Hoijin Konjin deities

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .
for lucky days, see the comments
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hooijin 方位神 deities of the directions

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

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

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

The 12 Heavenly Generals 十二神将

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Konjin, Konjin Sama 　金神, 金神様 deity of metal



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


He has six faces above the main face.

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

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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Gunma 群馬県 - 伊勢崎市 Isezaki

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

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Gunma 前橋市 Maebashi

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


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Gunma 太田市 Ota

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

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

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Mie 三重県 - 志摩郡 Shima district

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


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Shizuoka 静岡県

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


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Tokushima 徳島県 美馬郡 Mima district

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

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Yamanashi 山梨県 秋山村 Akiyama

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

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Yamanashi, 北都留郡 Kitatsuru district

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

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

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- source : nichibun yokai database -
27 to explore

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- Reference : 金神
- Reference : Konjin

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

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

. kami　神　Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

- #hoijin #fourdirections #konjin -
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夏菊の土金神に香を焚く
natsugiku no tsuchi Konjin ni koo o taku

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

松村蒼石 Matsumura Soseki (1887 - 1982)




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堪へたりし金神奈落寒明けぬ

稲垣きくの Inagaki Kikuno

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