Ta no Kami Festivals matsuri

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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 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.

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 - .

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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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Yama no Kami Regional 15 Kagoshima Kanagawa

[ . 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 Kagoshima 鹿児島県 and Kanagawa 神奈川県

. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.

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In Kagoshima, Tanokami is more important!


.......................................................................　Kagoshima 鹿児島県 .....

In some areas Yamanokami can be seen as a Kappa when he goes to a river.

. 河童 / かっぱ / カッパ - Kappa, the Water Goblin of Japan! .

Yamanokami is seen as
. suijin 水神 / mizu no kami 水の神 deity of water .
KAPPA 河童 and SUIJIN 水神
and
kawa no kami 川の神 Yamanokami is seen as a Deity of the River


. kenmun 水蝹 water spirit, kind of sea turtle Yokai .
Kenmun are hairy water and tree spirits from the Amami islands in southern Japan. They are friends with Kappa.

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yamankan saa ヤマンカンサア Yama no Kami san
kansaa no ki カンサアン木 tree of Yama no Kami
(local dialect)

Such trees are also called Tengu no matsu 天狗松 and people have to stay away from them.
. Yamanokami no yadorigi 山の神さんの宿り木 sacred tree for Yamanokami .
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Once
a man slept under an old sugi no ki 杉の木 cedar tree. He heard Yamanokami talking:
"Your son will die on his seventh birthday! He will be eaten by a suzuki スズキ Japanese sea perch."
When he came home, his son had just been born. On his seventh birthday, he bound the boy to a pillar in the house and thus saved him.
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Oonce
a man heard the sound of falling trees at night. When he went looking next morning, he found some trees had fallen down. This must have been done by Yamanokami.
Once
a fisher was in danger of hitting another fishing boat. When he looked again, the other boat had disappeared.
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habu ハブ / 波布 poisonous serpent
Seen as the messenger of Yamanokami.
On festivals and rituals for Yamanokami, the Habu is regularly coming out to watch.
Once a carpenter forgot to respect the ritual day for Yamanokami (second day of the first lunar month). He wanted to do some work, but on his tools there were four Habu curled up to prevent him from taking them.



. habu ハブ Okinawa Pit Viper .
A Habu is any of four species of poisonous snakes found in the Ryukyu Islands.

. Animal messengers of Yamanokami .


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鹿児島市 Kagoshima city

suijin sama 水神様 Deity of Water
Once a hunter was heard the tale of a boy being taken away on the 16th day of the 5th month after a certain amount of yesrs - and when he came home his son had just been born.
On this day, after the certain amount of years had passed, he bound the boy to a pillar in the house and thus saved him.
In former times people also wrote the name of a child on a cucumber and threw it in the nearby river, as an offering to Kappa, the Deity of Water.


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大島郡 Oshima district

kawa no kami 川の神 Deity of the River
At 徳之島 Tokunoshima
There is a special festival for 水神 Suijin, every four years on 壬（みづ）の日 the day of Mizu. The leader of the festival has to make water ablutions for purification. On the way home he is not allowed to stop at any home. If he does, members of that other family are not allowed to partake in the festival. The others all feared to meet him on this day.
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A man from Tokunoshima
once disappeared in the clouds in the mountain forest of Oshima. The other villagers went looking for him, blowing conch shells, but did not find him.
After seven days, he came down from the mountain, quite confused, bubbeling about Yamanokami.
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At one evening
a fisherman on his way home in the evening met Yamanokami and took a shot at him. On the next day, he suddenly mumbled
"Ooooh, I was so scared, so scared!" and fell to his death on the spot.
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At Katsuura 勝浦
a beautiful girl suddenly went missing. Later they found her cloths, but not the girl.
Three years later her father met the girl way up on the mountain. She told him
"I am married to Yamanokami now and live very happily. But I am not allowed ever to go back to our village!"
and then she disappeared.
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yookai 妖怪 Yokai monster
On a full moon night at 12 they heard the sound of a Shamisen in the village at the foot of the mountain.
It was the spooky hour of 丑三ツ時 Ushimitsu. They also heard the voice of a man or a woman, mumbeling waiwai.
When the villagers sneaked closer, there was nobody. The fearful voices from the mountain came from Yamanokami.

