Enma, King of Hell

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. Heaven 極楽 gokuraku and Hell 地獄 jigoku .
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Enma, Emma, the King of Hell

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: See below.
***** Category: Observation

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Explanation

Emma (Enma ten, Enma Oo) 閻魔天、閻魔王

Sanskrit : Yama or Yama-raja.
King of the Underworld; chief judge in the afterlife; when a person dies, s/he must appear before Enma (and also before other judges), who decides whether the person is good or bad; the person is then sent to the most appropriate afterworld; among the judges of hell, Enma is the most important.
Read Mark Schumacher


- reference source : Bando Kannon 20 第二十番　獨鈷山西明寺 -

. Laughing Enma at 西明寺 Saimyo-Ji, Mashiko .

Click HERE for more photos !

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Proverbs with Enma !

嘘をつくと閻魔さまに舌を抜かれる
"If you lie, Lord Enma will pull out your tongue."
A superstition often told to scare children into telling the truth.


借りる時の地蔵顔、返す時の閻魔顔
"When borrowing, the face of a Jizo;
when repaying (a loan), the face of Enma.
This alludes to changes in people's behaviour for selfish reasons depending on their circumstances.


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His regular memorial day is the 16th of each month.



In January and July, Emma (Enma, Ema) is out on a holiday (Emma saijitsu 閻魔賽日（えんま さいじつ） and the lid to the chauldron of hell was closed 地獄の釜の蓋が開く日, so these two days are best to visit a temple where Emma is enshrined (Emmadoo　閻魔堂).

During the Edo period, this day was also called yabu-iri 籔入り, a day when the servants and wifes of workers at shops and stores had a day off to visit their families and the local Ema temples.

I used to practise Japanese Archery at the small Enma-Doo Hall in the compounds of Temple Engaku-Ji in Kita Kamakura. We had to greet King Enma before starting the pracsise and were sure he would supervise everything we did. This gave the daily practise an extra bit of severity.

Gabi Greve







More about the Enma Do Hall　閻魔堂 and Temple in Kamakura
Enno-Ji 円応寺
Ennoji temple: The King of Hell


Click HERE for photos of Enma Halls (Enma doo 閻魔堂) !

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Kigo for Early Summer

. Enmadoo dainenbutsu 閻魔堂大念仏 (えんまどうだいねんぶつ)
Amida prayer nenbutsu at the temple hall Enmado
Enmadoo kyoogen 閻魔堂狂言（えんまどうきょうげん）
senbon dainenbutsu 千本大念仏（せんぼんだいねんぶつ）　




Kigo for Late Summer

Visiting an Enma Temple, July 16
..... Enma mairi 閻魔参 えんままいり

..... Enma Moode 閻魔詣（えんまもうで）
Visiting the 10 Kings of Hell, juuoo moode 十王詣（じゅうおうもうで）

Great day off, dai sainichi 大斎日（だいさいにち, だいさいじつ）、
..... Enma no saijitsu 閻魔の斎日（えんまのさいじつ）

King of Hell, En oo 閻王（えんおう）

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Kigo for the New Year

First visit to an Enma Temple, January 16
..... Hatsu Enma 初閻魔 はつえんま



Enma mairi 閻魔詣（えんままいり）
Day off, sainichi 斎日（さいにち）
..... yabu iri

First visit to the 10 kings of hell,
juuoo mairi 十王詣（じゅうおうまいり）



. Juu Oo 十王, Juo, Ju-O - 10 Ten Kings of Hell .


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


A scene of the Japanese Hell
Weeping Fudo . Naki Fudo 泣き不動

. Datsueba 奪衣婆 or 脱衣婆
the Old Hag of Hell 　



External LINK
閻魔参り
with many photos to look at
http://kkubota.cool.ne.jp/enmamairi.html


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HAIKU

Kobayashi Issa wrote some haiku about Hell

斎日もさばの地獄は鳴りにけり
sainichi mo saba no jigoku wa nari ni keri

even a fast day
becomes
a hell of worldliness



閻魔王も目をむき出して桜哉
emma-oo mo me o mukidashite sakura kana

even Emma
hell's king, gawks...
cherry blossoms!



地獄画の垣にかかりて鳴雲雀
jigoku e no kaki ni kakarite naku hibari

in the hell painting
perched on a fence...
a lark sings


Hell Haiku by Issa
Tr. David Lanoue


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閻王の口や牡丹を吐かんとす
En-Oo no kuchi ya botan o hakan to su
Enma-Ô no kuchi ya botan o hakan to su

the mouth of
the king of hell - a peony
ready to be spat out

This haiku has the cut marker YA in the middle of line 2.


. Yosa Buson 与謝蕪村 in Edo .



yama's mouth!
it's about to spit out
a peony

King Emma, or Yama, is a terrifying Deity in charge of Hades. Unlike "our" Devil, he is not evil. Rather than tempting men to do bad, he judges them for their sins and leads the demon brigades applying the punishment deserved. The inside of his mouth is always painted bright vermilion and his tongue curled up like it is ready to lash-out (or simply to reveal that his demonic muscularity extends even within) in fury. That was my naïve impression, but, actually, pain might be a be a better word for it, as he must himself endure a mouthful of molten copper three times a day because torturing people is bad even though he does it for the best of reasons: to discourage us from sinning and for justice.
(Think about it, Christ only got crucified once.

This Emma endures worse every day for our sake. Now that, Mel Gibson, is passion!) There is debate whether this famous ku is about the statue, found at many Buddhist temples, or the flower. Grammar favors the former, but I would argue that Buson suddenly imagined Emma's mouth while gazing at a red peony.

