YAMANOKAMI - Yamanokami kitsune fox legends

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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 kitsune　狐 the fox


赤鬼狐(せきこ) 山神少女

. kitsune densetsu 狐　伝説 fox legends .

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .


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

豊田市 Toyota

kitsune 狐 a fox
Once a man regularly had the urge to defecate at a place sacred to Yamanokami. Every time as he squatted, he heard a strange sound of petapeta petapeta.
When he came next time, the faeces were gone, someone had eaten them. And sometimes he saw a beautiful young temple acolyte walking by.
Once he peeked between his legs and saw a fox, standing on his front legs, wiggeling with his tail, waiting for the feces - food.




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

相馬郡 Soma district 飯舘村 Iitate

shiro-ookami 白狼，shiro-gitsune, shirogitsune 白狐 white wolf, white fox
源頼朝 Minamoto no Yoritomo wanted to defeat a family called Sumitora 墨虎 "Black Tiger".
He brought a Mountain Deity 山神 Yamanokami and an Inari Deity 稲荷神 all the way from Kyoto and prayed for seven days and nights, with out food or sleep.
On the 15th day of the 10th lunar month, a white wolf and a white fox appeared and their footprints lead to a small sanctuary for Sanno 山王祠 high up in the forest.
He thought that was a hint from the Deities, started the battle and won it.

. Minamoto no Yoritomo 源頼朝 . - (1147 – 1199)




............................................................................　Gifu 岐阜県
武儀郡 Mugi district 板取村 Itadori

Some people say Yamanokami himself is a kitsune 狐 fox!




............................................................................　Kumamoto 熊本県

yamawaroo ヤマワロ Yamawaro Kappa
Some people say that the Yamawaro is also a 山ん神さん Yama'n Kami San, Yamanokami.
Others say he is just one rank below the real Yamanokami.
He does not play tricks on the humans, as the fox or Tanuki badger does.

. やまわろ / ヤマワロ / 山童 Yama waro "child of the mountain" .





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

磯城郡 Shiki district

kitsune no yomeiri 狐の嫁入 fox as a bride
Every year on the third day of the New Year the fox takes a bride and Yamanokami is coming down to 天神山 Mount Tenjinyama to look at the lanterns of their procession.
If there are many lanterns there will be a good harvest this year.
If there are few lanterns there will be a bad harvest this year.

. kitsune no yome-iri　狐の嫁入り "the fox taking a bride" .

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大柳生町 Oyagyucho

. Tanokami 田の神 and the fox .





............................................................................　Shiga 佐賀県

. kitsune and 稲荷様 the rice Deity Inari sama .





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

那須郡 Nasu district 大山田村 Oyamada
Once Yamanokami was angry and ordered the fox to kill a child.
Even as the mother held the baby in her arms, it disappeared mysteriously and was later found dead in the well.





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

道志村 Doshi

kitsune no koe 狐の声 voice of the fox
Yamanokami calls out ofui ofui オフイオフイ; this is the voice of a fox.



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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -




. Abe no Seimei 阿倍晴明 (921 - 1005) .
and his mother, the white fox Kuzu no ha, Kuzunoha　葛の葉

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

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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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Posted By Gabi Greve to Japan - Shrines and Temples on 1/03/2018 01:47:00 pm

YAKUSHI - Yakushi legends 02 Aichi

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. Yakushipedia - ABC-Index 薬師如来 .
. Yakushi Nyorai - Legends from the provinces .
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Yakushi Nyorai 薬師如来 and legends from Aichi 愛知県

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jooruji gozen 浄瑠璃御前 Lady Joruri - 浄瑠璃姫 Princess Joruri


歌川国貞 Utagawa Kunisada

In the village of 矢作村　Yahagi in the province of 東三河 Eastern Mikawa, the courtesan 兼高長者 Kanetaka Choja gave birth to a beautiful girl named Joruri Gozen after praying to Yakushi Nyorai at the temple 鳳来寺 Horai-Ji. Yakushi came down in the form of a white deer. (Other versions tell of an old man with white hair who came to deliver the child of a white deer.)
Joruri Gozen was very beautiful, but she had only two toes on her feet, so she had to hide them with a cloth all the time.
The young samurai Yoshitsune, still under his boyhood name of Ushiwakamaru was traveling with a gold merchant from Kyoto, Kaneuri Kichiji 金売吉次, to Hiraizumi in the Tohoku region (former みちのく　Michinoku ). They spent the night at Choja's house and Joruri Gozen fell in love with Ushiwakamaru at first sight.
Both exchanged poems, as it was customary, and then spent the night together.
But come next morning Ushiwakamaru had to continue his journey.