. ushimitsu 丑三 the double-hour of the bull .

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大島郡 Oshima district 瀬戸内町 Setouchi

iwa no kuzureru oto 岩のくずれる音 sound of breaking rocks
On kanoe no hi 庚の日 a special day in the 10th lunar month, Yamanokami come down to the beach for fishing. On that night villagers are not allowed to go to the mountain or the beach.
When Yamanokami walks along the mountain ridge, there is the sound of rocks breaking under her feet.



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薩南郡 Satsunan, Satsuma-Nan district 山崎村 Yamasaki mura

yamahime, yama hime 山ヒメ princess of the mountain
Yamanokami is a woman. If someone meets this princess in the mountains at night, she might begin to laugh until her eyes become invisible and the villager has to run away as fast as he cen.
If he throws away his lantern with the burning candle, she will pick it up and this will give him time to flee.
Once
Yamahime came to a family and asked them to give her the baby, she would like to bring it up.
From that day on, the family became rich and had fish at their doorstep every morning.


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曽於郡 Soo district

. Toshigami 年神 Deity of the Year .
During the festival, the 叉木家 Matagi family goes to the top of the mountain behind their home and the 上野家 Ueno family to the bottom of the mountain (where Tanokami resides) to greet and venerate Toshigami (Yamanokami).
It is a delicate deity and if they do not keep the rituals, family members will suffer accidents.
- - - - -
Since Yamanokami is seen as female, men working in the mountain forest have to prepare well and dress well.
Once a woman got suspicious of her husband going so well dressed, and followed him secretly. She saw her husband work in the bottom of a valley, where a beautiful woman helped him. When the wife called out, the woman appeared in one second. And the husband fell into the valley to his death.

- - - - -
. inoshishi 猪 wild boar .
Once upon a time
a hunter wanted to shoot a wild boar, but hit Yamanokami instead. He soon became ill and died.
Yamanokami is a woman wearing beautiful robes, they say.

. inoshishi 猪 wild boar, Sus scrofa .

- - - - -
. garappa ガラッパ / Garappa Don ガラッパドン Kappa .
In Summer, Garappa is 川の神 a river deity, in Winter, be becomes Yamanokami.
His call is ピーピー pii pii. If someone goes to the river in the late evening to fetch water, he can see the Garappa.



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....................................................................... Kanagawa 神奈川県 .....

. Yama no Kami matsuri 山の神祭り Yamanokami festivals .

. Yamanokami and Tengu 天狗 the Mountain Goblin .

. Yamanokami no yadorigi 山の神さんの宿り木 sacred tree for Yamanokami .
Aoki アオキ / 青木 Aucuba japonica, Japanese laurel // madogi 窓木（マドギ）"window tree"
There are many taboos about cutting these trees.

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The 17th day of the first lunar month is the Day of Yamanokami.

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足柄上郡 Ashigara-Kami district 三保村 Miho mura

They respect
Yamanokami no yasumigi 山の神の休み木 a tree to rest for Yamanokami
Once the head of a group of forest workers wanted to take 御神酒徳利 the Tokkuri bottle for ritual sake offered to Yamanokami. But he slipped, fell down and broke his leg.
So he later stopped to go to the forest for work and leave this part for Yamanokami.
Another head man went there to cut down the forest, but he fell and broke his head.
- - - - -
A tree with three equally large branches is called
三本立 and is venerated as a tree of Yamanokami to rest, tomarigi トマリギ.
They are not allowed to cut id down.

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川崎市 Kawasaki

. Mikaribaba, Mikari Basan 蓑借り婆さん / ミカリバアサン "old hag Mikari" .


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津久井郡 Tsukui district 藤野町 Fujino

The 17th day of the first lunar month is the Day of Yamanokami. On this day forest workers are not allowed to go to the forest.
They make a bow and arrow from bamboo and offer it to Yamanokami.

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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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Yama no Kami Regional 16 Kochi

[ . 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 Kochi 高知県

. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.



. Izanagi Ryu いざなぎ流 rituals from Monobe, Shikoku .
from the 香美市物部町 Monobe area, Kami city, in the eastern part of Kochi Prefecture.
In Monobe it is not uncommon to find households that worship the spirits of ancestors in the ceiling as miko-gami -- onzaki-gami and Hachiman-shin, as well as taka-gami,
They also perform many rituals for Yamanokami and 水神 the Water Deity for protection of natural disasters.