That is to say, the flower is the subject though the poem does not make it so. Because Buson prefaces it with a phrase about Buddha's writhing tongue like a red lotus being spit out (Japanese religious folk-lore is full of sutra-related tongue-sightings I may relate when this is expanded into a book), I suspect symbolic significance, too, but none of the Japanese annotations I have seen ever mention any!
source : Robin D. Gill



The King of Hell’s mouth:
peony petals ready
to be spat out.
Tr. Dave Bonta



Emma O's mouth! See!
From which he is about to spit
a peony!
Tr. H. G. Henderson


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閻王の目にづかづかと入りこむ
En oo no me ni zukazuka to hairikomu

carefully, carefully
walking within sight of
the eyes of Emma
(Tr. Gabi Greve)

Matsuzawa Akira 松澤昭
http://www.haiku-data.jp/kigo_work_list.php?kigo_cd=2588


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practising archery -
the watchfull eyes of
King Enma again

Gabi Greve, 1980, Kamakura

***** Target (mato) Including Bow, Arrow, Japanese Archery.


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© Saitama City Kyoiku Iin Kai

Enma at Temple Chooden-Ji. Made in 1698.
長伝寺「木造閻魔王坐像」
http://www.city.saitama.jp/

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Related words


***** . YOMI　黄泉　"the yellow springs"
die Gelben Quellen der Totenwelt
meido 冥途 the Netherworld



***** First Ceremonies of the Year

***** Servant's holiday (yabu iri) fasting day (sainichi)


*********** NEW YEAR FOOD SAIJIKI




Great King Enma 閻魔大王
Utagawa Kuniyoshi 歌川国芳

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- quote
Genkaku-ji 源覚寺
Genkaku-ji was built in 1624. Soon afterwards a wooden statue of the god of hell, Enma-ō (閻魔王), was found in a nearby pond. It was placed in the temple and largely ignored, but then people started noticing an old woman who visited every day with an offering of konnyaku.

"Why are you giving konnyaku to Enma?" was the perfectly reasonable question everybody asked.

She told them that her eyes had become weak and all medicines had failed, so she asked Enma for help. One day, as she was praying before the statue, he said to her, "I will gouge out one eye and give it to you." She looked up and saw that one of his eyes was gone, and blood was running from the empty socket. When she glanced around her, she realized that she could see everything clearly.

She wanted to thank Enma, but she was so poor that she had nothing to give him. She decided to stop eating her favourite food, konnyaku, and offer that to him instead. To this day you can buy konnyaku at the temple and ask the god of hell for protection against eye disease.



Enma's statue was probably carved in the Kamakura period (1185–1333).
- snip -
The temple is also known as Konnyaku Enma　蒟蒻閻魔,
and the street crossing in front of the temple is Konnyaku Enma Mae ("mae" means in front of).
- source : rurousha.blogspot.jpx

- Homepage of the temple - Tokyo 東京都文京区
- source : www.genkakuji.or.jp

. WKD : Devil's-tongue (konnyaku 蒟蒻) .
Amorphophallus rivieri


. me　眼 /　目　- Amulets for Eye Disease .

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Emmaten (Yama-deva)
Enmaten

Aus der indoiranischen Gottheit eines Höllenkönigs (Dharmaraaja, Emmaoo) wird er über die chinesische Variante einer taoistischen Gottheit zur esoterischen Gottheit eines Höllenfürsten bzw. Schützers der Religion (Dharmapaala, Emmaten).
Auch König der Gleichheit (Byoodoooo Byodo-O) genannt.
Höllenfürst Emmaten (Enma, Enra). Nummer 5 der 10 Höllenkönige.

Einziger der 10 Höllenkönige, der eigenständig verehrt wird. Bei 10 Figuren ist seine die größte.
Richtet am 35. Todestag über die Menschen, siehe 13 Buddhas der Totenrituale. Er ist eine Gottheit voller Mitleid und vergibt oft den bereuenden Sündern, aber am 35. Tag nach dem Tode ist meist kein intakter Körper mehr vorhanden, in den die erlöste Seele eingehen könnte.

Häufig in einer eigenen Halle (Emmadoo　閻魔堂) untergebracht. Im 4. Höllenbezirk gibt es eine große Waage zum Wiegen der Sünden des Verstorbenen (goo no hakari). Eine Darstellung davon findet sich oft in der Emmadoo-Halle. Im Mandala der beiden Welten sitzt er im Süden der äußeren Abteilung.
Er ist eine Inkarnation des Fudo Myo-O bzw. des Jizoo Bosatsu.

Wenn man zu Lebzeiten den Jizoo Bosatsu regelmäßig verehrt hat, wird die Seele in der Hölle von Emmaten sicher wiedererkannt und man ist einer schnelleren Beförderung ins Paradies sicher.

Im Tempel Taisooji　太宗寺 in Shinjuku in Tookyoo steht vor der Emmadoo-Halle die Figur eines kinderfressenden Emma, der ein ungehorsames Kind einfach auffraß und der Gürtel seines Kimonos hängt noch aus dem Mund des Emma. Auch "Emma mit dem Gürtel aus dem Mund" (Tsukehimo Emma　つけひも閻魔)　genannt. Bis zum Beginn der Edo-Zeit wurden böse Kinder gewarnt: "Wenn Du noch einmal lügst, wird Emma Deine Zunge herausreißen!".


This Enma would eat childred who did not listen to their parents and have a string of their kimono belt hang out of his mouth. His name was "Enma with a belt hanging out of his mouth".


Ikonografie:
Menschliche Gestalt mit zwei Armen und furchterregendem Gesichtsausdruck. Auf der Brust einen Mond und eine Sonne bzw. das Rad der Lehre. Kleidung eines chinesischen Richters. In der rechten Hand ein Holzszepter (Zeremonialszepter) (shaku), oft mit einem oder zwei Menschenschädeln. Dabei handelt es sich um die Köpfe der Gottheiten Taizan Fukunoo und Kokuan Tennyo.

Reitet manchmal auf einem Wasserbüffel.

