Showing posts with label - - Yama no Kami - -. Show all posts
Showing posts with label - - Yama no Kami - -. Show all posts

28/08/2017

Tanokami, Yama no Kami Legends

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. Ta no Kami 田の神 - Table of Contents .
. Yama no Kami 山の神 - Table of Contents - .
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Ta no Kami, Tanokami 田の神 God of the Fields
Yama no Kami 山の神 God of the Mountain


. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .

Many legends involve both names of this deity.
In some regions he is coming down to the fields three times a year to watch over the harvest.


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....................................................................... Fukui 福井県 .....

Most rice farming communities celebrate the departure of Tanokami after the harvest. Some have a special matsuri 祭り Tanokami festival, where children participate in a parade.
Children carry a kodomo mikoshi 子供神輿 protable shrine along the paths of the harvested fields, to express gratitude. Then they walk past each farming house and finally the Mikoshi is placed back in the shrine of the 氏神 Ujigami.



- quote -
The most important 15 villages are:
無悪、山内、長江、下吉田、上吉田、脇袋、瓜生、井ノ口、天徳寺、神谷、日笠、兼田、武生、玉置、上野木.

祭りの当日、子どもたちは集落の氏神にお参り、お祓いを受けた神輿(子ども達により事前に飾りつけられる)を先頭に、子ども達が並び、道中を賑やかに太鼓を叩き、「さんよーれー さんよーれー」等と掛け声をかけ、田植えの済んだ田んぼを見回り、その後各家を巡回する。訪問を受けた家では、安置された神輿に参拝し、お供えをする。集落の全戸を巡回すると神輿を氏神に納め祭りが終了する。
- reference source : info.pref.fukui.jp/bunka/bunkazai...-

. ujigami 氏神 and ujiko 氏子 local worshiper, parishioner of a Shinto shrine .


....................................................................... Niigata 新潟県 .....
南魚沼郡 Minami-Uonuma district 六日町 Muikamachi

. 社日様 Shajitsu Sama,田の神様 Tanokami Sama,作神様 Sakugami Sama .
Shajitsu Sama, Shanichi Sama 社日様 God of the Shrine Day
when this Kami comes down to the fields or leaves for the mountain



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北蒲原郡 Kita-Kanbara district 紫雲寺町 Shiunjimachi

koosaku no kamisama 耕作の神様 Kosaku no Kami, Deity of Cultivation
Tanokami comes down to the fields on the 16th of the third month and goes back to the mountain on the 16th of the 11th month.
On both days farmers are not allowed to go either to the mountain or to the fields. They prepare 16 botamochi - ohagi ボタモチおはぎ sweet rice balls as offerings on the kamidana 神棚 family shelf of the Gods. They also prepare sekihan 赤飯 auspicious red rice as an offering, finally eaten by the family.
Tanokami is seen as a Deity of Cultivation who resides in the mountain.
Even when he goes back to the mountain in Autumn he is not called 山の神 Yama no Kami.

. ohagi おはぎ sweet wrapped rice cakes .

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- - - - - A legend from Okinawa about Kosaku no Kami :

There is a kaiushi 怪牛 monster bull with eight horns and eight legs, sometimes even 16 legs (8 in front and 8 in back) called ナマントカナシ Namantokanashi.
It beats the fields with its many legs and is thus a 耕作の神様 Kosaku no Kami.



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. Takeminakata no Mikoto 津御名方命 as Deity of Cultivation .

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中蒲原郡 Naka-Kanbara district 村松町 Muramatsumachi

O-Ta no Kami お田の神 "Honorable Tanokami"
Early in the morning of the 16th day of the 3rd month, people hit the empty mortar to produce a welcoming sound for the Tanokami to come down from the mountain. They prepare 16 karako dango カラコ団子 rice dumplings as offerings in the tokonoma 床の間 alcove. In the evening soy beans are boiled and eaten.
On the 16th day of November (the 10th lunar month in the old calendar) they celebrate the Day of O-Tanokami, when the Deity goes back. Again, they prepare karako dango, this time as an offering in the kamidana 神棚 family shelf of the Gods. The Deity fries these dumplings near 炉縁 the fireplace and then leaves for the mountain.


....................................................................... Yamagata 山形県 .....
西置賜郡 Nishi-Okitama district 小国町 Oguni

Tanokami dango 田の神団子 dumplings for Tanokami
On the 15th and 16th of the 10th month, Tanokami goes back to the mountains.
People prepare special dumplings for him and offer them on the 米びつ container to keep rice.
They hit the mortar with the pestle to make a special sound.

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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -
43 田の神 山の神 to explore (13)

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- - - - - . Join the Updates of Facebook ! . - - - - -


. Ta no Kami 田の神 - Table of Contents - .

. Yama no Kami 山の神 - Table of Contents - .

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

sangaku shinkoo 山岳信仰 religion of the High Mountains is a different matter.

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

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- #tanokami #yamanokami #sakugami #shajitsu #shanichi -
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24/08/2017

Yamanokami Regional 19 Miyagi

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
. Yama no Kami 山の神 Yamanokami - Introduction .
. Ta no Kami 田の神 Tanokami - Introduction .
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Yama no Kami 山の神 God of the Mountain
and Legends from Miyagi 宮城県


. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説 .



Yamanokami Sha 山神社(やまのかみしゃ)Shrine
宮城県遠田郡美里町 Toda district, Misato town, Kogota
Kogota (小牛田町 Kogota-chō) was a town located in Tōda District, Miyagi
the Yamanokami Shrine and various ancient burial mounds dating from before 250BC.

