01/03/2016

Kakinomoto Shrines

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. Kakinomoto Hitomaro 柿本人麻呂 Hitomaru 人丸) .
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柿本神社 Kakinomoto Jinja Shrines in Japan
Kakimoto Yashiro Hitomaru Jinja 人丸神社 Hitomaru Yashiro 人丸社 / Hitomaro Jinja 人麿神社

. Kakinomoto Hitomaro 柿本人麻呂 Hitomaru 人丸 / 人麿 .
(c. 662 – 710) - Introduction

Venerated as Kakinomoto Ookami 柿本大神 Kakinomoto Okami "Great Deity"
Kakinomoto Daimyoojin 柿本大明神 Kakinomoto Daimyojin
人丸神
柿本人丸神


He was a truly "divine" Waka poet and is revered in many shrines in Japan, for various reasons.


. . . CLICK here for more Photos !


My Introduction includes the following shrines:

Kakinomoto Jinja 柿本神社 Shinto Shrine in Akashi, Hyogo
Hitomaru Jinja 人丸神社 / Kakimoto Yashiro 柿本社

1-26 Hitomarucho, Akashi, Hyogo / 明石市人丸町1-26
- He is revered as a deity to cure eye disease and other illnesses, with a legend about the 盲杖桜 "Blind Stick Cherry".
. moojoozakura 盲杖櫻 / 盲杖桜 "Blind Stick Cherry" .

Toda Kakinomoto Shrine 戸田柿本神社 - Masuda, Tottori
Hitomaro's birth place. The priest of Toda Kakinomoto Shrine is from the 綾部家 Ayabe family, and he is the 49th of Hitomaro's mother's line.

Takatsu Kakinomoto Shrine  高津柿本神社 Masuda, Tottori
Hitomaro's death place.

Fujisaki Hachimangu 藤崎八幡宮 Kumamoto, Kyushu


Other shrines mentioned below are introduced in the links given, but not in the -Introduction- links.
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waka no kami 和歌の神 Deity of Waka poetry

Hitomaro his one of the waka sanjin (waka sanshin) 和歌三神 three great Waka deities,
The Three Gods of Waka Poetry.

住吉明神 Sumiyoshi Myojin
玉津島明神 Tamatsushima Myojin
柿本人麻呂 Kakinomoto Hitomaro


. Matsuo Basho, Oku no Hosomichi .
Sakai no Myojin Shrine 境の明神 (福島) Fukushima
Two shrines at the border to the Northern Territories. One on each side of the frontier line.
On the inner side a shrine for the female deity (Tamatsushima Myojin 玉津島) to protect the interior.
On the outer side a shrine for a male deity (Sumiyoshi Myojin 住吉) to protect from enemies of the outside. 
Travellers in the Edo period used to pray here for a safe trip and gave thanks after a trip was finished.


- - - - - Other sources quote two other poets :
衣通姫 Sotoorihime and 山部赤人 Yamabe no Akahito.




Hitomaro: Poet as God
By Anne Commons
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro (fl. ca. 690) is generally regarded as one of the pre-eminent poets of premodern Japan. While most existing scholarship on Hitomaro is concerned with his poetry, this study foregrounds the process of his reception and canonization as a deity of Japanese poetry. Building on new interest in issues of canon formation in premodern Japanese literature, this book traces the reception history of Hitomaro from its earliest beginnings to the early modern period, documenting and analysing the phases of the process through which Hitomaro was transformed from an admired poet to a poetic deity. The result is a new perspective on a familiar literary figure through his placement within the broader context of Japanese poetic culture.
- source : books.google.co.jp -


Hitomaro,
series of the Three Gods of Japanese Poetry (Waka sanjin)

Totoya Hokkei (1780–1850)


source : mfa.org/collections


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Hitomaru in the folk belief of Japan
人丸信仰とは?(柿本人麻呂にまつわる信仰)

Many shrines dedicated to him are located in the 中国地方 Chugoku Region of Western Japan.
His divinity is sometimes related to puns with his name, Hitomaru.
Hyogo and Yamaguchi have many shrines dedicated to Hitomaru.


CLICK for more photos !

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anzan no kami 安産の神 Anzan - Deity to grant easy birth
- hitomaru 人丸 - 人生まる - hito umaru - giving birth - pun
Hitomaru himself died an unnatural death.

- In the Iwami region 石見国守 and 高津柿本神社
When Hitomaru was about 50 years old, there are records indicating that he was appointed to a provincial office in Iwami Province — today the western part of Shimane Prefecture.

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人丸神社:栃木県さくら市松山新田300 / Matsuyama Shinden, Sakura, Tochigi Prefecture
人丸大明神 is revered with a statue and scroll of his poems.
He is also celebrated as protector of fire and water disasters 防火 / 水神.
During great famines 天明 / 天保の大飢饉 people prayed to him for salvation.

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川越氷川神社(柿本人麻呂神社):埼玉県川越市宮下町2-11-3 / Saitama, Kawagoe
He is also celebrated as protector of fires 防火の神.
see below - hi no kami 火の神 Deity of fire

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人丸神社:山口県萩市大字椿東中の倉1699 / Yamaguchi, Hagi
Amulets from the Takatsu Shrine 高津柿本神社 are offered here.
He is also celebrated as 学問の神、漁業の神(龍神)、商業の神(龍神)、火難除けの神

柿本人麿社:山口県周南市福川2丁目 2 Chome Fukugawa, Shūnan-shi
He is also celebrated as 疫病除・火難除・眼病平癒・学問・水難海上安全の神.

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. Anzan Kosodate 安産子育て - all about amulets for Children .
- Introduction -

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ekibyoo yoke no kami 疫病除け神 - Ekibyo Deity to ward off infectious diseases
ekibyoo, yakubyoo 疫病 pestilence, epidemy
- at many shrines in Yamaguchi 山口県 and at 高津柿本神社



人丸神社:山口県山口市宮野七房
A stone figure is venerated in a small sanctuary 小祠.

柿本神社:山口県山口市阿東徳佐台 / Dai Atōtokusashimo, Yamaguchi-shi,

柿本神社:山口県山口市阿東地福上 / Atojifukukami, Yamaguchi

柿本人麿社:山口県周南市福川2丁目 / 2 Chome Fukugawa, Shūnan-shi
In 18365, a a great famine was in the region, followed by dysentery and epidemic diseases. It only stopped when amulets from the Takatsu Shrine 高津柿本神社 were offered here.
At this shrine, Kakinomoto is also venerated for
疫病除・火難除・安産・眼病平癒・学問・水難海上安全.

人丸神社:山口県山口市鋳銭司小森 / Komori Suzenji, Yamaguchi
About 200 years ago, an epidemiy was in the region and only stopped when amulets from the Takatsu Shrine 高津柿本神社 were offered here.

人丸神社:山口県山口市徳地堀字下庄方 / Shimoshōgata Tokujihori, Yamaguchi
In 1900, a dysentery epidemy was in the region and only stopped when amulets from the Takatsu Shrine 高津柿本神社 were offered here.

人丸神社:山口県防府市東佐波令 / Higashisabaryo, Hofu
In 1799, an epidemy was in the region and only stopped when amulets from the Takatsu Shrine 高津柿本神社 were offered here.

人丸神社:岩国市竹安箕ノ越
In 1800, an epidemy was in the region of 河内郷 and only stopped when amulets from the Takatsu Shrine 高津柿本神社 were offered here.

人磨神社:山口県防府市向島 Mukoshima, Hofu
In 1865, an epidemy was in the region and only stopped when amulets from the Takatsu Shrine 高津柿本神社 were offered here.

人丸・大師堂:山口県岩国市周東町祖生今岡 Imaoka Shūtōmachi Soo, Iwakuni
In this Shrine, Kobo Daishi is also venerated. Much later Kakinomoto became
柿本大明神 -「疫病の神」.