山の神様や妖怪 Yamanokami and Yokai Monsters
If someone uses something in the mountain forest, he has to repeat in his mind "Yamanokami, bring xxx back to me, let me find xxx!"
and then pee on the spot. This will make him find his lost item.

If someone wants to go to he mountain for work, he has to call out:
"I will now go to the mountain !" and offer some ritual Sake.
It is not allowed to cut down trees that are sacred to Yamanokami.

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

高知県四万十市田野川山の神 Kochi Ken, Shimantogawa Tanokawa Yamanokami village

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. - Yama no Kami and the sacred Sakaki tree .
幡多郡 Hata district 大正町 Taishocho // 中村市 Nakamura town // 土佐郡 Tosa district

. Yamanokami and taiko 太鼓 the big drum .
幡多郡 Hatta district 大正町 Taisho // 高岡郡 Takaoka district 窪川町 Kubokawa

. Yamanokami and Tengu 天狗 the Mountain Goblin .
吾川郡 Agawa district // 大川村 Okawa //
Tengu and 傘松 Kasamatsu pine trees

. Yamanokami no yadorigi 山の神さんの宿り木 sacred tree for Yamanokami .
Aoki アオキ / 青木 Aucuba japonica, Japanese laurel // madogi 窓木（マドギ）"window tree"
There are many taboos about cutting these trees.

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

furusoma ふるそま the old woodcutter
The sound of a tree being cut and falling down can be heard, when Yamanokami is angry. This is called "the old woodcutter"
Once upon a time, a woodcutter had forgotten his sumisashi 墨差し bamboo pencils in the forest. It is said that he could use them later after death to continue his work.


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

- Hidarugami ヒダル神 The Hunger Gods -
In Tosa, when making a 弁当 Bento food offering for Yamanokami or Hidarugami, there are always a pair of chopsticks added.
This will prevent Hidarumami to take possession of a person. If one fears to have been possessed, one has to throw some part of the clothing behind oneself.

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

oto 音 strange sounds
Sometimes there are strange, loud sounds at 杉の尾山 the cedar tree of Oyama. If it sounds like someone shouting, there will seen be strong rain.
People perform rituals and prayers on these occasions.


sumiyaki 炭焼 making charcoal
炭焼達 charcoal makers who own only a small mountain forest do not worry about using the Sakaki tree.
But the owners of large mountain forests respect the Sakaki as a "taboo tree".

. - Yama no Kami and the sacred 榊 Sakaki tree .


.......................................................................
幡多郡 Hata district 大月町 Otsuki

Every month on the 30th day is a festival day for Yamanokami.
A special Aoki tree with three prongs is a seat of Yamanokami.
Once a family member became ill and a diviner told them to perform rituals for Yamanokami, since the deity felt a bit lonely. So they performed rituals on the first, fifth and ninth lunar month and the family payed for all of them.

. Yama no Kami matsuri 山の神祭り Yamanokami festivals .

- - - - -

The Komatsu family belonged to the Heike Ochudo soldiers.
Once upon a time, 小松玉姫 Princess Komatsu Tama combed her hair and some of it fell on the hakama 袴 trousers of her elder brother. He killed her on the spot for this disrespectful behaviour. She cursed the whole area and to appease her she was venerated in a special shrine as Wakamiya Sama 若宮様 the Young Deity. To memorate the event, a scroll and a mirror were offered to the shrine.
Once a pilgrim stole these items, but he also got cursee.

. Heike Ochudo 平家落人 the defeated soldiers of the Heike clan .


.......................................................................
北宇和郡 Kita-Uwa district 三間町 Mima Cho

. yamanba ヤマンバ "Old Mountain Hag" .
There was a field where hie 稗 barn millet grew.
One year there were many weeds, so the farmer burned down the field to get rid of them. Only yakeishi 焼石 burned stones remained in the field.
A short while later, the family became extinct.
The burned stones 焼石 where Yamanokami, venerated as an old mountain hag in this village.