山神社は、崇徳天皇の御代である永治元年(1141年)、摂津国の住人で、現宮司家の祖先である小山田清寧 Oyamada Kiyoyasu が家の守り神として勧請したのが始まりだと伝えられている。その後、清寧の後裔である浄円が元亀2年(1571年)に神璽(神体)を奉じて、陸奥国遠田郡小牛田旧屋敷にやってきて移り住み、天正3年(1575年)には祠を建てて神体を鎮め祀ったという。
寛文2年(1662年)、仙台藩により小牛田駅が造られ、南小牛田村の町割りが行われた際に旧屋敷地区から近くの南小牛田町屋敷地区に間口九間・奥行四間の社殿が造営され、そこに遷座した。 ...
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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akakura no yamanokami 赤倉の山の神 Yamanokami from Mount Akakura
Once a woman was happy to announce to the ancestors that she had brought up her children and went to worship at Mount Akakura. But there she was possesed by Yamanokami.

. Mountains named Akakura .

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heso no o へその緒 umbilical cord
After giving birth, a woman gets an amulet from Yamanokami and some hemp rope to wrap around the umbilical cord. Together with the name and date of birth she puts it in a bag and keeps it.
When the person thus born dies, this bag is placed into the coffin (in the Matsushima and Sendai region).

. heso no o へその緒と伝説 Legends about the umbilical cord .

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. Tengu no kamikakushi 天狗と神かくし / カミカクシ abduction .
If a child gets lost and does not come home any more, people of old thought it was taken away by a Tengu or Yamanokami.
So they took bells and gongs and went to the mountain forest to search.
Once a child got lost while playing "hide and seek" till late in the evening and thought it was taken away by Yamanokami !


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makura 枕 pillow
As a wish for a save birth, a woman has to go to 塩釜神社 Shiogama Jinja Shrine and to the shrine for Yamanokami and get a pillow from each one. After a safe birth, she brings back the pillows.
The pillow is usually kept at the kamidana 神棚 shelf of the Gods.
During birth, it is kept near the pillow of the woman. Very seldom it may be borrowed to a woman in the neighbourhood who does not have one.

. kamidana 神棚 household Shinto altar, "shelf for the Gods" .


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. mochi 餅と伝説 Legends about rice cakes .
okasane mochi オカサネ餅 piled-up rice cakes
A decoration for the New Year. After offering them to Yamanokami, they are eaten by the family members.
If they have cracks, the weather in the coming year will be fine.
If they have no cracks, there will be a lot of rain in the coming year.


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osaidogiyaki オサイドギヤキ burning the offerings
On the evening of the 15th day of the first lunar month, the offerings for Yamanokami were burned at the entrance of the home.
If all the offerings of soybean shells and straw burned down, the coming year would bring a good harvest.
If some parts remained, there would be a rather bad harvest.

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Takebera Taro 竹箆太郎 Shippei Taro

. The legend of the spiritual dog Hayataro 霊犬早太郎伝説 .
Nagano, Kozen-Ji Temple : Legend of 岩見重太郎 Iwami Jutaro (Kanesuke Susukita) and Shippeitaro (Hayataro)


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yamairi no kinki 山入りの禁忌 taboos about going to the mountain
On the 12th day of the second lunar month was 山の神の祭日 the Festival of Yamanokami and nobody was allowed to go into the mountain forest.
But one day a young fellow went to the forest to cut down a tree. On a huge boulder deep down the river walley he saw a half-naked woman with long black hair. When he called at her, she gave him a strange look. He fled in a hurry, but later became ill and died soon after.
This woman was Yamanokami.

... matagi no kinki マタギの禁忌 taboos for bear hunters
If the wife of a hunter had given birth, her husband should not go to the mountain for 27 days, because Yamanokami dislikes 穢れ unclean things.
Others say they had to stay out of the mountain forest until the seventh night was over.
If a hunter would go anyway, he did not find any animal to shoot. Others would loose their way and not come home.
Another hunter was found having committed suicide in the forest . . . and more strange tales are told.

. matagi 又鬼 - マタギ と伝説 Legends about bear hunters .

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伊具郡 Igu district 丸森町 Marumori

. Sanno Iwaya 山王岩屋,Sarutobi 猿跳 Monkeys Jumping .
山王権現 Sanno Gongen and 安倍貞任 Abe no Sadato
阿武隈川峡谷 the gorge of river Abukuma

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刈田郡 Katta district 七ヶ宿町 Shichikashuku

. zaimoku iwa, zaimoku-iwa 材木岩 Timber Rocks .
and the river 白石川 Shiroishigawa,

. Kobo Daishi 弘法大師 and Zaimoku-Iwa .
at Gifu 岐阜県, 上宝村 Kamitakaramura, 双六 Sugoroku

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栗原郡 Kurihara district

Yamanokami does not like the love song サンサシグレ "sansa shigure" , which is song for various rituals.
Forest workers are not allowed to hum the melody while working.
Hunters are not allowed to use the word MONKEY while they are in the moutains.

- - - - -

栗原郡 Kurihara district 花山村 Hanayama village
花山村御嶽山(石楠花山)The mountain is also called Shakunage Yama.
Ontake Jinja, Miyagi 御嶽神社 with Shakunage fields.
- reference source : miyagi-kankou.or.jp... -

御嶽山の神 Ontakesan no Kami / Mitakeyama no Kami
Mount Ontake / Mitake in Miyagi is only 472 m high.
During the season the whole moutain seems covered with rhododendron, Shakunage.
If someone comes to pick the flowers, the weather will turn bad, because Yamanokami, who loves these flowers, becomes angry.