繁枝神社(人麻呂社・おうばん社):山口県防府市台道527 / 527 Daidō, Hōfu
In 1820, an epidemy was in the region and only stopped when amulets of 人麻呂大明神 were offered here.

河内神社:山口県周南市高瀬840 Takase, Shunan
amulets from the Takatsu Shrine 高津柿本神社 are offered here to protect from epidemics.

河内神社:山口県周南市米光163-1 / 163-1 Yonemitsu, Shūnan
In 1835, an epidemy was in the region and only stopped when amulets from the Takatsu Shrine 高津柿本神社 were offered here.

飛龍八幡宮(河築神社):山口県周南市須々万本郷312 / 312 Susumahongō, Shūnan
At the shrine 河築神社 in the compound, Kakinomoto is venerated to protect from epidemics.

神沼田神社:山口県岩国市錦町深須上沼田
In 1851, an epidemy was in the region and only stopped when amulets from the Takatsu Shrine 高津柿本神社 were offered here.
In 1977, this shrine was integrated with other shrines :
白鳥神社、地主神社、杵崎神社、柿本人麻呂神社、愛宕社.

寄江柿本大明神:山口県岩国市美和町下畑柿ノ木原 Kakinokibara Miwamachi Shimohata, Iwakuni-
A statue of 人丸明神 is venerated as a protector deity for epidemics.



. Yakubyoogami 疫病神 Yakubyogami, Deity of Diseases .
- Introduction -

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enmusubi no kami 縁結びの神 Deity to find a good partner
- because he wrote many poems remembering his wife
- at 高津柿本神社 Takatsu Kakinomoto Jinja


fuufu wagoo no kami 夫婦和合の神 Fufu Wago - Deity of good couples
- because he wrote many poems remembering his wife
- at 生田神社 Ikuta Jinja (人丸神社)- Hyogo, Kobe 兵庫県神戸市中央区下山手通1-2-1

. Enmusubi 縁結び to find a good partner in life .
Takasago Legend 高砂伝説

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gakumon no kami 学問の神 - Deity of learning

- at 生田神社 Ikuta Jinja (人丸神社)- Hyogo, Kobe 兵庫県神戸市中央区下山手通1-2-1

- at 人丸神社:山口県萩市大字椿東中の倉1699 - Yamaguchi, Hagi

- at 柿本人麿社:山口県周南市福川2丁目 - Yamaguchi, 2 Chome Fukugawa, Shūnan-shi

- - 人丸神社:徳島県鳴門市里浦町里浦花面156 - Tokushima, Naruto
On his wanderings in Japan, Hitomaru came here, stayed for a while and taught Waka poetry to the local people. After his death, the shrine was erected with Hitomaru as deity of Poetry and Learning.

bungaku no kami 文学の神 - Deity of literature

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ganbyoo no kami 眼病平癒の神 - Ganbyo Deity for eye diseases
- Hyogo, Akashi 柿本神社 (see above)

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古熊神社(三森神社):山口県山口市古熊1-10-5 / Furukuma, Yamaguchi

柿本人麿社:山口県周南市福川2丁目 / 2 Chome Fukugawa, Shūnan-shi, Yamaguchi

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. me 眼 / 目 - Amulets for Eye Disease .
- Introduction -

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geinoo no kami 芸能の神 - Geino Deity of the Performing Arts

- at Yamaguchi, Ube 宇部市の人丸神社

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gyogyoo 漁業の神 - Gyogyo Deity of the fishing industry
- He is seen as 龍神, Ryujin, a Dragon Deity

- at 人丸神社:山口県萩市大字椿東中の倉1699 Yamaguchi, Hagi

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hi no kami 火の神 Deity to prevent fire
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protector of たたら職人 blacksmiths
- at 川越氷川神社(柿本人麻呂神社)Saitama, Kawagoe 埼玉県川越市宮下町2-11-3
4月18日に「柿本人麻呂祭」が行われる
A descendant of the Ayabe clan from Shimane is still Head Priest here, hence Kakinomoto is also venerated.



柿本人麻呂祭 Kakinomoto Hitomaro Festival
- reference : kawagoe-yell.com/annual-event -

booka no kami 防火の神 Boka - Deity to prevent fire
- hitomaru 人丸 - hi tomaru 火止まる fires stops - pun
- at 壬生寺 Mibudera (人丸塚 Hitomaruzuka)- Kyoto 京都府京都市中京区壬生梛ノ宮町31



柿本人麻呂の灰塚 Kakinomoto Hitomaro no Haizuka

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Koojin 荒神 Kojin Deity / Deity to watch over the kitchen fire 台所の火
- in the Iwami region 石見地方
- Seto Naikai region 瀬戸内海

. Aragamisama, 荒神様 Kojinsama, Kojin sama .
Kamagami 釜神 The Hearth Deity


. hi no yoojin 火の用心 watch out for fire - fire prevention .
- Introduction -

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. Munakata 宗像三女神 three female Munakata Deities .
Munakata Water Deities (suijin) and Waka Deities

Okami no kami 淤加美神 (オカミノカミ)a water deity
(闇淤加美神 Kuraokami 、闇御津羽神、闇罔象; たかおかみ / くらみつは Kuraokami, Takaokami, Kuramitsuha)

and two shrines dedicated to the Waka Poets - 和歌神社 Waka Jinja !

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. 猿田彦大神 the Great Deity Sarutahiko .
下御霊神社 Shimogoryo Jinja Kyoto - 柿本社 Kakinomoto Yashiro

At shrines for this deity Kakinomoto is also venerated as 柿本大神.

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seikatsu no shugojin 生活の守護神 Deity to protect daily life

- 石見国守 Many people in Iwami were involved in 製紙業 making paper, so he helped to keep their business prosperous
- at 高津柿本神社

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suinan yoke no kami 水難除けの神 Deity to prevent drowning and flooding
He is seen as suijin 水神 deity of water

- at 人丸神社 柿本人麿社:山口県周南市福川2丁目 - Yamaguchi 2 Chome Fukugawa, Shūnan-shi
- 水刑死に処されて非業の死を遂げたことから - Because he himself found his death sentence through drowning.


柿本人麻呂水死刑説 Theory about Kakinomoto's death by Drowning
死に臨んで自らを傷む
- reference :geocities.jp/yasuko8787 -


From waka mourning the death of a man from Sanuki Province, and a farewell poem at Kamoyama (Mt. Kamo) in Iwami province with elegies (banka, 挽歌) mourning his own death, many have seen this as Hitomaro acting as a palace official traveling to various provinces and reaching the end of his life in Iwami.
According to the Japanese scholar Itō Haku, however, this farewell poem is a folk drama portraying Hitomaro's own death, and the theory that the poem is a later counterfeit has also been suggested.
- quote wikipedia -

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shoogyoo no kami 商業の神 Shogyo - Deity of commerce and trade
- He is seen as ryuujin 龍神 Ryujin, a Dragon Deity

- at 人丸神社:山口県萩市大字椿東中の倉1699, Yamaguchi Hagi


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Fukuoka Hitomaru Shrine 人丸神社
福岡県粕屋郡新宮町下府 Shimonofu, Shingu, Kasuya District
福岡県糟屋郡新宮町桜山手

The daughter of Samurai Taira no Kagekiyo 平景清 (? - 1194) is named
Hitomaru Hime 人丸姫
and is venerated as deity at this shrine.



景清の妻は子供がないことを悲しみ、神仏に祈り続けました。治承二年(1178)3月15日に、朝日(旭)が上る時、懐妊を覚え、女の子を出産しました。
「旭」という字は「日」「丸」と書くことから「人丸」と名付けたと言われています。
- reference : lunabura.exblog.jp -

The character for morning sun 旭 can be seen as consisting of the two characters 日 and 丸, combined as Hitomaru.

