedia

- - - - - Shibuya districts

幡ヶ谷地域 Hatagaya
笹塚、幡ヶ谷、本町 - Sasazuka, Hatagaya, Honmachi

. Yoyogi 代々木 Yoyogi district .
上原、大山町、西原、初台、元代々木町、富ヶ谷、代々木神園町、代々木
Uehara, Ōyamachō, Nishihara, Hatsudai, Motoyoyogichō, Tomigaya, Yoyogikamizonochō

千駄ヶ谷地域 Sendagaya
千駄ヶ谷、神宮前 Sendagaya, Jingūmae

大向・恵比寿地域 Ebisu-Ōmukai
神山町、神南、宇田川町、松濤、神泉町、円山町、道玄坂、南平台町、桜丘町、鉢山町、鶯谷町、猿楽町、代官山町、恵比寿西、恵比寿南
Kamiyamachō, Jinnan, Udagawachō, Shōtō, Shinsenchō, Maruyamachō, Dōgenzaka, Nanpeidaichō, Sakuragaokachō, Hachiyamachō, Uguisudanichō, Sarugakuchō, Daikan'yamachō, Ebisunishi, Ebisuminami

氷川・新橋地域 Hikawa-Shimbashi
渋谷 Shibuya、東 Higashi、広尾 Hiro、恵比寿 Ebisu

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Shibuyakawa, Shibuyagawa　渋谷川 Shibuya-gawa, River Shibuya

広尾ふる川 River flowing through Hiroo
広重　Hiroshige　(名所江戸百景)

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. 渋谷ハチ公　Hachiko statue of the faithful dog !

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渋谷金王丸伝説 The Legend of Shibuya Konnomaru - Kabuki play

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Shibuya 渋谷区

. Hatagaya Fudo 幡ヶ谷不動 / 荘厳寺 Shogon-Ji .
藤原秀郷 Fujiwara Hidesato came here to pray for victory against 平将門 Taira no Masakado.

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bakemono ばけ物 Monster
In 1929, there were rumours about a monster at the student's dormitory of 青山の大学 Aoyama University.
Someone heard a strange voice, saying 「はっ、はっ、はっ」 ha-ha-ha.
Later the origin of the voice became clear. It was an old white dog passing by.

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hitokui matsu 人喰松 "man-eating pine"
At the 渋谷道玄坂 Dogenzaka slope in Shibuya there is a pine tree with this name.
During the restructuring of modern Tokyo, this tree had to be moved. Two sisters living in Setagaya were very pious, chanting the 法華経 Hokekyo Sutra and got a message from the Deity.
In former times something bad had been buried under the roots of this tree and cursed the people. When they eventually dug below the roots, they found the bones of a hebi 蛇 serpent. During the recital of the Sutra, the serpent turned all white and made its way up into the heaven.

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ishi no zoo 石の像 stone statue
At the temple Chokoku-Ji (Hasedera) in Shibuya there was a stone statue of an onigo 鬼子 "demon child". It used to grant wishes and was thus quite popular. But after about 6 month, nobody came any more. This statue had originally been in the private garden, but this family had gone extinct.
When the statue was moved to another estate, the people also got ill . . . so the statue was placed in the temple.

長谷寺（ちょうこくじ）Chokoku-Ji
東京都港区西麻布二丁目 now Minato ward, Nishi-Azabu / former 下渋谷村 Shimo-Shibuya mura
The temple was founded in 1598, but was completely distroyed in the second world war.
The new modern building houses a statue of Kannon Bosatsu which is 10 meters high.

It is Nr. 22 of the pilgrimage 江戸三十三箇所観音霊場

. . Kannon Bosatsu 観音菩薩 Avalokiteshvara .

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. 河童 / かっぱ / カッパ - Kappa, the Water Goblin of Japan! .

Once 折口信夫 Orikuchi Shinobu gave a lecture in Shibuya about the literature of Kappa.
Suddenly all became quite dim and dark and people heard the footsteps of a Kappa walking over the desk, leaving wet spots on it. Then the footsteps went on to the door and out.