. shakunage 石南花 rhododendron .

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黒川郡 Kurokawa district 大和町 Taiwa

tomeyama 止め山 "rest of the mountain"
On the 12th day of the 10th lunar month, villagers observe a day of "Rest of the Mountain", when Yamanokami goes back to the mountain.
This day and the 12th day of the second lunar month are the days when Yamanokami walks in the mountains.
People who do forest work on these days will get some heavenly punishment.

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仙台市 Sendai city 太白区 Taihaku

. 万二万三郎 The Brothers Banji and Banzaburo .

- - - - -

Taihakuyama no Kami 太白山の神 Yamanokami from Mount Taihaku
udo 独活 Japanese Spikenard
Since Yamanokami lost her eye when trying to get some spikenard, the villagers at the foot of the mountain never grow or eat this vegetable.
. udo 独活 Japanese Spikenard, Aralia cordata, .

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登米郡 Tome district

. hibashira 火柱と伝説 Legends about a pillar of fire .
On the 12th day of each month, the Day of Yamanokami, people are not allowed to go into the forest.
People make a pillar of fire. If someone is hit by a pillar of fire, his home will have a fire.
That is the curse of sakasabashira 逆さ柱 the upside-down pillar.

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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説 .

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- - - - - . Join the Updates of Facebook ! . - - - - -


. Yama no Kami 山の神 - Table of Contents - .

. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

sangaku shinkoo 山岳信仰 religion of the High Mountains is a different matter.

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

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- #yamanokami #godofthemountains #tanokami #yamanokamimiyagi #miyagi -
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23/08/2017

Yamanokami Regional 18 Kyoto Mie

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
. Yama no Kami 山の神 Yamanokami - Introduction .
. Ta no Kami 田の神 Tanokami - Introduction .
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Yama no Kami 山の神 God of the Mountain
and Legends from Kyoto 京都府 and Mie 三重県


. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説 .


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



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

京都市山科区の東部、音羽山ふもとの小山中島町に、長さ十数メートルのわらの「大蛇」が祭られている。
- reference source : kyoto-np.co.jp/info/sightseeing... -


. daija, orochi 大蛇 the huge serpent, great snake .

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Yamanokami Jinja 山の神神社
京都府京都市左京区久多川合町 / Sakyō-ku, Kutakawaichō




This shrine is very remote.
In summer there is a camping ground and children come to play in the 久多川 Kutakawa river.

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亀岡市 Kameoka

. Yama no Kami 山の神 and Tengu 天狗 the Mountain Goblin .
篠村の長尾 Shinomura, Nagao


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京都市 Kyoto

kikai 奇怪 something strange
In 1828, there came a mudslide down from 地蔵山 Mount Jizoyama at Toribeno 鳥辺野. It came all the way down to a place sacred to Yamanokami. The villagers found a large 壺 pot, but thought it quite strange but tried to dig it out completely. Suddenly there was a sound coming out of the ground. The laborer who heard this died on the spot. Later other villagers and even children got ill and died.
An old nun was asked for an oracle. When she fell in trance, they put 幣 a ritual wand in her hands. She begun to talk, saying the soul was a relative of 明智 Akechi and had been buried on the mountain and then called "Yama no Kami", but was still full of anger. So they held rituals at the Jizo hall and buried the pot there, but there were still people dying in the village.

. Toribeno 鳥辺野, とりべの 鳥べの .
an old burrial ground since the Heian period in the Higashiyama 東山 area near Mt. Amidagamine 阿弥陀が峰 in Kyoto.


Yamanokami no batsu 山の神の罰 the punishment of Yamanokami
On the 15th day of the first lunar month, Yamanokami goes to the mountain and throws out seeds for shiba 柴 small firewood trees. On this day villagers are not allowed to go into the mountain forest.
One person did it anyway and never came back. The next summer a villager named 孫助 Magosuke found his robes in takitsubo 滝壷 the basin at the bottom of the waterfall.
But they never found his dead body.


Yamanokami san 山の神さん
In Spring Yamanokami rides on 白兎 a white rabbit and throws seeds of trees and plants on the ground.
In Autumn Yamanokami rides again on his white rabbit and collects seeds of trees and plants.
This Yamanokami has large wings.

. hakuto, shiro usagi 白兎 the white rabbit / hare .

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南丹市 Nantan

. katame no buna 片目の鮒 the crucian carp with one eye . .
Once upon a time, Yamanokami needed the offering of a girl every year, but thanks to purifying rituals of a mountain priest he lost this habit and was contend with the offering of a crucian carp. And after a few years, he needed only the offering of a crucian carp with one eye.







....................................................................... Mie 三重県 .....



三重県旧美里町 Mie prefecture, former Misato village / Misatochō-Kōzawara
Yamanokami from Kozawara  高座原の山の神」
The mountain range of 布引山 Nunobiki divides Iga and Ise.
One of the mountains is 経が峰 Kyogamine (814 m) and to its South-East is a region called 芸濃 Geino.
A male and female Yamanokami are placed near the ancient rocks.
- Look at more photos here
- reference source : blog.goo.ne.jp/pzm4366... -


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員弁郡 Inabe district 大安町 Daian cho town

Yamanokami 山の神 - 産土神 Ubusunagami
If a person keeps some earth from the mountain of Yamanokami, he will not get Beriberi.
If a person gets dizzy when driving in a car it helps to put some of the earth on the navel.