. Taira no Kagekiyo 平景清 .

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Yamaguchi 柿本人麿社 / 人丸神社
山口県周南市福川2丁目 - Yamaguchi 2 Chome Fukugawa, Shūnan-shi
Hitomaro is celebrated here as
anzan no kami 安産の神 Anzan - Deity to grant easy birth
ekibyoo yoke no kami 疫病除け神 - Ekibyo Deity to ward off infectious diseases
gakumon no kami 学問の神 - Deity of learning
ganbyoo no kami 眼病平癒の神 - Ganbyo Deity for eye diseases
suinan yoke no kami 水難除けの神 Deity to prevent drowning and flooding
hinanyoke no kami 火難除けの神 Deity to prevent fire damage
- see above, hi no kami 火の神 Deity to prevent fire


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CLICK for more statues of Hitomaro .

柿本人麻呂にまつわる全国の神社仏閣(まとめ)
(A long list of shrines in Japan in honor of Hitomaro.)
- source : cultural-experience.blogspot.jp -

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人丸信仰とは?(柿本人麻呂にまつわる信仰)
- source : cultural-experience.blogspot.jp -

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

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

- #kakinomotoshrines #hitomarushrines #hitomaroshrines -
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. Kakinomoto Hitomaro 柿本人麻呂 Hitomaru 人丸) .

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01/02/2016

Hikosan Shrines Fukuoka

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
. Shinto Shrine (jinja 神社) - Introduction .
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Hikosan  英彦山 / 彦山 Hikosan Shrines, Fukuoka and Oita
大分県中津市 / 福岡県田川郡添田町 Soeda-Machi, Tagawa-gun, Fukuoka

There are three peaks, Minami-dake (Southern Peak) 南岳 (1,200m), Naka-dake (Middle Peak) 中岳 (1,188m) Kita-Dake 北岳 (Northern Peak) (1,192m) and various Shrines on the way.
There are three torii gates as the stone steps go up the uppermost shrine on the mountain.

Hikosan Jingu 英彦山神宮 - 奉幣殿 Hohei-Den at about 720 meters high.
The main deity of the mountain is Hikosan Gongen 彦山権現 - (see below) - .

And the shrine at the top - 英彦山神宮上津宮


source : wikipedia

On the way up the long stone stairway there are various torii 鳥居 Shrine gates to pass, each leading to a different, deeper realm of the sacred mountain.

kane no torii 銅鳥居 The Great Bronze Gate at the entrance is about 7 meters high. It has been an offering by the lord of Shiga Domain, 鍋島勝茂 Nabeshima Katsushige (1580 - 1676).

ni no torii 二の鳥居 second gate
san no torii 石製の三の鳥居 third gate made from stone

- reference and photos : tetsuyosie/fukuoka -

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- quote
Hiko-san is one of Kyushu’s finest hikes. During autumn, the colours of the turning leaves are simply stunning; vivid hues of red, gold and purple adding brilliance to the hike’s many panoramic view points.
Hiko-san is notable also for its shrines which line the trail. The largest of these,
Hohei-den 奉幣殿 (built in 1616), is the most majestic and can be enjoyed for its history and magnificent sloping roof.



From Kane-no-torii there are two options for ascending to the start of the trail. The recommended option is to walk the great stone staircase to Hohei-den, which can be found just to the left of the car park. This ancient staircase, lined by maple and camphor trees, passes under several torii gates and has been well-trodden and worn by centuries of pilgrims travelling to Hohei-den. In 2005, a small mono-rail was built that runs parallel to the staircase and will transport you to Hohei-den in just under 15 minutes.
Just in front of the main shrine, a steep staircase runs upwards. This staircase continues to the Naka-dake (1,188m) summit . . .

Tamaya-jinja 玉屋神社,
which is built into a sheer cliff that rises impressively over the shrine. A sacred spring lies next to the shrine, where water coalesces in small droplets that drip from the roof of a moss covered grotto.

Onisugi 鬼杉, "Demon's cedar", a 1,200 year old cedar tree that presides over the rest of the forest.

Daiminami-jinja 大南神社
which, like Tamaya-jinja is built into the rock face behind it. A set of chains leads up the mountain to the right of the shrine, aiding the ascent.

On top of Naka-dake lies Jōgū 上宮, the uppermost shrine of Hōhei-Den.


Takasumi-jinja 高住神社,
the final shrine of the hike. Secluded in a forest, this shrine rivals both the majesty of Hohei-den and the beauty of Tamya-jinja. A bronze bull has been made golden by the touch of passersby and is supposed to possess healing powers, which may come in use after the tricky descent.

- - - - - Look at more photos and the full text :
- source : fukuoka-now.com - Oscar Boyd -

- - - - - Deities in residence - - - - -
Amenooshihomimi no Mikoto 天之忍穂耳命
Izanagi and Izanami no Mikoto





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shuin 朱印 stamp and stamp book



omamori お守り amulet


The shrine was originally built in 740 as a center of training for the Shugendō sect of Buddhism. However, the Shugendō temple was abolished by the separation of Shinto from Buddhism, introduced after the Meiji Restoration. Reisen-ji (霊泉寺), the head temple of the Tendai Buddhism, was converted into Hikosan Jinja (英彦山神社).
In 1975, it was renamed to its present name, Hikosan Jingū.


CLICK for more photos of the shrine !

- - - - - HP of the Shrine
- source : hikosanjingu.or.jp -

- List of all the sub-shrines in the precincts:
- source : hikosanjingu.or.jp/info -

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wakudo iwa わくど岩 the Frog Rock
Wakudo わくど is the local dialect for frog or toad.



In the middle of Mount Hikosan three is a plain called Takasuhara たかす原 with a special rock formation,
just like a huge frog 蟇.
Once upon a time
a great frog came up to Mount Hikosan. He was heading for a smaller hill and begun his climb slowly. But as he climbed up slowly, the nearby fields and paddies sunk into a muddy sea. Many farmers were in deep trouble now. When Hikosan Gongen saw what happened, he threw the huge frog down from the hill and in no time the fields and paddies were back in their former splendor.
But a few years later, the huge frog started his climb again, each year the length of one grain of rice and if he would ever reach the top, the whole region would become submerged by the sea. This time Hikosan Gongen wanted to prevent the huge frog from doing any further damage to the farmers and removed the small hill from the region.
Again the huge frog tumbled down to the plain and there became a huge rock.


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亀石坊 Kameishi-Bo "Turtle Stone Dwelling"

The Old Kameishibo Garden 旧亀石坊庭園 is a garden which was built by the Muromachi Era artist-monk Sesshu.




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Hikosan odori 彦山踊 / 英彦山踊り Hikosan dance

- quote -
Three traditional performing arts of Soeda Machi
In the Kamitsuno and Shimotsuno settlements in Soeda Machi, the "Tsuno Kagura" is dedicated for the Jinko-sai (Jinko festival) held by Takagi Shrine at the beginning of May every year. The kagura (Shinto music and dance performance) is performed by the Tsuno Kagura Preservation Association, and performance items consist of the following 12 performance items:
"Kome-maki," "Orii," "Mifuku," "Shime kiri," "Ji-wari," "bon," "San-no kiri," "San-bon Tsurugi," "Tsuna Misaki,"
"Yumi Kagura," "Hana Kagura," and "Iwato."
In Noda settlement,
the "Noda Shishi-gaku" is dedicated for the Jinko-sai (Jinko festival) held by Kamo Shrine at the beginning of May every year. Performing groups are divided mainly into the "gaku-uchi" group (who play musical instruments) and the "shishimai" group, where gaku-uchi is performed by elementary school boys and shishimai is performed by young adult men. There are five performance items:
"Godan," "Maeniwa," "Baba-iri," "Shin Baba-iri," and "Shinden Utsushi."