Shinobu Orikuchi (1887 - 1953),
also known as Chōkū Shaku (釋迢空 Shaku Chōkū), was a Japanese ethnologist, linguist, folklorist, novelist, and poet. As a disciple of Kunio Yanagita, he established an original academic field named "Orikuchiism" (折口学 Orikuchigaku), which is a mixture of Japanese folklore, Japanese classics, and Shintō.

- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. kori 狐狸と伝説 Legends about fox and Tanuki badger .

The lord of the castle from 下総国印旛郡佐倉 the Sakura domaine in Chiba, 堀田備中守正篤 Hotta Masahiro (堀田正睦 Hotta Masayoshi), had his Shimoyashiki residence in Edo in Shibuya.
Once late at night, the doctor 三輪玄春 Miwa　Genshun had been visiting and on his way back, he got lost and did not come home. A few days later they found his dead body in the weeds way back in the garden. He must have been bewitched by a fox or Tanuki.

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. Oman enoki オマンエノキ nettle tree of Lady O-Man .
O-Man お万の方, concubine of 徳川家康の側室 Tokugawa Ieyasu

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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. 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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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - - - #shibuya #shibuyaward - - - -
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12 Aug 2018

EDO - Shinagawa ward

https://edoflourishing.blogspot.com/2018/07/shinagawa-ward.html

Shinagawa ward

Shinagawa had already been a busy postal town during the Nara and Heian period, on the road from Kyoto to 国府 Kokufu.

- quote
In English, it is called Shinagawa City. The ward is home to nine embassies.
Most of Tokyo east of the Imperial Palace
is reclaimed land. A large portion of reclamation happened during the Edo period. Following the Meiji restoration and the Abolition of the han system, Shinagawa prefecture was instituted in 1869. The prefectural administration was planned to be set up in present-day Shinagawa in the Ebara district.
In 1871, Shinagawa prefecture was integrated into Tokyo Prefecture.
The ward was founded on March 15, 1947
through the administrative amalgamation of the former Ebara Ward with the former Shinagawa Ward. Both Ebara Ward and Shinagawa Ward had been created in 1932, with the outward expansion of the municipal boundaries of the Tokyo City following the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake.
In the Edo period,
Shinagawa was the first post town a traveler would reach after setting out from Nihonbashi on the Tōkaidō highway from Edo to Kyoto. The post-town function is retained today with several large hotels near the train station offering 6,000 hotel rooms, the largest concentration in the city.
The Tokugawa shogunate maintained the Suzugamori execution grounds in Shinagawa. The Tōkaidō Shinkansen began serving Shinagawa Station from 2003, and the nearby Shinagawa Intercity office complex will be served by a new subway station in a few years' time.
. . . More in the WIKIPEDIA !

- - - - - Sub-districts
. Ebara 荏原地区 .
. Samezu 鮫洲 "Shark sand bar" / Higashi-Oi .

品川地区 - もと品川宿、天王洲・東品川の埋立地。Shinagawa, Tennozu
大崎地区 - もと大崎町。大崎駅 - 五反田駅 - 目黒駅一帯。- Osaki, Gotanda, Meguro
荏原地区 - もと荏原町。下神明駅 - 中延駅 - 旗の台駅一帯。- Ebara, Nakanobu, Hatanodai
大井地区 - もと大井町。大井町駅 - 西大井駅 - 大森駅一帯。- Ōi, Oi / 東大井 / 南大井
八潮地区 - 埋立地 - Yashio, 東八潮
- and the following
二葉 Futaba // 広町 Hiromachi // 小山 Koyama / 小山台 Koyama, Koyamadai // 勝島 Katsushima // 戸越 Togoshi

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- - - - - Shinagawa eki 品川駅 Shinagawa station is a major railway station
in the Takanawa and Konan districts of Minato,
Gotanda Station // Meguro Station // Ōsaki Station // Ōimachi Station

- - - - - Rivers
目黒川　Megurogawa 　// 立会川　Tachiaigawa

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. The 53 stations of the Tokaido 東海道五十三次 .
1. Shinagawa-juku 品川宿 (Shinagawa) .