. ubusunagami 産土神 Ubusuna Deity of the birth place .


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熊野市 Kumano

Yama no Kamisama 山の神様
Yamanokami is a woman.
Once upon a time someone went deep in to the mountains and daw a woman wearing washing a beautiful Kimono in the river. She told him never to talk about this meeting to anybody.
It was Yamanokami indeed !


. yamaotoko 山男 Mountain Man" monster .
大西喜作 Onishi Kisaku and the cock of Yamanokami

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名張市 Nabari

To avoid a curse from Yamanokami, people are not allowed to work in the mountain forests on the 10th lunar month, when all the Kami meet in Izumo.


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志摩郡 Shima district

If someone cuts down a tree dedicated to Yamanokami, he will fall ill.


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鈴鹿市 Suzuka

On the 7th day of the first lunar month villagers go to the local shrine, collect branches of 松 pine trees and wild bamboo and make a fire.
They bring ritual kirimochi 切り餅 cut rice cakes, one for each member of the family and roast them on the fire.
This will help them to avoid illness and bring good luck.
Yamanokami is also very fond of children and protects them.


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度会郡 Watarai district

Yama no Kami is a woman. She stays at the sea from the third to the eighth lunar month.
The other months she stay in the mountains.

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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説 .

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::




- - - - - . Join the Updates of Facebook ! . - - - - -


. Yama no Kami 山の神 - Table of Contents - .

. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

sangaku shinkoo 山岳信仰 religion of the High Mountains is a different matter.

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

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- #yamanokami #godofthemountains #tanokami #yamanokamikyoto #yamanokamimie #kyoto -
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22/08/2017

Yama no Kami Regional 17 Kumamoto

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
. Yama no Kami 山の神 Yamanokami - Introduction .
. Ta no Kami 田の神 Tanokami - Introduction .
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Yama no Kami 山の神 God of the Mountain
and Legends from Kumamoto 熊本県


. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説 .


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山の神釣堀センター Yamanokami Tsuribori Fishing center
山鹿市菊鹿町 / 2051 Kikukamachi Kamiuchida, Yamaga




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. Yamawaroo やまわろ / ヤマワロ / 山童 Yamawaro, Yama-Waro
"Child of the Mountain" / Yamawaraji .

- - - - - and his alter ego
Kappa 河童 "Child of the River"


Bronze Statue at the Mizuki Shigeru Road in Sakai Minato / Tottori 水木しげるロード

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ushi 牛 cow, ox, bull
The day for the festival of Yamanokami is the day of the Bull / Oxen.
If people eat meat on this day and the go to the mountain to work, they will have accidents and get wounded.


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天草郡 Amakusa district

kamikakushi 神隠し kidnapped by the gods
Once a man cut down the big tree of Yamanokami. Then there were three days of strong wind.
When the wife and child of that man went out for a walk later, they suddenly disappeared and were not seen again.

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球磨郡 Kuma district

Yamataroo 山太郎 Yamataro is Yamanokami.
When building a mountain hut, ritual branches have to be stood up in the four directions to let Yamanokami know that humans will use this part of land for some time.
If this offering is not done, Yamataro will come at night and shake the hut, throw stoned and destroy the walls.
In that case the forest workers will have to make an apology ritual and built the hut anew.


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玉名郡 Tamana district 玉東町 Gyokuto 木葉 Konoha hamlet

. 木葉猿 Konoha Saru 木の葉猿 monkey from Konoha village .


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八代市 Yatsushiro 東陽村 Toyo mura

gago, gawappa ガゴ,ガワッパ local name for the Kappa
山の神様はガゴである. Yamanokami is Gago.

. Kappa legends from Kumamoto .

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ヤマワロ Yamawaro - with one eye

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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説 .


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. Yama no Kami 山の神 - Table of Contents - .

. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

sangaku shinkoo 山岳信仰 religion of the High Mountains is a different matter.

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

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

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Ta no Kami Festivals matsuri

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
. Ta no Kami 田の神 - Table of Contents .
. Yama no Kami 山の神 - Table of Contents - .
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ta no kami matsuri 田の神祭り Tanokami festivals and rituals
for the God of the Rice Fields and for 山の神祭り Yamanokami

Sai no Kami 幸の神 God of Good Fortune

There are many seasonal festivals and rituals to honor the God of the Rice Fields.
Sometimes the dates get mixed up between the old lunar calendar months and the modern counting.


Ebino no Tanokami Matsuri

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Most festivals are held on the day 16 of a lunar month, one day after the full moon
. izayoi 十六夜 (いざよい) moon on day 16 .
In Spring to welcome Yama no Kami to the fields
In Autumn to see him off to the mountain.
Many rituals involve the offering of 16 rice dumplings.



. juuroku dango 十六団子 dumpling offerings for day 16 .


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. ae no koto, aenokoto あえのこと / 饗事 Entertaining the God of the Fields .
Noto Peninsula 能登半島 Noto Hantoo
- kuwa hajime, kuwahajime 鍬始 kuwa matsuri 鍬祭り festival of the hoe - February 10
- tauchi shoogatsu 田打正月 ritual New Year ploughing - February 11

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Ebino no Tanokami Matsuri えびの田の神祭り
Miyazaki
- see top picture -

毎年5月4日に行われる、えびの市末永地区の田の神祭り。
- reference : pref.miyazaki.lg.jp/contents... -

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Echizen no Tanokami Matsuri 越前の田の神祭り
Fukui

. Tanokami festivals in Fukui .
Children carry a kodomo mikoshi 子供神輿 protable shrine ....