"Hiko-san Odori" (Hiko-san dance) is a highly elegant dance which is said to have been introduced by the priest of Hikosan Shrine in the Nanbokucho period (the Northern and Southern Courts period) around 1333. This dance is performed every year as a dedication for the "opening of Hiko-san mountain" and as a "requiem prayer."
- source : bunkashisan.ne.jp -


幣たてゝ彦山踊月の出に
nusa tatete Hikosan odori tsuki no de ni

placing the Nusa wand
for the Hikosan dance
as the moon comes out


. Sugita Hisajo 杉田久女 .
Hisajo liked the area and even climbed to the peak of the mountain.


. Kagura Dance 神楽 - Introduction .

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- quote -
Hikosan shinkō 英彦山信仰
Beliefs and practices associated with Mt Hiko, in the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu. Hiko is made up of three peaks: Minamidake, Nakadake, and Kitadake, the highest of which is Minamidake at 1200 m.

Formerly "Hiko" was written with the characters 日子, meaning "child of the sun"; in the first half of the ninth century, during the reign of the Emperor Saga, it was changed to the single character 彦, and then again to 英彦, its present designation, in 1729, at the order of the Retired Emperor Reigen.
According to the Kamakura-period Hikosan ruki, the Gongen of the Three Places of Mt Hiko (Hikosan sansho gongen) was composed of Mt Zokutai in the south (Shaka), Mt Hottai in the north (Amida) and Mt Nyotai in the center (Thousand-armed Kannon).
The present shrine Hikosan Jingū Honsha (the jōgū, or "upper shrine") is located on the central peak and amalgamates the enshrined deities (saijin) of the other two peaks. Formerly there were nine other sacred sites:
Mt. Hakusan, Daigyōji, Kitayamadono, Hannya Cave (Tamaya), Ōminami Cave, Buzen Cave, Chimuro Cave, Takanosu Cave, and the middle shrine (chūgū).

Added to the Gongen of the Three Places, they were worshipped as the Gongen of the Twelve Places (Hikosan jūnisho gongen). Altogether there were 49 caves, sites of veneration and religious training, which were considered to correspond to the 49 halls of the Tushita heaven, the dwelling-place of Maitreya. Each was said to have contained statues of the Gongen of the Three Places or protector deities, but today the only ones which remain sites of veneration are the Hannya, Ōminami, Buzen and Chimuro caves.
The caves can be thought to preserve an aspect of religious practice which was prominent in the medieval period, that of retreat (komori) inside caves, before the introduction of mountain asceticism in the form of moving from one sacred place to another (tosō).

Seasonal mountain entry rituals (junbu in spring, hanaku no mine in summer and gyakubu in autumn) took form during the Muromachi period. Here, Mt Hiko was considered to be the realm of the Womb Mandala, while the role of Diamond Mandala was fulfilled by Mt Hōman in spring and Mt Fukuchi in autumn.

Forty-eight places of ascetic training (gyōba) were established over a sixty kilometer route through the mountains, and the goal of training was represented as the unity of the two mandalas. Most of the sites fell into disuse after the discontinuation of mountain-entry rituals in 1870.

According to founding legends, Ame no Oshihomimi, son of Amaterasu, descended to this mountain and was enshrined here, En no Ozunu, with his mother on his back, climbed Mt Hiko and then went to China by way of Mt Hōman, and Jugen, having trained at Ōmine, brought the divided spirit of Kumano Gongen here.

Another legend says that Zenshō, a priest from the state of Northern Wei in China, brought a Buddhist statue to Hiko and taught a hunter called Fujiwara Kōyū about the precept of not taking life by means of a miraculous occurrence whereby he restored to life, as a white hawk, a white deer the hunter had pursued and shot.

In 538 Zenshō built a hermitage called Reisen on the mountain, and Kōyū, having taken the Buddhist name Ninniku, became his successor. The third priest in the lineage, Hōren, went to Kyoto at the order of the Emperor Saga; at this time the characters to write Hiko were changed (see above) and the hermitage was given the temple name of Reisenji.
It also received a land commendation ("seven ri in the four directions"), which it kept throughout the medieval period.

Hiko later thrived as a center for yamabushi; at its height it had 3800 priests, and, with Ōmine and Haguro, it was counted as one of the three great Shugendō sites of Japan.
In 1333, the imperial prince Yasuhito (said to have been a son of the Emperor Go-Fushimi) was invited to the temple as its head prelate (zasu 座主), and the shrine-temple complex on the mountain was organized under a hereditary married head, made up of priests (shūtō), kami priests (jinin) and shugen priests.
Shugendō rituals and organization became fixed during the Muromachi period.

Of particular importance were doctrinal developments, in which Hiko played a leading role. A comprehensive compilation of records was made by Akyūbō Sokuden (dates unknown), who had come to Hiko from Nikkō.

In the Edo period, Hiko was not under the authority of either Honzanha or Tōzanha, but maintained its independence from them. However in 1696, as a result of a dispute with Shōgoin (head temple of Honzanha), Hiko was designated a "special headquarters Shugen temple of Tendai" (Tendai Shugen bekkaku honzan). Its economic base was an income of 1200 koku donated by the Hosokawa and Ogasawara clans, plus the distribution of talismans and medicines among supporters (danna) throughout Kyushu, as well as the promotion of pilgrimage (sankei) to Hiko.
By the end of the Edo period,
it had 250 shugen priests and around 420,000 households in its parishes. The organization of the yamabushi was threefold – gyōjakata, shūtōkata, and sōkata, with lower-ranking shugen priests below them. All were under the authority of the zasu.
As a result of the separation of buddha and kami worship (shinbutsu bunri) and anti-Buddhist actions (haibutsu kishaku), virtually all buildings associated with Shugendō were lost, with the exception of the former Great Hall, which was converted into the shrine's Buheiden. Shugendō ritual was also abolished.
The shrine-temple complex known as Hikosan Gongen became Hikosan Shrine, the Buzenbō became Takanushi Shrine, and Hannyakutsu became Tamaya Shrine.
The zasu became the hereditary gūji. The shrine supported devotees of the confraternities (kō), drawn mainly from farming families.
The clay bell, a famous souvenir of Mt Hiko, is still used as a magical implement for agricultural rituals among farmers.
- source : Suzuki Masataka Kokugakuin 2006 -

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Hikosan no garagara 英彦山のガラガラ  clay bell clapper against insects

They are a kind of clay bell (Hikosan dorei 英彦山土鈴), said to be the oldest ones used by the Shugendo ascetics.

Some even had a tengu goblin mask on the bell
Hikosan no iwaidai dorei 英彦山の祝鯛土鈴 clay bell with festive sea bream
筒型鳥居鈴 clay bell with the metal torii gate
Hikosan no itajishi 英彦山の板獅子 lion head on a wooden plate
- - - - - Haiku about 豊前坊 Buzen-Bo.
- - - - - annual festivals 祭典行事

. Amulets from Hikosan 英彦山 お守り .

. Buzenboo, Buzenbō 豊前坊 Buzenbo Tengu .
彦山豊前坊 - Hikozan Buzenbo, Fukuoka

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Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi  彦山権現誓助剣
Kabuki play




- quote -
The play "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi" was originally written for the puppet theater (Bunraku) and staged for the first time in the 10th lunar month of 1786 in Ôsaka at the Higashi no Shibai.
- - - - - Summary
Disguising himself as a traveling gambler named Dôhachi, Takumi preys on passers-by by his rigged gambling. When one of the victims accuses him of fraud, Takumi beats him up. He then exchanges pleasantries with street girls and goes away.

Sagohei, an old servant to Osono, appears and, giving money to the street girls, asks them to go away immediately. After they have gone, Osono arrives in a palanquin and, pretending to be a street girl, solicits passers-by. She inserts her hand into their sleeves and feels their arms as a means of identifying Takumi, who has a scar in the upper arm.

