fuzoku manners and cutsoms dolls

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. 風俗 Fuzoku, entertainment - Introduction .
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fuuzoku, fûzoku ningyoo 風俗人形 dolls about manners and customs
posed dolls, costume dolls with historical themes

. fûzoku　風俗 Fuzoku, entertainment and sex business in Edo .
- Introduction -

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Fuzoku Hakubutsukan 風俗博物館 The Costume Museum



六條院拝見
●六條院とは
●光源氏の邸宅を訪ねる
●登場人物の関係図
●源氏物語の舞台を歩く
●視点を変えてみる春の御殿

貴族の生活
●寝殿造　貴族の住空間
●源氏物語の住まい
●彩る調度の品々
●平安時代の遊び
●装束

行幸の演出
●雅楽
●楽器
●晴れの室礼
●鵜飼と鷹飼

京都府京都市下京区西中筋六条下住吉４２ Kyoto
source : www.iz2.or.jp

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- ABC - List of Fuzoku dolls from the Prefectures

. kubi ningyoo 首人形 head dolls .
with historical figures from various prefectures



高松 Takamatsu（香川県 Kagawa）
別府温泉 Beppu（大分県 Oita）
鞍馬 Kurama（京都府 Kyoto）




春日部 Kasukabe（埼玉県 Saitama）
浜の市の一文人形（大分県 Oita） front line
獅子頭が薩摩首人形（鹿児島県 Kagoshima） back line


. ichibun ningyoo 一文人形 head dolls with one letter .
from Oita 大分県, Hamanoichi (Hama no Ichi) 浜の市

- reference : - asahi-net.or.jp/~vc3k-nrm/gang

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................................................................................. Hokkaido　北海道


- quote from yahoo auctions -

Fuzoku doll woodcarving - an Ainu man 座りアイヌ 男 彫刻 風俗人形


................................................................................. Kagawa 香川県


source : asahi-net.or.jp/~vc3k-nrm/gang

Six head dolls from the Genpei War 源平合戦. About 16 cm long.
教経 Taira no Noritsune (1160 - 1184) / 義経 Yoshitsune / 玉虫御前 Tamamushi Gozen
那須与一 Nasu no Yoichi / 菊王丸 Kikuomaru (1168 - 1158) / 弁弁慶 Benkei



................................................................................. Kyoto　京都


source : swissfanclub-photo.blog.jp　ー 時代風俗人形　

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CLICK on this link for many more !
- reference source : www.kyoto-wel.com 京人形　田中彌 -



................................................................................. Tokyo　Edo 江戸


CLICK for more !!

江戸風俗人形 Edo Fuzoku Dolls

- - - - - Detailed photos of the dolls shown above:
- source : chonko.exblog.jp- 神田 ちょん子

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江戸風俗 和紙人形 Edo Fuzoku Doll from Washi Paper
きふじ早苗 Kifuji Sanae

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. . . CLICK here for Photos !

. Reference - fuzoku ningyo.

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


. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

- - - #fuuzoku #fuzoku #mannerscustoms - - - - -
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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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Legends red cow akaushi

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .
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Legends about the Red Cow, Red Bull 赤牛と伝説 aka-ushi, akaushi
akage no oushi (o-ushi) 赤毛の牡牛 a Bull with red hair

akaushi no yookai 赤牛の妖怪 monster red bull
oni wa akaushi 鬼は赤牛 a demon is the red bull

「緑牛」の正体 ? and what about the green bull ?

I have come across some legends about cows, but the special mention of color, like the RED, GREEN or BLACK cow
. . must have some deeper meaning.
Sometimes the red cow is the "ike no nushi"　池の主の赤牛　 master of the pond.
Still trying to find that out. Any help is welcome.
Some sources say it was the malaria.

Gabi Greve, May 2015

- Part 2 -
. Legends about the Black Cow, Black Bull 　黒牛と伝説 kuro-ushi, kuroushi .


. Legends about animals 動物と伝説 .
- Introduction of cow legends -


. ushi oni, ushioni, gyuuki 牛鬼 "bull-demon" ox ogre .
a monster in the pandemonium of Western Japan.




quote
Akaushi (赤牛, あか牛  roughly meaning "red cow")
is a Japanese Wagyū breed of cattle. The beef produced by Akaushi cattle is richly marbled with fat and produces a very tender, flavorful, and expensive variety of steak which is used in Kobe restaurants.
Beef
originally carrying the title of "Kobe beef" were simply cattle from herds in the Kobe area of Japan, and could be any of four breeds of Wagyu cattle: the Akaushi (Japanese Red), the Kuroushi (Japanese Black), the Japanese Polled and the Japanese Shorthorn.
The Akaushi
is a Japanese breed of cattle actually created by a government project that included as many as 150 scientists at one point and spanned more than 50 years. The story goes that these cattle were considered the property of the Japanese government and they were never to leave the Japanese islands.
Currently,
the largest purebred group of Wagyū outside Japan is a herd of Akaushi cattle located in Harwood, Texas, owned by HeartBrand Beef. It was raised from a Japanese imported herd of 11 which was guarded by off-duty Texas Rangers to protect from interbreeding for over 12 years until the herd grew to over 5,000 cattle.
The meat
contains high concentrations of oleic acid, a heart-healthy fatty acid. Akaushi beef has a high ratio of monounsaturated to saturated fats.
source : wikipedia

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- Now let us go back to the past and enjoy some legends about "red cows".
Since most farmers in former times used cows for the field work, I use that translation.
Oxen and bulls were kept by specialized farmers for breeding.



from the Mooo bar, Shiraishi Island, Japan

. Buddha Statues and Cows (Bulls, Oxen) .


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- ABC - List of Red Cow legends from the Prefectures

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. . . . . . . . . . Fukushima 福島県

aka-beko, aka beko, akabeko 赤べこ a red cow
protecting from smallpox, like Daruma



aka-beko, aka beko 赤べこ
The most important of the Aizu Papermachee Dolls is the Red Oxen, Akabeko. The red color is auspicious for warding off illnesses. Many papermachee dolls of the Aizu area are called "Red Things" (akamono) for this reason.
Red things are also good luck symbols for childrearing.



. ushi 丑 ox, oxen (cow, bull, calf) amulets .

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. . . . . . . . . . Kagawa 香川県　

Once uopon a time
an old woman was on her way back from a pilgrimage to Konpira san and walked through the valley 五重谷, when a red cow came running after her. The old woman became quite scared and thought this must be a monster, so she hid in the forest. The red cow eventually disappeared, but to pray for its soul people built a small statue of Jizo Bosatsu at this spot.