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Gero no Tanokami Matsuri 下呂の田の神祭り
Gero Onsen下呂温泉 Gero Hot Spring - Gifu



- reference : bosenkan.co.jp... -

Tanokami Matsuri - Flower Hat Festival
- quote -
February, | at Mori-Minashi-Hachiman Shrine, Gero Hot Springs, Gifu Pref.
Hanakasa Matsuri(花笠まつり)森水無八幡神社(岐阜県下呂市)
- reference and photos -


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. hiburi matsuri 火振り祭 "fire-swinging festival" .
at Shrine Aso Jinja 阿蘇神社 Kumamoto, now on March 16.
click for more photos  !
The origin of this ritual goes back to welcoming the god of the fields back in spring, to greet his wife (goze mukae 御前迎え) .

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. Niigata 新潟県 白根市 Shirone town .
On the 16th day of the second and tenth month a Tanokami Matsuri 田の神まつり festival for Tanokami is held at the farm houses.

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. ta no kansaa matsuri 田の神さあ祭り / 田の神さぁ / タノカンサー.
鹿児島の田の神さあ Kagoshima
In Kyushu, the Ta no kansaa 田の神さあ is still venerated in more than 300 communities ...
- Ta no Kami of the Nishida Fields 西田の田の神さあ
姶良郡姶良町下名西田 Aira district Nishida Shimomyō



This Tanokami protects the Shrine fields of 鹿児島神宮 Kagoshima Jingu. His face is that of an old man with a beard. The statue is about 90 cm high.
In the right hand he holds a meshige メシゲ (shamoji rice paddle in the local dialect), in the left hand a bowl for cooked rice.
This is the classical form of Tanokami as represented in local Kagoshima dance rituals.
The Tanokami Mai 田の神舞 dance ritual at the shrine is held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month (now on a Sunday near to it).
After this dance, the saotome 早乙女 rice planting women begin their work.

. Kagoshima Jingu 鹿児島神宮 Kagoshima Shrine .

In Kagoshima, offerings made to 大黒様 Daikoku sama are not eaten by girls. This will keep the Kami in the home.
On the first day of the 10th lunar month, Daikoku (the Tanokami) goes off to Izumo to meet the other Kami.

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永田川流域の田の神 - 山田町 Yamada Town
A statue from 1723, the figure looks like a priest, with a rice paddle in the right hand and a stick in the left.

- more photos and source : 永田川流域の田の神 Nagatagawa -

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Wakasa no Tanokami Matsuri 若狭の田の神祭り
Wakasa no Yamanokami Matsuri 山の神祭り

Fukui

"Oikemono Jinji (オイケモノ神事)" O Ikemono Jinji is held at Kamo Jinja Kamisha (加茂神社上社) in Wakasa, Fukui.
Oikemono Jinji is an annual and unique ritual to perform divination of this year's harvest, and it was continuously held since about 1000 years ago.
. . . It is believed that the enshrined deity "Yama-no-kami (山の神)" is involved in the seeding.
. Wakasa Kamo Jinja 加茂神社 .

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. - - - - - - 田の神 山の神 kigo for haiku related to seasonal events - - - - - .

- - - - - Kigo for Late Spring

ceremony of opening the water channels ..... mizuguchi matsuri 水口祭
preparing a seat for the Field God, ..... ta no kami no koshikake 田の神の腰掛

After opening the water channels and heaving earth on the space above them, this is decorated with some branches and leaves as a seat for Tanokami.


Ceremony for the Seeds
..... tane matsuri 種祭 / ..... nawashiro matsuri 苗代祭

. ono jimai 斧仕舞 packing away the axes .


- - - - - Kigo for early summer

. sanbai oroshi さんばい降し calling the god of the fields .
sanbai matsuri さんばい祭 festival for the god of the fields
sanbai okuri さんばい送り sending off Sanbai
sanbai machi さんばい待ち waiting for the god of the fields
- sanbai 三拝 -


- - - - - Kigo for mid-summer

. sanaburi 早苗饗 (さなぶり) end of rice planting .
tauejimai 田植仕舞 celebrating the end of the rice planting activities
「早上(さのぼり」sanobori indicates a day for Tanokami to go back to 天 the sky.
The farmers take a day of rest and walk along the planted fields with a Shinto priest leading them in the thank-you-prayers to the Tanokami. Later they have a feast of sekihan 赤飯 ritual red rice and mochi 餅 dumplings and enjoy some funny dance performance.




. saotome 早乙女 rice-planting woman .
They make offerings to Tanokami and wear auspicious blue and white robes before going into the fields for planting.

. satsuki imi 五月忌 Absention, abstinence in Satsuki  
Satsuki is the name for the fifth month of the lunar calendar.
Now 6 Jun – 6 Jul. This is the season of rice planting and welcoming the god of the fields.


. taichuu no majinai 退虫の呪 spell against insects
On the eighth day of the fourth month.
This day was the one when the god of the mountain came back down to the fields for the rice-growing season and was celebrated in many regions.


- - - - - Kigo for early winter

. hiburi matsuri 火振り祭 "fire-swinging festival" .
Aso Shrine Festivals 阿蘇神社 - "fire-swinging festival" Aso Shrine, Kumamoto
The origin of this ritual goes back to welcoming the god of the fields back in spring, to greet his wife (goze mukae 御前迎え(ごぜむかえ) .


