Kaido roads yurei yokai

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- KAPPA - 河童 / かっぱ /　カッパ - ABC-Index -

. - yookai, yōkai 妖怪 Yokai monsters - .
. Japanese Legends - 伝説　民話　昔話 – ABC-List .
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- Kaido Ancient Roads - Yokai and Yurei 街道の妖怪 - 幽霊 -



Japan developed a nationwide network of roads and highways already in the 7th century to carry things on foot, horseback, and wheeled traffic and to transport goods between towns and villages. The major roads, called kaido, started from the capital in Kyoto.

. Legends about 街道 Kaido, The Ancient Roads of Japan .

Along the roads there developed a lot of monsters and ghosts . . .

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北海道 樺太 Hokkaido / Sakhalin

ケナシコルウナルペ
イワイセポ
アルサラウス
ミンツチノトノ
ヤカラカムイトノ、
シラルポンチャチャ
オパスホロケウポ
ケムラムカムイ

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東山道 Tosando

磐州 Banshu Fukushima 福島県
麻積婆、泥鰌娘、かすごうじの乙姫、七曲坂の鬼、橙色の飛物、猫の御新造

江州 Eshu Shiga 滋賀県
南覚花、影向杉、お鍋松の蛇、茄子婆、腥地蔵

岩州 Ganshu Fukushima 福島県
てんころりん、魂の鳩、丸山のおさん、朱の盤、布引山の蛇

飛州 Hishu Gifu 岐阜県
千光寺の鐘、大きな岩魚、南瓜蛇、鼠石、天狗髭、豆梅坊の火

上州 Joshu Gunma 群馬県
黒鼬、おぼ、大馬神、権現沼、けろけろ、くだん、赤い巾着、洗濯婆、蜘蛛が淵の主、鬼の遊び場のお婆
. kawa tengu 川天狗 "river Tengu" .

陸奥 Mutsu Aomori 青森県
さだ、臼背負、三毛猫の婆様、人形の坊様、てん転ばし、茶殻子、左京沼の主

濃州 Noshu Gifu 岐阜県
関の太郎、狗賓の鼻息　Guhin、元正狐、袋被せ、遣ろか水、ついたか見てくろ
. guhin kuhin gubin 狗賓 / グヒン Guhin Tengu Yokai monster .

陸中 Rikuchu Iwate 岩手県
ぬえ Nue、釜歌、谺、小松の姫、 六兵衛岩、ぼこ

陸前 Rikuzen Miyagi 宮城県
大海老、ざんびき童、ねんねんぐ、唸り坂の大獺、もぞこい

信州 Shinshu Nagano 長野県
両葉芒、このこに困る、空木岳の鹿、甘酒婆、薬缶吊

羽後 Ugo Akita 秋田県
紺絣の化物、狐巡査、丈高女、小又の親杉、ふふぎの貝、生垣揺、林檎怪

羽前 Uzen Yamagata 山形県
おわおわ鳥、二度びっくり、針雑魚、釜っこ下がり、付句の執念、しょけら
、
野州 Yashu   Ibaraki 栃木県
飛銚子、金色姫、三本杉の精、高鳥山の大亀


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東海道 Tokaido

尾州 Bishu Aichi 愛知県
長田蟹、衣太郎狐、かわらんべの娘、大女、姫取ヶ池の妖怪、化道蜘蛛、土鴉

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房州 Boshu Chiba 千葉県
雷鼬
熊野の三太郎
紫池の主
海入道

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. Bushu 武州 : Tokyo 東京都、Chiba 千葉県、Saitama 埼玉県 - Edo　江戸 .

kuchisake onna 口裂け女 slit-mouthed woman
haifuri tanuki 灰降狸 the ash-throwing Tanuki
isogashi いそがし "busy busy"　
kioicho no densha 紀尾井町の電車 the train from Kioi village
kurokamikiri 黒髪切 black hair cutter
onimusume, oni-musume 鬼娘 demon daughter
ooji no kitsune 王子の狐 the Fox from Oji
ooki na otoko 大きな男 the huge man
tachifusagari たちふさがり twister, whirlwind

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遠州 Enshu Shizuoka 静岡県、Aichi 愛知県

山住さん
大人淵の竜
田中の火の玉
川猿 - Kappa
夜なき婆

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賀州 Gaishu Mie 三重県

鐘喰虫
狒々猿

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常州 Joshu Ibaragi 茨城県

いくち
ぞくぞく
狢雪洞
臼子

甲州 Koshu Yamanashi 山梨県
赤牛、怠け神、治部虫、追分の唐蜀黍、ゆきおに、笠借狐、小豆そぎ婆

三州 Sanshu Aichi 愛知県
笛場怪、孫八狐、雌岩雄岩、大鰻魚、おぶめ塚、片脚上臈、二竜松の精

勢州 Seishu Mie 三重県
すててぎてぎよ、人鬼、水鼬、蛍の幽霊、かっち鮫、父ヶ谷の牛鬼

志州 Shishu Mie 三重県
黒森の鬼、山椒びらし、かんころぼし、蒟蒻虫

総州 Soshu Chiba 千葉県、Ibaraki 茨城県
利根川の大鯉、隠し婆、金網、禿切小僧、山のおばけ、大唐が鼻の化物

相州 Soshu Kanagawa 神奈川県
お宮の化物、おさよならい、おはんさん、釣瓶坂、土用坊主、お化け梟

駿州 Sunshu Shizuoka 静岡県
宇津の谷の鬼、白鳥山の白坊主、なめだら牛、千本の化物、五色蔦の精

豆州 Zushu - Izu - Shizuoka 静岡県
狩野の古釜、大滝の主、天狗の蜜柑、乳っこ担ぎ


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北陸道 Hokurikudo

越後 Echigo Nigata 新潟県

dannasama 旦那様
kangirikko 禿切子
Kappa no onna 河童の女 female Kappa from the river 糸魚川 Itoigawa
toofuneko 豆腐猫 Tofu Cat
shirotsubu 白田螺 white Tanishi mud snail
yama kara kei 山から鶏
yokizutzu hebi 横筒蛇
yoru no mimizu 夜蚯蚓

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越前 Echizen Fukui 福井県

bisha ga tsuku びしゃがつく
iburiyama 飯降山
mangabuchi no nushi 馬鍬淵の主
narita なりた
oharugitsune おはる狐 the fox O-Haru
Tengu no unga 天狗の浮塵子
tsubaki joro 椿女郎 "camellia prostitute"

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越中 Etchu Toyama 富山県
滑川の大章魚、海の猩々、蟹嫁様、妖鼠、せんぽくかんぽく、くたべ

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加州 Kashu Ishikawa 石川県
大おに、火の玉爺さん、ぼんぼしょ、火取魔、斧坂の化物、長面妖女、ぐず