Ihm zur Seite steht oft die Schreiber-Gottheit "Gushooshin", der alle Taten der Menschen aufschreibt und registriert sowie "Datsueba" , eine furchterregende Alte, die am Grenzfluss Sanzu (sanzu no kawa) die Kleidung der Verstorbenen in Empfang nimmt.

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Kasuga Shrine Festivals

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Kasuga Shrine Festivals

***** Location: Kasuga Shrine, Japan
***** Season: Various, see below
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation



The Kasuga Shrine (春日大社, Kasuga-taisha) is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nara, in Nara Prefecture, Japan. Established in 768 A.D. and rebuilt several times over the centuries, it is the shrine of the Fujiwara family. The interior is famous for its many bronze lanterns, as well as the many stone lanterns that lead up the shrine.

The architectural style Taisha-zukuri takes its name from the Kasuga Shrine.

Kasuga Shrine, and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest near the shrine, are registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara".

The enchanting path to Kasuga Shrine passes through Deer Park (where tame deer roam free). Over a thousand stone lanterns line the way.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


Kasuga jinja 春日神社 Kasuga Shrine is the shrine name.


taisha-zukuri　大社造
Also called ooyashiro-zukuri. The oldest style of shrine architecture.
Read more here: ©　JAANUS



Kasuga Taisha Japanese HP

Kasuga Wakamiya Festival. Japanese HP


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The five deities of the five important shrines

Takemikazuchi no Mikoto / Fuku Kenjaku Kannon

Futsunushi no Mikoto / Yakushi Nyorai

Ame no Koyane no Mikoto / Jiso Bosatsu

Himegami / 11-Headed Kannon Bosatsu

Wakamiya- / Monju Manjushri Bosatsu


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Kasuga Lantern Festival in Spring
setsubun mantooroo　節分万灯籠, 万中元万燈籠
Februar 3
Kasuga no mantoo 春日の万燈（かすがのまんとう）
(The kigo is for the winter festival.)





This festival takes place at the Great Shrine at Kasuga, Kasuga Taisha 春日大社.
More than 3000 lanterns are lit up in the cold winter night. The stone lanterns have been dedicated by some Daimyo of the Edo period and many more by the lay people who come visit this shrine. There are also many bronze lanterns hanging from the eaves.

This ceremony is more than 800 years old.

Reference : Kasuga Lantern Festival



O-Bon Lantern Festival, Obon Mantoro
(Obon Mantooroo) お盆万燈籠　
During the O-Bon festival, the lanterns are lit again.
August 14

O-bon, a kigo for haiku



Kasuga Lantern Festival in Winter, Kasuga Mantooroo
春日万燈籠 (かすがまんとうろう). 春日万灯籠
kigo for mid-winter
..... Kasuga no mantoo 春日の万燈（かすがのまんとう）
Taisha Mandoro (Taisha Mandooroo)


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Kasuga Spring Festival, Kasuga Festival
kigo for mid-spring
March 13

Kasuga Matsuri 春日祭 (かすがまつり)
"Kasuga Monkey Festival" saru matsuri 申祭（さるまつり）

The shrine was build in the 2nd year of the Zingo-Keiun era (768) and its festival was held on the first "day of the monkey" (saru no hi) in February and November (old lunar calendar). In the Meiji period, this day has been declared to be on March 13.
An imperial messanger makes offerings to the deity and many Shinto ceremonies are held on this day.

One of the three great festivals by order of the Imperial court (san chokusai 三勅祭) of Japan.

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"Throwing deer bisquits"
shika senbei tobashi 鹿せんべい飛ばし
March 21
On the open spaces of Wakakusa Yama 若草山

Usually the deer get small bisquits from the tourists, but on this day large ones with a diameter of 25 cm are made for throwing and fighting about the longest flight of a bisquit. Sometimes they throw it for more than 50 meters. The winner gets a pair of the cut-off horns of a Kasuga deer.




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Photo: Mainichi Shinbun October 2010

shika no tsunokiri 鹿の角切 (しかのつのきり)
cutting the horns of deer
deer-horn cutting ceremony

tsunokiri 角伐（つのきり）cutting the horns
shikayose 鹿寄せ（しかよせ）herding the deer together
shikatsuri 鹿釣り（しかつり）"fishing for deer"

kigo for late autumn

In October, the divine deer are all gathered in one place and the horns are cut. This will prevent the animals from hurting each other and hurting the many visitors in Nara. The deer are rounded up and the first cut is made by a shinto priest of the shrine. This ceremony started in the Edo period and is performed to this day by a group of about 25 professionals.



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Kasuga Wakamiya Shrine Festival
Kasuga Wakamiya On Matsuri
春日若宮御祭 (かすがわかみやおんまつり)
kigo for mid-winter
..... "THE Festival" on matsuri 御祭（おんまつり）
december 15 - 18

This festival is handed down since the 12th century. It started during an epidemic, when the government had rites performed at the "Young Shrine" Wakamiya, to pray for improvement and also for a good harvest.
The biggest event is now held on December 17, with a long procession of people dressed in period robes of the past, from the 9th to the 19th Century.

Traditional music and dance are also performed during these festival days.



Folding Screen depicting the On Matsuri

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Kasuga no o-taue matsuri
春日御田植祭 (かすがのおたうえまつり)
rice planting ritual at Kasuga shrine
kigo for the New Year
sometimes placed in mid-spring

On March 15.
A ritual to pray for a good harvest.
At the three shrines Ringo no niwa 林檎の庭, Enomoto Jinja 榎本神社 and Wakamiya shrine 若宮社 men perform ritual planting dances and women plant pine needles (representing rice plants) as an offering to the deities.

The colorful dances and lively songs are a joy.