. Shinagawa matsuri 品川祭 Shinagawa festival .
Shinagawa Kappa matsuri 品川河童祭 Kappa festival
Shinagawa jinja 品川神社 and Ebara jinja 荏原神社

. Suzugamori keijoo 鈴ヶ森刑場 Suzugamori execution grounds .

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　品川区

hakutaku 白沢 / 白澤 Hakutaku Yokai monster
At an inn in Shinagawa-shuku they had a scroll painting of the Hakutaku Yokai.

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hamaguri 蛤 clam shell
At the beach of 洲崎浜 Suzakihama in Shinagawa, in the eleventh lunar month, some fishermen were peeling clam shells, when they found one with a very small golden statue of 地蔵 Jizo Bosatsu inside,

. hamaguri 蛤 clam shell, Venus clam .

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. Koojin sama 荒神様 Wild Kojin Deity of the Kitchen　hearth .
Once there was a large fire in a restaurant in front of Shinagawa station.
One person grabbed the small kitchen shrine for the Kojin Deity, climbed on the roof and opened it toward the flames. Then the wind suddenly changed and the fire stopped just before the next house.

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Suigetsu Kannon 水月観音 "Water-Moon Kannon"

Temple 品川寺 Honsen-Ji
was founded in 810, when Kobo Daishi traveled in the region and gave the statue of Kannon to the head of the 品河氏 Shinagawa clan. It was in their possession until 品河左京亮 Shinagawa Sakyonosuke in 1395.
The statue of Suigetsu Kannon in Shinagawa later had a temple hall built by 太田道灌 Ota Dokan in 1457, but after that the 北条氏 Hojo clan became the regent of Shinagawa. During the fights with 武田信玄 Takeda Shingen all of Shinagawa village was burned down and Shingen took the statue of Kannon back to his home in 甲斐 Kai (Yamanashi).
The man who had carried the Kannon, became ill with high fever and almost lost his mind. He cried:
"I am the Kannon from Shinagawa. Please bring me back as soon as possible."
So Shingen had the statue brought back and again made a temple hall for it.

- - - - - - Hosen-Ji Temple Homepage
3 Chome-5-17 Minamishinagawa, Shinagawa
- source : honsenji.net... -

. Suigetsu Kannon 水月観音 - Introduction .
Kannon Gazing at the Moon in the Water.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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. 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 .

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - - - #edo - - - -
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9 Aug 2018

EDO - Itabashi ward

https://edoflourishing.blogspot.com/2018/06/itabashi-ward.html

Itabashi ward

- quote
... it calls itself Itabashi City.
Itabashi lies on the Kantō plain. The Arakawa River, a major river, forms part of the boundary with Saitama Prefecture. Surrounding the ward are, in Saitama, the cities of Wakō and Toda; and in Tokyo, the wards of Nerima, Toshima, and Kita.
- History
The name of the ward means "plank bridge" and derives from the wooden span over the Shakujii River that dates from the Heian period. Such a bridge was remarkable at the time, and the name has lasted since. In the Edo period, the Nakasendō crossed the nearby Shimo Itabashi, and the name came to apply to that area as well. Itabashi was one of the four Edo Post Towns, and travellers first lodged there after leaving the shogunal capital. Kaga Domain had a mansion there.
The shogunate maintained the Itabashi execution grounds at Itabashi.
On October 1, 1932,
nine towns and villages of Kita-Toshima District were merged and became part of Tokyo City as Itabashi Ward. It became a special ward May 3, 1947. On August 1 of that year, the localities of Nerima, Kami-Nerima, Naka-Arai, Shakujii and Ōizumi were split off from Itabashi to create Nerima Ward.
- source : wikipedia

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. 中山道 The Nakasendo Highway .
1. Itabashi-shuku 板橋宿 (Itabashi)

Divided from North to South into
Kami-Shuku 上宿 Kamishuku (now 現在の本町) - Upper
Naka-Shuku 仲宿 / 中宿 - Middle
Hirao-Shuku 平尾宿 - Hirao
Shimo-Shuku 下宿 - Lower

- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA - 板橋宿 !