若州 Nyakushu Fukui 福井県
善徳虫、大青蛙、女郎魚、およね狐

能州 Noshu Ishikawa 石川県
山燈、茶釜下、みずくし、猿鬼、赤蜂、桃ヶ瀑

佐渡 Sado Niigata 新潟県
碁盤波、雪隠鬼、臼負婆、海禿、衾 fusuma


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畿内 Kinai - Kyoto Osaka Nara

城州 Joshu Kyoto 京都府
異電、毛虫の大坊主、片輪車、尻目、辰己大明神、橋姫

河州 Kashu Osaka 大阪府
赤子淵の主、門真のお三、納戸爺さん、芒おばけ、姥が火、悪火

泉州 Senshu Osaka 大阪府
卵の獄卒、土生のおさん

摂州 Sesshu Osaka, Hyogo 大阪府、兵庫県
赤渕、明月姫、目無し稚児、箕面山の天狗、源兵衛狸

和州 Washu Nara 奈良県
破石、鏡池の火の玉、ごんずい、山あらし、金の蛙、べとべとさん、筐転り

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Sanyodo 山陽道

播州 Banshu Hyogo 兵庫県
阿菊虫、とます、淡桃躑躅、菅笠著た子、誰袖坂、蛸山伏

備州 Bishu Okayama 岡山県、Hiroshima 広島県
蜘女房、骨喰猫、おじち山のおさん、西大寺梵鐘、米噛石、生姜の呻声、焚朗火

防州 Boshu Yamaguchi 山口県
八の字狸、二人大坊主、柿の葉の化物、馬糞ヶ岳の大蛇、枇杷精

長州 Choshu Yamaguchi 山口県
お月さんの蜘蛛、ひけ、山みさき、平家蟹

芸州 Geishu Hiroshima 広島県
一本角、七鍋、宮写貝、傾城ヶ淵の主

作州 Sakushu Okayama 岡山県
保木の大蛇、こそこそ、蘇鉄の化物、牛飼いの雲雀、栗姫、宇兵衛どん宇兵衛どん、
杓子岩、樽岩


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山陰道 Sanindo

伯州 Hakushu Tottori 鳥取県
ごいぞう、勝手のええ蜘蛛、銀兜怪、まかげ

因州 Inshu Tottori 鳥取県
甘露落とし、種の藤助の嬶、蛇の医者、囲炉裏の婆

隠岐 Oki Island Shimane 島根県
山姥蜘蛛、魔法飯綱、もた、やさい艪、七尋女房

石州 Sekishu Shimane 島根県
蓑を着た大男、獺の小豆磨、綿売り三匁、菖蒲がさこの婆、菅笠下、女郎虫

丹州 Tanshu (Tanba) Kyoto 京都府
衣章魚、大蛇の姉妹、白い幕、片枝松、渡柄杓、筵の手

但州 Tanshu Hyogo 兵庫県
但馬の大章魚、念仏谷の鼬、こんこんさんの道、井垣甚十郎、辻坊主

雲州 Unshu Shimane 島根県
鎧蛙、壁の上の抜首、飛藁束、鮗の宮、おしみ


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南海道 Nankaido - Shikoku

阿州 Ashu Tokushima 徳島県
お福石、天神様の銀杏、鬼飯銭、お芳狸、袖もぎさん、芥子坊主、夜行さん

紀州 Kishu Wakayama 和歌山県
海犬、目塗り、子犬のようなもの、小原淵の竜女、平家の旗竹、岩の侍

讃州 Sanshu (Sanuki) Kagawa 香川県
おしょぼ、高壁、大鰈、狸の石、蛇の目傘の呵々、高松の怪魚、亀蛭子、猫の外道

淡州 Tanshu Hyogo 兵庫県
しとりの池の大蛇、安乎の海坊主、かりかり

土州 Toshu Tosa Kochi 高知県
しばてん、羽指鯨、狸の自転車、山父、箸舐兎、手杵返、おちちんぷんぷん、山鰐

予州 Yoshu Ehime 愛媛県
おやま女郎、隠神刑部、牛鬼、砂洗い、風ぶれ

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西海道 Saikaido - Kyushu

豊州 Bushu Oita 大分県
鬼新太夫、法螺の貝、八幡の森の鬼、鼬の塗壁、兄弟割石、ひとだま、空木返し、ししこり

筑州 Chikushu Fukuoka 福岡県
ぼっくりしょ、鼠娘、阿弥陀がむね、御寺の鬼、山神椿、寿命貝、人食い幽霊、めら、山哭、司生虫、

肥州 Hishu - Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto 佐賀県、長崎県、熊本県
石渚女、蛸聟殿、野狐小僧、御辛労の池、南蛮井戸、坊様鯨、いでもち、油すまし、一ッちょ目、豆腐娘

壱岐 Iki Island Nagasaki 長崎県
かしゃの雨、塗坊、美しい傘、舟しとぎ、湯坊主

隅州 Gushu Kagoshima 鹿児島県
早馬殿、一反木綿、二反ばえ、おじどん

日州 Hisshu Miyazaki 宮崎県
百椀とどろ、とんごし婆、貧乏枇杷、無いもん食う、むき、ひょうずんぼ

薩州 Sasshu Satsuma Kagoshima 鹿児島県
下い股、火の斎の雉、甕壺の化物、銭排猪、お耳長様 　　小倉の海女、米蛸、ぬっぺっ坊、このつきとっこう

対州 Taishu Nagasaki 長崎県
蜷割り、十六日烏賊、さすれい、にんじん

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琉球　Ryukyu Kagoshima - Okinawa 鹿児島県　ー 沖縄県

akamataa アカマター dangerous serpent
- source : yokai database -

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dangasamajimun ダンガサマジムン

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kijimunaa キジムナー Kijimuna



The Kijimuna (キジムナー Kijimunaa) are creatures of the mythology native to the island of Okinawa. The kijimuna are small wood spirits according to Okinawan mythology.
They are said to look around three or four years old and have red hair.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

The Kijimuna is also called ブナガヤ Bunagaya.
Someone went collecting firewood and saw it. Its hair is all red, and so is the face. It has the features of a child of four or five years.
Some say it is Yamanokami and pray to it.


kenmun 水蝹 Kenmun
a kappa/kijimunaa hybrid
Kenmun are hairy water and tree spirits from the Amami islands in southern Japan.
- reference source : Matt Alt -

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nakanodakarinusuuyooi ナカンダカリヌスーヨーイ

ushinoshita unagu 牛舌女 woman with a bull tongue

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zan ザン
From the Amami islands 奄美諸島



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- source : wakanmomomikan.yu-nagi.com -

幽霊街道 Yurei Kaido
- source : Yokai Database - - 84


. 日本の街道 Kaidoo The Ancient Roads of Japan .
- Introduction -

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

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. - - - Join my Kappa friends on facebook ! - - - .

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. - yookai, yōkai 妖怪 Yokai monsters - .


. Kappa densetsu　河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .


. Minwa 民話　folktales / densetsu 伝説　Japanese Legends .

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .

- #kappakaidoyokai #yokaikaido #kaidoyokai #kimimuna #bunagaya -
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[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
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Tofu Kozo

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. yookai, yōkai 妖怪 Yokai monsters - Introduction .
. kozoo 小僧と伝説 Kozo, Legends about temple acolytes and youngsters .
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- Toofu Kozoo, Tōfu kozō 豆腐小僧 Tofu Kozo, The Tofu Boy -

. Bean curd ( 豆腐 toofu, Tofu, Dofu) .
- Introduction -
Tofu is made made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks.


CLICK for more photos !

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- quote
Tōfu-kozō – The Tofu Boy
Zack Davisson
On a dark and stormy night Edo night, if you should happen to turn around and see a giant baby dressed in an enormous bamboo hat and carrying a wiggly block of tofu festooned with a maple leaf, don’t panic. Despite the strange appearance, it is only Tofu Kozo, one of the most harmless of all of Japan’s bizarre yokai tribe.



Who is Tofu Kozo?
One of Japan’s most popular yokai, the name Tofu Kozo is most commonly translated as “tofu boy” or “tofu kid,” although a more literal—albeit clumsy—translation would be “tofu young Buddhist priest.” But the Buddhist associations don’t run any deeper than the name, with “kozo” being a common term for young boys in Japan.

Tofu Kozo generally appears as a small boy, or even a baby, in a giant, conical bamboo rain hat and a traditional kimono. The kimono can be plain, or highly decorated with daruma figures, red rockfish, horned owls, and taiko drums, all of which were thought to be talismans against small pox during the Edo period. As the same suggests, Tofu Kozo are never seen without a plate of tofu, which is decorated with a single maple leaf impression.

Lacking any special powers or features other than appearance, Tofu Kozo is said to wander through deserted city streets at night, or during the rain. Generally shy and timid, Tofu Kozo sometimes likes to sneak behind humans and follow them through the streets.