SAIJIKI – NEW YEAR OBSERVANCES

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Horse-riding and arrow shooting contest
yabusame sadame 流鏑馬定(やぶさめさだめ)
July 1


Sacred Rope Ritual, nawamune sai
縄棟祭(なわむねさい)
October 1


Young Monks getting a rank
Bachoo no chigo no okurai uke
馬長児僧位僧官授与式(ばちょうのちごのおくらいうけ）
Beginning of December

Japanese: Rituals at Kasuga Wakamiya


Wakamiya, chigo or dooji indicates a divine boy (in case of Kasuga an incarnation of Monju Bosatsu), Bodhisattva of wisdom.


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


春日のの鹿も立ちそう花御堂
Kasuga no no shika mo tachisoo hana midoo

Kasuga Field's deer
also attend, I see...
blossom-filled temple

Issa
Tr. David Lanoue
Kasuga Shrine and Hana Mido


Kasuga Shrine Mandala


On this scroll, a sacred tree (sakaki, Cleyera japonica) stands on the back of the white deer, which is the messenger of the Deity of Kasuga.
Kasuga shrine has four main deities and the one of Wakamiya (the New Shrine) is seen as Buddhas standing on the branches. There are also wisteria blossoms (fuji), the symbol of the shrine and the Fujiwara family.
The top part of the mandala shows Mount Mikasa in front of the Kasuga hills.



Three haiku by Kobayashi ISSA about the deer

春日野の鹿にかがるる袷かな
kasugano no shika ni kagaruru awase kana

Kasuga Field's deer
sniff it...
my summer kimono



春日野や駄菓子に交る鹿の尿
kasugano ya dagashi ni majiru shika no kuso

Kasuga Field--
penny candy mingles
with deer poop



春日野や神もゆるしの鹿の恋
kasugano ya kami mo yurushi no shika no koi

Kasuga Field--
with the god's permission
deer make love

Tr. David Lanoue


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Kasuga jinja no ema 春日神社の絵馬
votiv tablets

They come in all sizes and with all kinds of paintings.
There is a special hall to exhibit them all.

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goshiki jika 五色鹿 deer in five colors

The deer go back to the legend of the deity Takemikazuchi no mikoto 武甕槌神
The "Great God of Kashima" rode on a white deer from Kashima all the way to the Kasuga shrine in Nara as a divine messenger, and the deer became the symbol of Nara.
The Kasuga Deer Mandala tells the story.

These deer are only about 2 cm high, made with bamboo legs. They come in five colors and have white dots on their body.

. Folk Toys from Nara .


. Kashima Shrine 鹿島神宮 Kashima Jingu .


. Goshiki Daruma and Color Symbols .




. hakuroku 白鹿 white deer mikuji .

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Saiin Kasuga Jinja 西院春日神社
Sai-In Kasuga Shrine in Kyoto

京都市右京区西院春日町61 - 61 Saiin Kasuga-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto
Founded in 833.
It holds all the deities of the Kasuga Shrine in Nara, just closer to Kyoto.

In the compound is a stone that heals all kind of illness


hoosoo ishi 疱瘡石 "smallpox stone"

In the beginning of the Heian period, the wife of Junna Tenno 淳和天皇 (786 - 840), 崇子内親王 Takako Naishinnoo, suffered from smallpox and made a vow to this stone.
So the stone took on the smallpox and the lady was cured. Now people come to pray for good health.

In October there is also a festival with mikoshi palanquins, praying for good health and a good harvest.

- Homepage of the shrine
- source : kasuga.or.jp



Look at more amulets from the shrine
- source : kasuga.or.jp/kitou


. byooma taisan 病魔退散 warding off disease .
. Health Amulets 健康御守 kenkoo omamori .


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HAIKU

申祭人より多き鹿の群 　
saru matsuri hito yori ooki shika no mure

Beim Fest des Affen
sind die Herden vom Hirsch
mehr als die vom Menschen.

Kinoshita Seirin 木下星林(1918～)
Tr. Namura Kouta


Kasuga Monkey Festival -
there are more throngs of deer
than throngs of people
Tr. Gabi Greve



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Aoni Yoshi 青丹よし Aoniyoshi
"the green and cinnabar is good"

This is an old makurakotoba for the old capital of Nara. The red pillars and green window bars of the shrine are auspicious colors to keep evil out of the city.

Many temples and shrines were built whith these colors, so a walk in Nara was yoshi, was pleasing and this expression became synonymous with NARA (Heijokyo 平城京).


There is also a famous sweet from Manshodo 萬勝堂 of this name.
It is made of wasanbon sugar.


http://www.manshoudou.com/teiban.html


. WASHOKU
Wasanbon sugar 和三盆


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In 768, when the shrine Kasuga Taisha was built, the priests of the shrine dress in hunters gear (kariginu 狩衣 ) and pound rice for mochi, which are fried in oil. They are also written 伏兎.

. WASHOKU
hiuchi yaki 火打焼 a kind of mochi ricecake 　



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Related words

***** Light offerings afloat (tooroo nagashi)

***** Stone Lantern (ishidooroo) Japan

***** . Kinkazan : cutting antlers of deer 　

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The Dragon God of Kasuga Shrine 春日竜神　Kasuga Ryujin
Tsukioka Kōgyo 岡耕漁 (Sakamaki Kōgyo) (1869-1927)

- quote -
Kasuga Ryūjin (春日龍神), or "The Kasuga Dragon God,"
is a Japanese Noh play often attributed to Komparu Zenchiku, son-in-law of Zeami Motokiyo. The play features the historical figure Myōe Shōnin (1173 – 1232), abbot of the Buddhist temple Kōzan-ji, and famous for his detailed dream diary. Myōe sought for many years to visit China and India, and to witness the places where the historical Buddha preached; in episodes recorded in his dream diary and other sources, Myōe is said to have been visited, both in dreams and via oracles, by the Dragon God of Kasuga Shrine, who persuaded him to remain in Japan. The play is inspired by and based upon these sources, and relates one such meeting of Myōe with the Dragon God.
----- Plot
The play opens with Myōe and his companions traveling to Kasuga Shrine to say formal farewells to the kami of the shrine, before they leave for their journey to China and India. There, they meet a priest, an old man, who welcomes them into the shrine grounds, saying that Myōe is favored by the kami of the shrine like a first-born son, and that of course he should be most welcome. Learning of Myōe's intentions to journey abroad, however, he argues that the kami shouldn't like to see him go, as his presence at the shrine is so treasured.

