Chinju sama Guardian legends

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Chinju Sama, Chinjusama 鎮守様 Guardian Deity Legends

. chinjugami　鎮守神 tutelary deities .
chinju 鎮守 regional deity, local deity
chinju doo 鎮守堂 Chinju-Do Hall for the Regional Kami, a kind of Hokora, tochidoo 土地堂 Tochi-Do.

. chinju no mori 鎮守の森 forest in the shrine compound .
. ujigami　氏神 / Ubusunagami clan KAMI deities .

. katame no Kami 片目の神 Kami with one eye .
They are often seen as Guardian Deities.

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

. kami　神　Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

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鎮守様の森で by 竹川新樹


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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .


.......................................................................　Aichi 愛知県 .....
岡崎市 Okasaki city 古部町 Kobu town

. ubugami 産神 "deity of birth" . - Ubusunagami 産土神
The real personality of the Ubugami is not quite clear. Nevertheless
it is 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity of the village.




.......................................................................　Fukushima 福島県 .....
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Fukushima いわき市 Iwaki city 四倉町 Yotsukura town // 鎮守の杉

chinju no sugi 鎮守の杉 cedar tree of 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity
About 40 years ago, a grandfather became wery ill for a long time.
In former times, his wife had hit a nail into sugi no ki 杉の木 a cedar tree to curse someone.
When they looked carefully at the tree, they found the nail.
This tree had been 鎮守の杉の木 the sacred cedar tree of 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity.
When they pulled the nail out, the man got better.
. Wara ningyo 藁人形 straw dolls for curses .
the vodoo dolls.

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Fukushima 郡山市 Koriyama city 湖南町 Konan town

The 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity is enshrined at 高井神社 the Shrine Takai Jinja.
The deity once hurt herself at goma no ki ゴマの木 a sesame tree and lost one eye.
Therefore the villagers do not grow sesame.
Some villagers have very narrow eyes.

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Fukushima 南会津郡 Minami-Aizu district 檜枝岐村 Hinoemata village

. bakeneko 化け猫 / 化猫と伝説 Legends about monster cats .
The 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity of the village was a kind of monster that used to eat one virgin every year as an offering.
One villager took the courage, went to 伊勢の国 Ise to get a dog called 天地白 and brought it back.
The dog bit the monster to death. It turned out to be a
. Hihi 狒々/ 狒狒 / 比々 Hihi Baboon Monster .

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. hebi 蛇と伝説 Legends about snakes and serpents .
When women have to go to the mountain fields for work, they often stick a needle into their front hair.
Serpents are afraid of needles and do not come close.
There are also ritual chants that keep the serpents away.
In former times it was because of the blessings of 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity that there were no serpents in the village.
Even nowadays, serpents are very few.

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If someone gets ill, they have to pray to 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity.
If the illness is very severe, they call a priest to perform prayer rituals.
If the priest can not come, they use prayer amulets instead.

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鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity once slipped in a field of satoimo 里芋 taro potatoes
and lost her left eye in a field of goma 胡麻 sesame.
Since then the villages do not plant taro or sesame.
Many villagers have a small left eye.

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Fukushima 十日町市 Tokamachi city

鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity lost one eye when he slipped on wheat.
Since then the villagers do not plant wheat any more.

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Fukushima 耶麻郡 Yama district 高郷村 Takasato village

In former times, 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity slipped on cow dung and fell into the well of the village.
Since then people do not keep cows and do not dig wells any more.




.......................................................................　Ibaraki 茨城県 .....
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龍ヶ崎市 Ryugasaki city

. Kokuzo Bosatsu 虚空蔵 and unagi 鰻 the eel .




.......................................................................　Kanagawa 神奈川県 .....
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横浜市 Yokohama city 港北区 Kohoku ward

鎮守様 The Chinju Sama guardian deity, which is 八幡様 Hachiman Sama, does not like silk,
therefore when they bring babies to the Shrine, they do not use silk hats or bibs.




.......................................................................　Niigata 新潟県 .....
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Niigata 北蒲原郡 Kita-Kanbara district 阿賀町 Aga town

neko 猫 cat and hebi 蛇 serpent
The villagers were told by a Shaman that there was a curse from cats and serpents.
They made votive paintings of a cat and a serpent
and gave it as offerings to 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity

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Niigata 古志郡 Koshi district 山古志村 Yamakoshi village

The 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity once hurt herself at goma no ki ゴマの木 a sesame tree and lost one eye.
Therefore the villagers do not grow sesame.

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Niigata 中頚城郡 Naka-Kubiki district 吉川町 Yoshikawa town

. The Ibaraki Doji Monster 茨城童子 / 茨羅鬼童子 .
Next to the boulder of 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity of the village 尾神 Ogami,
the monster child Ibaraki Doji used to live.
Now there are only his footprints and 33 Buddha statue left.