There is little agreement about Tofu Kozo amongst writers. Some say that there is only one Tofu Kozo, and that he is a sort of yokai prince, the son of the yokai supreme commander Mikoshi Nyudo and his wife the Rokurokubi. Some say that tofu kozo are nothing more than errand boys for the yokai, rushing back and forth on endless tasks.

From the Showa era and up, there have been accounts of Tofu Kozu as meeting people on rainy streets at night, and offering up some delicious tofu. Anyone who eats the tofu finds their body growing with mold from the inside until they die. Yokai researchers Kyougoku Natsuhiko and Yamaguchi Bintaro trace this legend as having been invented for for childrens’ books in the Showa era to give the Tofu Kozo a bit more of an edge for modern readers.

One the opposite side, in modern Japan therapists have been using Tofu Kozo as a yokai who gets bullied by other yokai, and is used in anti-bullying therapy and education.

The Origin of Tofu Kozo
Tofu Kozo has the unique status of being Japan’s first modern, city-bred yokai. Unlike other yokai that sprang from ancient and rural Japan, the Tofu Kozo has no folklore heritage, no appearances in traditional folktales or legends. He arrived fully formed suddenly during the Anei era (1772-1781), where he quickly became a popular character for picture books, kabuki performances, toys, advertisements, cookbooks, and yellow-covered kiboshi illustrated stories.

There are several theories as to the origin of Tofu Kozo. One aspect is tofu itself. The urban Edo period saw the rise of tofu as a popular food source, cheap and nutritious. One picture book of the time, Edo Meisho Zue (江戸名所図会) “Collection of Pictures of the Famous Places of Edo” by Hasegawa Settan, shows tofu dealers wearing the iconic conical bamboo hat as they travel the streets back and forth with their wares. Other illustrations from the period show yokai like tanuki and kappa carrying tofu, and it is speculated that some enterprising tofu dealer might have created Tofu Kozo as an advertising character for their shop, only to see the character’s popularity run away from them.

Mizuki Shigeru gives the location of Tofu Kozo as Satsuma province, modern day Kagoshima prefecture, although the character is seen all over Japan. During the Edo period, when the 100 candle storytelling game of Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai was popular, game players and storytellers were always on the lookout for new yokai stories to tell, and it is likely that the legend of Tofu Kozo was created and expanded upon during numerous storytelling sessions.

The first known print appearance of Tofu Kozo is in the 1777 kiboshi illustrated book “Bakemono Shiuchi Hyoban-ki” (妖怪仕内評判記; “Commentary on Notable Events of the Yokai”), written by Koikawa Harumachi. A few years later in 1782, he appeared in a popular tofu cookbook called “Tofu Hyakuchin” (豆腐百珍; “The 100 Curiosities of Tofu”) by Hitsujun Ka. The character continued to be popular through the Meiji era.

The Many Faces of Tofu Kozo
Because there is no traditional origin for Tofu Kozo, artists have depicted him in varying ways over the years. Early descriptions describe him as having an enormous head, like an overgrown baby. Koikawa Harumachi described him this way in “Bakemono Shiuchi Hyoban-ki,” and the artist Kitao Masayoshi even named him Ogashira Kozo, meaning “Big Head Boy,” in his 1787 picture book “Bakemono Chakutōchō” (夭怪着到牒). For a short time, it was popular to draw Tofu Kozo as having only one eye, but this fad soon faded and by 1853 Tofu Kozu was drawn looking like a normal young boy, as seen in the illustrated book “Kyoka Hyakumonogatari” (狂歌百物語).

An obvious relative of Tofu Kozo is Hitotsume Kozo, meaning the One-Eyed Boy. Although Hitotsume Kozo is an older, more traditional yokai, over the years the two have come to resemble each other as their stories and appearances merged. This has caused researchers to postulate that they are the same yokai. But while they have had obvious influences on each other—and are depicted as cousins in many modern yokai stories—they are generally considered to be separate characters.
- source : Zack Davisson

- source : National Diet Library -

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- quote -
Tōfu-kozō (豆腐小僧, literally tofu boy) is a yōkai of Japan, and is a yōkai that takes on the appearance of a child possessing a tray with tōfu on it. It is a yōkai that frequently appears in the kusazōshi and kibyōshi and kaidan books from the Edo period, and from the Bakumatsu to the Meiji period, people have become familiar with them as a character illustrated on toys[2] such as kites, sugoroku, and karuta. They can also be seen in senryū, kyōka, e-hon banzuke (pamphlets that introduce the contents of a shibai), and nishiki-e, etc.


"Ōjidai Karano Bakemono" by Shuntei Katsukawa.
An example of a tōfu-kozō with one eye.

. . . Based on the folk belief that hitotsume-kozō like tōfu, and since there was the card in yōkai karuta called "Boy with His Toungue Out Licking a Tōfu (した出し小僧のとうふなめ?," as well as senryū poems such as
"behind the tōfu shop there is a one-eyed boy
(豆腐やのうらは一つ目小僧也 to-o-fu-ya-no/u-ra-ha-hi-to-tsu-me/ko-zo-u na-ri)"
and "
tōfu-kozō are one-dice-eyed fellows wearing kasa
(笠のうち眼は一ツ賽の目の奴んも化す豆腐小僧は),"
it has been pointed out that tōfu-kozō would thus be no more than an alternate name for hitotsume-kozō, but since there are many tōfu-kozō that don't have one eye, there is also the claim denying that they are the same as hitotsume-kozō, and that tōfu-kozō and hitotsume-kozō were created separately.
In any case, there are many parts that are still unclear, and there is still research going on about how tōfu-kozō developed.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

katame 片目 "with one eye" could well be a pun with　katame 固め hard tofu

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. Mikaribaba, Mikari Basan 蓑借り婆さん / ミカリバアサン
"old hag Mikari" .
And her companion, me hitotsu kozo 目一つ小僧 (Hitotsume Kozo)

. 一つ目達磨 hitotsume Daruma - 白隠 Hakuin .
Hakuin teaches us that we can hear the sound of one hand or view the world with one eye ...

. me hitotsu kozoo 目一つ小僧 and Yamanokami .
from Shizuoka

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. Hitotsume Kozoo 一つ目小僧 Hitotsume Kozo - Young Monk with One Eye .
and
一つ目小僧地蔵 Hitotsume Kozo Jizo



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- flying tofu -

雁鴨は我を見捨てゝ去りにけり
豆腐に羽根の無きぞ嬉しき

Goose and duck
leaving, I am out of luck
happily, I see
My tofu, lacking wings
cannot abandon me!

. Ryokan / Ryookan 良寛 (1758-1831) .

. Flying Tofu, discussion with Robin D. Gill .
Kyoka, Japan's Comic Verse: A Mad in Translation Reader
By Robin D. Gill

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Tofu Kozo and Daruma san !



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- - - - - Legends with tofu 　豆腐伝説　- - - - -

The fox has a special relationship to tofu, especially fried tofu,
abura age　油揚げ.
They will be collected in a separate entry.
. kitsune 狐 fox legends .

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........................................................................... Tengu 天狗 the long-nosed goblin

Gunma 群馬県

Once upon a time
a Tengu turned himself into a boy apprentice and lived at the temple Kashozan. Once he went on an errand to 沼田 Numata, which takes about 30 minutes. The head priest had asked him in the morning to go and get some fresh tofu.
(今日できの豆腐 - kyo deki no tofu )
But today of all days, the boy returned only late in the evening.
When he arrived, the priest aksed him what had happened.
"Well, you told me to go to Kyoto to get some Tofu, so I went there!" (Being a Tengu, he could fly . . .)
(京できの豆腐 - Kyo (Kyoto) deki no tofu)
This is a pun on the sound of KYO.