The priest goes on to explain that, were the Buddha still living, one would do well to hear him preach in person. But, he says, the ages have turned, and the sacred places of India and China are now represented in Japan. He equates important Buddhist sites such as Vulture Peak to sites in Japan, such as Mount Mikasa, and encourages Myōe to visit these sacred sites instead. He offers that if Myōe will desist with his plan, he will reveal to the monk, upon Mount Mikasa, the five regions of India, the Buddha's birth, the Buddha's enlightenment, his preaching, and his passing.

Convinced, Myōe gives up his intentions to travel to the continent, and asks the old man his name. The priest identifies himself as Tokifū Hideyuki, a name drawn from those of the founders of the Kasuga Shrine, Nakatomi no Tokifū and Nakatomi no Hideyuki, at which he vanishes.

Between the two acts of the play, a kyōgen actor portraying a minor kami in the service of the shrine comes forth and retells the story of the first act.

In the second act, the Dragon God of Kasuga (the kasuga ryūjin of the play's title) appears, and dances, while speaking to Myōe, and confirming that he has in fact given up his intentions to journey to the continent.
- source : wikipedia -

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Kasuga Myoojin 春日明神 Kasuga Myojin
Kasuga Daimyoojin, Kasuga Daimyôjin 春日大明神 Kasuga Daimyojin
comprizes the five kami of Kasuga related to the temple Kofuku-Ji.

Based on the honji suijaku doctrine, separate Buddhist avatars (honjibutsu) were designated for Kasuga shrine's Shisho Myōjin, "Four Bright Kami," and Kasuga daimyōjin the collective name for the "Four Bright Kami" and the uber-kami that those four comprise was considered a Shinto manifestation of the Buddhist Boddhisattva Jihimangyō Bosatsu.
- quote - Sato Masato, Kokugakuin 2007 -


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

南都の僧侶・障圓という人は学問をよくする人だったが魔道に落ちた。僧はある女性に憑いて、「春日大明神を奉ずる人は春日野の下にある地獄に堕ちる」ことなどを語った。


.......................................................................... Kumamoto 熊本県
玉東町 Gyokuto

The origin of Konoha Saru. 木葉猿の由来。
孝徳天皇のころ、都の落人が虎の葉の里に詫住まいしていた。元正天皇の時代、養老7年正月7日に衣冠正しい老翁が枕元に立ち、汝罪なくして都を出て、この山里に詫住まいしているので、宇多郡深草の社に鎮まる春日大明神を遷し奉るべしといった。その後ある日旅人がやってきて大和の国春日の神勅を持ってきた。そのため虎の葉の里に春日大社を遷した。10月9日を生日の足日と定めて雨山の赤土をかきとって海山の神つ物を捧げてその楽を奏し、その平盆の余った土を投げると、猿の形を現し、忽然として飛び去った。人々が奇異な思いをしていると、鼻高く面赤く身の丈1丈あまりなのが現れ、汝等雨山の土でましらを作れば、真榊の真幸といって消え去った。


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

円覚上人 圓智上人 Saint Enchi
Saint Enchi's parents did not have any children, so they prayed to Kasuga Myojin. In a dream he let them know that soon they would have child with a special curse.
Eventually a baby boy was born and the husband made offerings to the Deity.
Just then lightning struck the house and almost the whole family died. The mother became blind and eventually left the child in the wilderness of the pilgrims road to Kasuga Shrine.

. 円覚上人 圓智上人 Saint Enchi (active in Tsugaru around 550) .


.......................................................................... Nara 奈良県
帯解町 Obitake

ryuu 竜 Ryu, Dragon
In the village pond lived a Dragon who ate peopoe, so they tried to drive it away. They lit a fire at the dam of the pond and tried to scare it, but the Dragon did not appear. A Samurai, who walked past, shot an arrow in the pond. The Dragon grabbed the Samurai and flew with him up to heaven. Eventually it begun 雷光 to thunder ad flashes of lightning appeared.
Blood-red raindrops fell into the pond. Eventually the body of the dragon dropped into the pond, all torn with wounds.
The villagers collected the Dragon bones from the pond and made a statue of a Dragon.
The Samurai never appeared again. They say it was an incarnation of
春日明神 the Deity Kasuga Myojin.

.......................................................................
誓多林町 Setarincho

Along the 新笠置街道 New Kasagi Road there are two large footprints in a stone wall.
They say they are the footprints from the White Deer which Kasuga Myojin rode when he came from Kashima.

.......................................................................

Yonaki Jizo 夜泣地蔵 Jizo crying at night

春日神社本殿の厨子から毎夜子供の泣声がするので開けてみると、春日大明神とあがめていたのは地蔵菩薩だった。地蔵菩薩が新薬師寺に参りたいというので遷座した。


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- reference : Nichibun Yokai Database -

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January 20 Celebration (hatsuka iwai)

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January 20 Celebration (hatsuka iwai)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: New Year
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation

hatsuka iwai 二十日祝い celebrating on January 20

January 20 is also a special "New Years Day" (hatsuka shoogatsu 二十日正月) in Japan. The Samurai class took this as a special ritual and prepared special food for this day. The ladies of the house where allowed for the first time now to take the cover off the mirror and look at their faces. They also could eat the rice cakes that had been put as offerings before the mirror boxes (kyoodai　鏡台).

Officially this was the last day of New Years celebrations, where folks would cook rice with red soy beans (sekihan 赤飯) and eat the last New Year cakes to celebrate.

It was also the day when the God of Good Luck, Ebisu, had his first festival.