. Shakujii Kōen 石神井公園 Shakuji River Park .
Nerima ward

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- quote -
In 1180 Minamoto Yoritomo is recorded having temporarily stationed his army near a bridge called 板橋 Itabashi "the plank bridge" on the upper Takinogawa 滝野川 Takino River in the Toshima-gun 豊島郡 Toshima District of Musashino no Kuni 武蔵国 Musashi Province. There was no road by the name at the time, but it is believed that this bridge is where the 中仙道 Nakasendō crossed the Takino River.
Today
there is still a bridge called Itabashi where the Nakajuku Shōtengai 仲宿商店街 Nakajuku Shopping Arcade crosses the 石神井川 Shakujii River. And it's generally agreed that this is the same bridge. The arcade street is actually the Old Nakasendo highway and the name refers to the fact that it cuts through (仲) the post town (宿).
By the Edo Period,
a major shukuba 宿場 post town had grown up around the bridge and the area was well known as 板橋宿 Itabashi-shuku. The town was a major stopping point for daimyō processions after the 1630's. The town prospered under the sankin-kōtai edict until 1862 when the requirement was suspended in the crisis of the bakumatsu. Itabashi-shuku was a 3-4 hour walk from Nagareyama and it was also the starting point of the Kawagoe kaidō 川越街道 Kawagoe Highway.
... Why "Plank Bridge?"
The prevailing theory seems to be that in the late Heian Period in a backwater area far from Kyōto, the presence of an elegant and smooth plank bridge would have been something unique — as opposed to a bridge thrown together with a bunch of crappy logs of various shapes and sizes. The fact that a bridge was even mentioned in the same sentence as Minamoto Yoritomo is held up as corroborating evidence . . . or that's what people say.
Itabashi-shuku's big claim to fame
is a bit more nefarious than just being a convenient post town with a smooth bridge. As the area was well outside of central Edo and on a major road, it was also the site of a prison and execution ground during the Edo Period. In 1868 as the Imperial Army was taking possession of the city and its infrastructure, they used the prison and execution grounds to detain and eventually execute Kondō Isami. Nothing remains of the execution grounds or the prison except for a quiet plot of land purchased by Nagakura Shinpachi to build graves for Kondo and Hijikata Toshizō and all the other dead members of Shinsengumi. Definitely a must-see spot if you're a Shinsengumi fan like me.
- source : japanthis marky star -

Itabashi eki　板橋駅 - Edo Meisho Zue
source : Itabashi Historical Museum
板橋区赤塚5-35-25

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. Itabashi keijō 板橋刑場 Itabashi Keijo, execution grounds .

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赤塚エリア Akazuka area
板橋エリア Itabashi area
志村エリア Shimura area
高島平エリア Takashimadaira area

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Itabashi Jukkei 板橋十景 10 special viewpoints

To celebrate 70 years of the existence of Itabashi, 10 special places and events had been selected to promote the ward.

. 赤塚溜池公園周辺 - Akatsuka Tameike Pond Park .

. 板橋（区名由来の橋）- The original Itabashi .

. いたばし花火大会 - Fireworks at Itabashi .

. 志村一里塚 - Shimura Ichirizuka milestone .

. 石神井川の桜並木 - Cherry blossoms along river Shakujigawa .

. 松月院 - Shogetsu-In temple .

. 田遊び（徳丸・赤塚）- Ta-asobi ritual of the fields .

. 高島平団地とけやき並木 - Keyaki zelkova trees at Takashimadaira .

. 東京大仏（乗蓮寺）- Big Buddha of Tokyo, Temple Joren-Ji .

. 南蔵院のしだれ桜 - Hanging cherry tree of temple Nanzo-In .