. Kashozan 迦葉山 a Tengu mountain .

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Chiba 千葉県
The same story as above, from the town of 市原 Ichihara.


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Saitama 埼玉県 / Chichibu 秩父



In the remote Chichibu mountains is a waterfall with a 天狗岩 Tengu Rock, where once a Tengu lived. The priest from a nearby temple often asked him for an errand. When there were visitors at the temple, the Tengu would fly to to Kyoto in one blink of the eye and get some fresh Tofu.


. Tengu Legends 天狗伝説 - Introduction .

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source :　ranryoutei.blog.shinobi.jp

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......................................................................................... Fukushima 福島県
三春町 Miharu

On the day 甲子 KINOE you can prepare all kinds of food, but Tofu has to be one of it.
. kinoe, ki no e, kasshi 甲子 day of the rat and element water .
The rat (mouse) is closely related to Daikoku.


......................................................................................... Gifu 岐阜県
高山市 Takayama

mujina ムジナ badger
Once an old man had walked all the way to 神岡 Kamioka to get some Tofu for the New Year celebrations, but on the way, a badger stole it from him.

. tanuki 狸 mujina, badger .


......................................................................................... Gunma 群馬県

rokusen 六算 calculating with SIX - ( 惣身六算 )
When someone is ill the cure is made by "calculating with six".
First take the age of the ill person and divide it by 9. The number can now be equated to a part of the body.
1 and 3 are legs, 2 and 6 are the sides, 4 is the stomach, 8 are the upper legs. 5 and 7 the shoulders.
If the healing was successful, offering of Tofu, sekihan 赤飯 red cooked rice and dango 団子 rice balls were made to the 稲荷 Inari deity.


......................................................................................... Ibaragi 茨城県
水戸市 Mito

１２月８日と２月８日の夕に、豆腐を小さく切って葱とともに串に通して、門の両側にさしておくと邪気をはらうという。昔は大蒜をはさんだので、これを蒜豆腐という。
.
旧正月３日は三日月神社の縁日で、これに祈願すると子供の吹出物や疣が治るといわれている。豆腐の献供が多く、三日月信仰者はこの日は豆腐を食べないという。


......................................................................................... Iwate 岩手県
九戸郡

yama no kami 山の神
12月12日は山の神さんの年取りで、ゴエンニチともいう。山の神は12人の子どもを持っているのでストギと豆腐をそれぞれ12切れ供える。ストギをつくるのはたいてい女だが、食うと子どもを12人生むことになるため、女が食べてはいけない。


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

hitobashira no rei 人柱の霊
亀山城を築城するとき、通りかかった豆腐屋を捕らえて生き埋めにし人柱にした。今でも雨のしとしと降る淋しい晩などは、「豆腐、豆腐」という悲しげな売り声が聞こえてくる。


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kuwasai (kasai) 火災，kitausoo 祈祷僧
１３，４軒の家が焼失した。その前数日の間、付近に豆腐やこんにゃくが捨てられていたので奇妙に思ったが、聞けば、どこからか現れた祈祷僧が火災を予言し、逃れたければ金や豆腐、こんにゃくを捨てよといったためだという。不思議なことだ。


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

12月1日は水溢しの朔日で、長方形に切った豆腐を串に刺して、炉の四隅に立て、水をかけてから屋根に投げ上げて鳥に食わせると、火除けになるという。

仙台市 Sendai
Jooenboozuka 浄円坊塚 Mount for Joenbo
東照宮の下、東側の延寿院にある。東照宮別当仙岳院の僧浄円は足が速く、飯釜をかけて炊き上がらないうちに出羽の羽黒山に往復した。師の坊が重病で最上の豆腐を食べたいといったところ、即座に買ってきた。一生のうちに羽黒山に238回往復したという。元禄12年に76歳で示寂。鉄のワラジや大小のワラジが奉納してある。水疣が治るといわれ、お礼に酒や餅を塚に供える。


......................................................................................... Miyazaki 宮崎県
高千穂町 Takachiho

Kawataro 河太郎 Kappa
Once the priest from temple 泉福寺 Senpuku-Ji threw a stone at the Kappa, but the stone hit the favorite food of this Kappa, his Tofu. When the priest came to the river the next time, there was a lot of water and he could not cross it. So he brought a piece of Tofu with a knife stuck in it, and the water retreated.
Now many visitors to this temple bring a piece of Tofu with a needle stuck in it as an offering.
針を刺した豆腐

. Legends - Kappa densetsu　河童伝説 .
. Senpukuji 泉福寺 Senpuku-Ji Fudo - Kanagawa .


......................................................................................... Nagasaki 長崎県
島原市 Shimabara

darashi だらし
ある人が、急用のため、十分にご飯を食べずに峠のところで、急に体がだるくなり、どうにも動けなくなった。連れの者に肩を借りて歩いていると、高野豆腐が一つ落ちていた。それを拾って食べると、けろりと元に戻った。だらしにつけられたのである。


......................................................................................... Niigata 新潟県
関川村 Sekikawa

Daikoku sama 大黒様
12月9日は大黒様の嫁取り・大黒様の祝言・オカタ迎え・大黒様の年取り・大黒様の年夜などといい、二股大根ときな粉餅・小豆餡餅・豆御飯・豆腐汁・打豆入汁・納豆・炒り豆の7色を供える。炒り豆は焙烙で3回炒り、一生枡に入れて、「大黒様大黒様豆振って聞かせます　耳あけて聞かれやれ　目あけて見しゃっしゃれ」とうたって供える。大黒様は耳が聞こえないという。

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konbu こんぶ
大年の晩には、ごぼう・こんにゃく・焼豆腐・コンブを煮た、「年取りのオヒラ」を食べる。これを食べると年を取る。特にコンブは「よろこんぶ」といい、必ず入れた。「年を取りたくない」と言ってこれを食べずに縁の下に隠れていると、余ったものを全部くれていっぺんに年を取ってしまったという話がある。

......................................................................................... Okinawa 沖縄県

mazumunu マズムヌ
マズムヌは山や人家に住む。人間が腹を叩いて「グッダ、グッディ」と泣くことを嫌う。酒や塩煮の魚、豆腐の刻んだものが好物である。


......................................................................................... Saitama 埼玉県
皆野町　Minano

oosaki おおさき a fox-like animal
人の世話をしたがうまくいかず、恨まれて病気になった老婆がいた。「豆腐が食いたい」というので持っていくと食べた。死んだあと体を見ると、脇や腰の下に毛がついていた。オオサキに憑かれたため死んだとのことである。


......................................................................................... Tochigi 栃木県
茂木町 Motegi

. Yooka sama 八日様 Yoka Sama, the Honorable Day Eight. .

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粟野町 Awano

rokusan sama ロクサン様 Rokusan Sama
Pain in the shoulders, lower back or legs is often simply called "Rokusan".
People visit elders who perform rituals to get rid of Rokusan (rokusan sake ロクサン避け).
They also offer special kinds of Tofu bean curd to Rokusan or the Family Deity (ujigami sama 氏神様).


masudoofu マス豆腐 / 枡豆腐 Tofu in a wooden Masu cup.

. Rokusan　六三 伝説　legends about Rokusan, deity of illness .