She makes her try first on a samurai and then on a sumô wrestler. The third person approached by her happens to be Todoroki Dengoemon, a former fencing disciple of Ichimisai and now chief retainer of the Lord of Kokura. He recognizes Osono as Ichimisai's daughter and gives her a wooden traveling certificate, which would enable her to pass through barriers on her tour in search of Takumi.

After Todoroki Dengoemon has gone, Tomohei arrives and tells Osono that Okiku was killed by Takumi. As evidence he shows a small bag containing Takumi's navel string which he found beside Okiku's body. He then kills himself by way of apology for his failure to protect Okiku from Takumi's attack. Just before he breathes his last, Tomohei throws Takumi's navel string into a pond. In no time clouds of spray rise from the pond and the incense burner in Osono's bosom issues a strange sound.

Takumi reappears as if drawn by a supernatural power. He realizes by intuition that he is the son of the late Mitsuhide. Believing that his deceased father threw his precious Kawazumaru sword into this pond and that he now wants Takumi to recover it, he looks for and finds the sword under floating weeds. Soon after he has picked up the sword Osono approaches Takumi, pretending to be a street girl and tries to rob him of the sword. Takumi resists. As the two struggle for its possession, the sword jumps onto a gourd trellis. They too climb onto the trellis and continue fighting.
At last Takumi makes good his escape, taking the precious sword with him.
- reference source : kabuki21.com/hyotandana -

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- quote -
Amenooshihomimi - Ame no oshihomimi no mikoto
Other names:
Masakaakatsu kachihayahi ame no oshihomimi no mikoto (Kojiki,Nihongi),
Masakaakatsu kachihayahi ame no oshihone no mikoto(Nihongi)
正勝吾勝勝速日天之忍穂耳命(アメノオシホミミ)/ 正勝吾勝勝速日天忍穂耳命


One of the male kami produced as a result of the trial by pledge (ukei) performed by Amaterasu and Susanoo.
According to both Kojiki and Nihongi, Amaterasu and Susanoo furnished personal items as "seed" (monozane) for the pledge; Amaterasu furnished the "Five-hundred Yasaka jewels" which she wore, and from those were produced five male deities, one of which was Amenooshihomimi.
Oshihomimi was later ordered by Amaterasu and Takagi no kami to descend to the Central Land of Reed Plains, but it was first necessary to pacify the Central Land, and in the interval, Oshihomimi had a son, Ninigi. As a result, following pacification of the land, Ninigi was entrusted with the mission, and he descended in place of Oshihomimi.
- reference source : Nishioka Kazuhiko Kokugakuin 2005-


Masakaakatsukachihayahi Amenooshihomimi no mikoto
Karl Florenz übersetzt mit
„Die [mit dem Rufe:] ‚Wahrlich ich siege!‘ triumphierend sich heftig gebarende allüberwindende große erlauchte Person des Himmels“) ist ein männlicher Kami in der Mythologie des Shintō.
..... Amaterasu erkor Amenooshihomimi zur Herrschaft (shirasu) über das „Land der frischen Ähren der tausend Herbste und langen fünfhundert Herbste des Üppigen Schilfgefildes“
- Read the explanation in German:
. Ninomiya Jinja 二宮神社 Shrine Ninomiya - Kobe .

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- - - - - The three famous Hikosan Sanctuaries in Japan :

英彦山 Hikosan in Fukuoka/Oita
弥彦山(新潟県)Yahikosan in Niigata
雪彦山(兵庫県)Seppikosan in Hyogo

The three famous Shugendo Sanctuaries in Japan :

英彦山 Hikosan in Fukuoka/Oita
羽黒山(山形県) Hagurosan Yamagata
熊野大峰山(奈良県) Kumano Ominesan Nara


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- Reference : 英彦山
- Reference : English


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

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

- #hikosanfukuoka #AmenoOshihomimi -
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- - - - -  H A I K U  - - - - -

英彦山の頂に置く夏帽子
Hikosan no itadaki ni oku natsubooshi

at the top
of Mount Hikosan I place
my summer hat


松尾隆信 Matsuo Takanobu

- reference : Matsuo Takanobu -

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英彦山の露降りてきし机かな
黒田杏子

英彦山の日暮うながす閑古鳥
荒巻信子

彦山や雲はひのぼる葛根ほり
水田正秀

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. Fudō Myō-ō 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O .

英彦山大権現 湯の谷別院 Hikosan Yunotani Betsu-In




source : robounohana.seesaa.net

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Mountain Mandalas - Shugendo in Kyushu
Allan G. Grapard

In Mountain Mandalas Allan G. Grapard provides a thought-provoking history of one aspect of the Japanese Shugendo tradition in Kyushu, by focusing on three cultic systems: Mount Hiko, Usa-Hachiman, and the Kunisaki Peninsula. Grapard draws from a rich range of theorists from the disciplines of geography, history, anthropology, sociology, and humanistic geography and situates the historical terrain of his research within a much larger context.
- - - - - Table of Contents
1. Shugendo and the Production of Social Space
- - - Mount Hiko
2. Geotyped and Chronotyped Social Spaces
- - - Mount Hiko: of swords, meteors, dragons, and goshawks
- - - Waiting for dawn on Mount Hiko: the geotype and chronotype of heterotopia
- - - Mount Hiko's Sacred Perimeter: four corners and three dimensions
3. Festivities and Processions: Spatialities of Power
- - - Mount Hiko as a socio-ritualized space
- - - Mount Hiko's conflicts with Mount Homan and the Shogo-in monzeki
- - - Mount Hiko's ritual calendar
4. Shattered Bodies, Statues, and the Appeal of Truncated Memory
- - - Mount Hiko's quasi-destruction and fall into irrelevance
and more
- source : bloomsbury.com/au/mountain-mandalas -

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

There are many legends about the Kappa in Soeda and around Mount Hikosan.



Kappa no wabi shoomon seki カッパの詫び証文石
stone memorial of the Kappa and his apology note


- quote -
昔、中元寺は虫生の庄といって、芦がしげる湿地が多くあった。
ある日の夕方のこと、一人の子供のような者が、民家を訪ね「今夜大雨が降って山が抜けるから逃げておくれ」といって回った。
人びとは、おかしなことだなあと思いながらも、避難をした。やがて夜になると、予告どおり大雨で川ははんらんし、猿渡あたりは山崩れが起こった。
これをみた村人は「あの子供は、瀬成の神に仕えているカッパに違いない、よくぞ知らせてくれた」と、カッパをかわいがってやることになった。
そうするとカッパはつけあがり、田畑を荒したり、子供を川に引き込んだりして村人を困らせるようになった。それで瀬成の神様は大変立腹されて、カッパに対し「悪さをするなら出て行け、心を入れかえるなら中元寺におらせるが」としかりつけた。
これにはカッパもこたえて反省し、石に詫び証文を書いて神様に差し出した。それ以後、中元寺の人びとは水難にあうことはなくなった。
カッパの詫び証文石は、瀬成神社参道入口右側のハゼの木の根元に抱きこまれたようになって残っている。
- reference : hikosan.sblo.jp/article -


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



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

. Yamanokami and a man named 毛谷村六助 Keyamura Rokusuke .

. Keyamura Rokusuke and a Kappa .