. Jorurihime　浄瑠璃姫 Pricness Joruri - Introduction .


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知多郡 Chita district 南知多町 Minami-Chita

薬師様と狛犬 The Origin of Yakushi Nyorai and Komainu "Korean Dog" statues
The go-shintai 御神体 object of worship at the shrine 八王寺社 Hachiojisha is a shishigashira 獅子頭 lion head. It is made of strong paper and has a diameter of about 2 meters.
If someone sees the priest wear it and walking around even dogs begin to bark in astonishment and try to stop the ritual.
But to be true, there was no dog in the village at all. Then one day someone new moved to the village and brought his dog. Many people died shortly after that and the man with his dog was made responsible and was banned from the village.
This is said to be the origin of Yakushi and the Komainu.



唐獅子童子 Child carrying a karajishi lion dog head
about 30 cm high, made by 禰宜田佐太郎 Negita san
碧南大浜土人形 Hekinan Ohama Clay Doll

. komainu 狛犬 Korean Dog - Introduction .

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- - - - - - Temple 妙音寺 Myo-On Ji
愛知県知多郡南知多町内海馬場51

The main statue is senju Kannon 千手観音 Kannon with 1000 arms.
In 1573, Yakushi Nyorai appeared in a dream of the priest 宗音公和尚 and asked him to built a temple. The Kannon statue is said to be made by 行基 Gyoki, who was walking all around Japan at this time.
On the sacred day of Yakushi, especially the two big festivals in the 10th lunar month, there is a large market and shows.

One show featured a kuma musume 熊娘 "young woman like a bear".
She looked like a normal woman but on her back there was black hair growing in abundance, like a bear skin.


source and more photos : minami-chita33.jp/jiin

. Gyooki Bosatsu 行基菩薩 Gyoki Bosatsu .
(668 - 749)

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- - - Iooji いおうじ / 医王寺 Temple Io-Ji
Chita-gun, Minamichita-chō, Ōi, Mamuki−38 / 南知多町大井真向38



Gyoki made three statues of Yakushi when he was at the temple, and this is one of them.
Once a thief came to the temple to steal the statue and other temple treasures. But one of the priests stood up in front of the thieves and threw them out, so that not one could enter the temple hall. It is said that Yakushi himself took the form of a priest to protect the statue. The wound of a sword cut on his arm is still to be seen to our day.

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- - - Toohooji 東方寺 Temple Toho-Ji
The temple Toho-Ji at 小佐 Kosa was abolished and to be merged with the temple 光明寺 Komyo-Ji at 須佐 Susa.
A few years later, the farmer 作右ェ門 Sakuemon from Kosa went fishing and had a huge catch. But there were stones in his net called 「すくいだま」 sukuidama, so he threw the net away. Next time he threw his net in, again, only stones. The third time when he found the stones, he realized it was the statue of Yakushi Nyorai and took them home.
The villagers were overjoyed and prayed to Yakushi with all their heart.
. sukui-ami 掬い網 Sukuiami, scoop net .


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刈谷市 Kariya

Temple 医王寺 Io-Ji
刈谷市高津波町２－９４ / Takatsunamichō, Kariya-shi, Aichi

The priest of this temple was a rather handsome man. The woman from the village who came to care for him was rather plain looking. To attract the attention of the priest, she stole some oil from the lamp of Yakushi Nyorai and combed it into her hair. But the priest saw her do this, scolded her severely and expulsed her from the temple.
She was out of her wits from pain and died soon after. At her grave there danced a bluish-white light, like burning oil, making strange sounds and moving up and down. The flame seemed to say: "I am really, really frustrated!"


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北設楽郡 Kita-Shitara district 本郷町 Hongo

kamikakushi, kami kakushi 神かくし spirited away
A boy born with 生来痴鈍 an intelligence defect left home for a walk when he was about 15 or 16 years and did not come back in the evening.
Next morning when he came home, he said he had been in the mountains and played with Yakushi Nyorai and some Tengu.



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名古屋市 Nagoya 熱田区 Atsuta

. 高蔵不動院 Takakura Fudo-In .


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常滑市 Tokoname 大野町 Ono

海音寺 Temple Kaion-Ji
This temple dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai near the beach offers hot baths in the tide to heal all kinds of diseases.
This is due to the benevolence of Yakushi Nyorai,


source : owarioono.blog62.fc2.com...