......................................................................................... Tokushima 徳島県
一宇村 Ichiu

hotokesan 仏さん
１２月の初巳の日はミノヒといって、仏のお正月であるという。この日はオハカサンに竹を組んで注連縄を張り、お供えをして草履も置いておく。家で身内が集まって会食し、夜の１２時を過ぎてから墓地に向かい、麦藁を燃やした火で炙った餅や豆腐を食べる。仏さんは藁火の明かりで、人々の様子を見ているとされた。

in other parts of Japan
mi no hi ミの日，ミウマ，タツミ

旧12月はじめの巳の日に仏壇に豆腐や餅を供える。四国でも各地により多少相違はあるが、この日は死霊が訪れてくる日だと信じていた。


......................................................................................... Tokyo 東京都
南多摩郡 恩方村　Tama, Ongata

お灸をすえた時には、豆腐を食べると灸熱を吸い込まれないという。

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新島村 Niijima village on the island of Niijima

runin 流人，enoki 榎
豆腐を買いに行った流人が、豆腐を盗んだかどで捕らえられて、首を斬られた。死に際して流人は、自分が死んだ後、墓地から榎が生えるであろうが、それは自分が潔白だったと言う証だと言い残した。そして生えた榎が「なぞの榎」だと言い伝えられている。


......................................................................................... Yamagata 山形県
鶴岡市 Tsuruoka

imi 忌 absention, ritual purification
黒川村の王祇祭で豆腐を作るとき、産死の忌の人が来ると豆腐が固まらないとされている。


......................................................................................... Yamaguchi 山口県
福栄村 Fukue

inugami 犬神 Dog Deity
犬神に憑かれると、寿司の味がわからなくなる、豆腐が水になる、もち米を搗いても餅にならないなどのことが起き、妬んだ人のことを口走る、雪中を駆け出す、妊婦が鳥を殺す、などの行動をとる。

. Inugami 犬神 "Dog Deity" .

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Yokai Database - tofu - 57 entries (00)
- source : Nichibun Yokai Database -

- reference -

. Tofu Kozo shared at PINTEREST .

Actor Onoe Waichi II as a Tôfu Buyer (Tôfukai) and
a One-Legged Ghost (Ippon ashi no obake)
Utagawa Kunisada (1786 - 1865)

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. - - - Join my Kappa friends on facebook ! - - - .

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. Curry カレー, karē, karee .
one of the most popular dishes in Japan

- ＣＬＩＣＫ　for more photos ! -

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. - yookai, yōkai 妖怪 Yokai monsters - .

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

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .

. Kappa densetsu　河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .

. kozoo 小僧と伝説 Kozo, Legends about temple acolytes and youngsters .

- #tofukozo #tofukozoyokai #kozoo #kozo -
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[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]

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Tenaga Ashinaga monsters

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- - yookai, yōkai 妖怪 Yokai monsters - -
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- Tenaga Ashinaga 手長足長 "long arms, long legs" -

Otenagasama, O-Tenaga sama お手長様
Ashinaga kozoo 足長小僧 the Boy Ashinaga



Tenaga-Ashinaga shaving Fukurokuju
. Kawanabe Kyosai .
. Tenaga Myojin 手長明神 The kami with long arms .

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- quote
Ashinaga-tenaga (足長手長, "Long Legs Long Arms")
are a pair of yōkai in Japanese folklore. One, Ashinaga-jin (足長人), has extremely long legs, while the other, Tenaga-jin (手長人), has extremely long arms. They were first described in the Japanese encyclopedia Wakan Sansai Zue.
They are said to be found in Kyūshū.



Description
The pair is commonly described as people from two countries, the "Long-legged Country", and the "Long-armed Country". As the names suggest, the inhabitants of these two countries possess unusually lengthy arms and legs. The two work together as a team to catch fish by the seashore. In order to do this, the long-armed man, tenaga, climbs onto the back of the long-legged man, ashinaga. The ashinaga then wades out into the shorewaters, staying above water with his long legs, while the tenaga uses his long arms to grab fish from his partner's back.

According to the Wakan Sansai Zue, the tenaga is also known as chōhi (長臂), and his arms can reach three jō in length, or a bit over nine meters. The ashinaga's legs stretch to two jō, or just slightly over six meters.

An essay from the Kasshiyawa by Matsura Seizan also describes the ashinaga.
The essay documents a man's anecdotal account of an unfortunate encounter with a strange being. The man was fishing by the seashore on a clear, moonlit night, when he spots a figure with nine shaku long legs (about 2.7 meters) roaming around on the beach. Shortly after, the weather turns bad and begins to rain heavily. The man's servant then informs him that they had just seen an ashinaga, and that sightings of this yōkai always brought bad changes in weather.
- source : wikipedia

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- source : japaaan.com -
Kawanabe Kyosai 河鍋暁斎

Yokai with long noses

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Fukushima 福島県

Once upon a time, there lived Tenaga and Ashinaga on Mount Bandaisan 磐梯山.
They reached to the sky, collected all the clouds and heavy rain fell and flooded the plains. They looked at all the destruction they caused with great pleasure!
Along came Kobo Daishi, fooled them cleverly and banned them into a small box.
Now they are venerated as 磐梯明神 Bandai Myojin.

And at Miyagi 宮城県 - 丸森町 Marumori Karoosan 鹿狼山 Mount Karo-San "Dear Wolf"

On the border to Fukushima in Soma 相馬郡 there is mount 手長山 Tenagayama, where the deity 手長明神 Tenaga Myojin (The kami with long arms) roams. He takes a tame white fox along when he walks. He can stretch his long arms from the mountain top to the sea to catch mussels and clams and where he throws away the shells, there is his Kaizuka yashiki 貝塚屋敷, now in Soma at the village Kogawa 小川部落.
Near the mountain top is a rock formation where the deity used to sit and rest, called
Tegaga Myojin no koshikare ishi 手長明神の腰掛石.

Tenagayama is about 236 m high, near Ishinomaki.



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


. Kobo Daishi Kukai 弘法大師　空海 - (774 - 835) .

. Legends about Mount Bandai San 磐梯山 .

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Mie 三重県

If you hand a ruler 物差し to someone from hand to hand, the child of Tenaga will be born.


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Miyagi 宮城県 Sendai　仙台　



Oogisaka 扇坂 Ogisaka slope
Near the eastern gate of Sendai castle there is a slope in the form of a handfan (ogi). At the end of the slope is Sujigaibashi 筋違橋. The mysterious boy 足長小僧 Ashinaga Kozo lives there.
Sometimes he rolls the head of a human being down this slope.


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Saitama 埼玉県
高崎線岡部駅 Takasaki Okabe

At 森下イッケ O-Tenaga sama お手長様 is venerated. He is the deity
天手長雄命 / 天手長男神 Ame no Tenaga no Mikoto
He is a deity to protect from fire 火伏せの神. When called on during a fire, he will come and help with his long arms and extinguish the fire.


Otenaga kofun お手長山古墳 Otenaga - ancient burial mound
from the 6th century
埼玉県深谷市岡2006-1
- source : wikipedia -

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Yamagata
飽海郡 Akumi district 遊佐町 Yuza town

Once upon a time, there lived 手長足長 Tenaga and Ashinaga on 鳥海山 Mount Chokaisan.
They were so huge, they could stand on the mountain top, strech the long arms to grab fishermen from the ocean and eat them.
Ten no Kami 天の神 The Deity of Heaven became angry about this and made the mountain explode. Part of the debris became the island 飛島 Tobishima (The Island that has flown here.).



. Ten no Kami 天の神 The Deity of Heaven .


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. . . CLICK here for more Photos !

- reference : yokai database -

日本各地に伝わる伝説の巨人「手長足長」
(with many photos)
- reference : karapaia.livedoor.biz -

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. - - - Join my Kappa friends on facebook ! - - - .

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. Kappa densetsu　河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .

. - yookai, yōkai 妖怪 Yokai monsters - .


. Minwa 民話　folktales / densetsu 伝説　Japanese Legends .

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .

- #tenagaashinaga #ashinagatenaga -
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[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]

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Daija huge snake

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- KAPPA - 河童 / かっぱ /　カッパ - ABC-Index -
.
. Japanese Legends - 伝説　民話　昔話 – ABC-List .
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- daija, orochi 大蛇 the huge serpent, great snake -

A huge snake demon monster. He often impersonates the ike no nushi 池の主 Master of the Pond
and asks for human sacrifices. Sometimes it is a female.
Sometimes a kappa in the form of a snake is seen as the "Master of the Pond" too.