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Niigata 中魚沼郡 Naka-Uonuma district 津南町 Tsunan town

. katame no kamisama 片目の神様 Kami with one eye .
鎮守様 The Chinju Sama guardian deity stepped on mugi 麦 wheat and fell down
then it hit one eye with goma ゴマ sesame and had only one eye left.
Since then the villagers do not grow wheat or sesame.




.......................................................................　Okayama 岡山県 .....
川上郡 Kawakami district 備中町 Bitchu town

. kitsune densetsu 狐と伝説 fox legends .
In the hamlet 布瀬 Nunose there is a small Sanctuary under a muku no ki 椋の木 Muku tree (Aphananthe aspera),
where kitsune sama キノネ様 a fox is venerated.
In local dialect it is also calld 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity,
or マツリデン Matsuri Den or イワイデン Iwai Den, place for a festival .




.......................................................................　Tokushima 徳島県 .....
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平島村 Hirashima village

. Inugami 犬神 "Dog Deity" .
Once a kind man with a sanctuary for Inugami 犬神 the Dog Deity in his estate behaved quite strange.
In the back of his estate was a place to venerate 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity.
In the building they found a small baby dog and then kept it.




.......................................................................　Tokyo 東京都 .....
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立川市 Tachikawa city

. Chinju Hachimangu 鎮守八幡宮 in Tama 武蔵国多摩郡 .




.......................................................................　Yamaguchi .....
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下関市 Shimonoseki city

mori sama 森さま The Honorable Forest
In the forest in the back of the estate of 内山家 the Uchiyama family, there is a sanctuary called
森さま Mori Sama. If it is cleaned regularly, the family will always have enough money.
It is 鎮守様 the Chinju Sama guardian deity of the family.
Once a man cut down matsu no ki 松の木 a pine tree in the forest, but he hurt himself very much.
. matsu 松と伝説 Legends about the pine tree / 松の木 matsu no ki .


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- reference : nichibun yokai database : 鎮守様 -
84 鎮守 / 31 鎮守の collecting
OK 鎮守の杉 / 鎮守の池 / 鎮守八幡宮

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- #chinjusama #guardiandeity #chinju #goshinju #チンジュサマ #shinju -
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Ishigami Stone Deity 2

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Shinto Shrines (jinja　神社) - Introduction .
. kami　神　Shinto deities .
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Ishigami 石神 Stone Deity
石の神 Ishi no Kami

手力男命 / 天之手力男神 / 天手力男神 Ame no Tajikara Onokami, Amenotajikara O no Kami
天手力男神 Amenotadikaraonokami / Ame-no-tajikarao



Jinseki 石神 a place name in Hiroshima

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. Iwagami 岩神 "rock deity" .
Often a special rock or boulder venerated by the villagers.

. Shibagami 柴神 / シバガミ Shibagami / 柴取り神 Shibatorigami .
and トンビョウ神 Tonbyogami

. magaibutsu 磨崖仏散歩 Stone Cliff Buddhas .

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Isonokami, iso no kami 石上 (ishi no ue) 石上サン on a stone

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homepage of isonokami.jp

. Isonokami Jingu 石上神宮 .


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- - - - - Various shrines with the name Ishigami Jinja 石神神社 / 石神社 - - - - -



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The "Ishigami-san" (Stone God) on the grounds of 神明神社 Shinmei Jinja Shrine
is worshipped by the women divers since the old days as a god who "grants at least one wish of a woman".
In the present day, many women from all parts of Japan come to worship here.
All you have to do is to write just one wish on the "Wish Paper", and post the Wish Paper in the wish box in front of "Ishigami-san", then pray.
A rather unique good luck charm, which has the embroidery of a star and grills, is also popular.
Because a star could be drawn in one stroke, the women divers believed "they could return where they started after the dive".
Also, the grills implied that "there is no open space from where a demon could enter".
- source : kankomie.or.jp/en/spot... -


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source : pmiyazaki.com/takachiho/isigami...

高千穂の石神神社　（いしがみじんじゃ）in Takachiho
Deity in Residence is 牛神大明神 Ushigami Daimyojin
. ushigami 牛神　Kami of cattle .
= Ta no Kami, Ta-no-Kami 田の神 Tanokami, God of the Fields

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. Onishi Jinja 鬼石神社 Onishi Shrine .
Onishi 鬼石町（おにしまち） was a town located in Tano District, Gunma Prefecture.
The region produced many stones 石の産地.
The protector deity of stones was called 鬼石明神 Onishi Myojin and is known at least since 1703.

oni ishi 鬼石 lit. Demon Stone

- Reference : kojiki.kokugakuin...

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. shingun 神軍 / jingun ジングン heavenly army phenomenon .
Stones like arrowheads falling from the sky.