. Konpira Daigongen . 金毘羅大権現 .

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. . . . . . . . . . Kagoshima 鹿児島県

日置郡 Hioki gun 山町 Yamamachi

Way back in the mountanis of the hamlet there is the top of an old five-storied stone pagoda 五輪塔, called ガラン Garan. It is not allowed for women to go there and other villagers may only come during the special ritual days. There are 16 powerful deities venerated here and they use the red bull.
Recently a five-storied pagoda has been dug out below the Garan, but the man who did it became a terrible headache. So this one too is venerated in the Garan now.

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. . . . . . . . . . Miyagi 宮城県

亘理町 Watari

When 伊達成実 Date Shigesane (1568 - 1646) built the castle, he had a red bull burried alive in the wall as a protector deity. On a special prayer hill in the South of his living quarters he planted a keyaki ケヤキ zelkova tree, but whoever would use its branches for firewood was cursed.



Watarijoo 亘理城 Watari Jo Castle


There are other castles or a samurai residences with a red bull burried alive (臥牛城 gagyuujoo) in Miyagi,
for example
登米郡登米町寺池の伊達氏登米館 - Date residence in Tome gun - Teraike Jo 寺池城
角田市の石川氏角田館 - Ishikawa residence in Kakuda town, 角田城 Kakuda Jo
玉造郡岩出山町の伊達氏岩出山城 - Date residence in Tamatsukuri gun - Iwadeyama Jo
柴田郡川崎町平沢の高野氏平沢館 - Takano residence in Shibata gun - Hirazawa Yakata
柴田郡川崎町,川崎城,川崎要害- Kawasaki castle, Kawasaki Yogai Stronghold

gagyuujoo, fushiushijoo 臥牛城（がぎゅうじょう、ふしうしじょう）gagyujo, fushiushijo -
Fushiushi Castle "Lying ox castle" - in Japan:

駒ヶ嶺城 (福島県相馬郡新地町）- Komagamine Jo castle, Fukushima
大森城 （福島県福島市）- Omori Jo castle, Fukushima
結城城 （茨城県結城市）- Yūki- Yuki Jo castle, Ibaraki

水沢城 （岩手県奥州市、大休城とも）- Mizuzawa Jo castle, Iwate
source :　japan-iwate.info

岡城 （大分県竹田市）- Oka Jo castle, Oita
source :　okacastleruins

烏山城 （栃木県那須烏山市）- Karasuyama- Jo castle, Tochigi
source :　Karasuyama-castle

. . . CLICK here for more Photos - 臥牛城 !


. hitobashira 人柱 "human pillar" - human sacrifice .
ikenie　生贄 / 生け贄　human sacrifice


Gagyuuzan 臥牛山 Mount Gagyuzan in Okayama, Takahashi, 487 m high

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臥牛とは神慮に適ひあたたかし
後藤夜半

天つ日や臥牛に炎ゆる曼珠沙華
渡邊水巴 (from the collection : Mount Fuji 富士)

土手の臥牛が軸で水郷ぎりと輪転
山崎愛子


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. . . . . . . . . . Nagasaki 長崎県

. a red bull and the okeya 桶屋 bucket maker .
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西彼町 Seihi village

宮浦の峠に、狐がたくさん出た。ある日、老人が赤牛を連れて峠に行くと、ツワの葉を体にたくさん付けた狐がいた。老人は狐が化かしていると思ったが、そのときにはもう化かされており、どこか違う家の書斎に居る気になっていた。そこへ人が通りかかり何をしているのかと問いかけると、老人は牛のしっぽに掴まって「狐だ」と言っていたという。


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. . . . . . . . . . Niigata 新潟県

西蒲原郡 Nishi Kanbara gun 赤塚村 Akatsuka village

The master of the pond Akazu no Ike 明かずの池 was a huge serpent (or a red bull), which killed the villagers and brought much misfortune to the village. So the priest from temple 正元寺 performed special rituals and prayers for seven days and seven nights.
The red bull had to flee from the pond and escaped to another one, the pond in Jigokudani (Valley of Hell 地獄谷).

. Jigokudani　地獄谷 ”Hell Valley" -- Jigoku no Tani 地獄の谷 .

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red beco, redbeco


- source : redbeco.com -meat -


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. . . . . . . . . . Okayama　岡山県　

The Red Cow and Awakura Hot Spring 　粟倉温泉　

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総社市 Soja

昔六社宮は山上に祭られていたが、すぐ潰えるので、人柱の代わりに赤牛を入れることになった。当時ある者が赤牛を飼っていて、金を出せば出しても良いということになった。その後は潰えなくなったが、牛を出した者の家では2代も3代もオシゴロウが出たという。

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. akaushi ni notta sennin 赤牛に乗った仙人 the Immortal who rode on a red bull .



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. . . . . . . . . . Okinawa 沖縄県

ウシ・マジムンは死棺を入れる籠が牛に化けたものだという。夜遅くの帰りに、赤牛が突進してきた。両角を追って組み伏せたが疲れて倒れた。翌朝になってみると籠の両側につけた飾り物を握っていた。

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宮古郡 Miyako

ヤーマス・ウガン由来伝承は、3人兄弟の出生譚として異常妊娠（いつとはなしに孕む）、異常出産（３つの卵を生む）、生長段階の異常食欲、来間島での牡赤牛との格闘なとの話しを持つ。牡牛から来間無人化の理由を聞いてヤーマス・ウガン再興を約束し、女（老婆の連れ去られていた娘）を連れ帰り、長男の嫁とした。生まれた娘たちを次男、三男の嫁とした。
or

ヤーマス・ウガンの由来に関する説話では、赤牛ではなく、黒牛が出てくる話が採録されている。「牛のような怪物」という表現の頻度も高い。「天プトク地プトク根入リヤプトク主司」の説話では、赤牛が死ないし死後の世界にかかわる例がある。伊良部島の伝承では小さな赤牛が侵略者をひっかけてミルクガマへとつれ去る。

check
この話に出てくる鬼は赤牛だが、先に紹介した「卵から生まれた英雄」にも赤牛の妖怪が来間島に出現している。牛に神性があることを早くに指摘したのは石田英一郎で「河童駒引考」の中で詳しく解説している。
http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~hiroba/ikai0107.html

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CLICK for more akabeko photos !