A print from 1844. Naked men and women on the beach try to get some healing from the water . . . and maybe fun more later?

尾張大野潮湯治の図 Owari Ono Shio Toji
尾張名所図会 Owari Meisho Zue

The beach of Ono is one of the oldest swimming beaches in the world.
世界最古の大野海水浴場


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豊田市 Toyota

kenbonashi no ki けんぼなしの木 Kenponashi, Hovenia dulcis
Once the temple 薬師寺 Yakushi-Ji burned down. The hanshoo 半鐘 fire bell survived the flames and was burried in the ground. On this spot a Kenponashi tree was planted.
This tree grew very large and soon became a nuisance to the nearby farmers. So one cut some of its branches. but he became very ill after that.



. kenbonashi 枳梖 (けんぽなし) Hovenia dulcis .
..... genbonashi 玄圃梨（げんぽなし） /// ..... tenboonashi (てんぽうなし)
Hovenia dulcis. Japanischer Rosinenbaum
Its fruit is used in Chinese medicine.
- kigo for autumn -


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- reference : Nichibun Yokai Database -

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. Yakushipedia - ABC-Index 薬師如来 .

. Yakushi Nyorai - Legends from the provinces .

. Yakushi Nyorai Pilgrimages 薬師霊場巡り - Introduction .


. O-Mamori お守り　Amulets and Talismans .

. Japan - Shrines and Temples - ABC List .


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Posted By Gabi Greve to Gokuraku - Jigoku on 1/26/2018 10:25:00 am

SHRINES - Yama no Kami 08 Regional

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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 Fukushima 福島県



. yama-inu, yamainu　山犬、豺 "mountain dog" wolf legends Fukushima .

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Akagi Myojin 赤城明神 Kami from Mount Akagisan
赤城大明神　Akagi Daimyojin　
4 legends of its own



. 赤城と日光の戦い The fight of Akagi and Nikko .
the huge centipede from Akagi and the snake of Nikko.

. Akagi 赤城山の鬼と榛名山の鬼 Mount Akagi and mount Haruna Demon legends .
(tba)

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Bandai Myojin 磐梯明神 Kami from Mount Bandaisan


- source : Fukushima Furusato -
磐梯明神 Bandai Myojin shrine at the top of the mountain

. Tenaga Ashinaga 手長足長 "long arms, long legs" - monsters .
Once upon a time, there lived Tenaga and Ashinaga on Mount Bandaisan 磐梯山.

- quote -
Mount Bandai (磐梯山 Bandai-san) is a stratovolcano located in Inawashiro-town, Bandai-town, and Kitashiobara village, in Yama-Gun, Fukushima prefecture. It is an active stratovolcano located to the north of Lake Inawashiro. Mount Bandai, including the Bandai heights, belongs to the Bandai-Asahi National Park.
... Sacred Mountains
The Enichi Temple, located on the south-western foot of the Bandai Mountain, is surrounded by mountains where people come to worship; Mt. Bandai (north east to the temple), Mt. Mayadake (north to the temple), and Mt. Azuma (north to Mt. Bandai).
The temple has served a central role in mountain worship because of its location. The Enichi Temple was founded in 807 A.D., one year after Mt. Bandai erupted. Some people[who?] think that there is a connection between the eruption and the foundation of the Enichi Temple. Several routes for visiting Azumayama Shrine have been established, all originating from the main temple of the Enichi shrine.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

. Enichiji 慧日寺 / 恵日寺 Enichi-Ji .
磐梯町大字磐梯字本寺上4950
and priest Priest Tokuitsu 得一 徳溢

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. Kawakami Onsen 川上温泉 legend .
磐梯町 Bandai Town / 磐梯村 Baidaimura

. Bandai Atami no hariko 磐梯熱海の張り子 papermachee dolls .


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Oyamazumi Jinja 大山祇神社
Okuboko-1445-2 Nozawa, 西会津町 Nishiaizu-machi, Yama-gun, Fukushima

大山神社 Oyama Jinja
Once a farmer was late on his way back from Oyama Jinja and it begun to become dark. He almost lost his way. As he said prayers for divine help, it became all light in front of his eyes and an old man with a white beard showed him the way.
When he followed the path as the old man had told him, he found his way back home!



- Homepage of the Shrine Oyamazumi Jinja
- reference source : ooyamazumi.net ... -

Behind the shrine is a sacred cave. If a couple goes in there, Yamanokami becomes jealous and very angry.