. Legends about ike no nushi 池の主 と伝説 the Master of the Pond
Der Herr des Teiches .
- Introduction -



In the traditional Kagura dance, the serpent is called Orochi 大蛇 .
. Kagura Dance　神楽 .

Sometimes the Daija as a deity is venerated in rain rituals.
. amagoi　雨乞い rain rituals .

. Amulets with the Daija　大蛇のお守り　 .

. Benten to hebi 弁天と蛇伝説 Legends about Benten and serpents .

. Guchinawa (Kuchinawa) グチナワ huge white serpent .

.shirohebi / hakuja 白蛇と伝説 white serpents .

. nozuchi 野槌 tsuchinoko ツチノコ / 槌の子 "hammerspawn" snake .
shakuhachihebi 尺八蛇 Shakuhachi Serpent

A serpent may turn into a dragon . . .
. ryuu, ryū 龍　竜　伝説　Ryu - dragon legends .

. Silk - kinu - 絹 silkworms and Serpent legends .


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- quote -
Yamata no Orochi (ヤマタノオロチ) 八岐大蛇、八俣遠呂智、八俣遠呂知,
"8-branched giant snake") or Orochi (大蛇), is a legendary 8-headed and 8-tailed Japanese dragon.
Yamata no Orochi legends are originally recorded in two ancient texts about Japanese mythology and history. The ca. 680 AD Kojiki transcribes this dragon name as 八岐遠呂智 and ca. 720 AD Nihongi writes it as 八岐大蛇. In both versions of the Orochi myth, the Shinto storm god Susanoo or Susa-no-Ō mo Mikoto is expelled from Heaven for tricking his sister Amaterasu the sun-goddess.
After expulsion from Heaven, Susanoo encounters two "Earthly Deities" (國神, kunitsukami) near the head of the Hi River (簸川), now called the Hii River (斐伊川), in Izumo Province. They are weeping because they were forced to give the Orochi one of their daughters every year for seven years, and now they must sacrifice their eighth, Kushi-inada-hime (櫛名田比売 "comb/wondrous rice-field princess", who Susanoo transforms into a kushi 櫛 "comb" for safekeeping). ...
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

. Yamata no orochi 山田の大蛇 huge monster serpent .
Legend from Tokyo, 練馬区 Nerima ward

. uwabami うわばみ / 蟒蛇 an old name for a very large serpent .
Sometimes seen as a Yokai monster.

- quote -
Susanoo (スサノオ, スサノヲ Susanowo　/ すさのお‐の‐みこと / 素戔嗚尊 / 須佐之男命)
is a kami in Japanese mythology. The younger brother of Amaterasu, goddess of the sun and mythical ancestress of the Japanese imperial line, he is a multifaceted deity with contradictory characteristics (both good and bad), being portrayed in various stories either as a wild, impetuous god associated with the sea and storms, as a heroic figure who killed a monstrous serpent, or as a local deity linked with the harvest and agriculture. Syncretic beliefs that arose after the introduction of Buddhism to Japan also saw Susanoo becoming conflated with deities of pestilence and disease.
Slaying the Yamata no Orochi
- source : wikipedia -

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a serpent to rub for making a wish 撫で白蛇
Hebikubo Daimyoojin 蛇窪大明神 Deity
. 上神明天祖神社 Kamishinmei Tenso Jinja 蛇窪神社 Shrine Hebikubo Jinja .

The shrine dated back to 1272, when Hojo Shiro and his son Tokichiyo, who developed the land in this area.
- source : kamishinmei-tensoshirine -

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


. - suijin 水神 water deity - .
Mizu no Kamisama 水の神様　God of Water
Water deity worshiped at sources of irrigation waterways, lakes, ponds, springs, and wells. The suijin has been represented in the form of a serpent, an eel, a fish, and a kappa or water sprite.
Women have played an important role in the history of suijin worship.

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. . . . . . . . . . Chiba 千葉県

養安寺村 Yoanji village

If someone walks around the pond seven times in deep prayer, he will be able to see the Master of the Pond. During the hottest days of the year (doyo 土用) the female Master 雌蛇 will go to the pond of the male master 雄蛇ヶ池 Ojaga Ike. During that time is will be possible to hear the female serpent.

. . . CLICK here for Photos of Ojaga-Ike !



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. . . . . . . . . . Ehime 愛媛県

.Enko Kappa and ドンコ Donko, Dark sleeper fish .



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. . . . . . . . . . Fukui 福井県
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坂口村 Sakaguchi village

Once upon a time an old man pleaded with the Master of the Pond 蛇ヶ池 Jaga-Ike during a long dry spell. He promised to give one of his daughters as a wife to the Daija if rain would fall.
Soon it rained and shortly after the Daija in the form of a young man came to get his bride, the youngest daughter.
She took a bag with needles with her. At the pond the man changed into the Daija and wanted to throw the girl in, but she stuck the needles into its body, so he jumped in surprize and both were not seen any more.
A few days later the house of the man burned down. Two large serpents had build a ring around the house and asked for water, but the villagers were too surprized and run away. The two serpents burned down with the house.



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. . . . . . . . . . Fukushima 福島県
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いわき市 Iwaki city 好間町 Yoshima town
. Zenwanbuchi 膳椀淵 "river pool for trays and bowls" .




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. . . . . . . . . . Gifu 岐阜県
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揖斐川町 Ibigawa

In the village of Anpachi lived the rich family of 安八太夫 Anpachi Daiyu.
One year during a severe drought, he prayed at the pond and promised one of his daughters if it would rain. Soon it rained and shortly after the Daija came to get the youngest daughter. She was now the wife of the Master of Yashagaike 夜叉が池.
Once she came back home to visit but when she took a nap during daytime she asked to keep the door shut and nobody come in while she slept. But when her mother came peeking she saw her daughter had changed into a Daija.
From that time on, she never came back to visit her family.

Now there is a festival to celebrate this legend.



夜叉姫伝説道中おまつり Festival for the Yasha Hime, Princess Yasha
- source : www.fmgifu.com/blog -

. Tokuyama Kaido 徳山街道 Tokuyama Highway .
and the yasha hebi 夜叉蛇 demon serpent


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Takayama, 吉城郡 Yoshiki

The serpent master of the pond Oonyuu ike 大丹生池 / (大丹生ヶ池)
. Legends about Master Carver Enku　円空と伝説　 .



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. . . . . . . . . . Gunma 群馬県

赤城村 Akagi village

Once upon a time a hunter was sharpening his arrows. A small serpent came along to watch. He wanted to chase it away and hit it with his arrow in the upper jaw. The monster fled to the pond and jumped in with a howl. The water produced a huge whirlwind. The neighbours came by to see what was happening. They found the Master of the Pond with its upper jaw smashed and quite dead in the water.

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. Daija from みどり市 Midori city 笠懸町 Kasakake town .
- and her companion, kani カニ a crab.

. Daija from 榛名湖 Lake Harunako .
Many legends



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. . . . . . . . . . Hiroshima 広島県

mugiware daija 麦わら大蛇 the huge serpent made of wheat straw

This is not a story about the "Ike no Nushi", but about a serpent granting happiness to a young couple.

. mugiwara hebi 麦藁蛇 serpent made from straw .


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. . . . . . . . . . Ibaraki 茨城県

. legend from 久慈郡 Kuji district 大子町 Daigo .
The people living around the pond say the serpent was Yamanokami.