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- reference : Nichibun Yokai Database -
17 彦山 (0)

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

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18/01/2016

Hoijin Konjin deities

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .
for lucky days, see the comments
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hooijin 方位神 deities of the directions

. Tozai Nanboku 東西南北 - the Four Directions .
- Introduction - including :

The Four Animals, Shijuu (四獣,四聖獣)
or
Four Gods, Shijin (四神)
Four Guardians of the Compass
The four protectors of Edo and Kyoto
Feng Shui 風水 Chinese Geomancy
The Asian Lunar Calendar  

The Nine Heavens, kyuuten 九天 Kuten : nine Directions, nine skies
九重天 kyuuchuu no ten

The 12 Heavenly Generals 十二神将

Kimon, the "Demon Gate 鬼門" in the North-East

happoo yoke shugo, happoo fusagari 八方塞がり
amulets for protection in all eight directions

Daishogun Hachi Jinja 大将軍八神社 - Kyoto
Daishogun is the deity of the Pole Star

yugyoojin 遊行神 deities who walk freely in all directions:
planet Venus deity
pole star deity

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- quote -
方位神(ほういじん)とは、
九星術から生じた神々で、その神のいる方位に対して事を起こすと吉凶の作用をもたらすと考えられた。
方位神は、それぞれの神に定められた規則に従って各方位を遊行する。吉神のいる方角を吉方位といい、凶神のいる方角を凶方位という。

平安時代には、自分が行こうとする方角が凶方位である場合に、一旦他の方角へ行ってから目的地へ向かう方違え(かたたがえ)が盛んに行われた。現在では、凶方位を犯すことによる災厄を避けるため多くの寺院・神社で「方位除け(方除け・八方除け)」の祈祷・祈願が行われる。

The good deities 吉神
歳徳神(恵方)Toshitokujin (Eho) Deity of the New Year
歳禄神 Sairokushin
月徳合 Gettokugo
歳枝徳 Saishitoku
歳徳合 Tokutokugo
生気 Seiki
奏書 Sosho
天道 Tendo
天徳 Tentoku
天徳合 Tentokugo
博士 Hakushi

The bad / wild deities 凶神 / 神殺
天一神 Tenichijin
金神(大金神・姫金神) Konjin- Daikonjin, Hime Konjin
八将神 Hasshojin
太歳神(普段は吉神)Daisaijin
大将軍 Daishogun
太陰神 Daionjin
歳刑神 Saigyojin
歳破神 Saihashin
歳殺神 Saisetsushin
黄幡神 Obanjin
豹尾神 Hyobishin
- source : wikipedia -

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Konjin, Konjin Sama  金神, 金神様 deity of metal



- quote -
Konjin "Tutelary of metal,"
an itinerant kami originating within the cult of Onmyōdō (Yin-Yang divination), associated with varying compass directions in space, and believed to change position in accordance with the year, lunar month, and the season. Konjin's current location in space at any given time was considered an unlucky or taboo direction, since the deity was thought to be violent and to delight in bloodshed and curses. Based on these ideas, lucky and unlucky days and directions were postulated in accordance with astrological calender terms and concepts. Unlucky days and directions were linked to the observance of directional interdictions (kataimi) and the practice of "changing directions" (katatagae) to avoid the most strongly tabooed directions on a given day. Tabooed directions, in turn, were those in which the malicious deities Konjin, Ten'ichijin, and Taihakujin were currently located. According to the practice of katatagae, if plans for travel indicated that the final destination lay in the direction of one of the above tabooed deities, the traveler would avoid that direction by setting out a day early in a different direction; after spending the night at a temporary site, he or she would start out the next day for the final destination, thus avoiding direct travel in the line of taboo.

The practice of katatagae was frequently observed among Heian-period nobles, and as it became an integral part of their lives, it worked to strongly restrict everyday movement and activities. Beliefs in the "seven deaths of Konjin" stated that violating Konjin's tabooed direction would result in the death of up to seven close relatives; strong interdictions were thus placed on various areas of life, including the construction and renovation of houses, moving one's residence, public works construction, and leaving on journeys.

The cult of Konjin was also associated with Onmyōdō's geomantic concept of two "demon's gates" (the northeast and southwest directions on the compass), and the belief arose that Konjin was particularly formidable when it resided in one of these quarters as "Kimon Konjin" (Konjin of the Demon's Gate"). Of the two, the more dangerous and feared was the "front demon's gate" (omote kimon) located in the northeast direction called ushi-tora, although the "back demon's gate" (ura kimon) located in the southwest direction (hitsuji-saru) was also the subject of taboo.

Since the mountain Hieizan was located in the northeast direction from the new capital of Kyoto, the mountain was selected as the site for Saichō's temple Enryakuji, as a device to protect the capital from unlucky influences emanating from that quarter. Both within the capital city and at the temple, it became customary to avoid building gates, earthen storehouses, toilets and baths in the northeastern quarter of one's residence, and protruding corners were also chamfered in that quarter, a practice which was linked to the placement of "demon-faced tiles" (onigawara) on the northeastern corners of buildings as an exorcism of the "demon's gate."

Other practices associated with the demon's gate include the avoidance of marriage with a person from the northeastern direction, and the avoidance of cutting trees or moving stones in the northeastern quarter of one's residence. In response to the cult, professional sorcerers proliferated, performing exorcisms to eliminate various Konjin banes.
- source : Kawamura Kunimitsu, Kokugakuin, 2005 -

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- quote -
Konjin (金神 "God of metals") is an itinerant kami (spirit) from Onmyōdō (a traditional Japanese cosmology and system of divination based on the Chinese philosophies of Wu Xing (Five Elements) and Yin and yang). Konjin is associated with compass directions, and said to change position with the year, lunar month, and season.

Konjin's momentary location in space at any given time is considered an unlucky direction, because this kami is stated to be particularly violent and said to punish through curses. Based on this, a calendar with astronomical and geomantic direction relations was created, which included interdictions (kataimi). A practice known as katatagae (changing directions) is used to avoid the worst directions on a given day, usually where Konjin, Ten'ichijin, and Taihakujin are currently located.

Katatagae was favored among Heian-period nobles and it became a part of their daily lives. The construction and renovation of houses, moving one's residence, public works construction, and traveling was strongly influenced by katatagae.

Konjin was said to be at tremendous power when residing as "Kimon Konjin" (Konjin of the Demon's Gate") at the two "demon's gates" (the northeast "front" gate called omote-kimon and the southwest "back" gate called ura kimon). Kyoto was supposedly protected from any bad influences by placing Saichō's temple Enryakuji at Mount Hieizan.
- source : wikipedia -

Konkookyoo 金光教 Konkōkyō The Konjin cult
was particularly widespread in the province of Bitchū (Okayama Prefecture), and it was based on that traditional cult that the man named Konkō Daijin (Akazawa Bunji) founded the new religion of Konkōkyō late in the Edo period. Konkō Daijin took upon himself the title "living kami Konkō Daijin" and proclaimed that Konjin was not a kami of evil and curses, but in fact the deity Tenchikane no Kami, the "world's 'parent kami' and savior of humankind." According to Konkō Daijin, one could gain the aid of the kami merely through "having faith in the kami out of a sincere mind" (jitsui teinei shinjin), and without the need to perform magical spells or abide by calendrical and directional interdictions.
In the mid-Meiji period, Deguchi Nao was influenced by Konkōkyō to preach that "Ushitora no Konjin" was the kami who would rebuild and restore the world.
- source : konkokyo.or.jp/eng -

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天地七面金神 Konjin with Seven Faces, Heaven and Earth


He has six faces above the main face.

奥河内の極楽寺 Nagano, Gokuraku-Ji
- reference source : minamino-town.com/yokoyama/sinnbutu_kenngaku -

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. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .

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Gunma 群馬県 - 伊勢崎市 Isezaki

Konjin Sama is a scary deity, and you never know where he is hiding.
If someone does not listen to the words of other people, he is called "a man like Konjin Sama".

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Gunma 前橋市 Maebashi

Hime Konjin sama 姫金神様
姫金神様は荒神様(コウジンサマ)よりなお悪く祟る。年によっている所が違い、暦を見なくてはわからない。金神様がいると知らずに引っ越して、障ったこともあった。障りをさけるまじないもある。


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Gunma 太田市 Ota

Konjin sama can not see. He is a scary deity and never allows a thing to go wrong.