In the area of Kyoto and Osaka, the leftover bones of yellowtail (buri) offered during the New Year celebrations were cooked and eaten (New Year bones, hone shoogatsu　骨正月).


. Ebisu えびす　恵比寿　 .


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More kigo for this day

"sword handle" celebration, ha tsuka iwai 刃柄祝（はつかいわい）

Celebration of the mirror box, kyoodai iwai 鏡台祝（きょうだいいわい）

Celebration of the "first face", hatsu kao iwai 初顔祝（はつかおいわい）

Celebration of the Mirror, kagami no iwai 鏡の祝（かがみのいわい）


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU



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Related words

***** BACK TO
Festivals and Ceremonies of Japan



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Tree fertility ritual

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Tree fertility ritual (narikizeme )

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: New Year
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation

On January 15, the day of the "Small New Year" (koshoogatsu 小正月)fruit tree are beaten with special wands (iwai boo 祝い棒) to co-erxce them into bringing rich fruit at harvest time. The men beating the tree shout:

なるかならぬか、ならねば切り倒す
naran ka naranu ka naraneba kiritaosu

Will you bring fruit?
Will you not bring fruit?
If you do not bring fruit
I will cut you down !

Other men take the place of the beaten tree and shout back:

なります、なります
I will bring fruit, I will bring fruit !

This ritual is especially performed in the fruit growing areas of Northern Japan and Western Japan.
Sometimes a hatchet was used to actually nick the tree, and then red beans rice gruel (azuki-gayu) was smeared on the nick.



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tree fertility ritual, narikizeme
..... 成木責, 生り木責め, 成り木責め

kizeme 木責（きぜめ)
tree incantation, kimajinai 木呪（きまじない)
fruit tree ritual, kajuzeme 果樹責（かじゅぜめ）,
..... nari iwai 成祝（なりいわい）
cheering the tree, ki o hayasu 木を囃す（きをはやす）
naruka naranuka なるかならぬか




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Worldwide use

This is a ritual found in other places:

In Romania, there's a traditional Christmas confection called a turta. It is made of many layers of pastry dough, filled with melted sugar or honey, ground walnuts, or hemp seed.
In this tradition, with the making of the cake families enact a lovely little ceremony to assure the fruitfulness of their orchard come spring. When the wife is in the midst of kneading the dough, she follows her husband into the wintry garden.

The man goes from barren tree to tree, threatening to cut each one down. Each time, the wife urges that he spare the tree by saying:
"Oh no, I am sure that this tree will be as heavy with fruit next spring as my fingers are with dough this day."
http://www.candlegrove.com/solstice.html


And in England:

This is the popular image of the traditional folk custom of wassailing fruit trees - a ceremony intended to begin the process of waking the fruit trees from their winter slumber and the first
fertility festival of the folk calendar.

* * *

After dark those taking part proceed down to the orchard, ceremonially bearing the wassail bowl filled with the prepared booze. They also carry large sticks and such items as shotguns, drums,
kettles, pans and whistles - anything which can be used to create lots of noise in fact.

The ceremony generally begins with the tree, usually the oldest and most venerable tree in an orchard, being variously serenaded with traditional "wake up" type of chants and rhymes alternating with speeches by the group's leader in praise of the tree, its fruitfulness in previous years and exhorting it to do even better in the coming year.

* * *

The custom usually continues with the tree or trees being beaten about the trunk (and any branches within reach) with the sticks. This is believed to begin the process of awakening the tree and starting the sap flowing up the trunk. It is accompanied by much shouting and the making of as much noise as possible, and shotguns are commonly fired up into the branches. Again, this is believed to assist the tree in awakening from its winter sleep as well as frightening away any evil spirits which might be lurking in the branches.
http://www.whitedragon.org.uk/articles/wassail.htm

Compiled by Larry Bole


Mulled Mead, Wassail ! and haiku

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Things found on the way

Rural Japan Reality

He had been tending his many orchards for many years. Getting older, things got more difficult and one by one, he had to cut down the many trees in his orchards.
Today I observed the old farmer below in my valley :

winter cold -
he felled his last
apple tree

Winterkälte -
er fällt den letzten
Apfelbaum

© Gabi Greve, January 2007


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HAIKU

成木責きらきら足袋の裏白し
narikizemi kirakira tabi no ura shiroshi

tree incantation -
the white back of my tabi socks
shines and sparkles
(Tr. Gabi Greve)

© sinmik
plaza.rakuten.co.jp/sinmik/diary/?ctgy=7

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教会の牧師来たりて成木責
kyookai no bokushi kitarite narikizeme

the priest from
our local church came too -
tree fertility ritual
(Tr. Gabi Greve)

© www.gendaihaiku.gr.jp/haikukai/result/70_touku.htm



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Related words

***** Saijiki of Japanese Festivals and Ceremonies


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Dainichi Mairi

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. Dainichi Do Hall　大日堂 Legends . :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Visit to the Dainichi Hall (Dainichi Mairi)

***** Location: Akita, Japan
***** Season: New Year
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation

Festival at the Dainichi Hall in Akita, Kazuno City
秋田県鹿角市大日堂舞楽



Visiting the Dainichi Hall, Dainichi Mairi 大日詣 (だいにちまいり)
... Dainichidoo zaidoo 大日堂祭堂（だいにちどうざいどう）
"Hall Festival" zaidoo 祭堂（ざいどう）

My Details about Buddha Dainichi Nyorai / Vairocana

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The Dainichi-do Shrine Bugaku Dance

Dainichi-do is a Shinto shrine in the Hachimantai area of Kazuno. Its origin and history are shrouded in legends, the original structure was perhaps built about 1500 years ago. Restored in 718 by the emperor Keitai, the court dances and music (called bugaku) dedicated to the completion of the restoration are said to be the origin of those still performed annually at Dainichido on January 2nd.
A series of eleven dances are performed, accompanied by ancient music played on Japanese flutes and drums. The dances and music are a form of folk art with a long tradition in Japan, and have been designated a National Cultural Treasure.
With Komamai Dance, Torimai Dance and more.
© city.kazuno.akita.jp