- More about the yakeishi
Gifu 岐阜県 金山下呂町
gaaranbe ガーランベ Kappa
老母が毎晩芋餅を焼いているとガーランベ（河童）がやって来て盗み取ろうとするので、老母は餅の中に焼石をまぜたところ、河童は知らずに大火傷をして逃げ出した。焼石をセンバ（十能）に入れてガーランベの懐に投げ込んだというのもある。

Shizuoka 静岡県 磐田郡 佐久間町　水窪町
山姥は山に住み、里に来て子守りをしたり、藤の皮で布を織ったりした。子守りしていた子を食べ、村人に焼石を食わされて天竜川に逃げ、秋葉山に住んだという。
.
倉木山の山姥が里の子守りの子を食べてしまったので、焼石を食わせて退治した。祟ってはいないが、小さな社を建てて祀った。


.......................................................................
高岡郡 Takaoka district 佐川町 Sakawa

The 20th of every month is sacred to Yamanokami. People do not eat in the morning and see this as a food offering to Yamanokami. They are not allowed to use the word hidarui ひだるい, meaning "I am hungry" on this day.

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

oigesama お神母様 O-Ige Sama
This is a female deity to watch over the water for the rice fields. Her sacred tree, a kusunoki 楠 camphor tree had been a disturbance for the fields and someone cut branches off it.
His home burned down in a huge fire the same night.
The tree is also sacred to Yamanokami and if someone cuts it down in the shrine compound, there will be great disaster and illness in the whole hamlet.

This deity is also called オイケ様 O-Ike sama, 伊気様 / 稲毛様
神母八幡、神母大明神、御神母、神母大神、神母荒神、荒神神母、神母天王、老気明神、井下大明神、稲毛大明神、御居解、蛇母大明神
・女神で作神様
・保食神（うけもちがみ＝オオゲツヒメ・ミケツヒメ・ウカノミタマ神・ミズハノメ神）で、お社日様
・オイゲ様の池には大鰻が棲み、その鰻は神の使い（鰻は虚空蔵さん・北辰妙見・弁天様の使神）
・泣沢女（なきさわめ）で、女の百姓神
・オイゲ様の神体は陽根石、或いは陽根石と女陰石の一対
・百姓神で、神母・山の神・オサバイ（お三昧）様の三神
・水の神様である
・女を嫌う神様である
・伊勢神母大明神（アマテル神）のことである


..............................................................................................................................................
土佐郡 Tosa district 本川村 Hongawa village

山の神の祟り curse
yama naki ki naki 「山泣き木泣き」"the mountain weeps, the trees are weeping"
is a ｐproverb in Tosa.
On the 12th day of every month, it is not allowed to cut trees. If it is done, the roots will not wither properly and the bark will roll inside.

.......................................................................
土佐郡 Tosa district 土佐山村 Tosayama mura

kazefuke カゼフケ "meeting with a bad wind", catching a cold
In Tosa they say "meeting with a relative of Yamanokami".
A diviner can tell them what happened. Usually a woodcutter had cut down a divine tree and this is the punishment.
- - - - -
sakiyama サキヤマ / 杣 forest workers, wood cutters
They must observe taboos. Not to make fire in the woods. Not to use the words 針、猫、猿、坊主 needle, cat, monkey or priest.
Never go seven people in a group.
- - - - -
tatari yama 祟り山 cursed mountain
The owner of a cursed mountain is bound to suffer.
A man recently bought such a mountain, but soon became quite ill.
There are also taboo trees in the forest, with something like a serpent hanging around the trees.
- - - - -
山の神の祟り curse
Once a young man had been working in the forest, but when he came home his leg was hurting very much.
A diviner told him he had cut down a divine tree and this is the punishment.
To apologize, he brought a ritual wand and placed it at the root of the cut tree, also 白餅 12 white mochi rice cakes.
After the offerings, he got well soon.
A woman
had been digging for mountain yam near the small shrine of Yamanokami. When she came home her leg was hurting very much.
A diviner told her to aoplogize and make offerings. After that she got well soon.

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


- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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

. 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 -
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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 .
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

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"

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


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.


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




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.



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


- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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

. 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 - .

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

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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- #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 .
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

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".

.......................................................................
Yamanokami is seen as a Monkey or as a woman. In some regions he is even seen as a Tengu.
. Yamanokami, 猿 the Monkey .
.......................................................................

