. Shinto Shrines (jinja 神社) - Introduction .
. kami 神 Shinto deities .
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Gozu Tenno Legends 牛頭天王伝説 / 牛頭天皇
. Gion matsuri 祇園祭り Gion festival .
In 869, the people were suffering from plague and pestilence which was attributed to the rampaging deity
Gozu Tennō (牛頭天王).
Emperor Seiwa ordered that the people pray to the god of the Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社, Susanoo-no-mikoto. Sixty-six stylized and decorated halberds, one for each province in old Japan, were prepared and erected at Shinsen-en, a garden, along with the portable shrines (mikoshi) from Yasaka Shrine.
. Yasaka Jinja 八坂神社 Yasaka Shrine - Legends .
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Gozu Tennō
Literally, "ox-head-heaven-king." Also called Gion Tenjin, Gozu Tennō is a product of kami-buddha "combinatory" religion, worshiped at the Gion Shrine (Yasaka Jinja) in Kyoto, and at other shrines such as Tsushima, Tennō, Susanoo, and Yakumo. Originating as a deity of pestilence, Gozu Tennō is worshiped within observances related to the festival known as Gion-e.
A variety of ritual formulae
and sacred histories purport to explain the origins and nature of Gozu Tennō; historically originating in India, the deity's features underwent successive transformations and systematic development as it was transmitted to China and Japan. The actual details of its transmission and the process of amalgamation with other deities, however, are complex issues and not universally agreed upon.
In India, the deity was called Gosirsa Devaraja, a minor tutelary deity in Buddhism known as a protector of the Monastery of the "Jeta Grove" (Jp., Gion Shōja), while in Tibet it was known as the deity of "Ox-Head Mountain" (Jp. Gozusan). Transmitted to China, the deity's cult merged with esoteric Buddhism, Daoism, and Yin-Yang beliefs, and then was transmitted to Japan, where it experienced further mingling with Japanese Yin-Yang (Onmyōdō) divination.
The deity also became associated
with the legend of a Japanese kami of plague called Sominshōrai and was identified with the kami Susanoo; taking on a trinitarian nature that incorporated characteristics of Susanoo's consort and child, he also came to be identified with the Japanese kami Onamuchi.
On the popular level, however,
Gozu Tennō's chief features continued to emphasize his nature as a deity of epidemic disease. The Gion Goryō-e first observed in the tenth century became widely popular and was institutionalized as a regular summer observance to exorcise the evil spirits responsible for frequent outbreaks of epidemic disease.
With origins as a spirit causing disease,
Gozu Tennō was in time transformed into a tutelary that protected its worshipers from such epidemics, taking on further characteristics as a deity of justice, a deity that ascertained truth (Tadashi no kami), and a deity of the cardinal directions. As observances of the Gion-e type spread regionally, Gozu Tennō was also established as a local tutelary deity (chinju no kami).
- source : kokugakuin Yonei Teruyoshi -
Gion Daimyojin 祇園大明神
. Somin Shorai 蘇民将来 .
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the Gion Shrine of Yasui-Konpira-gu
The ema (votive plaque) celebrates the eight base pillars in personified form as eight strong men. In this way the subshrine not only acknowledges the shrine’s Buddhist past but is dedicated to one of Shinto’s prime concerns – extraordinary displays of power (which are seen as a manifestation of the lifeforce).
- source : greenshinto.com... -
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. hayariyamai はやり病 / 流行病と伝説 Legends about epidemics .
densenbyoo 伝染病 Densenbyo contagious diseases / pandemic
. Shrine, Shinto Shrine (jinja 神社) - Introduction .
. kami 神 Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .
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. tsurumen 犬神人 / ツルメソ / inujinin （いぬじにん、いぬじんにん、つるめそう） .
When Gozu Tenno first came down from Heaven on this earth, he had two dogs with him. They gave birth and the baby soon turned into a human, Tsurumen.
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. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .
Truth and legends of Sominshorai Gozu Tenno 蘇民将来 / 巨端将来
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The deity also became associated with the legend of a Japanese kami of plague called Sominshōrai and was identified with the kami Susanoo; taking on a trinitarian nature that incorporated characteristics of Susanoo's consort and child, he also came to be identified with the Japanese kami Onamuchi.
- reference source : kokugakuin Yonei Teruyoshi -
....................................................................... Aichi 愛知県 .....