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稲敷郡 Inashiki district

Annaka Ike 安中池の主 The Master of Annaka Pond
In front of the school in Annaka there is a ond called Annaka Ike, where a huge serpent lived as the Master of the Pond.
On day when it rained a farmer passed by and needed to pee. When he walked back later he saw a beautiful lady by the pond. She asked him to see her home, so he did. There was another pond just a bit further down the road. When the two walked past it, the lady stopped and claimed she had now found her way. In departing she said: "Tomorrow there will be a loud thunder as a sign that I am home safely!"
The next day indeed there was a loud spell of thunder. The farmer was quite happy and he became a rich and benevolent person during his a long life.

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美浦村 Miho

Nobody had ever seen the serpent Master of the Pond.
Once a fisherman came by the pond and met a beautiful lady. He helped her get to the other side of the large lake in his boat. In departing the lady told him she was the Master of the Pond. She also said there would soon be a huge storm.
So he wanted to go back as fast as possible but the storm was faster and he had to stay in a small hut at the other side for a few days.



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. . . . . . . . . . Ishikawa 石川県

邑知郡 Ōchi, Ochi district

Once day the Master of the Pond lost the trust in her power to be the protector of the village.
She turned into a girl and left the village to live quietly in another pond.
When the villagers came to ask for a rain ritual ( amagoi 雨乞い) as usual during a drought, the deity told them that there was no Master of the Pond any mroe.

(A Daija in retirement . . . !)




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. . . . . . . . . . Kyoto 京都府

北区 Kita ward

Midorogaike 深泥池 / Mizorogaike 深沢池 / 深泥ケ池
The Master of Midoro-ga-Ike is a huge serpent, so thick that a man could not grab it around with two arms. Farmers were not allowed to touch the water, lest they would be destroyed by a curse.



Once
a young man passed by and saw a huge log lying straight across the road. He wanted to kick the log away, but it began to move all by itself and slipped into the water. The young man now realized this was the Master of the Pond and began to fear for his life.

Once
there was a plan to dry out the ponds for land reclamation, but all the officials of the Kyoto government in charge of this plan died, one after the other.

The Tomita Hospital 富田病院
was built at the North side of the pond. The Master of the Pond used the gatekeeper as his medium, claiming since his home was not destroyed they should build a small 祠 sanctuary and venerate him there.
They did so for two or three years, but then the rituals at the sanctuary were stopped, it was all declared as superstition by the manager.
Well, very soon after this, the two sons of this manager died.
- HP of the Tomita hospital -


- quote -
The Fours Seasons in Kyoto
The Kyoto Valley was formed and built up by sedimentary deposits carried from the nearby mountains. The ponds “Shinsenen” and “Midorogaike” still remain in Kyoto as evidence of the ancient lakes that were filled by rain washed mountain sediments.
This “ancient lake” area is the reason for the many springs that help create an extremely humid environment. These unique characteristics make Kyoto a place of outstanding natural beauty with tremendous seasonal changes. ”Chilled to the Bone in the Winter”, the “Heat and Humidity of Summer” in contrast to the “Mild Spring and Fall”.
- source : www.kashifuji.co.jp -

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. Yamanokami no daija 山の神の大蛇 great serpent of Yamanokami .
6-1 Koyamanakajimacho, Yamashina Ward, Kyoto,




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. . . . . . . . . . Miyazaki 宮崎県

. Daija in a valley of 日州飫肥 Obi .



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. . . . . . . . . . Nagasaki 長崎県

外海町 Sotome

The Master of the Pond of 鏡ヶ池 Kagamigaike on the island 池島 Ikeshima is said to be a bull. Therefore no bulls are kept on the island.
Other legends say it is a Daija, a girl that was once the daughter of a rice merchant from Higo 肥後の米屋.
. Ryugaike, Tatsugaike 竜が池 / "Dragon Pond" legends .



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. . . . . . . . . . Nagano 長野県

. Daija and Yamanokami 山の神 .

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Daija is one of the "seven wonders of Shikao Onsen 鹿塩温泉 Hot Spring"

At the pond Komagaike 駒ヶ池 the master is a Daija.
It used to lend trays and bowls to the villagers.

. zenwan 膳椀 trays and bowls for village festivals .
One common theme is the master of the pond providing trays and bowls 膳椀 for the village festivals.

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jayanagi (hebi yanagi) 蛇柳 the "serpent willow tree" ,Snake Willow
Once
there came a samurai and tried to expel the Daija of the pond.
When he saw a young woman near the pond, he killed her with his sword. The body of the woman vanished in the sky, but on the next day he saw he had cut off the branch of a willow tree by the pond. To confuse the samurai, the Master of the Pond might have taken the form of a willow tree.

Jayanagi
is also the title a famous Kabuki play: Snake Willow.
But this is related to a story from Koyasan and Kobo Daishi.


by 歌川豊国 Utagawa Toyokuni

. reference : jayanagi -

. yanagi 柳 willow tree - Introduction .

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長和町 Nagawa

大蛇がおこした大水 The Daija that caused a flooding
Once upon a time
two hunters came to the Honzawa gorge 本沢渓谷.
At the riverbank they saw a huge serpent. The younger hunter became quite scared, and despite the warning of his older companion shot the snake in its head. But the snake did not die, it just jumped into the air and became invisible. How much they looked, not a trace of the snake was to be found.
Then suddenly a thick fog rose from the river and the sky turned all black. For three days it rained constantly and the villages near the river were flooded and suffered great damage. After five days the weather finally changed and the sun came out again.
One of the villagers told about a snake he had seen flowing by in the river. This must have been the Master of the Pond 赤沼の池 Akanuma no Ike.

赤沼池, now 女神湖 or 夜の池
and a Kappa legend 赤沼の河童
- source : www.miyagaku.sakura.ne.jp -

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平谷村 Hiraya

Once a farmer was cutting weeds near the pond, when a beautiful lady appeared and told him she was the Master of the Pond. After that the water in the pond never dried out, even in a drought.
A few years later when he came again to cut weeds he observed some large waves heading North. The Master had left the pond to live in a different river.



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. . . . . . . . . . Nara 奈良県

. LINK BIG font .
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五條市 Gojo

Himetani Ike 姫谷池
Once a girl from the village went to the Himetani Pond to do her washing. At the bank she found a nice hair pin and picked it up. When she tried to stick it into her hair, it turned into a huge serpent, which swallowed the girl.
When she did not come home that night, her parents got worried and went looking, but found only her wooden sandals and the washing on the bank. Now they new the Master of the Pond 大蛇 had gotten her. So they erected a stone memorial in her honor . . . and since then the name of the pond became "Princess Valley Pond".


Even now it is an eerie, gloomy pond.

- and

amagoi 雨乞 praying for rain
The farmers make a huge serpent with straw from wheat (mugiwara 麦藁) and throw it into the 三ツ沢池 Mitsuzawa pond. When they throw in a serpent made of straw, the real Daiji will know that it has now to come out and provide rain for the parched fields.

. mugiwara hebi 麦藁蛇 serpent made from straw .
. daija from 竜泉寺 Temple Ryusen-Ji .



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. . . . . . . . . . Niigata 新潟県

赤塚村 Akazuka

. The master of the pond Akazu no Ike 明かずの池 .
(maybe a red bull 赤牛)

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荒川町 Arakawa

Once the Daija wanted to become a human, went to a nearby temple and prayed for 100 days, when she turned into a woman. Buddha 大日如来 Dainichi Nyorai helped her into the world of humans and found her a husband. When she was pregnant and ready to give birth, someone saw her real figure and she had to become a daija again.

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畑野町 Hatano

The Master of the Pond 尼池 Amaike (Pond of the Nun) was a Daija. He had fallen in love with a nun and jumped into the pond.



Another legend
tells about a sudden flooding in the region, when a nearby Buddhist nunnery (amadera 尼寺) was lost in the waters of the pond.

The name of the pond is now どんち池 Donchi Ike.