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The 17th day of every month is a day to honor Yamanokami and people are now allowed to go into the mountain forests.
Yamanokami counts the trees and gets angry if disturbed.

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A tree with two or three very large branches is sacred to Yamanokami and may not be cut down.
If someone tries to cut it, he will find divine punishment.
If they need to be cut down, wood cutters have to make an offering of shinshu 神酒 ritual sake rice wine and ask Yamanokami permission to cut this tree.

- More legends about the
. shinboku 神木, shinju　神樹　sacred tree, divine tree .

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If a woman has difficulties giving birth, someone has to lead a horse to the mountain to invite Yamanokami for help. If the horse stops on the way up to the mountain, this means the female Yamanokami has climbed on the horse and is now ready to go down to help.
On the way back if the first person they meet is a man, the baby will be a boy.

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Once a hunter met a woman deep in the mountain forest.
The hunter sensed that this was Yamanokami, who wanted him to stop killing.
So he stopped killing the forest animals and all other animals.

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At the sanctuary for Yamanokami at 四倉浜志津 pregnant women can borrow a special
morokoshi-booki もろこしぼうき maize broom to help with an easy birth (to wipe the child out of her body).
After giving birth, she has to bring it back with special offerings.



. Brooms originated in Shinto Rituals .
Many legends and tales about the broom are related to giving birth.


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会津郡 Aizu district

Yamanokami is called
yoru no hime sama ヨルヒメサマ "princess of the night"


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福島市 Fukushima city

Yamanokami 山の神
An old man living in 屶振 Nataburi forgot to bring an offering to Yamanokami on the 17th day of the 10th lunar month. Next time when he wanted to go to the top of the mountain there came a wolf jumping at him and preventing him from going on. So he went down to a boulder in the valley and made his offering there, begging Yamanokami for forgiveness. This stone is there to our day.

Offering aburage アブラゲ fried tofu to Yamanokami makes him happy and the food is gone by next morning.

If someone experiences a calamity in the mountains, it is said to be the punishment of Yamanokami.

If there is a boulder having fallen down and making a road impassable, a prayer to Yamanokami will help to move the stone.

On the first day of the New Year and the 17th day of the second and tenth lunar month people are not allowed to go into the mountain forest. These are the days when the female Yamanokami comes down to the village. The 17th day of the second lunar month is the date for 山の神の祭日 the Yamanokami festival.

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. Yamanokami and Tengu 天狗 the Mountain Goblin legends .


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福島市 Fukushima city 飯坂町 Iizaka

While walking and working in the mountain forest, it is not allowed to sing or recite サンサしぐれ / さんさ時雨 the Sansa Shigure, a folk song from Miyagi, dating back to 1589 and the warlord 伊達政宗 Date Masamune.
One must also try not to cough.

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Yamanokami no tomari ki 山の神の止まり木
A tree with three trunks at the top of the mountain is sacred to Yamanokami and is never cut down. Yamanokami likes to sit and rest on this tree.
Once a man from 南郷村 Nango village tried to cut such a tree, but died as the tree fell heavily on him.


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石川郡 Ishikawa district 平田村 Hirata

Once a man wanted to make charcoal, but his ax fell down every time he tried to cut a tree. This was the doing of Yamanokami.
Another man begun to sing while making charcoal, but was told by Yamanokami to stop because he had made an error.
Yamanokami if fond of folk songs, so people should not sing while working in the forest.


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いわき市 Iwaki town

On the first day of the 10th lunar month, all the Kami take off to 出雲 Izumo to have a rest and celebrate. This is called
kantachibi カンタチビ in the local dialect.
In the Iwaki region however, Kamadogami 竈神 the Kami of the kitchen hearth and Ebisu 恵比寿神 stay back where they always are.

. kannazuki, kaminazuki 神無月 かんなづき "gods-absent month" .

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石城郡 Iwaki district / いわき市 / 田人村 / 田人町 Tabito village

If Yamanokami rides a horse, the poor animal will sweat very very much.

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nihon tsuno no aru hebi 二本角のある蛇 serpent with two horns
Just a few years ago, from under a rock in the shrine for Yamanokami there came a serpent with two horns.
This must be the messenger of Yamanokami! It was placed in alcohol and can be seen to our day.


ツノクサリヘビ / 角鎖蛇 Tsuno kusari hebi



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郡山市 Koriyama 湖南町 Konanmachi

Takaiharayama no kamisama 高井原山の神様
Once there was a war. The Kami from Takaiharayama came flying to help. But he bumped into the rock エボシ石 Eboshi Ishi and cut his habaki はばき leg protection and thus could not go.
So the villagers built the shrine 高井神社 Takai Jinja and made offerings to these leg protections.