- reference source : itabashi-kanko.jp/jukkei... -

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. 瑠璃光山 Rurikozan　清光院 Seiko-In　青蓮寺 Shoren-Ji .
板橋区成増4-36-2 / 4 Chome-36-2 Narimasu, Itabashi ward
Edo Gofunai Pilgrimage, Nr. 19

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Itabashi 板橋区

enoki 榎 nettle tree in 上板橋 Kami-Itabashi
Where the 川越街道 Kawagoe Kaido Highway crosses the river 石神井川 Shakujigawa there is the 下頭橋 Getobashi bridge.

Once upon a time, many hundred years ago, a wandering priest, who was very tired, took a rest below this bridge. He had put his staff into the ground and from there the nettle tree begun to sprout. To our day people venerate the roots of the tree and say it will heal toothache, if they come here to pray.

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ishi arare 石アラレ hailstones from stone
At the home of 新井銀次郎 Arai Ginjiro it used to rain hailstones from stone. The news spread and many came visiting. The police and the newspaper tried to fiend the reason for this.
It seems the 子守 baby sitter of the family had fallen in love and her friend used to throw stones on the roof to make her come out to meet him. That was the end of the mysterie.

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jidoosha no keiteki 自動車の警笛 hunking horn of a car
On summer nights, the hunkin of a car horn was heard along the river Shakujigawa, although there were no cars driving near the river.
People say it was the revenge of a spirit from a driver who had died in a car accident.
Many people came to have a look and even a tea stall opened and made good profit. Later they found out it was the voice of large frogs who were kept at a store for food.

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. mujina ムジナ Tanuki badger .
Late at might a man heard a voice calling his name, but when he opened the door there was nobody. This went on for many nights. One night he waited at the door and when he heard the voice, he opened the door immediately, only to see a badger run away in haste.

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obake yashiki お化け屋敷 the haunted house
When the restaurant 橋本屋 Hashimotoya was about to go bancrupt, the owner killed his wife and went off with his concubine. Since then the estate was called "haunted house", where the spirit of the killed wife roamed, waiting for revenge. A fearless man once bought the estate, but he soon died for no reason and his wife had an accident and died too very soon after.

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. Tengusugi 天狗と杉 cedar tree in Itabashi .
and 天狗坂 Tengusaka, Tengu-Saka.

.................................................................................　Saitama 埼玉県
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板橋区 Itabashi district 下板橋 Shimo-Itabashi

enkiri enoki 縁切榎 nettle tree to cut a human bond (like marriage)
Where the 川越街道 Kawagoe Kaido Highway branches off, there is a 庚申碑 memorial stone for the Koshin deity and beside it was a huge nettle tree. When there was a fire in the house next to it, the tree burned down and only its roots remained. If people use a small cut from the roots and make a tea from it, they will be able to cut the bad bonds between man and woman.

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戸田市 Toda - 武州板橋 Bushu Itabashi

. kaminari 雷 thunder .
A short walk from Bushu Itabashi was the village of 西戸田村 West-Toda. There lived a widow with her two daughters.
On the 28th day of the 5th lunar month in 1647 the two girls begun to hit the mother very hard, but finally went to take a nap. The sky became dark all of a sudden and it begun to rain heavily. Then in a thunderstorm a flash of lightning came down, grabbed the younger sister and disappeared with her.
- Another version of this tale involves a
. hebi　蛇　/ へび　/ ヘビ snake - Schlange .
The elder sister was the villain and did not give food to the ill mother. The husband of the younger sister brought her food secretly, but was found out and 姉 Elder Sister threw the food away.
The mother became so sick in due time, she went to the well and wanted to kill herself by drowning. The husband of the younger sister was surprized and grabbed a ladder to climb into the well. But again he was found out by the Elder Sister and as the two fought, Elder Sister fell into the well too. At that point, half of the mother turned into a snake and curled around Elder sister. The husband pleaded with the mother to let her go and so the mother died.
But Elder Sister died soon afterwards.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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