姫金神様 Hime Konjin sama can not see or hear or talk. If she puts a curs on someone, it can not be reversed.

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Mie 三重県 - 志摩郡 Shima district

If a woman gives birth facing the Konjin deity 金神 the baby will be blind or even be born dead.


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Shizuoka 静岡県

. Sarutahiko densetsu 猿田彦伝説 Legends about the deity Sarutahiko .


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Tokushima 徳島県 美馬郡 Mima district

aragami no tatari 荒神のたたり curse of the wild deity
ある女性が肋膜に水が貯まり、どうしても治らない。祈祷師に拝んでもらうと金神さんを汚していることがわかり、早速汚れたものを捨て金神様を祀ると数日で水がたまらなくなった。さらに、荒神さんを清めて祀りなおすと病人は全快した。

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Yamanashi 山梨県 秋山村 Akiyama

Rokuksan 六三 Rokusan Deity
If someone has pain without any known cause, it might be due to Rokusan.
Dividing the age of the ill person by 9, and if the rest of the number falls on a number of Rokusan, then he is the cause of the illness.

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Yamanashi, 北都留郡 Kitatsuru district

hime konjin sama no tatari ヒメコンジン様の祟り the curse of Hime Konjin Sama
In every house there are for Konjin Sama deities to protect the premises.
One of them is the female "Princess Konjin Sama".
If people do not treat her spot nicely, someone will get ill. They must keep the area around the outside toilet clean and not cut branches from the Silverberry (グミの木 gumi, Elaeagnus pungens), otherwise their lower back will start aching the same day due to the influence of Rokusan.
If someone gets ill in this way, he has to seek help from a person performing rituals for Hime Kojin Sama and Rokusan or learn a special spell to repeat secretly to himself.

. Rokusan 六三 伝説 legends about Rokusan, Deity of Illness .

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- source : nichibun yokai database -
27 to explore

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- Reference : 金神
- Reference : Konjin

. kimon 鬼門の鬼伝説 Oni Demon Gate Legends .

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

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

- #hoijin #fourdirections #konjin -
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- - - - -  H A I K U  - - - - -

夏菊の土金神に香を焚く
natsugiku no tsuchi Konjin ni koo o taku

the earth
of summer chrysanthemums - burning incense
for the Konjin deity


松村蒼石 Matsumura Soseki (1887 - 1982)




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堪へたりし金神奈落寒明けぬ

稲垣きくの Inagaki Kikuno

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[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
#hoijin #konjin #luckydays


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Sarutahiko

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
. Shinto Shrine (jinja 神社) - Introduction .
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Sarutahiko densetsu 猿田彦伝説 サルタビコ Sarutahiko Legends
Sarutahiko no Ookami 猿田彦大神 the Great Deity Sarutahiko
Sarutahiko no Kami 猿田毘古神




猿田彦は天狗の祖と言われている.
Sarutahiko サルタヒコ is the ancestor of the Tengu.

He is considered the ancestor of the Ujitoko clan in Ise, and the central object of worship at the Sarutahiko Shrine located in Ise.

. 猿田彦大神 the Great Deity Sarutahiko - Introduction .

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. Doosojin 道祖神 Dosojin, Dososhin - Wayside Gods .

Chimatagami 岐神, the Gods of the Crossroads, is said to represent the legendary gods of Old Japan, especially
Sarutahiko no Mikoto 猿田彦神 and his fair maiden,
Ame no Uzume no Mikoto 天鈿女 / 天宇受売命 Amenouzume. Amanouzume .
(Ame-no-Uzume 天鈿女命 / アメノウズメ)

. Ame-no-Uzume-no-mikoto 天宇受売命, 天鈿女命 .
and O-Tafuku, Okame, O-Kame, Okamesan おかめ【お亀/阿亀】

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. Shōmen Kongō 青面金剛 Shomen Kongo .
and the Koshin Cult
. Kōshin shinkō 庚申信仰 Koshin Religion .
Yamazaki Ansai,
drawing on the association of shin with the monkey (saru), advocated a Shintoistic kōshin cult, in which the primary object of worship was Sarutahiko. Within the Shugendō tradition as well, a unique form of the kōshin cult was propagated, so that there were three varieties of the faith: Buddhist, Shintō, and Shugendō.

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The Waka poet . Kakinomoto Hitomaro 柿本人麻呂 Hitomaru 人丸 / 人麿 . .
is venerated in the compound of some Sarutahiko Shrines.

下御霊神社 Shimogoryo Jinja Kyoto 柿本社 Kakinomoto Yashiro
猿田彦社相殿柿本歌聖 Sarutahiko Shrine, Aidono Hall for the Great Poet Kakinomoto
This Shrine was erected for a person who had a violent death, to appease his soul.


source : guruguruikuyo.blog.

- - - - - HP of the Shimogoryo Shrine
. shimogoryo.main.jp/index... .

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. Shrine Sada Jinja 佐太神社 Shimane, Izumo .
The main god of the shrine, Sada-no-okami, is said to be Sarutahiko.

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. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .

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

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Aomori 青森県

At many entrances to villages with three roads crossing and cemeteries there are stone memorials of Koshin and
猿田彦命青面金剛 Sarutahiko Shomen Kongo
to protect the village from evil influence.



. Prayer groups for 庚申講 Koshin in Aomori .


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Fukui 福井県 福井市 Fukui town

shishigashira 獅子頭 lion head mask
During winter time, a Shishigashira is offered to the Sarutahiko shrine.
At the 今市 Imaichi district of Fukui town, once upon a time, chilren had been picking up dried wood and whilst playing around put the lion head mask on and danced around. But then one could not get his head out any more. The head priest came to help and perform ritals, but it did not have any effect. So they called a 仏師 Buddhist Master Carver, who cut it off with his 鑿 chisel. But the child developed a high fever and died soon afterwards.

. Shishigashira 獅子頭 lion head mask .

Sarutahiko Jinja 猿田彦神社
福井県福井市冬野町29-2 Fukui, Fuyuno town
猿田彦神社の春祭り Spring Festival at Sarutahiko Shrine
held on the 15th day of April. There is a 獅子の頭 lion head mask, a Tengu mask and a hoko 鉾 a long spear from the shrine brought to a family in the village over night.
The food offerings are amazake 甘酒 sweet Sake, sekihan 赤飯 red ritual rice, botamochi ぼたもち rice cakes and others.
Next day the ritual objects are brought back to the shrine.
- reference -


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Mie 三重県 二見町 Futami

Amenouzume no Mikoto 天宇受売命
The deities in residence at 興玉神社 Okitama Jinja are Sarutahiko and Amenouzume no Mikoto.
Sarutahiko once caught the aura of tenson koorin (tenson kōrin 天孫降臨 tenson orin, descent of Ninigi to Ashihara no Nakatsukuni), so he went up to heaven to meet Ninigi half-way. At that time Tenson (Ninigi) introduced him to Amenouzume. At that point Sarutahiko became a Tengu and Amenouzume became O-Kame.
To pray to these two deities at the shrine will bring good fortune and a long family line.