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.


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


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

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

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.
- - - - -
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.
- - - - -


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

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... -

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


- reference source : nichibun yokai database -


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


. 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 . ]
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Yama no Kami 12 Regional Aichi Aomori

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. 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 Aichi 愛知県 and Aomori 青森県

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.......................................................................　Aichi 愛知県 .....

In the mountains live Yamanokami (as 山犬 Yamainu "mountain dog") and the Tengu.
Deep mountains and high mountains are especially venerated.

. Tengu legends from Aichi 天狗 .
tengu sama no isami 天狗様のいさみ flute melody of Tengu - 山の神の松 Yamanokami no matsu
in 知多郡 Chita district 美浜町 Mihama /. 宝飯郡 Hoi district 音羽町 Otowa //

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知多郡 Chita district 南知多町 Minami-Chita

. hibashira 火柱 a pillar of fire .
at 山神祭 the festival for Yamanokami

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宝飯郡 Hoi district 音羽町 Otowa

Once a 天狗 Tengu (others say it was Yamanokami himself) stood on a huge boulder on 山の講 the prayer day of Yamanokami and looked very angry when he saw some kikori 樵 woodcutters coming along to work. They became afraid and run back to the village.
Since then it is forbidden to go to the forest on this prayer day.


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北設楽郡 Kita-Shitara district 豊根村 Toyone

Yamanokami has only one eye and one leg. Therefore a lame person is also seen as Yamanokami.
An old man who went to do some work in the forest saw a monster on one leg, but told no further details.


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南設楽郡 Minami-Chitara district 長篠村 Nagashino

. Sanjinsai 山神祭 Festival for Yamanokami .

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yamakagashi ヤマカガシ snake, Rhabdophis tigrinus
Some people have seen this snake heading right to the sky when it starts thundering.
It might be a messenger of Yamanokami or the Kami from 愛宕 Atago

. yamakagashi ヤマカガシ, 山棟蛇 mountain snake .
..... Rhabdophis tigrinus. Tiger keelback


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豊田市 Toyota

kitsune 狐 a fox
Once a man regularly had the urge to defecate at a place sacred to Yamanokami. Every time as he squatted, he heard a strange sound of petapeta petapeta.
When he came next time, the faeces were gone, someone had eaten them. And sometimes he saw a beautiful young temple acolyte walking by.
Once he peeked between his legs and saw a fox, standing on his front legs, wiggeling with his tail, waiting for the feces - food.

The roots of an old oak tree are sacred to Yamanokami.
Yamanokami is a woman and gets angry easily.


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.......................................................................　Aomori 青森県 .....


岩木山の神と鬼 Gods and Demons from Mount Iwakisan (Aomori)
畠山篤 Hatakeyama Atsushi

第１章　
岩木山の神の由来譚の生成― 百沢寺 Mount Iwakisan and Hyakuzawa ・イタコ Itako
（二つ目/ 三つ目の丹後日和の由来；丹後日和の背景と変容；“お岩木様一代記”ほか）
第２章　
岩木山の鬼と水利伝承― 津軽の鬼 Tsugaru no Oni ・山人・大人

. Osorezan 恐山 and the Itako shamans .

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On the 16th day of the third lunar month, Yamanokami becomes ノウガミ 農神 the deity of a agriculture.
On the 26th day of the ninth lunar month he goes back to be Yamanokami.
On both days people make special food offerings.

kamigami no toshitori 神々のトシトリ New Year for the Gods
Different Kami have different days to start a new year:

Yamanokami on the 12th, ノウガミ 農神 Nogami on the 16th
八幡様 Hachiman sama on the 15th, 観音様 Kannon sama on the 17th
お蒼前様 O-Sozen sama, protector of horses, on the 19th
疫病神様 Ekibyo Kamisama for infectious diseases on the 20th
お地蔵様 O-Jizo sama on the 23 and 天神様 Tenjin sama on the 25th.

. toshi tori 年取 (としとり) getting one year older at New Year.
On the last day of the year, people eat a proper meal with a whole fish (with head and tail fin).
Everyone would be one year older on the next day. Individual birthdays were not celebrated in the Edo period.
- kigo for the New Year -

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yamabito 山人 "mountain people"
Suddenly a daughter turned strange and said she wanted to become the bride of Yamanokami. The whole family kept watching her, but one day she just sneaked out and rushed to the mountain.
They all came running after her, but she was already far away at 田代岳 Mount Tashirodake (1,178 m)
and out of sight.