Mount Takaiharayama / Takaibarayama, 981 (969) m high.



高井神社 Takai Jinja
Kōriyama-shi, Konanmachi Miyo, Teranomae / 福島県郡山市湖南町三代寺ノ前



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南会津郡 Minami-Aizu district

. juuniyamagami 十二山神 Juni Yamagami .
Juni Yamagami is seen as husband and wife.

In Hinoemata village, hunters have to make ablutions with cold water and say prayers to the 十二様 Juni-Sama deities every morning before leaving their mountain huts.

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南会津郡 Minami-Aizu district 檜枝岐村 Hinoemata

Yamanokami koo 山の神講 prayer group for Yamanokami
All the menfolk from 18 to about 30 years take part in this group. Twice a year in Spring and Autumn, they gather at the home of the village head, bring food offerings, hang a scroll of Yamanokami and burn lights until the next morning. They eat rice cakes and drink a lot of sake 酒 rice wine.

If there has been a misfortune in the village, they have to start all the rituals again
matsuri naoshi まつりなおし .
The hunterns and tree cutters have to go down to the village to take part in the new rituals. Sometimes they bring a head or breast bones of a bear as offerings. In that case the heart of the bear is shared as a special food treat with Yamanokami at his festival, matsuri no sakana 祭りの肴.
Sometimes the liver is also eaten as an offering.
The kidneys and breast meat is put on sticks, grilled and eaten. This is called
Yamanokami no shishi 山の神のしし.

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kijiya 木地屋 wood workers making tools and toya are called やまうど（山人）yamaudo, yama-udo "mountain people". They celebrate in their prayer group on the first day of the New Year and the tenth month, each time in a different home of the members. They also have a feast. In former times women were not allowed to join the groups, but recently they may come and help with the cooking and kitchen work.
Before going to work, day pray to Yamanokami, まつりたて Matsuritate.
They also make mochi 餅 rice cakes and grill them on sticks, putting miso paste on them to eat.

At the kariba 狩場 hunting place, hunters have to venerate Yamanokami on three days:
first day はつこば　hatsu koba
third day みっかのさび mikka no sabi
seventh day 七日さび nanoka sabi

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ooshida no ki おおしだの木 huge Shida fern tree
Branches of this tree are cut and used as ritual wands for the festival of Yamanokami at the hunter's place.

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oo-oni 大鬼 huge Oni Demon
At a flat place named 五十人小屋場 "a hut for 50 people" in the mountain forest, hunters erected a hut. At night a strange monster with three nails begun to scratch at the hut. The leader of the hunters made ablutions in water and prayed to Yamanokami. Thus the monster left.
The next morning at the well there was a huge monster with a very large head, as huge as a large cooking pot.
The leader felt he had not enough power to cope with this, renounced to be leader and left for the valley. The others also voted to go down with him.
On the way down they met a mother with her child, trying to climb up. They asked her to stay away from the mountian, but she refused and went up, never to be seen again.

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サルマ Saruma and アラバ Araba
Once the ancestors of two hunter families, サルマ Saruma and アラバ Araba were in the mountains hunting bears when they witnessed the female Yamanokami giving birth.
The Araba hunters left the place soon and did not help.
The Saruma hunters made a ritual wand with the Sakaki tree branch to purify the place.
The Araba later ate the meat of the bear, but all died.

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. okoze 虎魚 / オコゼ stonefish offerings for Yamanokami .


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南会津郡 Minami-Aizu district 南郷村 Nango village

Yamanokami is seen as female.
.
Once a mother went to a diviner, because her young son was very ill.
The shaman told her she should pray to the Yamanokami of mount 大宮鉱山 Omiya Kozan, which had been a mine, closed about 40 years ago.
The mother did as told and her son got well, could graduate from school and find a job.


- reference source : ja7fyg.sakura.ne.jp/kouzan... -


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相馬市 Soma town

. Hayama Jinja 葉山神社 Hayama Shrine .
shintaku 神託 oracles, divination / 黒沼神社 Kuronuma Jinja, Matsukawa, Kanezawa

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oonyuudoo 大入道 Onyudo monster
Oncxe an Onyudo monster sat high in an old Japanese oak acorn tree (nara 楢),
A farmer shot at it with a gun. At the first shot he had no hit. After a few more shots he also did not have the feeling of a hit.
He asked a hooin 法印 Buddhist priest for advise. He told him the Onyudo was maybe attracted by Yamanokami.