. kami no rusu 神の留守 "the Kami are absent" .
kami no tabi 神の旅 the gods are travelling,
After the harvest, Tanokami takes a break to meet all the other Kami at Izumo.

yama no kami matsuri 山の神祭 festival for the god of the mountain
yama no maki koo 山の神講prayer group for the god of the mountain
..... yama no koo 山の講(やまのこう)
yama no ko matsuri 山の講祭festival of the prayer group for the god of the mountain
Held in the winter months at various shrines.
The prayer groups consisted of people who worked in the mountains. They had offerings twice a year, in early spring to open the season and in early winter to give thanks for the year.


. tookanya 十日夜 night of the tenth  
(tenth day of the tenth lunar month)
Harvest thanksgiving for the god of the fields, celebrated in Eastern and Northern Japan.
(nowadays around November 15). It was day shortly before a full-moon day of old.


. inoko mochi, i no ko mochi 亥の子餅 rice cakes for the wild boar festival - Legends

They were prepared in the hour of the boar and eaten as a harvest thanksgiving. This a custom coming from China.
Here the deity honored is also seen as the God of the Fields (ta no kami).
Inoko is a festival on 旧暦10月の亥の日 the day of the wild boar in the tenth lunar month. On this day 田の神 the Tanokami goes back to the mountains.
Festival of the Goddess 摩利支天 Marishi Ten and her animal, the Wild Boar.


. kagashiage, kakashi age 案山子揚 taking the scarecrows down .
Usually done on the tenth day of the tenth lunar month.
A custom of Nagano prefecture.
The scarecrow is taken from the field and placed in the garden of the home, harvest offerings to the god of the fields (ta no kami) are then made.




. yama no kami matsuri 山の神祭 festival for the god of the mountain .
yama no kami koo 山の神講 prayer group for the god of the mountain
..... yama no koo 山の講(やまのこう) / yama no ko matsuri 山の講祭(やまのこまつり)


. kami no rusu 神の留守 the gods are absent .
The tenth lunar month (now November), after the harvest when the Japanese gods had done their duty, they left their local shrines for a bit of a vacation. They would all go for an audience and to celebrate at the great shrine of Izumo, so the rest of Japan was "without gods".


- - - - - Kigo for the New Year

. kagihiki shinji 鉤引神事 ritual of pulling with hooks .
..... 鉤引(かぎひき)pulling with hooks, tug-of-war with hooks
also known as Uchiue matsuri.
Ritual to honor the deity of the mountain, in various mountain regions of Japan, especially in Nara, Mie and Kumamoto.


Sai no kami no kanjin 幸の神の勧進 Praying to the God of Good Fortune
On January 15.
This custom is mostly followed in the Tohoku region.

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Sai no Kami 幸の神 God of Good Fortune
Also called
Sae no kami 障の神 - 塞の神
A kind of Dosojin, Wayside Deity and also Tanokami


幸(さい)の神と竜 ― 古代が分る鍵 Sai no Kami and the Dragon
谷戸貞彦 Yato Sadahiko

Sai no Kami originated in the San-In region of Western Japan as a deity to protect the farming village by guaranteeing descendants to live in good fortune for ever.
第一章 道の神 - Kami of the Road
第二章 世界の石の神 - Stone Kami in the World
第三章 久那斗の大神 - Kunaji no Kami 岐神 / Kunado no Kami 岐の神 (kami of the border)
第四章 幸姫命 - Sachihime no Mikoto
第五章 サルタ彦大神 - Sarutahiko
第六章 竜神と斎の木 - Dragon Deity and sacred trees
第七章 幸の神と行事 - Festivals for Sai no Kami : 元日の変遷と祭り -- Tanokami 田の神と通過儀礼 -- 渡来人の祭り -- 子孫繁栄の祭り
- reference source : d1.dion.ne.jp/~kunado... -

Saikami Myojin 幸神明神 Great Deity of Good Fortune
Sashikami Myojin サシカミミョウジン

- - - - - In Tokyo
Once the children played with a statue of 明神様 Myojin Sama and let it float in water. An old man of the hamlet took it away from them. Two or three days later, he became very ill.
Maybe this was because he had taken the statue, so he let if float again in water and was soon healed.


. Doosojin 道祖神 The Wayside Gods, Guardians of the Road .
Shakujin 石神, lit. "stone kami"

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. Ta no Kami 田の神 - Table of Contents - .

. Yama no Kami 山の神 - Table of Contents - .

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

sangaku shinkoo 山岳信仰 religion of the High Mountains is a different matter.

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

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

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20/08/2017

Yama no Kami Regional 14 Kagawa

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
. Yama no Kami 山の神 Yamanokami - Introduction .
. Ta no Kami 田の神 Tanokami - Introduction .
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Yama no Kami 山の神 God of the Mountain
and Legends from Kagawa 香川県


. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説 .