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A tree with three trunks is sacred to Yamanokami and also called ミヨマタギ Miyomatagi.
Yamanokami and 狗賓 Guhin often come to sit there, so the tree should not be cut down.
sakasa sugi 逆さ杉 an upside-down cedar tree is also a sacred tree.

. guhin kuhin gubin 狗賓 / グヒン Guhin Tengu Yokai monster .

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yamasori 山橇 mountain sled
To build a mountain sled the wood must be prepared in good time. On 山の神の日 the Day of Yamanokami food offerings of 12 シトギ Shitogi cakes and chopsticks are made and people pray for the safety for the whole year.


shitogi mochi しとぎもち Shitogi rice cakes
from Aomori, in the Tsugaru peninsula they where prepared for festivals with the wish for a bountiful harvest. They were offered to the gods on the god shelf (kamidana) and after this taken down and fried in the pan.
Prepared from mochigome rice, water and anko sweet bean paste.


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青森市 Aomori city 野内 Nonai

In Nonai 12 Yamanokami are venerated and 12 offerings of Shitogi are made.
If a woman eats any Shitogi cakes, she will bear 12 children. So women are forbidden to eat them.


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五所川原市 Goshogawara 広田 Hirota

Every month on the 12th day this is celebrated as 山の神の日 the Day of Yamanokami.
If someone goes to the mountain and happens to pass a place where Yamanokami is resting, there will be
a strange whirlwind (tsuburi-kaze つぶり風 / tsumuji-kaze つむじ風）.
Therefore people are not allowed to go to the mountain forest on this day.


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上北郡 Kamikita district

yamasori 山橇 mountain sled
Yamanokami has 12 children. So there should be offerings of 12 ritual wands in the middle of a sled, 12 Shitogi and 12 cups of ritual Sake.
If they do not keep these rituals, the forest workers will suffer injuries.


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西津軽郡 Nishi-Tsugaru district 車力村 Shariki

yamanokami no tatari 山の神の祟り the curse of Yamanokami
The 12th day of the 12th lunar month is the New Year Day for Yamanokami so people are not allowed to go to the mountain forest, lest they will suffer a curse of Yamanokami.
This is even observed by people who belong to the Zen sect of Buddhism.


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三戸郡 Sannohe district 田子町 Takko

karasu 烏 crow



The crow is seen as the messenger of Yamanokami.


yamanokami no ki 山の神の木 tree of Yamanokami
Once a husband had been out cutting trees, but did not come home in due time. His wife started worrying and went looking after him.
She found a beautiful lady supporting her husband, who was high up in a tree. When the wife started talking to the lady, she suddenly disappeared and the husband fell down to his death.
Yamanokami is a female deity, often helping people.


The 内沢家 Uchizawa family
Grandfather had been cutting trees at 朝比奈岳 Mount Asahinadake, when suddenly some family members became ill.
A diviner told him that he had cut down a tree sacred to Yamanokami. So they built a small sanctuary and prayed to Yamanokami.


朝比奈岳 Mount Asahinadake (874 m)



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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.

from Chiba 千葉県 to 山梨県 Yamanashi - will be updated.

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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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Yama no Kami 11 Regional Ibaraki Ishikawa

[ . 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 Ibaraki 茨城県 and Ishikawa 石川県

. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.

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.......................................................................　Ibaraki 茨城県 .....


Yamanokami and the 庚申 Koshin Deity

. Tsukuba san 筑波山 Mount Tsukuba, Tsukubasan .

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日立市 Hitachi 入四間町 Irishiken cho

. Yamanokami no yadorigi 山の神さんの宿り木 sacred tree for Yamanokami .
When a forest worker tried to cut down the sacred tree of Yamanokami in Irishiken town, he was struck by kanashibari 金縛り a sudden paralysis and could not move any more.