Dainichi Hall Kagura Bugaku 大日堂舞楽

© PHOTO : Shobunsha Publications

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Things found on the way

O-Take Nyorai お竹如来 and haiku by ISSA

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HAIKU

about Buddha Dainichi Nyorai

白鳥とわれと大日如来像
hakuchoo to ware to Dainichi zoo

the swans and
myself and the statue
of Dainichi Nyorai

Shimizu Shookei 清水逍径

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山笑う秘仏大日如来とか
yama warau hibutsu dainichi nyorai toka

mountains laughing -
the secret statue of
Dainichi Nyorai ... they say

Kanda Shori 金田勝利

All Tr. Gabi Greve

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Related words

***** Secret Buddha Statues (hibutsu)

***** Kagura Dance (kagura)

***** Saijiki of Japanese Ceremonies and Festivals

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- #dainichido #dainichi -

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First Day of the Tiger (hatsu tora)

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First Day of the Tiger (hatsu tora)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: New Year
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation

The old Japanese calendar, instead of using the seven days of the week, used twelve different zodiac animals to symbolize each day. So, in a sense, today's 'seven day' week, was once a 'twelve day' period.
The Tiger hour is about 3-5am. Tiger Month is January and Tiger day comes up every 12 days.

The temple Kurama in Kyoto is especially closely related to this day. In Tokyo you can visit the Bishamonten temple in Kagurazaka.


"First Tiger", Hatsu-Tora, 'first' day of the 'tiger'
初寅 (はつとら)

visit to Kurama Temple in Kyoto on the first day of the tiger
Kurama hatsu tora mairi 鞍馬初寅詣（くらまはつとらまいり）
..... Kurama mairi 鞍馬詣（くらままいり)

hatsu tora mairi 初寅詣（はつとらまいり）
"First Tiger", ichi no tora 一の寅（いちのとら）
..... kami no tora no hi 上寅日（かみのとらのひ）
"lucky tiger" fuku tora 福寅（ふくとら）




"rake for good luck" fuku kaki
福掻, 福かき（ふくかき）
a talisman sold at temples during the New Year season




"lowering the basket" fugo oroshi 畚下し, 畚降ろし（ふごおろし）
see below


"lucky centipede", o-fuku mukade
お福むかで（おふくむかで）
At the temple Kurama, live centipedes were sold as good luck talismans. At home, they were put alive in rice liquor to prepare a medicine for centibede bites.


"Kurama Gold Coin", Kurama koban
鞍馬小判（くらまこばん）
"centipede gold coin", mukade koban百足小判, むかで小判（むかでこばん）
If you put these coins in your purse, you will not lack of money in the coming year.


The centipede was also famous for finding gold mines in the mountains, they were seen as protector deities of gold mines; see the LINK below about Bishamonten and the centipede.



Bishamonten and the Centipede Talisman
開運大毘沙門天王守


　© PHOTO : 　ameblo.jp/mukade-koban


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. Kurama Festisvals 鞍馬山 　

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Kurama is a mountain region in the North-West of Kyoto. Legend tells us it is the home of Sojobo, (Sōjōbō (僧正坊), a master king of the long-nosed tengu, who taught swordsmanship to the young Ushiwaka-maru or Shanao, later named Minamoto no Yoshitsune.


Kurama Temple, Kuramadera

In this temple, you can see a pair of tigers which are said to keep the temple safe. In 770, this temple was built by Gantei, disciple of Ganjin (a Chinese monk and a founder of Buddhism in Japan). Gantei dreamed that he climbed up Mt. Kurama led by a white horse at four o’clock in the morning on January 4, 770.

Then a demon attacked him, but a dead tree fell down on the demon and smashed it. The next morning, a statue of Bishamonten, one of the four heavenly kings in Buddhism, was found under the fallen tree. Gantei then built a temple to worship the statue. The date and time of the dream was related to the tiger in Japanese zodiac signs, so there are two tigers placed as messengers of Bishamonten in Kurama temple.

This temple lies deep in the mountains of northern Sakyo Ward and it is a little bit hard to go there, but it is well worth visiting and you will be overpowered by the dynamic tigers.


©　Kyoto University of Foreign Studies


For Bishamonten and the Centipede, see the LINK given below.


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Lowering the Basket (fugo oroshi) at a modern festival


Click for more great photos of a Jizo Bon Festival
　© PHOTO 京の写真館



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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

In the Daruma Museum

Kurama Flint Stone and Daruma Carvings


Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Benkei


Tengu and Daruma 天狗とだるま


. Tora トラ　- 虎　- 寅　Tiger Toys .


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HAIKU

Kobayashi Issa tells us


引下す畚の中より雀哉
hiki-orosu fugo no naka yori suzume kana

hauled up
in the bamboo basket...
a sparrow!

Issa

This haiku refers to a custom at a certain Buddhist temple in Kyoto. On the first Day of the Tiger of each year, pilgrims could purchase the temple's famous flint stones by lowering a basket with their money into a hole. Unseen monks below would then exchange the stones for the money. Here, along with or instead of flint stones, a sparrow emerges from the basket.


同じ世をへらへら百疋小ばん哉
onaji yo o hera-hera mukade koban kana

to the same world
one after another...
temple coin souvenirs


梅の花まけにこぼすや畚下し
ume no hana mage ni kobosu ya fugo oroshi

plum blossoms fall
in the hairdo...
lowering the basket



On the year's first Day of the Tiger, pilgrims who went to temples to pray to Bishamon, a god of wealth, acquired amulets that resembled gold coins (koban).
On the first Day of the Tiger of each year, pilgrims could purchase the temple's famous flint stones by lowering a basket with their money into a hole. Unseen monks below would then exchange the stones for the money.