. 津島大社 Tsushima Taisha / 津島神社 Tsushima Jinja - Aichi .
............................................................................. Ehime 愛媛県
. Great Tsushima Shrine 津島大社 Tsushima Taisha .
- extensive reference about Gozu Tenno -
「牛頭天王と蘇民将来伝説の真相」 by 長井博 Nagai Hiroshi
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Ehime 喜多郡 Kita district
On 用の山 Mount Yonoyama (540 m) there is a shrine for Gozu Tenno 牛頭天王神社, where Susano-o no Mikoto is worshipped. There was a huge カシの木 Kashi oak tree in the compound, which the villagers cut down to build the shrine. But it turned out to become a curse of Gozu Tenno and all the babies and young children of the village died.
The villagers heard the sound of someone dancing a ritual Kagura dance and went to have a look, but there was nobody. Eventually a diviner told them that it was the angry Gozu Tenno. He wanted them to get new trees from a different mountain nearby and re-plant them here go get the peace back in the village.
. Oak Trees / Quercus .
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Ehime 宇和島市 Uwajima city
The land of the Shinto Shrine was sold and the new owner used it for fields. Now strange things happened:
Rocks came tumbling down the mountain and people died. This was the curse of the deity of the 天王社 Tenno Shrine and the farmer stopped to use the fields.
............................................................................. Fukuoka 福岡県
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北九州市 Kita-Kyushu city 小倉北区 Kokura-North ward
Kokura Yasaka Shrine 小倉八坂神社
2-2 Jonai, Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka
source : traveltowns.jp/spots...
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Yasaka Shrine in Kokura, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture,
is the highest ranked shrine in the city and it stands on the ruin of the Kitanomaru building of Kokura Castle. The shrine was once called Gionsha and it was located in Imoji-machi.
It was renamed Yasaka Shrine in the Meiji Period and transferred to íts current location in 1934.
The shrine already existed in the beginning of the Heian Period (794 to 1185) and it honored the god Susanouno-mikoto. After the Battle of Sekigahara (1600), 細川越中守忠興 Hosokawa Tadaoki was awarded a fiefdom in Kokura and he moved to Kokura Castle from Tango. He rebuilt the shrine in Imoji-machi and named it Gionsha, at where twelve deities including Susanouno-mikoto were worshiped.
According to legend, during his hunting trip with a falcon, Tadaoki found a small shrine and peeked inside for closer look at the statue of a deity. Suddenly, a falcon flew out from the shrine and damaged Tadaoki’s eyes with its talons. Facing the possible crisis of losing his eyes, Tadaoki saw it as a god’s punishment and he built a magnificent shrine to ask for forgiveness. His eyes are said to have healed after that.
Yasaka Shrine has long been deeply venerated as a guardian shrine by locals. The Kokura Gion Festival, held every July, is known as one of the Three Greatest Gion Festivals in Japan and the splendid performance of the Gion Taiko Drum is a must-see event that enchants spectators.
- source : nippon-kichi.jp... -
............................................................................. Fukushima 福島県
. divination at the Shrine 蟇目鹿島神社 Hikime Kashima Jinja .
............................................................................. Hyogo 兵庫県
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出石郡 Izushi district 高橋村 Takahashi village
At the Shrine for Gozu Tenno there was roosugi 老杉 an old cedar tree.
From the 10th lunar month until winter people could hear the sound of drums near the tree. Sometimes there was the sound of the tree falling down.
On the night of the third day of the 11th lunar month at the time of ushimitsu 丑満ツ / 丑三つ there comes a storm an the trees are groaning.
This is when the gods come home from their yearly trip to 出雲 Izumo.
. ushi mitsu 丑満ツ / 丑三つ the double-hour of the ox .
A time when the spirits of the dead and the gods are alive too.
............................................................................. Mie 三重県
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山田村 Yamada village
The 牛頭天皇社 Shrine for Gozu Tenno was swept away on the 8th of April in 1265 during a flooding. To determine the place for rebuilding the Shrine, the villagers put some branches of yanagi 枯柳 the old willow tree in the ground and one of them became a tree over night. So they used this area for the new Shrine.
............................................................................. Miyagi 宮城県
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. Kappagami カッパ神 the Kappa deity .