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山の神展望台 Yamanokami Tenbodai Observatory
丸亀市広島町茂浦 Hiroshimacho village, Moura, Marugame, Kagawa



. Yama-no-kami Kofungun 山ノ神古墳群 Yamanokami Kofungun .
香川県坂出市加茂町山の神下 / Yamanokami shita, Kamocho, Sakaide, Kagawa "below Yama no Kami Tumulus"

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Japan’s Smallest Prefecture, Kagawa, has the best Udon in the world, Sanuki udon!
. 讃岐うどん Sanuki udon noodles .
讃岐国


手打ちうどん 山の神 hand-made Udon - Yama no Kami
大阪府大阪市北区曽根崎新地 - Restaurant in Osaka


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. Yamanokami and his messenger, the Yamainu 山犬 Wolf .
仲多度郡 Nakatado district 琴南町 Kotonami



In Sanuki there are no really tall mountains. Mount 飯野山 Inoyama, better known as 讃岐富士 Sanuki Fuji,
has a flat top almost like a soup bowl. The 四国山脈 Shikoku Mountain Range is difficult to access, with thick forests and dark mountain paths. There are few people, and this is an area to get lost easily. If people were not careful, they might meet a Yokai monster or even worse, not find their way back home.
Under these difficult natural conditions, the villagers in former times took to Yamanokami for help and protection. Before going to the forest for work, they would make offerings and prayers to 山の神さま Yama no Kami sama, a female deity.
Her messenger was the wolf.
Here in Sanuki he was a gentle helper and path finder for lost people. When they called for him in the forest, a wolf would show up and lead the way to the village.


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ryuuoosan no kai 竜王山の怪 Ryuo-San no kai monster
At 竜王山 Mount Ryuosan "Dragon King Mountain", 1060 m high, people sometimes hear the voice of children, even if nobody is there. Sometimes there is a loud noise, sometimes someone is laughign, even a huge priest has been seen roaming around.
Fishermen can see a light above the mountain from their boats. They say it is the Deity of the Mountain having some fun up there.


ushi no yoo na mono 牛のようなもの like a bull
A man named 岡馬次郎 Okaba Jiro went to his water mill for work. On the way he passed Mount 菅生のトキ Sugo no Toki when he saw something like a bull running past. The ground begun to shake and the bull run up to the top of the mountain. Back home Jiro asked the other villagers, but they had not felt any shaking of the ground.
It must have been the local Yamanokami, taking a ride.


yamaneko 山猫 mountain cat
A man was making charcoal, taking them out in the middle of the night, when he heard the voice of a cat. The voice got louder and louder and he thought the cat must have been frightened by Yamanokami.
From this day on, he never worked at night in the mountain.




....................................................................... Higashi-Kagawa 東かがわ市 .....

The 7th day of the first lunar month is ヤマノカミノキダネマキ the day when Yamanokami plants the seeds for new trees in the forest.
People are not allowed to go to the mountain on this day. If someone dares to go, he might meet Yamanokami and get lost for ever, never to come back. Or he might get a severe wound on his head.
Some families keep this taboo on the ninth day of the first lunar month.




....................................................................... Marugame 丸亀市 .....
手島町 Teshima

On the ninth day of the first lunar month, Yamanokami performs 護摩を焚く special fire rituals and people are not allowed to go to the mountain.





....................................................................... Nakatado district 仲多度郡 .....
琴南町 Kotonami


Every month on the ninth day, people do not go to the mountain. This is a day to celebrate Yamanokami with food offerings.
Other families do not go to the mountain on the 7th day of the first, fifth and ninth lunar month.



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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説 .

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- - - - - . Join the Updates of Facebook ! . - - - - -


. Yama no Kami 山の神 - Table of Contents - .

. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

sangaku shinkoo 山岳信仰 religion of the High Mountains is a different matter.

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

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

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- #yamanokami #godofthemountains #tanokami #kagawa -
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Yama no Kami 13 Regional Iwate

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
. Yama no Kami 山の神 Yamanokami - Introduction .
. Ta no Kami 田の神 Tanokami - Introduction .
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Yama no Kami 山の神 God of the Mountain
and Legends from Iwate 岩手県


. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説 .


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Yamanokami Onsen 山の神温泉 hot spring Yamanokami
岩手県花巻市 Hanamaki town

優香苑 Yukaen
Our popular hot spring is 100% natural spring water, made soft and silky on the skin due to its high content of natural mineral deposits. You can enjoy looking at our mountain stream while submerged in the hot water of our large outdoor bath. We also recommend our spacious indoor bath with its high ceiling.
- source and more hot springs : kanko-hanamaki.ne.jp/en... -

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. noogami 農神 / ノウガミ様 No-gami, Nogami, God of the Farmers .
deity for agriculture, especially the rice fields and sake rituals.

On the 16th day of the third lunar month, Yamanokami goes back to the Mountain, and in his place Nogami comes down to the village and the farmers. The villagers have to get up early and make fire. If the smoke climbs up high into the sky, the family will be lucky.



....................................................................... Kunohe district 九戸郡 .....

To celebrate Nogami on the 16th day of the third and 9th lunar month, villagers prepare
ウキウキダンゴ Ukiuki Dango and offer them to the deity.



. ukiukidango, ukiuki dango うきうきだんご / ウキウキ団子 .
"dumplings swimming buyoantly"
An offering for nogamisama 農神様 God of the Farmers.
ukiuki is a word used for things dumpling on water, as the dumplings do when put into the hot soup.
They are prepared for the last prayer to the god of the harvest (nogamisama) to take with him on his way back to the mountains. Nogamisama is a large boulder at the side of the field.
Made from millet flour mixed (kibiko きび粉) with dango flour.
They are round with a little cavity in the middle "like a navel", so in local dialect they are also called
"hetchoko dango "へっちょこ だんご "navel dumplings".