. Oonyuudoo 大入道 O-Nyudo Monster - Introduction .


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耶麻郡 Yama district 高郷村 Takasato mura

miko ミコ shrine maiden
Once in a family in 西羽賀 Nishi-Haga their child fell from the river bank and died.
They asked a shrine maiden for an oracle to find the reason why this happened.
Part of their farm land was a place where Yamanokami used to be venerated. Since they had not gone there to pray, this was his punishment.
Since then every year on the 19th day of the 9th lunar month, they go praying at this place.

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A hoo no ki 朴の木 Magnolia hypoleuca tree with three trunks is sacred to Yamanokami and is not to be cut down.
Other large Magnolia trees of this kind are also sacred to him, If they need to be cut down, wood cutters have to make an offering of shinshu 神酒 ritual rice wine and ask Yamanokami permission to cut this tree.



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

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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.

from Gifu 岐阜県 to 山梨県 Yamanashi - will be updated.

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. 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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Posted By Gabi Greve to Japan - Shrines and Temples on 8/20/2017 11:00:00 am

MINGEI - oboko child dolls

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .
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oboko, o-boko おぼこ child doll

oboko is a name for a child, used in many prefectures of Tohoku.

. kibokko 木ぼっこ / 木ぼこ kiboko wooden oboko child dolls .
from Tohoku

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- ABC - List of Oboko dolls from the Prefectures

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

Clay Dolls from Fushimi - 伏見土人形


about 19 cm high




. Clay Dolls from Fushimi - 伏見土人形 .




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

. oboko おぼこ head-doll from Sendai .




................................................................................ Yamagata 山形県　　 　

Oboko おぼこ O-Boko, O-Hogo
. Daihooji tsuchiningyoo 大宝寺土人形 clay dolls from temple Daiho-Ji .


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. gangu 玩具　伝説, omochcha おもちゃ 　toy, toys and legends .
- Introduction -

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. Join the MINGEI group on facebook ! .  



. Regional Folk Toys from Japan .

. Japan - Shrines and Temples .


. Tohoku after the BIG earthquake March 11, 2011

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Posted By Gabi Greve to Omamori - Japanese Amulets on 1/20/2018 01:20:00 pm

MINGEI - Okoso zukin winter hood

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okoso zukin, okoso-zukin 御高祖頭巾 / お高祖頭巾 hood for winter

These are dolls of women with okosozukin, a special large hood, usually worn in winter to keep warm.
Sometimes also worn by women who needed to hide their mouth or face, serving as a veil. The cloth is square and can be tied under the chin with a string.
The hood can be wrapped clockwise or counter-clockwise.

. zukin 頭巾 (ずきん) hood - introduction .
..... maruzukin 丸頭巾（まるずきん） round hood
..... hoorokuzuki 焙烙頭巾（ほうろくずきん） flat round hood



The "okoso-zukin" (combination hood and veil) was a winter costume for women. Covering the entire head and part of the face, it is a square cloth with a string that is tied under the chin. Women sometimes used the "okoso-zukin" to cover their mouth. Women wrapped it in both a clockwise and counter clockwise direction.
source : oldphoto.lb.nagasaki-u.ac


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- ABC - List of winter hoods from the Prefectures
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................................................................................ Aichi 愛知県

Inuyama tsuchi ningyo 犬山土人形 clay dolls from Inuyama




Okoshi tsuchi ningyoo 起土人形 clay dolls from Okoshi






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

Tsuneishi hariko 常石張子人形 papermachee doll from Tsuneishi





................................................................................ Kagoshima 鹿児島県

Choosa tsuchi ningyoo 帖佐土人形 clay dolls from Chosa






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

Fushimi tsuchi ningyoo 伏見土人形 clay dolls from Fushimi














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

Hase tsuchi ningyoo 初瀬土人形 clay dolls from Hase 






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

Obata tsuchi ningyoo 小幡土人形 clay dolls from Obata






................................................................................ Yamagata 山形県

Sagara tsuchi ningyoo 相良土人形 clay dolls from Sagara







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. Regional Folk Toys from Japan .

. Japan - Shrines and Temples .


. Tohoku after the BIG earthquake March 11, 2011

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Posted By Gabi Greve to Omamori - Japanese Amulets on 1/10/2018 10:02:00 am

SHRINE - Hayama Shrine Fukushima

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. Shinto Shrines (jinja　神社) - Introduction .
. kami　神　Shinto deities .
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Hayama Jinja 葉山神社 Hayama Shrine, Soma, Fukushima


source : blogs.yahoo.co.jp/tendomaru...