Tr. David Lanoue


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「初寅や櫻寂しき鞍馬寺」
芝友
「初寅や施行焚火に長憩ひ」
王城
「初寅の客一組や貴船茶屋」
草径
「初寅や貴船へ下る小提灯」
青雲


初寅や毘沙門会いに鞍馬まで
hatsu tora ya Bishamon ai ni Kurama made

first day of the tiger -
to meet Bishamonten
I go as far as Kurama
Tr. Gabi Greve

yotchi よっち
© compiled by yotchi よっち

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初寅を明日にひかえて信貴詣で
hatsu tora o asu ni hikaete Shigi moode

tomorrow we have
the first day of the tiger -
visiting Temple Shigisan
Tr. Gabi Greve

. Kei 惠以


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Related words

***** Kurama no hi matsuri 鞍馬の火祭 Kurama Fire Festival

***** Bishamonten and the Centipede


***** Saijiki of Japanese Ceremonies and Festivals


WKD : Tiger, a topic for haiku

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First third of the year (joogen)

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First third of the year (joogen)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: New Year
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation

There are three seasonal changes within a year, following the old Chinese Taoist lore, which has been introduced to Japan. They follow the Asian lunar calendar.
It is a day of prayer for good fortune in the coming year.


© PHOTO
http://shinowazuri.cocolog-nifty.com/memo/cat2525363/index.html


First third of the year, jogen, joogen 上元
Starting on January 15
This is also the day when the "Small New Year" (koshoogatsu 小正月) is celebrated in Japan. It is celebrated in many Chinese comminities in Japan, like in Yokohama and Nagasaki.


Middle third of the year, chugen, chuugen 中元
Starting on July 15
O-chuugen.
Half of the year has passed safely, people do penance and exchange gifts. Some rituals are performed for the festival of the souls, o-bon　お盆.


Last third of the year, kagen 下元
Starting on October 15
This day is no longer celebrated in Japan.

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More kigo for the FIRST third celebration, JOOGEN

shongan しょんがん、 genshoosai 元宵祭（げんしょうさい）、 genshoosetsu 元宵節（げんしょうせつ）、genshoo 元宵（げんしょう）、
joogen e 上元会（じょうげんえ）
joogen no hi 上元の日（じょうげんのひ）day of Jogen, January 15genseki 元夕（げんせき )

ceremony of praying for good luck, kifuku sai 祈福祭（きふくさい）
changing the candles, roosoku kae 蝋燭替（ろうそくかえ）


Click HERE for more photos !



. Candles (roosoku) and Haiku 　



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More kigo for the SECOND third celebration, CHUUGEN

observance kigo for mid-autumn


chuugen 中元 (ちゅうげん) mid-year presents
..... o-chuugen お中元（おちゅうげん）
chuugen zootoo 中元贈答（ちゅうげんぞうとう）
exchanging gifts for chuugen
chuugen uridashi 中元売出（ちゅうげんうりだし）

and in relation to the ancestor festival O-Bon

bonrei 盆礼（ぼんれい）curtesy gift for O-Bon
bon no kairei 盆の廻礼（ぼんのかいれい）
bon mimai 盆見舞（ぼんみまい) curtesy visit at O-Bon
bon no okurimono 盆の贈物（ぼんのおくりもの）
obligatory present for O-Bon


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humanity kigo for late summer

Giving presents and making obligatory visits is common in summer.
This co-incides somehow with the Chuugen season, but the lunar calender puts them in a different season for haiku. Usually you bring the "Chuugen" presents during this visit.
It is also customary to send postcards to those you can not visit, almost as the New Year greeting cards, and the post office has a great selection of these cards.





shochuu mimai 暑中見舞 (しょちゅうみまい)
obligatory visit during the hottest time of the year
doyoo mimai 土用見舞（どようみまい）obligatory visit during the hot doyoo days.
natsu mimai 夏見舞（なつみまい） obligatory visit in summer


kaki teate 夏期手当 (かきてあて)
bonus during the summer season
In the spirit of CHUUGEN most companies give some extra bonus money to their employees.


.SAIJIKI ... HUMANITY
Kigo for Summer 　


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observance kigo for early winter


gegen 下元 (かげん) last third of the year
gegen no setsu 下元の節（かげんのせつ）



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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


Presents for all seasons

To give presents and acknowledge one's duty to others is an important factor in traditional Japanese society. Give and take are very closely related and if you get something, you have to give something back (o-kaeshi　お返し), for your neighbour, friend, on the workplace or from a family member.
Giving a small gift is a great way to express your gratitude toward the other person.

Twice a year there are "official" times for giving gifts to all that have been helpful to you during the past six months.
In former times you had to carry the present yourself, combined with a short polite visit to the receiver.
Nowadays, this is easier. Many department stores and shopping malls offer seasonal presents and send them for you, including a small greeting card.

oseibo, o-seibo 歳暮 present for the end of the year
Usually given from December 20 till the end of the year. This present does not need a revanche present.
It started off as a gift from the sub-family (bunke 分家) to the main family (honke 本家）to give an offering for the family altar in the main family home and was an opportunity for the families to get together and celebrate.

MORE
. WASHOKU
Obligatory Presents for all seasons



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HAIKU

どら焼も虎焼きもきてお中元
dorayaki mo torayaki mo kite o-chuugen

present for mid-year -
I got some Dorayaki
and also Torayaki

Iijima Haruko 飯島晴子 (1921 - 2000)
Tr. Gabi Greve


This is a play with words of DORA and TORA (Tiger).


torayaki 虎焼き Dorayaki in form of a little tiger

. WASHOKU
Dorayaki cakes 　　





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Related words


seibo 歳暮（せいぼ）、oseibo お歳暮（おせいぼ）
giving Year End money or presents


***** © The Asian Lunar Calendar


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