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常陸太田市 Hitachi Ota 真弓町 Mayumi

shinboku 神木 sacred tree
On the mountain of the deity 真弓権現 Mayumi Gongen was a sacred tree for this Kami. But the magistrate had it cut down and sold it anyway. But the tree was taken away by a flood during a strong rain, so the magistrate had another tree cut down. That night there was a yamanari 山鳴り strange rumbling in the mountain and 10 of the forest workers fell dead on the spot. The other workers saw this and fled in great fear.

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石岡市 Ishioka

ryuu 龍 dragons
A male and a female dragon are seen as Yamanokami.
The male dragon once shape-shifted into a woman near the pond, met a young samurai and the two fell in love. But the young samurai died after their first encounter.

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北都留郡 Kita-Tsuru district 小菅村 Kosuge

. Yama no Kami matsuri 山の神祭り Yamanokami festival .

On the second day of the first lunar month, workers take a rest and go to the mountain.
They bring offerings of sake 酒 rice wine in bamboo tubes and place sasa ササの葉 bamboo grass leaves in it. They pour these offerings over the leaves of a tree.
This tree will then become a sacred tree for Yamanokami.

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久慈郡 Kuji district 大子町 Daigo

. daija 大蛇 huge serpent .
In a cave there lives a huge serpent and prevents humans from passing along the road. So the villagers came in a large crowd and drove her out. They could now drink the water from the well and jump into the pond. One man who talked about this pointed to another and became suddenly invisible. The one pointed was maybe the serpent and the others shot him down with arrows.
One arrow hit the eye of the serpent and the animal fled into the pond, where it died.
The people living around the pond say the serpent was Yamanokami.

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久慈郡 Kuji district 中里村 Nakasato

. Yamanokami no yadorigi 山の神さんの宿り木 sacred tree for Yamanokami .
Once a wood worker cut down this tree and thus was hit by the jintsuriki 神通力 divine power of Yamanokami. He could not move his body any more.
After special rituals to honor Yamanokami this spell was finally broken and he could move again.

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久慈郡 Kuji district 小里村 Osato

. Yamanokami no yadorigi 山の神さんの宿り木 sacred tree for Yamanokami .

「峰の三つ股、沢の二股」
A tree with three main stems on the top of a mountain and a tree with two main stems near a swamp are sacred to Yamanokami.
Once a man tried to cut such a tree but instead hit his own leg and obtained a great wound. To heal better he went to a hot spring. While he was on his way, his own home burned down . . . Yamanokami took his revenge.
These trees are also sacred to the Tengu in Gunma.

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桜川市 Sakuragawa 真壁町 Makabe

dondoya no tatari ドンドヤの祟り， dondoyaki no tatari ドンドヤキの祟り
Yamanokami gets angry easily. He is also very poor. If a debt collector comes to his home, he will burn it down and flee fast.
On the 15th day of the 11th lunar month, children prepare straw and make a fire for the Dondonya ritual near the Pine of Yamanokami. The ashes from this fire are never taken back home, this would bring a curse of Yamanokami.



. . dondon yaki どんどん焼き fire rituals .

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多賀郡 Taga district 十王町 Juo machi

. daija 大蛇 huge serpent .
The 弁天池 Benten-Ike pond never dries up.
Putting a stick into the pond and praying for rain to Yamanokami, then taking home some water from the pond, will certainly lead to a good rainfall soon.
In former times there lived a huge serpent in the pond.
. 源義家八幡太郎 Minamoto no Yoshiie Hachimantaro, . (1039 – 1106) built the temple 八幡寺 Hachiman-Ji (Yahata-Ji). Sometimes villagers can see a huge serpent sleeping on the veranda of the temple.
If people throw improper unclead things into the pond, there will soon be a strong storm.




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.......................................................................　Ishikawa 石川県 .....

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能美郡 Nomi district 新丸村 Shinmaru mura

Yamanokami is the same as a 天狗 Tengu.
On days were it is not allowed to go to the mountain, all forest workers must rest. If someone does not keep this taboo and goes to work, he will get hurt and have other misfortunes.

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白峰村 Shiramine mura

. Kanko odori かんこ踊 Kanko Dance festival .
in honor of Saint Taicho coming down from the mountain.
Yamanokami is seen as a Tengu.




Related to
. Hakusan shinkoo 白山信仰 Hakusan (Shiramine) belief .

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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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


. 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 - .

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

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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
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