Shrine Futami Okitama Jinja 二見興玉神社
三重県伊勢市二見町江575
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

- - - - - Enshrined Kami:
Sarutahiko no okami, Uganomitama no okami (Ama no iwato), and Watatsumi no okami (in the Ryugusha).
The main deity enshrined here is Sarutahiko no okami, who guided Ninigi no mikoto in his descent from heaven to Mount Takachiho in Kyushu. Sarutahiko no okami is thought by many scholars to be originally a local kami of the region around Ise.
The most important physical feature of the shrine is located a short distance offshore. The meoto iwa 夫婦岩 (“husband and wife rocks,” or “wedded rocks”) are two famous large rocks, said to be husband and wife. The larger (male) o-iwa rock is about 30 feet tall by 131 feet around, while the smaller (female) me-iwa rock is about 13 feet tall by 30 feet around. The distance between the rocks is also about 30 feet at the base, which is traversed by thick straw ropes (shimenawa) hung around the peaks of both rocks.
- snip -
The kami Sarutahiko is considered by some scholars to come from the toyoko no kuni or the ne no kuni, both believed to be lands across or under the sea, and the okimitama is said to be the place he first alighted. Sarutahiko is also thought by some to be a solar deity. Okitama was thought to be the gate to the palace of the sea god and a kind of yorishiro, or place for the sun kami to enter the world. Scholars have speculated that the original location of Ise Jingu was near the beach and that Okitama served as a yorishiro for Amaterasu’s descent, when the first saigu (shrine princess) Yamatohime no mikoto came looking for a place to enshrine the sacred mirror. It is recorded that she found the land here so beautiful that she had to “look back twice” (futami ura).
- source : shintoshrinesofjapanblogguide.blogspot -





futami no kaeru 二見の蛙 the frog from Futami
An amulet sold at Okitama Shrine for people to "get back home safely" (kaeru 帰る) after the visit to Ise.


source : akafuku.co.jp/ise

At this shrine, the frog is also seen as a messenger of the deity Sarutahiko 神使は蛙, so people make offerings of a frog statue.

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蛤のふたみにわかれ行く秋ぞ
hamaguri no futami ni wakare yuku aki zo


FUTAMI interpreted as a place name in Ise, 伊勢の二見.
. Matsuo Basho and Futami .


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Niigata 新潟県, Sado, 相川町 Aikawa

Happyaku Bikuni 八百比丘尼 / ハッピャクビクニ nun for 800 years
A poor grandfather's home had become the seasonal quarters of the 庚申講 Koshin Prayer Group and all members came to his house.
When they peeked into the kitchen, they saw a young girl cutting the fish. Only grandmother had eaten the fish, and she was a "young nun for 800 years".
Grandfather was in fact Sarutahiko - they say.

. yao bikuni 八百比丘尼(やおびくに)nun for 800 years .

At 南魚沼郡 Minami Uonuma people make sure to offer fish for the Sarutahiko festival.

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Niigata 能生町 Noo town

Tenguyama 天狗山 Mount Tenguyama
At the shrine at the top Sarutahiko is worshipped, at the shrine at the bottom of the mountain the deity 此花咲爺姫 / コノハナノサクヤビメ Konohana Sakuyabime is worshipped.
She is seen as a deity to get pregnant and provide easy childbirth. When women from 藤崎 Tozaki village come here to pray, they will give birth to a boy.

. Konohanasakuyahime / Konoha Sakuyabime 咲耶姫 Sakuyabime .


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Shizuoka 静岡県

. Konjin, Konjin Sama  金神, 金神様 deity of metal .
Konjin Sama is a wild deity and often curses people.
Before removing earth from an estate or a field one has to ask a negi 禰宜 Shinto priest for purification rituals.
Rituals to ward off the wrath of Konjin sama have to be performed on the day of 庚申 Koshin.
If by error somebody hits a nail in the wrong place, he will get tooth ache or other illness. In that cast one has to call a mountain priest. The sand from 伊勢猿田彦神社 the Sarutahiko Shrine in Ise is also helpfull.

. kooshin shinkoo 庚申信仰 Koshin Shinko belief .




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Tochigi 栃木県 足利市 Ashikaga city

During the annual Shrine festival three is a procession where a man with a Tengu mask leads a man with a mask of Sarutahiko through the town.
People are not allowed to watch this procession from above.

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Kannon 観音
Sarutahiko went to China for a challenge of power, but almost lost end barely managed to come back to Japan.
The man from China followed him to Japan. Sarutahiko asked Kannon for help and finally managed to kill the man from China.

. Kannon Bosatsu 観音菩薩 .




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Tokushima 徳島県 三好市 Miyoshi

. Yama no Kami 山の神 Yamanokami, God of the Mountain .
Since Yamanokami is also the deity 猿田彦 Sarutahiko, nobody may use the word saru 猿 / サル monkey while in the forest.


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Tokyo 東京都

Shirahige Daimyoojin 白鬚大明神 Shirahige Daimyojin / 白鬚明神
Maybe another name for Sarutahiko no Ookami 猿田彦大神 the Great Deity Sarutahiko
Maybe one of the Sumiyoshi deities.
中筒男命 Nakatsutsu no O no Mikoto, also called Shirahige Myojin.
Sarutahiko is also called 比良明神 Hira Myojin.
. Tokyo, Shirahige district, Sumida .

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Toogesama トウゲサマ . 峠さま deity of the pass
In the year 1955, someone had taken away the earthen wall from 猿田彦のトウゲサマ the Pass of Sarutahiko.
When he came home and took a bath, his skin suddenly became all strange ind seemed to come off and fly around the room.
The next morning he had rituals performed at the Shrine 三嶋神社 Mishima Jinja and taken the earth back to the pass.
After than he became well very soon.



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Tottori 島根県 知夫村 Chibu village

. kooshin shinkoo 庚申信仰 Koshin Shinko belief .
On the 61st day of a full circle of Koshin days, Sarutahiko goes to heaven while people are asleep and reports about their good and bad deeds.
He comes back when niwatori 鶏 the rooster calls in the morning.



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Yamanashi 山梨県 千代田村 Chiyoda

Tengu 天狗
Once a roof is finished thatching, Tengu is invited and worshipped. He is seen as a deity of water and should help to protect the home from fires.
The roof makers 屋根屋 have since olden times prayed to Sarutahiko as the deity of their profession.

. Mizu no Kami, Mizunokami 水の神 Deity of Water .

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- source : nichibun yokai database -

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source : 神道dvd.jp/postcard...


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Sarutahiko Jinja 猿田彦神社 Sarutahiko Shrines
There are various Shinto shrines with this name in Japan.
- reference - 猿田彦神社 -

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- quote -
Monkey Year 2016 (Sarutahiko Jinja)
The small shrine of Sarutahiko Jinja is not very well known and its set in the north-west in an unprepossessing part of Kyoto, sadly surrounded by some of the city’s uglier urban conglomeration. Nonetheless it possesses one of the most striking features in this year of the monkey, namely a statue of a white monkey carved in 1989 from a branch of the shrine’s sacred tree (shinboku).



. . . . . The shrine’s ema shows the three wise monkeys - – speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil.
- source : greenshinto.com -


. Saru 申 / 猿 monkey talismans .

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Ise Sarutahiko Jinja 伊勢猿田彦神社
Sarutahiko Ōkami is seen as a symbol of Misogi, strength and guidance, which is why he is the patron of martial arts such as aikido. He enshrined at Tsubaki Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture, first among the 2000 shrines of Sarutahiko Ōkami, Sarutahiko Jinja in Ise, Mie and Ōasahiko Shrine in Tokushima Prefecture.
Sarume no Kimi (猿女の君) clan

2-1-10 Ujiurata, Ise, Mie Prefecture 516-0026
- source : sarutahiko shrine ise -

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猿田彦珈琲 Sarutahiko Coffee



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- Reference : 猿田彦 / サルタヒコ
- Reference : English


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

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

- #sarutahiko -
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- - - - -  H A I K U  - - - - -

枯杉の上にしばらく猿田彦
karesugi no ue ni shibaraku Sarutahiko

for a short time
above the withered cedar tree
Sarutahiko

Tr. Gabi Greve

Hirai Shoobin 平井照敏 Hirai Shobin (1931- 2003)

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祠より代田見張れる猿田彦
原裕

神還るその大股は猿田彦
今瀬剛一

猿田彦大神がこぼす椎の花
久米正雄

この綱や猿田彦神引きし綱
広江八重桜

猿女舞ひ猿田彦酌む島の初春
文挾夫佐恵

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