福島県相馬市馬場野 / Babano, Soma, Fukushima


- - - - - Deitiy in residence - - - - -

. Ooyamatsuminomikoto 大山祇神, 大山積神, 大山津見神 Oyama Tsumi no Mikoto .
Oyamatsumi no Mikoto, Ōyamatsumi - protector of trees and the mountain forest

. Yama no Kami 山の神 God of the Mountain in Fukushima .

The 葉山祠 Hayama shrine is also related to the Soma clan.
Soma Yoshitane 相馬義胤 (1548 - 16365)
He came to live in 馬場野 Babano.

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- quote -
Hayama-gomori - Retreat at Hayama.
A festival held between the fifteenth and the eighteenth day of the eleventh month of the lunar calendar at Kuronuma Shrine, Fukushima City.
According to a local legend, a long time ago, when the nearby hamlet of Kanesawa was being attacked by a giant crab the size of a tatami mat, seven families found shelter at Kuronuma Shrine.
There they received an oracle ( 託宣 takusen / 神託 shintaku) which enabled them to get rid of the crab.
It is said that a giant serpent (orochi) in the Abukuma River was also defeated thanks to a takusen from this shrine. The festival is held to commemorate these two events. Rites of obeisance and making mochi rice cakes are held on the fifteenth.
On the sixteenth, worshippers staying overnight at the small shrines, get naked in order to perform the yoisa rite, a pantomime of rice cultivation.
At dawn on the eighteenth, after having been purified with water, the worshippers climb Mount Hayama to recite ritual incantations (norito). There, an officiant known as the のりわら / ノリワラ noriwara acts as a medium for oracles predicting the weather, harvest and calamities for the coming year.
- source : kokugakuin Mogi Sakae -


黒沼神社 Kuronuma Jinja
福島市松川町金沢 Fukushima, Matsukawa, Kanezawa



- more photos:
- reference source : ameblo.jp/idjericho... -

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相馬郡 Soma district 飯館村 Iitate

Hayama no Kami 葉山の神 Kami of Hayama (羽山の神託)
The Noriwara wears white robes and a white headband and swings a heisoku 幣束 ritual wand.
The villagers built a ritual fire in a place separated with sacred ropes on four green bamboo poles. The Noriwara swings his ritual wand through the flames for purification (hi o shimesu火をしめす). Often the Noriwara himself jumps over the flames.

He answers to all kinds of questions:
Will I have to become a soldier and go to the army?
Will I get ill next year?
When asked, the Noriwara swings his ritual wand heavily up and down and waits till the Kami of Hayama has slipped into his body.
Then he swings the wand up and knees on the floor in reverence (神あがる kami agaru).
Now all present chant a purification prayer:
sange sange rokkon shojo さんげさんげろっこんしょうじょう.

When the Noriwara gets some salt water to drink, he comes back to his sense.
He takes a short rest and then answers to the questions of the next villager.
This ritual lasts the whole night.
At the end the Noriwara swings his wand again through the flames (hi o shimesu 火をしめす).

Then all take the offerings, go to the shrine and have a feast of the food offerings.
The ritual wand can now be placed at the entrance of a horse shed to keep the animals healthy.

The selection of a villager for Noriwara is done with great care.
Once the man had been effective, he will be chosen again and again.
A very clever and learned person is not suited for this sacred post.

If a person does not show respect for the rituals, the Noriwara might call out loud that this person will fall down near the fire.

Once a Noriwara became ill on the day of the rituals and could not attend. One of the villagers assembled at the shrine begun to pray and then became possessed by the Kami.
He jumped up and down, up and down.

Once a man called the oracle of the のりわら Noriwara a lie and laughed loud.
On the afternoon of this day it begun to rain and there was great flooding.


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福島市 Fukushima city 松川町 Matsukawa
Matuskawa is a small town outside of Fukushima City,

hayama no shintaku 羽山の神託 divination at Hayama
Kami from other mountains sometimes come for a visit and the Noriwara has to welcome them and see them off, one after the other.
Sometimes if Hayama no Kami can not show, they can take his turn during the oracle.
Sometimes it is 稲荷 Inari san, sometimes 水神 Suiji, the Kami of Water.

On Mount Hayama in 金沢 Kanezawa hamlet, people stay and pray for divination:
How will the weather be? How will the harvest turn out?
According to the divination, they make their plans for the coming year.