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. . . . . . . . . . Shizuoka 静岡県

Nagatsuro no kakure sato 長津呂のかくれ里 the hidden village of Nagatsuro

Once upon a time

むかし、南伊豆の長津呂（ながつろ）に与丸（よまる）という若者が母親と二人で暮らしていた。家に財産と呼べるようなものは、飼っている赤牛のアカくらいのものだった。それでも与丸はいたって気がやさしく、仕事のない日は浜辺の大岩の上で昼寝をするのがなによりの楽しみだった。

ところがこの与丸、ちょっと人が良すぎるところがあった。今日は庄屋さんの家で働いてきたのに、もらったお金は権左に貸してしまい、また吾作に貸したお金も返してもらっていない。この前は次郎兵衛の所で働いたのに、一銭ももらわずに帰って来たりといった調子だった。

ある日、与丸はいつものように浜辺の大岩の上で昼寝をしていた。起きてみると、いつも近くで草を食んでいるアカの姿が見当たらない。与丸がアカを呼ぶと、それに答えて「モ～～～」というアカの鳴き声が聞こえる。どうも鳴き声は大岩の中から聞こえてくるようだった。そして、与丸が鳴き声が聞こえてくる辺りを触ってみると、与丸は大岩の中に吸い込まれてしまう。

与丸が気がつくと、辺りは甘い香りが漂い、与丸がこれまで見たこともないような美しい景色が広がっていた。甘酸っぱい花の香りにつられて歩いて行くと、与丸はお爺さんがアカを連れて歩いているのを見つける。お爺さんは与丸に言う。

「これはこれは、与丸どの。牛を黙って借りてすまなかったのぅ。ところでの、与丸どの、この畑を鋤く（すく）一ヶ月ばかりあんたの牛を貸してはくれんかのぅ？」お爺さんはその代わりにと、与丸に蓮（はす）の種を一粒渡してまた言う。「その種を家に帰って水の中に蒔いてみなされ。良いことがありますぞな。」

ところが、アカを人に貸してしまったと聞いた与丸のおっかさんは、「アカを人に取られたら、どうやって暮らせばいいんじゃ。」と言って怒り、与丸が蓮の種を見せると「こんな物！！」と言って与丸の手をはたき、種は家の裏の池に落ちてしまう。

それからしばらく、与丸とおっかさんはアカの分までこれまでの何倍も働かねばならなかった。そんなある朝、与丸が目を覚まして何気なく裏の池を見ると、池にはきれいな蓮の花が咲いていた。その蓮の花はこの世のものとは思えぬ美しさで、あたかも極楽の景色のようだった。

またしばらくして、約束の期日になったので、与丸はアカを返してもらおうと浜辺の大岩の所に行った。与丸はお爺さんから礼を言われ、無事アカを返してもらった。ところが、家に帰ると、池の蓮の花は散っており、なにやら重そうな実をつけている。与丸が見てみると、なんと蓮の実は金の粒だった。金の粒はアカを貸した日数とちょうど同じ30粒あった。この金のおかげで、与丸の家はすっかり裕福になった。

しかしその後、与丸がいくら大岩のもとに行っても、二度と大岩の中に入ることは出来なかったそうな。

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Tajima no Akaushi 対島の赤牛

昔、伊豆の対島（たじま）に福泉寺（ふくせんじ）というやぶれ寺があった。この寺に住む住職は次々に行方不明になり、今では誰も住む者がなくなってしまった。村人たちは、福泉寺の奥にある大池の主が池に引き込んでしまうのだと言った。

それから何年かして、美濃の国の名のある武将が、何か思うところがあり出家した。僧になった武将は対島を訪れ、対島の美しい眺めを見て、ここを入定の地と定めた。そこで僧は、福泉寺のことを古老に聞いた。古老が言うには、福泉寺の森の奥に大池があり、夜中にその池の方から牛の鳴き声のような恐ろしい声が聞こえると言うのだ。僧は、それならば今晩、福泉寺に泊まり化け物の正体を見届けると言い、古老が止めるのも聞かず一人で福泉寺に向かってしまった。

夜、福泉寺の本堂では、静まり返った闇の中で僧の読経の声だけが響く。すると池の方から化け物の咆哮が聞こえた。僧が本堂から外に出てみると、そこには赤牛がいた。僧は赤牛に向かって、「もしそなたに仏性（ぶっしょう）があるなら人間の姿になって話してみなさい。」と言う。すると赤牛は夜叉（やしゃ）の女の姿になって本堂に入ってきた。

赤牛を目の前にして一切動じない僧を見て、赤牛は問う。「主（ぬし）は命が惜しくないのか？」僧はこれに応える。「自分は命に執着はない。そなたには仏性がある。仏の功徳（くどく）を聞かれてはどうか。ここに来た理由は救われたいがため？」

赤牛はこれを否定する。「自分は魔界に生を受けたもの。仏法などには縁はない。ここに来た理由はお主を殺そうと思ったからだ。しかし、お主は今までの僧とは違う。ここの住職は自分を恐れるばかりで、なかには討ちかかってくる者までいた。それでやむなく池に引き込んで沈めてしまった。しかし、ここにきて殺生が嫌になった。」

僧は言う。その心こそが仏性であると。僧は続けて自分が出家した経緯を話す。「自分が出家を思い立ったのは、戦で多くの人を殺したがため。私とそなたは同じ悩みを持つもの同士で、その二人がここで対峙するのも、仏のみ心によるものであろう。」

こう言って僧は、夜を徹して赤牛に仏の道を聞かせた。そして夜が明ける頃には、僧と赤牛は二人で手を合わせて読経していた。すると赤牛の身体が光り、これまで夜叉の女の姿であったものが美しい女の姿に変じた。これは赤牛が発心（ほっしん）したためであった。

女の姿に変わった赤牛は、本堂をでて大池に向かった。すると歩く道は白い光となり、赤牛を導くように大池の方に向かって伸びた。女の姿の赤牛は念仏の声とともに大池の水面上で消える。明朝、このことを聞いた古老は、なんとも有り難い話であると感嘆した。

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伊東市 Ito town

Before the development of the town, most of the plain was a huge pond, and its master was a red cow. It killed the priests of temple 福泉寺 Fukusen-Ji one after another.
Eventually a samurai turned priest named 和泉良孝 Izumi Yoshitaka began to read the sutras and finally all became quiet in the region.




Ippeki ike no aka-ushi 一碧湖の赤牛 The Red Cow from Ippeki Pond

Once upon a time
there lived a red cow in the pond, and sometimes it came out of the water, attacked the boats or shapeshifted into a beautiful farm girl and teased the farmers. It also shapeshifted into a dragon and attacked the fisherman and anglers on the shore and the villagers were really in trouble.



In the Kanei period (around 1635) the priest of the temple 光栄寺 Koei-Ji heared about this nuisance, came to the lake, settled down on one of the small islands and begun to pray and perform rituals for seven days. Finally the red cow was contained and the lake became quiet again.