Kappagami san 河童神さん The Kappa Deity
June 15 is the day of 河童祭 the Kappa Festival. At 牛頭天王神社 the shrine of Gozu Tenno and other places special water rituals are held. People make offerings of cucumbers, a speciality of Kappa san. Children get special amulets from the Kappa Shrine 河童神社 and after that they can enjoy swimming in the river.
June 10 is the day of 牛頭天王祭 the festival for Gozu Tenno. People make offerings of cucumbers and later throw them into the water, praying for the protection of the children.
Miyagi, Kami District, Shikama 色麻町
. Kappa Legends from Miyagi .
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Miyagi 名取市 Natori city 増田 Masuda
umazuka, uma-zuka 馬塚 horse mound
A place to venerate 第六天神 Dairokutenjin.
Once the mikoshi 神輿 portable shrine of 小豆島牛頭天王 Gozu Tenno from Shodoshima passed here. The weather suddenly turned wild and the shinme 神馬 sacred horse died.
Now people can experience healing for cattle and horses.
. Dairokuten Ma-O 第六天魔王 Big Number Six Heavenly Deity .
第六天神社 Shrine Dairokuten Jinja
宮城県名取市増田1-3-36
Built in 1506.
- source : jinjajin.jp/modules/newdb... -
............................................................................. Nagano 長野県
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小海町 Koumi
Once a villager was leading his horse when it suddenly stepped into a huge hole in the ground. From the bottom of the hole came a voice
"I am the Gread Deity Gozu Tenno. If you do not venerate me in this village, I will curse you all!"
Therefor all villagers now venerate him in the Eastern Direction at the top of Mount 馬場山Babayama.
............................................................................. Nara 奈良県
. 狩野元信 Kanō Motonobu, Kano Hogen (1476―1559）. .
painting at Shrine 神波多神社 Kanhata Jinja
............................................................................. Niigata 新潟県
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新発田市 Shibata city
二階堂マキの作物禁忌 A special day for Nikaido Maki
At the 天王社 Tenno-sha dedicated to 二階堂マキ the main festival in on June 15. Nidoimo Taro is boiled and offered at the shrine. When the nearby villagers bring cucumbers, they boil them with rice gruel.
Nikaido Maki said people would get ill if they grow cucumbers.
nidoimo 二度芋 a kind of Taro that can be harvested twice a year (nido).
須佐之男神社（新発田市天王〈てんのう〉） / かつて天王宮（牛頭天王）
............................................................................. Okayama 岡山県
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There are many shrines in his honor, where he is called 天王様 Tenno Sama.
Some are called 祇園宮 Gion no Miya.
............................................................................. Saitama 埼玉県
飯能市 Hanno town 中沢 Nakazawa
Gozu Tenno likes cucumbers 胡瓜 and they are also a motive in the crest.
In the river 名栗川 Nagurigawa there lives a clan of 河童 Kappa, a famous group in 奥武蔵 the Oku-Musashi area. On the fullmoon night of the sixth lunar month, they all meet for a feast. On this occasion, the villagers throw cucumbers into the river and pray there will be no harm from the water.
This custom is not kept any more.
Nearby in Hachioji 八王子 at a shrine there is a religious restriction 禁忌 not to plant cucumbers. The villagers of the Group to venerate Gozu 牛講 keep this taboo very strictly at the shrine.
reference : 牛頭天王信仰と民間伝承 ― 奥武蔵・天王山八王寺― by 荒井貢次郎 Arai Kojiro
............................................................................. Shizuoka 静岡県
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御前崎市 Omaezaki city
Sakuragaike 桜が池 / 桜ヶ池 "the cherty-blossom pond"
In 遠江国笠原庄桜村 Sakura village there are two small ponds, 男池女池 "the pond for men and the pond for women", together called 桜が池 Sakuragaike. At the pond is a Shrine for 牛頭天王 Gozu Tenno.
During the Summer equinox, people make an offering of sekihan 赤飯 red auspicious rice and place it in a barrel, with a wish. A good swimmer has to push it to the middle of the pond and then let go. The swimmer then has to swim on to the other side. The water begins to swirl and the barrel is pulled down. According to the wishes of the people, the number of barrels is different in ever year.
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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
reference : 『梅津長者物語』と『牛頭天王縁起』－ お伽草子庶民物の塑像 － 真下美弥子 Mashita Misako
- 牛頭天王縁起 - pdf file
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