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One more 葉山神社 Hayama Jinja in Koriyama

福島県郡山市大槻町葉山39 / Fukushima, Koriyama, Otsukimachi, Hayama


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- reference : Nichibun Yokai Database -


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

. kami　神　Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .


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Posted By Gabi Greve to Japan - Shrines and Temples on 1/08/2018 10:45:00 am

EDO - Keishoin and Otowa district

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
. Persons and People of Edo - Personen .
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Keishoo-In, Keishōin 桂昌院 Keisho-In
(1628 - 1705)
Mother of Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi.



- quote
Childhood Name: 玉 (Tama)
She was born in 1628,
the second daughter of a Nishijin grocer. In her childhood, she was called Tama. She was later adopted by Honjô Munetoshi, steward for Kanpaku Nijô Mitsuhira. Traveling to Edo as the result of some interaction or connection with O-Ume, daughter of Rokujô Yûjun (a member of the Ôoku), Tama entered the Ôoku herself as a concubine of Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu, and eventually gave birth to Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, who would grow up to be Shogun himself.
After Tsunayoshi became Shogun in 1680, she took up residence in the san-no-maru (third bailey) of Edo castle, and came to be known as San-no-maru-dono as a result.
A private temple was established for her in Edo in 1682; this would later become the Edo  Gokoku-ji. Keishôin was also involved in the construction of Zenkô-ji, a fifteen-year project.
In 1702,
she rose to the Junior First Rank, and many members of her family, beginning with her (adoptive) younger brother Honjô Munesuke, enjoyed the benefits of serving as direct shogunal vassals. It was around this time that her Buddhist devotion grew stronger, and she eventually took on the Buddhist name Keishôin.
She died in 1705, at the age of 79.


Plaque in honor of Keishoin at Imamiya Shrine, Kyoto.
- source : samurai wiki

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. Yanagimori Jinja 柳森神社 Yanagimori Shrine .
was built in the late 17th century by a woman named Keisho-in 桂昌院, the daughter of a lowly greengrocer. As a teenager she was 'scouted' by representatives of Edo castle to join the O-oku -- the harem of women who serviced the Shogun. While this might sound like a sad fate by modern standards, in feudal times a spot in the Ooku was akin to winning the lottery for a woman. No matter how humble your origins, you were treated like royalty in the Ooku, particularly if you caught the Shogun's fancy.
And Keisho-in not only caught his fancy but bore him a son -- a son that eventually became the Fifth Tokugawa Shogun, making her a powerful political figure in her own right. Not bad for a woman who had been sweeping the floor in a vegetable stand just a few decades earlier.
- quote by Hiroko Yoda

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

Otowachoo　音羽町 Otowa district in Edo

There is a famous temple in the district :

. Otowa Gokokuji 音羽護国寺 Otowa Gokoku-Ji
文京区大塚5-40-1 / Bunkyo ward, Otsuka 5-40-1

This temple was founded in 1681 by 亮賢僧正 high priest Ryoken (1611 - 1687)
on behalf of Shogun Tsunayoshi for his mother, 桂昌院 Lady Keisho-In.
The main statue is 如意輪観世音菩薩 Nyoirin Kannon Bosatsu.

After his mother's death, Shogun Tsunayoshi visited this temple very often. There was even a special road for him, through the fields of this otherwise farming area. There was no monzenmachi　門前町 town before the temple.
In 1697 the Bakufu government begun to build houses along the road and asked an old retainer of Keisho-In named
音羽 Otowa to become the head of the new village. This gave the name to the new developing area.
Around 1705 there were not only busy tea stalls and shops in the village, but also a famous brothel quarter (okabasho 岡場所).

In 1833, 久保田増平 Kuboto Masudaira brought the art of paper making to the area and in the back roads of Otowa village many paper makers settled.
Masudaira was from Nagano, Ina district 信濃国(長野県)伊那郡.

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Otowa Ezu 音羽絵図 old map of Otowa
雑司が谷　Zoshigaya


source : national diet library





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Otowa Gokokuji 音羽護国寺
Hokusai painted a large portrait of Daruma san at this temple.





大達磨像 - 江戸・音羽護国寺
Portrait of Daruma at Gokokuji temple in the Otowa District, Edo .

. Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 (1760 - 1849) .

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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 - Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .


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- - - - - #keishoin #otowa - - - -
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Posted By Gabi Greve to Edo - the EDOPEDIA - on 1/12/2018 09:57:00 am