Then he built a small hall there and placed copies of the 法華経 Lotus Sutra in it. Now this island is called
経島 "the Sutra Island".
By the way, there is also a small hall for the 水神 God of Water on the island and people come here to pray for rain.

Ippeki pond is a small crater lake, about six kilometers south of Ito city. The circumference is only 4 km, but this is the largest lake in Izu Peninsula where there are very few lakes and ponds. There are twelve islands, and the beautiful scene reflecting the Amagi Mountains on the lake is known as the ”the eye of Izu”.

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中伊豆町 Nakaizu village

雨乞いには、万城の滝に七面堂の釣鐘を沈めた。
The master of the waterfall 万城の滝 Manjo no Taki was either 大蛇 a huge serpent or a red cow.
Another version says
The real master of the waterfall 万城 の滝 Manjo no Taki near the 地蔵堂 Jizo Hall was a red cow.

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田方郡 Tagata gun 戸田村 Heda village

真城山のさなぎ池
The real master of the Sanagi pond at mount Sanagiyama is a red cow.


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. . . . . . . . . . Yamanashi 山梨県

北巨摩郡 Kitakomo gun 小淵沢町 Kobuchisawa
At the pond called Kobuchi there was a thriving forest and also a small sanctuary.
In former times when there were visitors, farmers would to this sanctuary the night before and ask for food ready to be served on trays 膳椀, just then number of visitors. The next morning they could get the trays full of food, but they had to bring the plates and trays back by evening.
Then one farmer forgot to bring the plates and trays back and the master of the pond, a red bull, got angry and flew away, all the way to lake Suwako 諏訪湖.
There was no more food delivery at this pond, of course.

(There are similar legends of this type where a Kappa makes the delivery.
What could be the background of these legends?)

. Kappa providing food 膳椀と河童 .

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南巨摩郡 Minamikoma gun 五開村 Gokai village

Once the son of a millionaire died, so they wrote the name on his back and held a funeral for him.
Soon after that in the neighbour's farm a red ox was born with the name of this son written on his back. So the rich man asked to have the ox, but since he was on very bad terms with his neighbour, he did not get his wish. Until they died, they were enemies.
We can learn from this story
that it is no good to write the name or seal on the back of a dead person.


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. Reference .

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マンガ昔話データベース Manga Mukashibanashi database
- source : nihon.syoukoukai.com -

妖怪　データベース　yokai database
- source : www.nichibun.ac.jp -


. Legends about animals 動物と伝説 .

. minwa 民話　folktales / densetsu 伝説　Japanese Legends .
- Introduction -

- - - #akaushi #akaushilegends #redcowlegends - - - - -

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- Part 2 -

. Legends about the Black Cow, Black Bull 　黒牛と伝説 kuro-ushi, kuroushi .

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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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Momotaro Peach Boy