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佐和田町 Sawada Sado Island

At the temple 長福寺 Chofuku-Ji a girl named O-Towa worked in the kitchen and one day went to the deep mountain to find some butterbur 蕗, but she got some mud on her undergarment 腰巻. So she went to the pont to wash it. There the Master of the Pond, a 大蛇 huge serpent showed up and told her that it was a custom that anybody who washed her undergarments in the pond had to become his wife within three days, so he would come and get her.
Back home O-Towa became ill and stayed in bed. But three days later the Serpent appeared and threatened to bring great flooding if the girl would not come out. So she became his wife.
A few days later a small island appeared in the pond as a proof that O-Towa had found her home in the pond. The pond was now named after her, Otowa-ike おとわ池 / 乙和池. Every year on the 23rd day of the 6th lunar month the villagers come to the pond and make offerings.




- - - - - Another version of the legend:
- quote -
In the middle of the pool is the largest floating island on high marshy wetlands in Japan. Over 200 species of vegetation grow luxuriantly round about and the whole area is shrouded in a strange mysterious atmosphere.

There is a legend about how the pool got came to get its name.
According to the legend a beautiful maiden came one day to the Nagafuku-Ji Temple at the foot of the mountain and asked to stay there. The high priest feeling sorry for the girl agreed to let her stay. The girl said nothing about where she came from only that her name was “Otowa .” One year after the rice-planting was finished Otowa who had come to pick the sprouting grass found herself too close to the mountain which was forbidden to women and as she was running downhill in a panic she came to a little pool.

Here she washed the hem of her underskirt in the water and the lord of the pool fell in love with her. At that moment in a flash the pool grew much bigger leaving only the place where Otowa was standing as a sort of floating island and the lord of the pool a huge snake appeared and told Otowa to stay here so that she could become the mistress of the pool and take charge of it instead of him.

Otowa wept and pleaded so much that she was allowed to go home but three days later she heard the voice of the lord of the pool calling her name and at this she at last made up her mind to become the mistress of the pool.

As she was making her way to the mountain in a box the sound of hoofs could be heard in the distance and the next instant a prince galloped up on a white horse and setting Otowa in front of him they both disappeared in a haze.
The prince on the white horse was the snake-lord of the pool. For seven days after this day the mountain was wrapped in dew and on the seventh day the dew turned to a downpour and heaven and earth drew dark.
The people of the village believe that this rain meant that the lord of the pool had gone to heaven and that Otowa had become the mistress of the pool in his place. Even nowadays on July 23rd the anniversary of Otowa's death the “Otowaike Pool Festival” is held to pacify Otowa's spirit.
- source : visitsado.com/en -


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上越市 Joetsu

Near the pond タナの池 Take no Ike a man from the 小林家 Kobayashi family walked past, when he met a beautiful woman. Well . . they got married and when the first child was to be born, he saw to his horror many snakes in the maternity room of his wife. So the wife vanished, leaving a stick 杖一本 with the order to hit the lake if the child would cry. When the child grew up and cried one day, it hit the water and a huge snake pulled it into the water. From that time on, only the Kobayashi family became rich and prosperous.
To our day this lake never freezes in winter.



Kamoonoike 蒲生の池 Kamo-no-Ike

Nonomi-Ike 野々海池 Nonomi Pond
From Gamo Village you have to cross a pass to reach Nonomi-Ike, where a Serpent was living as the Protector of the Mountain and protect the village from drought or too much rain.
The son of the Master of the Pond 蒲生の池 Kamo-no-Ike wanted the beautiful daughter of this serpent as his wife and asked the Master of Hanage-no-Ike 鼻毛の池 to be the middleman for the wedding.
But the Master of Nonomi-Ike did not want to give his daughter to such a dirty pond and refused. The master of Kamo-no-Ike and the middleman from Hanage-no-Ike became angry, changed into young ladies and borrowed swords from the villagers. Finally they killed the Master of Nonomi-Ike. His blood flew down the river 保倉川 Hokuragawa and all the bamboo near the riverside was soon colored in red.
From this day on, the bamboo of the riverside shows the strange pattern of a serpent.

- source : www.city.joetsu.niigata.jp -


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. . . . . . . . . . Okayama 岡山県

. ヤマガミ Yamagami .
from 都窪郡 Tsukubo district, 庄村 Shomura village.



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. . . . . . . . . . Shiga 滋賀県

醒ケ井村 Samegai

Once there lived a beautiful girl named O-Tora お寅 in the castle town of Hikone 彦根.
But the Master of the Pond emptied all the water and pulled the girl in.
From that day on, there was always water in the pond, even during a drought.



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. . . . . . . . . . Shizuoka 静岡県

松崎町 Matsuzaki

The Master of the Pond アゾノヤマの池 Azonoyama no Ike.

- - - - - and many more
静岡県の竜蛇 - Dragon and snake legends from Shizuoka to explore *
- source : hunterslog.net/dragonology -



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. . . . . . . . . . Tochigi 栃木県

. Mizu no Kami 水の神 and Iwadakemaru 岩嶽丸 .

. Daija 大蛇 and Shakuhachi 尺八 flute .



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. . . . . . . . . . Tokyo 東京


This ema 絵馬 votive tablet is sold well especially during the New Year holidays:

. Shrine Okusawa Jinja 奥澤神社 - Setagaya .
Okusawa shrine is famed for that 150kg, nine-metre-long daija, or shrine snake, draped over the torii gate at the entrance, which is often mistakenly referred to as a dragon.

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Asakusa Kannon densetsu 浅草観音伝説 Legends

. ubagaike 姥ヶ池 the pond of the old woman .

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中野区中央 Nakano ward, Chuo district

. Serpent bones at 豊仙寺 / 宝仙寺 Hosen-Ji .



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. . . . . . . . . . Tottori 鳥取県

気高町 Ketaka

The pond 日光池 Nikko Ike had been dried out and reformed to new fields. During the works the Daija got caught by the villagers. Since it was the Master of the Pond, they built the shrine 杉谷神社 Sugitani Jinja in its honor.




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. . . . . . . . . . Toyama 富山県

. saotome 早乙女と伝説 Legends about women planting rice .



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. . . . . . . . . . Wakayama 和歌山県

. taki no nushi 滝の主 Master of the Waterfall .
s a huge serpent and also an unagi 鰻 eel. And does not like umeboshi 梅干 dried pickled plums.



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. . . . . . . . . . Yamagata 山形県

. The village of Kaison in the Oshu Okitama district 羽州置賜郡開村 .



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. . . . . . . . . . Yamaguchi 山口県

平郡島 Heigunto Island

At the pond of the Kumage peninsula (熊毛半島, also 室津半島) the Master is a huge serpent. During the time of the Genpei war 源平の合戦 between the Minamoto and the Taira from 1180 to 1185 many swords fell into this pond. Since there was so much metal, the Master of the Pond could not live there any more, because he disliked metal. Therefore he moved to the
Serpent Pond 蛇の池 at Heigun .
If people try to throw metal things into this pond, it will be back at the bank by next morning.



Once
the Master of the Pond took on the figure of a girl and asked a fisherman to take her to the other side. Over there she told him "As an expression of my gratitude I allow you to put your nets into the pond just once!"
When he did so, it was a very rich catch indeed.
So he became greedy and threw his net in again. But this time all he caught was a serpent and no fish at all.


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- reference - yokai database -
there are 976 entries for the "huge serpent" 大蛇 from all the prefectures !
- reference - www.nichibun.ac.jp -


. Legends about ike no nushi 池の主 と伝説 the Master of the Pond .
- Introduction -

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. Kappa densetsu　河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .

. - yookai, yōkai 妖怪 Yokai monsters - .


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

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .

- #kappaikenonushi #masterofthepond #ikenonushi #daija #kappadaija #orochi #uwabami -
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