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Yamanokami is seen as a Monkey or as a woman. In some regions he is even seen as a Tengu.
. Yamanokami, 猿 the Monkey .
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In 平内 Hiranai,
the 9th day of the 12th lunar month is the day when Yamanokami, gives birth. Villagers avoid going to the forest on this day, because it brings bad luck and causes injuries.
In 戸田 Toda,
on the 9th day of the 2nd lunar month it is forbidden to go to the mountain. This is the day when Yamanokami is born or re-born. Field work is not done on this day and people hold sacred rituals to venerate the deity.
On this day, Yamanokami also counts the trees in the forest and people can not go there. They take a rest.
Once a wood cutter tried to cut a tree down, but splinters hit his eye and he lost is eyesight.
.
On the 12th day of the 12th lunar month, Yamanokami becomes one year older. This is his special day. Yamanokami has 12 children and women of the village prepare dishes with 12 pieces of Tofu.
If a woman eats such a dish, she will get pregnant and will have 12 children - so the women avoid eating these dishes.


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軽米町 Karumai

Once there was a family with people falling ill, one after the other. An oracle told them to build a small sanctuary for Yamanokami and pray there.

sugi no tatari 杉の祟り curse of the Japanese cedar tree
There was a Shinboku in the forest, but one villager cut it down. He died soon after. The person who bought the wood became blind.
To bread the curse the villagers had to offer prayers at the local Wakamiya Hachiman 若宮八幡 shrine.

. shinboku 神木, shinju 神樹 sacred tree, divine tree .


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山形村 Yamagatamura

Yamanokami is seen as a female deity who gives birth to 12 children in one year, one in each month.



....................................................................... Shimohei district 下閉伊郡 .....
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岩泉町 Iwaizumi

Yamanokami no koshikake 山の神の腰掛 seat of Yamanokami
A tree with three stems is seen as a seat of Yamanokami and not to be cut down.


. Yamanokami no hooki 山の神の箒 broom of Yamanokami .
and the tengusubyoo 天狗巣病 "nest of a Tegnu", witch's broom disease


namomitakuri ナモミタクリ namomi takuri
Namomi Takuri is another name for Yamanokami. He takes away crying children and eats them. He comes down to the village only during the New Year celebrations.



This is similar to the custom of the
. Namahage なまはげ monsters .
(namomi o hagu)
Similar customs to the Namahage : 遠野市のナモミタクリやヒカタタクリ等がある。
..... namomihagi なもみ剥ぎ, amamihagi あまみはぎ
namamihagi 生身剥(なまみはぎ)、nagomehagi なごめ剥(なごめはぎ)、namomitakuri なもみたくり、ひがたたくり、nanamitakuri ななみたくり、namomi hagi なもみ剥(なもみはぎ)




....................................................................... Shizukuishi 雫石町 .....

In the village of 南畑 ミナミハタ Minamihata they have a festival for Yamanokami.
On this day, young and old, men and women, all use a furoshiki 風呂敷 cotton wrapper to make a mask for their faces and dance in the local Shrine. After that, they spend the night all together in the Shrine (zakone).
If they do not keep this custom, the harvest of 麻 hemp will be bad in the coming year.

. zakone 雑魚寝 sleeping together .
"group sleep" - "like all kind of fish", all crowded together



....................................................................... Tono 遠野市 Tōno .....

- - - Reference:
山神の憑依について「岩手県遠野地方の事例から」by 川島秀一 Kawashima Shuichi

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A man of about 30 went to a drinking party and came home quite drunk. He mumbled all the time "Yamanokami has taken possession of me!" and then he fell asleep.
A friend who knew about it came visiting next morning and kneeled at his bedside to ask him a question, using him as a medium.
The man said they should venerate Ujigami 氏神 the clan deity and pray for his recovery. After ten days the man was healed and the friend came to say thank you.
Thus the man became quite famous.
- - - - -
Another man possessed by Yamanokami could see right through to the truth in the heart of people.
He told a visitor: In the ground of the entrance to your house there is an old mirror and a sword buried. If you take that away, someone in the house will die soon or the house will burn down. When the visitor came home and started to dig, he found the mirror and sword.
- - - - -
Where the road comes to a T-crossing a villager heard the noise of someone walking down the mountain. When he looked up he saw a huge naked man, all red and with frightening eyes.
This was Yamanokami.
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If the female Yamanokami does not come down to help with a birth, three will be a problem. Therefore the husband of a pregnant woman has to go and invite the deity when birth comes close.
The husband takes a horse an lets it find its way, When the horse suddenly stops there is a voice to be heard and the husband knows that Yamanokami is now sitting on the horse. So he leads the horse back home and then makes an announcement. Usually the baby is born by the time the husband comes back.
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田の神神社 - Shrine Tanokami Jinja in Tono


Ta no Kami 田の神


Yama no Kami 山の神

- reference source : dostoev.exblog.jp... -



田の神神社(上郷町倉田)
地元の方は「お田の神さん」と呼んでいるそうです。別当の方はここから少し離れた処にお住まいで草刈りに先日奥様が来ていたとか。この神社の近くに庚申塔群があります。 すべての石塔が庚申塔というのもめずらしい。この庚申塔の手入れをしている奥様に伺いました。この方は駒形神社の別当ということで先祖代々受け継ぐ者の苦労をお聞きすることが出来ました。
- reference source : flickr.com/photos... -

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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -


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. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説 .


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. Yama no Kami 山の神 - Table of Contents - .

. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .

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sangaku shinkoo 山岳信仰 religion of the High Mountains is a different matter.

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

. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

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