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Momotaroo 桃太郎 Momotaro the Peach Boy Once upon a time there lived an old man an old woman in the country of Okayama. The old man went everyday into the mountains to cut wood, while his wife would go to the river to wash clothes. One day, while the old woman was down at the river washing clothes, a big peach came floating down the river! It looked so delicious, she decided to take it home for her and her husband to eat. When the old man came back to their home, the old woman cut the peach open, and to their surprise, there was a small boy inside! They decided to call him Momotaro, which means 'peach boy'. The old couple raised Momotaro to be big and strong. One day, he decided to go and defeat the ogres living on Ogre Island that were pillaging the land. The old woman fixed him some delicious millet dumplings, known as kibi-dango, for his long journey to the island. On the way, a monkey, a dog, and a pheasant joined him, giving them a dumpling each in return for their help in fighting the ogres. Upon reaching the Ogre Island, Momotaro and his companions found that the gate was locked to the Ogre's fort. The pheasant flew inside, and grabbed a key to let the others in. Once inside, they fought the evil ogres. The pheasant pecked their eyes, the dog bit their legs and the monkey jumped on their backs, clawing at the beasts. Finally, the ogres cried for mercy! They gave the strong Momotaro all of their treasure, and he returned to his village triumphantly. Momotaro and the old couple lived happily ever after. source :　www.pref.okayama.jp The story of Momotaro may be related to the old believes of the onmyodo 陰陽道　Yin-Yang Worldview. The direction of bad influence, kimon, is in the ushi-tora (bull tiger) direction. So one of the demons Momotaro is fighting has horns and the other wears a tiger skin. And the Monkey, Dog and Pheasant are animals in the zodiac, in the opposite heavenly direction from the kimon　鬼門　. The Song of Momotaro Momotaro and Daruma ... 桃太郎とだるま Haiku about Momotaro . Momotaro　桃太郎　 . .................................................................................................................................................................. Momotaro by Utagawa Kuniyoshi ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::　 - ABC - List of Momotaro from the Prefectures . Kooshuu Kaidoo, Kōshū Kaidō 甲州街道 Koshu Kaido Road . Even Momotaro, the Peach Boy, was here! 桃太郎伝説もある甲州街道 This story is basically fun with the pun words: 百蔵山 Momokurayama / 鶴島 Tsurushima 犬目 Inume / 鳥沢 Torizawa / 猿橋 Saruhashi 九鬼山 Kukiyama (Mountain of the nine demons) 岩殿山 Iwatonosan, Iwadonosan and a shrine with red demon blood . . . .................................................................................................................................................................. . . . . . . . . . . Aichi Momotaro Jinja 桃太郎神社 Momotaro Shrine Inuyama 犬山 CLICK for more photos ! quote Japan has all sorts of quirky shrines: phallic shrines, fox shrines, even a shrine partially submerged in the sea. Another bizarre shrine to add to the list is the Momotaro Shrine in Inuyama. The Momotaro legend is popular with children and it's kids and their parents and grandparents who make up the majority of visitors to this rather shabby shrine. For those of you unfamiliar with the Momotaro fairy tale, there are a couple of versions. Momotaro is the "Peach Boy" ("momo" means peach) found inside a giant peach floating down the river by an old woman and is then adopted by her and her husband becoming their son sent from heaven. An earlier, racier version of the story has the old woman becoming rejuvenated back to being the sexy babe of her youth after eating part of a giant peach she finds floating in the river. Her husband is gobsmacked to discover this stunner when he returns home but he too, after eating part of the peach, is reinvigorated and the couple make love that night and the result is the birth of Momotaro nine months later. The sexless version of the folk tale seems to have replaced the earlier story during the Meiji Period (1868-1912) when many former popular practices were "cleaned up" as the new, reformist government strove to appear "civilized" in the eyes of a prudish, Christian West. As for the Momotaro Shrine in Inuyama, the place has definitely seen better days. The concrete statues need a lick of paint and many of the metal figures are rusting badly. There's a small museum (200 yen) off to the right of the main shrine building with a few chickens wandering around the rather sad children's swings and roundabout in the garden outside. The Momotaro Shrine is located in Momotaro Park, north of Inuyama city on the banks of the Kiso River about 1km on from Jakko-in Temple. source : japanvisitor.blogspot.jp Momotaro Matsuri 桃太郎祭り Momotaro Festival On May 5. and more on the HP of the shrine source : momotaro/shrine.html .................................................................................................................................................................. . . . . . . . . . . Fukui . 桃太郎神 Momotaro as Deity . at Kehi Jingu 気比神宮 The famous Kehi Shrine .................................................................................................................................................................. . . . . . . . . . . Gifu Naked Momotaro - clay bell . Ichihara tsuchi ningyoo 市原土人形 clay dolls from Ichihara . .................................................................................................................................................................. . . . . . . . . . . Kagawa Momotaro Jinja shrine in Takamatsu 桃太郎神社の本家は香川県高松市 Momotarou-jinnjya 神社がある地域一帯の地名は「鬼無(きなし)」。 かつて桃太郎が瀬戸内海を渡ってくる海賊を、鬼が島(女木島(めぎしま))で退治して“鬼がいなくなった”ことから、その名が付けられたと伝わっている。まさに桃太郎の舞台にふさわしい場所と言えよう。 source : news.mynavi.jp .................................................................................................................................................................. . . . . . . . . . . Okayama the hero of Okayama city. The main street is even called "Momotaro Road", momotaroo doori 桃太郎通り and an annual festival is held in his honor. Der Pfirsischjunge Clay Bell from Okayama Two small Daruma dolls in the photographers doll source : 　hide04miracle MORE . Okayama and Momotaro Food . .................................................................................................................................................................. . . . . . . . . . . Tochigi Momotaro Clay Bell from Sano . Dolls from Sano Town 佐野 . ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: - DOREI 土鈴 clay bells with Momotaro . . . . . CLICK for more photos ! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::　 - EMA 絵馬 votive tablets with Momotaro . . . CLICK here for Ema Photos ! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::　 . . . CLICK here for Japanese Photos ! . . . CLICK here for English Photos ! . English Reference . :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::　 source :　nino-art.at.webry. . momo 桃 peach fruit art motives . ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: . Kobayashi Issa 小林一茶 - Introduction . . 彼の桃が流れ来よ来よ春がすみ ka no momo ga nagare ki yo ki yo harugasumi oh peach come float to me! spring mist According to R. H. Blyth in Haiku, a woman was washing clothes by a stream, "when a huge peach (momo) came floating down. She took it home, and when she and her husband cut it open, they found a little boy, Momotarô, inside" (Tokyo: Hokuseido, 1949-1952; rpt. 1981-1982/reset paperback edition), 2.418. The fairy tale of the floating Peach Boy makes the haiku moment even more magical. The spring mist is so thick, Issa fancies that the peach, like the baby boy of the story, might come floating to his hand. Translation and Comment by David Lanoue. ....................................................................... Comment by Chris Drake : Looking at a painting of an old woman washing clothes -- spring mist -- will the great peach actually float to her? A - kano momo ga nagarekuru ka yo haru-gasumi spring mist -- if only the great peach would float to me! B - kano momo ga nagarekoyo koyo haru-gasumi There are two extant versions of this hokku, which I've marked A and B. Version A is found in a book containing various hokku submitted to the famous haijin Seibi for his opinion in 1811, when Issa was in Edo, and is also found in Issa's Collected Works 7.53. It further appears in a printed collection and in a calligraphic version by Issa. The headnote is found in the latter two versions, presumably to help readers understand the context implied by the hokku. Version A is chosen by Katsumine Shimpū (勝峰 晋風) in his 1935 edition of famous Issa hokku (一茶名句評釈), presumably since it is the version Issa chose to show to Seibi and the one Katsumine liked best. It is also the version translated by Blyth, although in his translation Blyth ignores the possibility of strong doubt or even irony expressed by ka yo. Version B, on the other hand, is first found in Issa's diary for the 12th month (January) of 1812, so both versions are important. In the first line of both versions, "that [giant] peach" refers to an event in the extremely well-known and popular folktale "Momotarō." The most common version of the tale begins with a giant peach floating down a stream or river while an old woman is washing clothes on one bank. The woman takes the peach home with her, and when she and her husband cut the peach open a boy jumps out and declares that heaven has sent him to be their son, since the couple is childless. The wife and husband name him Momotarō, which means something like Peach Boy. Momotarō grows up to be a strong, energetic, brave, and kind boy who loves to help his parents, and he has many animal friends and adventures. Both versions of the hokku evoke an old woman who resembles the old woman in the folktale who is washing clothes beside a river at a point in time before the floating peach reaches her, though it is unclear whether the peach ever will float downstream to the woman in the hokku. In version A Issa's voice is fairly distant and objective, and he may doubt that the old woman he sees in a picture will be as lucky as the woman in the folktale. The strong doubt or amazed disbelief in ka yo suggests Issa feels either that the woman in the picture is not as fortunate as the woman in the folktale or that, speaking hyperbolically, the painting of an old woman washing is so astonishingly well done that even the mythical big peach might soon be expected to come floating down the stream or river. However, since ka yo is quite blunt and colloquial, the question might be a straightforward one asked by the skeptical old woman herself, and for her the mist might suggest an unclear future. If the hokku is spoken by the woman, then the pronoun in the last line becomes "me." Perhaps Issa meant to leave two opposite possibilities open. The hokku might be meant to oscillate continuously between realism and fantasy, description and lyricism. Version B, the diary version recorded in late winter, seems more solidly lyrical. Issa perhaps sees a woman washing by a river and recalls the version of the hokku he gave to Seibi a few months earlier, or he could be recalling the original painting of a woman washing clothes. Even if Issa is writing version B about a women he sees with his own eyes, "that peach" makes the woman and the peach also refer to the folktale (and surely to the painting ) and makes the speaker of the "please...." be either the woman, who would be hoping she will be as lucky as the woman in the old tale, and/or Issa, who would be expressing his hope that the woman will be rewarded with some kind of good fortune such as the mythical peach. It is possible to interpret the mist in both versions as just being there -- as simply the setting -- but it seems likely to me that Issa is also either addressing the mist and asking it to help give the old woman her wish or presenting the hokku as the old woman's address to the mist as she expresses her hopes for her own misty future. Chris Drake

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. Regional Folk Toys from Japan .

. Japan - Shrines and Temples .


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Tanuki Badger Racoon Dog

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Tanuki 狸　Badger, Racoon Dog - Introduction - . tanuki 狸 mujina 狢　－ badger legends from Japan . Five Buddhas and one Tanuki in my Garden ................................................................................. The Japanese Tanuki racoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides, also called badger, is still a familiar sight in rural neighbourhoods. Next to the fox the Tanuki is seen as a crafty animal with magical powers, but unlike the fearful fox it is quite humorous in its tricks. . Tanuki and Daruma . ... and the Tanuki Scrotum, kintama 金玉 Shigaraki Pottery 信楽焼 Nowadays, you can see a Tanuki figure standing outside restaurants and bars beckoning customers to come inside. Here he stands upright, usually with a vest, a hat, and carrying a bottle of liquor. He is believed to travel from one pub to the next in search of more liquor and good company. . Tanuki and Sake Legends 狸とお酒 . from Fudo Temple at the Tanuki Valley Mountain 狸谷山不動院 Tanukidaniyama This temple in Kyoto has many more amulets. It is well known for Miyamoto Musashi practising ascetics under a waterfall. . Tanukidani Fudo-In Temple . Tanuki figures are sold everywhere, for your garden, as home decoration or little amulets on a string. . Tanuki in the WIKIPEDIA ! ....................................................................... Tanuki Osho Clay Bell たぬき和尚 . otogibanashi dorei おとぎ話の土鈴 clay bells with motives of legends . ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::　 - ABC - List of Tanuki from the Prefectures .................................................................................................................................................................. . . . . . . . . . . Ehime from Kikuma town 菊間 Kizaemon and Kojooro the Tanuki prostitute 喜左衛門と小女郎狸 (komero 小女郎) This Tanuki is the object of verneration at the shrine Kusunoki Jinja 楠木神社 Kojooro Daimyoojin 小女郎大明神. Once there were three tanuki siblings from the Iyo Tanuki Family 伊予狸族 venerated in the region of Iyo. Nyuugawa 壬生川の喜左衛門狸 Kizaemon from river Nyugawa Yashima no hage Tanuki 八島の禿狸 (later famous near Takamatsu) and Kojooro 小女郎狸 Kojooro Tanuki had been kept and fed by the head priest of the shrine Ichinomiya 一宮神社, because she was quite intelligent and kind. But one day she stole some ears of the first rice. The priest scolded her and banned her from her nest near the big camphor tree (kusunoki). For a long time she erred in the large forest around the shrine and finally reached the beach. She found a fisher boat ready to leave for Osaka. So one changed her figure into that of the priest of the temple Jigenji 慈眼寺 and sat in the boat. This was a day when they fished quite a lot of the local speciality, the sea bream (tai 鯛). Oh, and this was her favorite food, but she resisted her desires, closed her eyes firmly and prayed to Amida Buddha, or rather the Bosatsu of the Sea Bream Namu Taisan Bosatsu 南無鯛散菩薩. At her feet the delicious-looking fish flapped here and there, so she became more and more hungry and could hardly subpress her lust for a fish meal. "Oh well, just one will not break my Buddhist vows" ... she encouraged herself, sat closer to the fresh fish and slipped one under her Buddhist robe. When she secretly tried to eat the fish, the fishermen found her out and scolded her: "You stinkin' old priest! You thief!" They begun hitting the priest-tanuki with a large oar, and in fear she lost her human figure, showed her long tail and hopped around franticaly in the small boat. She almost drowned in the chase. When the fishermen let go of her, she repented her former sins and promised to protect the fishermen from now on. "When we reach Osaka, I will change into a metal tea kettle. You can sell the kettle and take the money as pay for the fish I stole from you and ate!" Thus she payed back her debt to the fishermen. After she had kept her promise as a tea kettle, she changed into a beautiful courtesan and spent some time in the pleasure quarters of Osaka. Later she returned to the forest of shrine Ichinomiya and became a protective deity for those who keep their vows and have a wish fulfilled. shogan jooju 諸願成就 Her statue at the shrine The Kusunoki shrine near the big tree was built in her honor. ........................................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . Kagawa Jooganji no Hage Tanuki 浄願寺の禿狸 bald Tanuki from temple Jogan-Ji Most Tanuki stories and legends are told in Shikoku, some say, because there are no foxes in Shikoku, since Kobo Daishi banned them from the island for doing tricks to the humans. So in Shikoku the Tanuki serves as the trickster and joker. Jogan-Ji is a temple in Takamatsu city. The tanuki had been fed by an old couple and wanted to show his gratitude (ongaeshi). So he transformed himself into a tea cattle and asked the old man to sell him for good money. The man who bought this tea cattle made fire every day to cook his water ... and thus the tanuki became all bald. But soon it hurt too much, he gave up his disguise, ran away and came back to the old couple. The old man took pity on him and gave him three mochi rice cakes to feast on. The story of a tanuki changing into a tea cattle are told elsewhere too. my teapot suddenly grows fur - tanuki legends . . . . . . Tasaburo Tanuki 太三郎狸 . from temple Yashima-ji 屋島寺 ........................................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . Kochi Kankuro Tanuki 権九郎狸 He is one of the famous tanuki of Shikoku. In the mountain region of Ushioyama 潮江山 in the south of Kochi. One day a woman made a wish to have a child at the shrine where Kankuro was living. She became pregnant soon and gave birth - but whow, her baby was a tanuki. Or rather, it looked like a tanuki to all other people, but not to the happy parents. But the child died soon afterwards. The procession of the funeral had to take refuge during a strong rainshower - and whow and behold, someone stole the coffin during that break. The procession climbed to Mount Ushioyama anyway and found another new grave there. Maybe Kankuro, the tanuki, had built this? they thought. Now any time it rains in the region, people see spooky lights along the mountain slope and think it is the tanuki funeral procession with their lanterns 葬連火. Kankuro used to steal into the ladies quarters of the nearby castle at night, paste some red paper into the eyes of the sleeping ladies and then shouted "Fire, fire". He used to enjoy the hustle and bustle that followed when the surprized ladies woke up in a hurry and ran around to extinguish the fire. ........................................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . Kumamoto Hikoichi koma (Hiko-Ichi) 彦一独楽 spinning top . Hikoichi don from Kumamoto 熊本の彦一　 . and the tanuki legends ........................................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . Kyoto tanuki from temple Kodai-Ji (Koodaiji) 高台寺の狸 These Kyoto pottery tanuki figures have been sold in the access road to the shrine. They are an amulet to prevent robbers from entering the home. Nowadays they are made from Shigaraki pottery. In contrast to the "domesticated" form of Shigaraki with a bamboo hat on the back, a sake flask and passbook (kayoichoo 通い帳) they look a bit more on the wild, animal side. From behind the large bamboo hat their tail is showing just a bit. . Koodaiji 高台寺 Temple Kodai-Ji . Kyoto .............................................................................................................................................. source :　Iandalf Shimamura, facebook at Yasaka Jinja . Yasaka Shrine　八坂神社 and the Gion Festival . .............................................................................................................................................. . . . . . . . . . . Mie shita dashi tanuki 舌出し狸 tanuki showing his tongue another version is this : . The O-Nyudo of Yokkaichi 四日市の大入道 . ........................................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . Shizuoka tanukiguruma 狸車 tanuki with wheels .............................................................................................................................................. . . . . . . . . . . Tokushima 徳島県 tanuki gassen 狸合戦 ，金長 Kanenaga，六右衛門 Rokuemon Around 1840 many Tanuki living between 名東群斉津村 Myodo district, Saitsuson village and 勝浦郡小松島町 Katsuura district, Komatsushima village, were found wounded and dead. Very soon after that stories were told about the 狸合戦 Tanuki Warfare. Tanuki Kanenaga from the village 日開野村 and Tanuki Rokuemon from 名東群津田浦 were leaders of two great Tanuki factions from all over Japan. They fought, their children fought and in the second generation they eventually made piece due to the intervention of Hage Tanuki / Hagedanuki 禿狸 from Sanuki Yashima 讃岐屋島 in Northeast Shikoku near Takamatsu . - CLICK for more photos ! - Shrine for Tanuki Rokuemon . hage 禿げ bald - legends . ........................................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . Tokyo Tamonji temple 　多聞寺 tanuki no chokin tama 狸の貯金玉 piggy bank with badger Tanuki and his wife, 狸夫婦 tanuki no dorei 狸土鈴 clay bell with badger　 During a pilgrimage to the seven gods of good luck (Shichi Fukujin 七福神巡り) people would go to this temple dedicated to Bishamonten during the New Year festivities. Once upon a time, a homeless tanuki lived in the temple compound, because it was not frequented much and quite wild. The tanuki changed into a monster and played tricks on the people. So they build a big hill for the tanuki to live and appeased him thus. The temple is also famous for its lovely landscape garden. The piggybank is now an amulet to wish for more money and good business. The temple is also called the "Tanuki Temple" 狸の寺. . Bishamonten Tanuki ... Bishamon Tanuki 毘沙門狸 . . . . . . . Joofukuji 常福寺 Jofuku-ji Temple in Setagaya . In the precincts there are porcelain 狸 Tanuki racoon dogs in all sizes, . . . . . Ueno Toshogu Shrine 上野東照宮 . Eiyoo Gongen 栄誉権現 Venerable Guard Deity . Ema votive tablet with tanuki ....................................................................... Yanagimori jinja shrine 柳森神社 千代田区神田須田町2-25 Chiyoda, Kanda Suda oyako tanuki 親子狸 parent and child badger o-tanuki san　おたぬきさん the honorable Tanuki The parent is about 3,5 cm, the child only 2 cm. Once a Tanuki badger family, who lived near the pond Otama-ga-ike お玉ヶ池, close to 東紺屋町 Eastern Konya-Cho. The original story tells of a wooden sculpture which the 6th Shogun Tokugawa Ienobu 徳川家宣 (1662 - 1712) gave his retainer hatamoto of the 河原林家 Kawarabayashi clan. After the Meiji Restauration, the estate of the clan had to be removed, so the Tanuki statues were given to the shrine. Praying here brings good luck in all kinds of contests 勝負事. . Konyachō 神田紺屋町 Konya-Cho in Kanda, Edo . This shrine in Kanda is dedicated to the Tanuki, the trickster of Japanese legend. ta o nuku　他を抜く pull away from the crowd as an amulet for a good career and good business and victory in all endeavors. The ladies pray for a good wedding partner (enmusubi) to make a brilliant marriage (tama no koshi 玉の輿). (see story below). source :　sanpokatagata.blogspot.com Check this link for more photos of the shrine. quote 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 O-oku was akin to winning the lottery for a woman. No matter how humble your origins, you were treated like royalty in the O-oku, 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. And this is precisely why O-Tanuki Sama Jinja remains popular even today among those looking for a little boost in their professional lives. The nickname comes from yet another mnemonic pun: "tanuki" can also be read "ta-nuki," or pulling away from the crowd, a symbol of victory. It helps that it is a charming sort of place, framed as always with a bright red Torii gate. But in place of the usual komainu moondog statues that flank the gates at most shrines, there stands a pair of exquisitely sculpted stone tanuki -- with testicles of legendary scale, of course. Stepping through, the concrete of the sidewalk gives way to stepping-stones atop well-trod earth. A cherry tree shades the grounds within, flecked with uncommon yellow-tinted flowers. Here and there can be seen several more tanuki in pottery and stone. Mossy stone markers and stone lanterns list gracefully between ferns and other greenery of the sort you almost never see in the city. source : tokyo/play, Hiroko Yoda . Keishoo-In, Keishōin 桂昌院 Keisho-In . . Kanda Sudacho　神田須田町 Suda district . ....................................................................... Denpooin 伝法院 Denpoin, Denpo-In, Asakusa Around 1872, there used to be spooks going around this area. Finally people thought it was a curse of the Ohashi family, who had been "temple samurai 寺侍" here and cut down all the bamboo thicket to make a garden. A Tanuki who had lived there cursed the area, so they build a sanctuary for it and venerated it as a protector deity 鎮護大神. Now the "Golden Tanuki" is an amulet to prevent all kinds of fire and disaster. Established in 1777, Denpoin is the parent temple of Asakusa Senso-ji. It is also a place for monks to perform ascetic practices. - reference - ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: タヌキ Tanuki, キツネ」 kitsune, 弘法大師 Kobo Daishi Legends from Ehime, Iyo and Shikoku source : kotaro_mil Tanuki mit 8 Merkmalen: 1) ein grosser Strohhut zum Schutz vor Wetter und Ärger 2) große Augen um alles warzunehmen und richtige Entscheidungen zu treffen 3) Tugend wird durch eine Sake-Flasche dargestellt 4) der große Schwanz steht für Beständigkeit und Kraft 5) übergroße Hoden für finanzielles Glück 6) ein Schuldschein-Buch suggeriert Vertrauen 7) der dicke Trommel-Bauch steht für dreiste und gefasste Entschlossenheit 8) ein freundliches Lächeln bringt nur Gutes ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: . . . CLICK here for Photos ! . Reference . - source : asahi/narumi/clinic - Reference : 長泉寺の狸 Saitama, Temple Chozen-Ji (Choozenji) ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::　 Tanuki Kokeshi wooden dolls タヌキ こけし and many MORE source : zenmaitarow - ebay, 2015 - :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::　 Mistranslations of Tanuki Confused Naming Conventions Neither the badger nor the racoon (raccoon) figure prominently in Chinese or Japanese folklore or artwork. Nonetheless, for decades, Western scholars have mistranslated Tanuki as "badger" or "racoon-dog." This is clearly wrong, but can be forgiven -- the Tanuki does, in fact, look badger-like, racoon-like, and fox-like. The magical shape-shifting Tanuki is clearly a composite creature. The original evil parts come from old China and its fox lore (introduced to Japan between the 4th-7th centuries CE). The newer tamer parts, such as the big belly, belly drumming, and giant scrotum, can be traced to late Edo-era Japan (18th-19th centuries), while the commercialized benevolent parts (sake bottle, promissory note, straw hat) emerged in Japanese artwork around the beginning of the 20th century. Fox and Tanuki Lore in Old Japan and Bunbuku Chagama 文福茶釜・分福茶釜, Lucky Tea Kettle Story tanuki in Awa province 阿波の狸の話 Awa no Tanuki no Hanashi Danzaburō Tanuki / Danuki 団三郎狸. Sado Island Hage Tanuki / Danuki 禿狸 from Yashima 屋島 northeast Shikoku Shibaemon Tanuki / Danuki 芝右衛門狸 of Awaji Island Flying-Dragon Tanuki 飛龍狸 in red robe MORE details are here : source : Mark Schumacher . Danzaburō Tanuki 団三郎狸 Danzaburo from Sado Island 佐渡 . . kachikachi yama, Kachi-Kachi Yama かちかち山, The Crackling Mountain Story . . otogibanashi dorei おとぎ話の土鈴 clay bells with motives of legends . bunbuku chagama and kachikachi yama clay bells .................................................................................................................................................... - quote - The Awa Tanuki Gassen (阿波狸合戦) (also called the Awa no Tanuki Gassen (阿波の狸合戦) or the Kinchō Tanuki Gassen (金長狸合戦)) is a Japanese legend that takes place in the Awa Province (now Tokushima Prefecture). The legend is about a great war between two tanuki powers. Tanuki Kinchō (金長狸), and the bad one, Rokuemon (六右衛門狸), - - - More in the WIKIPEDIA ! source : 鈴木寿雄画 戸をたたく狸と秋をおしみけり to o tataku tanuki to aki o oshimikeri (1768) with a badger knocking at my door I lament the passing of autumn Buson wrote this poem while staying in Ibaraki, 結城市 Yuki town, where many Tanuki have been killed. So in honor of their souls he wrote another poem: 秋のくれ仏に化る狸かな aki no kure hotoke ni bakeru tanuki kana at the end of autumn this badger poses as a Buddha . . . hotoke ni bakeru - signify a tanuki who got killed. hotoke is a word used for a dead person or a corpse. The cut marker KANA is at the end of line 3. . Yosa Buson 与謝蕪村 in Edo . - - - - - Comment by Larry Bole: Regarding "aki no kure hotoke...", the following is a passage from "The Path of Flowering Thorn: The Life and Poetry of Yosa Buson" by Makoto Ueda (Standford Universit Press, 1998): One of the few remaining records that show something of Buson's life in Yuki appears in a section of 'A New Florilegium' (Shin hanatsumi), a book he wrote later in his career. It tells of an incident he encountered while staying at a local poet's villa: "Joou, a resident of Yuuki, owned a villa and had an aged caretaker live there all the time. Although located within the town limits, the premises were covered by trees and overgown with grass, providing a convenient hideout for someone who wanted to avoid the dust of the world. That was why I stayed there for a while. "One autumn night the old caretaker, having finished all the cleaning and other chores, was idling away the long evening hours by a lamp, with a Buddhist rosary in his hand. I was in a back room struggling to compose hokku and other verses. After a while I grew so tired that I pulled a quilt over me, and was beginning to doze off when I heard loud banging sounds on the storm doors enclosing the veranda. There were twenty or thirty bangs in succession. My heart pounding fast at the strange happening, I got up and opened a door without making a noise. No one was out there as far as my eyes could see. I went back to bed, but just as I began to sleep, there came the same banging sounds. Again I rushed out to look, but again there was no sign of life. Utterly unnerved, I went to the caretaker and asked him what to do. " 'I know what it is,' the old man said. 'It's a badger. Next time he comes, you open the door at once and chase him away. I'll go out the back door, hide behind the hedge, and wait for him.' "He readied himself by taking out a whip and laying it beside him. I pretended to be asleep and waited for the badger. Before long the badger started again. " 'There he is!' I opened the door. With a cry, the old man dashed out. But there was not a soul in sight. Upset, he searched every corner of the villa, all in vain. "The same incident occurred every night for the next four days. I was becoming too exhausted to stay on in the villa any longer, when Joou's head servant came to see us. " 'That fellow won't come tonight,' he said. 'Early this morning, a villager killed an old badger at a place called Yabushita. I'm sure he was the one playing tricks on you every night recently. Please have a restful sleep tonight.' "The man was right. From that night on, there was no disturbing sound. I didn't like the badger for what he had done to me, yet I also felt sorry for the animal because he was after all a visitor who came to console this lonely traveler sleeping away from home. Perhaps he and I had been tied by some karma. I was so grief-stricken that I gave alms to a mendicant friar called Zenku and asked him to offer prayers for the badger's soul one night. aki no kure hotoke ni bakeru tamiki kana autumn nighfall--- a badger has turned himself into a Buddha [trans. Ueda] The haibun distinctly shows Buson's interest in the macabre, one of the characteristics of his later poetry. In Japan, people used to believe that badgers, along with foxes, were animals with supernatural powers that could turn themselves into any shape or form at will. Japanese folkore abounds in bizarre tales featuring badgers and foxes that work mischief on humans. Buson, while terrified of the power of the supernatural, also felt a measure of attraction to it and made it a part of his poetic world. In this episode, he actually deifies the badger, albeit with a touch of humor. The badger, capable of transforming himself at will, has chosen to become a Buddha at death-- or the poet would like to think so. [end of passage] ....................................................................... Tanuki Sake - - - - - and a set with cups to drink it

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. Regional Folk Toys from Japan .

. WKD : Tanuki and Kigo .


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