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

. kami　神　Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

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- - - - -　 H A I K U　 - - - - -

蝶の類枯れ石神に日燦爛
木村蕪城


化石神やまなみねがえりをうつか
田畑耕作


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- - - Ishigami 石神 often refers to an unusual stone formation, venerated as a deity.

reference : 蒲生郡安土町老蘇式内奥石神社『神社本紀』

青森県黒石市牡丹平大山祇神社　砲弾鬼石神
大山祇神社（おおやまづみじんじゃ）Oyamazumi Jinja

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Hakoishi Jinja 箱石神社
in 宮城県 Miyagi 石巻市 Ishinomaki city

. ryuu, ryū 龍　竜　伝説　Ryu - dragon legends .
A ujigami 氏神 clan deity of the ashigaru 足軽 soldiers of the Sendai domain, who lived in 成田町 the Narita town, along 北上川 the river Kitakamigawa.
When 坂上宿禰高道 Sakanoue Sukune passed here in 863 to fight the Emishi, he found his death here.
His soul turned into a dragon and caused great flooding. To appease his soul, the shrine was erected.

. ashigaru 足軽 "light legs", common foot soldier .

. Sakanoue no Tamuramaro 坂上田村麻呂 (758 - 811) .

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Retsuishi Jinja 裂石神社 "split stone" Shrine
in Yamanashi　山梨県, Enzan city - 岩盤から湯が湧出
The saddle of the deity riding to Retsuishi Shrine became a stone.

At the temple 裂石山 雲峰寺 Retsuishizan Unpo-Ji

source : rubese.net/gurucomi...

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Tateiwa Jinja 立石神社 (たていわじんじゃ) "standing stone" in various places / 立石稲荷
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. ubusuna ishi うぶすな石 stone for the Deity of Birth .


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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

// 石の神
There is 自然石の神 a natural stone deity called 松倉様 Matsukura sama.
They say if flew here in one night.

source : www43.tok2.com/home/hikeaomori...
Matsukura Jinja 松倉神社
Aomori, 五所川原市前田野目

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.......................................................................　Akita 秋田県 .....
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秋田市 Akita city 金足 Kanaashi

Ishigami Sama 石神様
At 鳰崎 Niozaki there are two hokora 祠 small Shrines, one dedicated to 石神様 Ishigami Sama and one to 白山様 Hakusan Sama.
At the Hakusan Shrine, amagoi 雨乞い rain rituals are performed. If they do not bring any result, the next rain ritual is performed at the Shrine for Ishigami Sama.
. amagoi 雨乞いと伝説 Legends about rain rituals / Regenzauber .




.......................................................................　Aomori 青森県 .....
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大石神社 Shrine Oishi Jinja

Gomiso ゴミソ a Shaman like the Itako
Around 1920, 工藤むら Kudo Mura was worried about the health of his daughter さだ Sada. He consulted a local Gomiso Shaman, who told him she should to go to 赤倉山 Mount Akakurayama.
For three years and three months, she went to venerate the ウブスナさま Ubusuna-Sama in the village of 鼻和村 Hanawa. At the end of this time, 成田の不動様 the great Fudo of Narita showed his form. The following year from the New Year on she went to Akakura and the shrine 大石神社 Oishi Jinja for three days of prayer and eventually became a Gomiso Shaman.

The Shrine 赤倉山神社 Akakurayama Jinja is located at Higashiiwakisan-1-39 Hyakuzawa, Hirosaki.




.......................................................................　Ehime 愛媛県 .....
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今治郡 Imabari district // 石神サン

There is kyoseki 巨石 a huge stone megalith and if people touch it, their stomach will begin to ache.

There are various large stones in Imabari.



伯方島　宝股山　石神
石清水八幡神社　磐座
伯方島　喜多浦八幡神社の亀石
手水鉢の石
- reference and more photos : shamon/kyoseki/ehime/imabari... -

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Ehime 西条市 Saijo city 千町 Sencho town // 石の神体

osainoki san, o-sai no ki san おさいのきさん honorable tree at the border
This type of tree is located ath the borders of a village.
One is at 旧加茂村内部落 Kamo village Murauchi hamlet at the pond 御代池 / 御代ヶ池(みよがいけ) Myogaike, where ia rock is venerated as Kami.
At its side are many zoori 草履 straw sandals.
It is venerated as tagori no kami タゴリの神 (tagori means coughing).
If prayers have helped to cure, people offer straw sandals.

. Sekigamisama 咳神様 Deity of coughing .




.......................................................................　Gunma 群馬県 .....


群馬県利根郡片品村花咲
source : webgunma.com/189...

hanasaki ishi 花咲石 - ハナサキイシ Hanasaki Stone
Yamato Takeru was on his way to Northern Japan to fight 悪勢（おぜ）Oze, a bad grouop of people.
In the mountains lived majin 魔神 a bad deit (Oze), which did not follow the orders of the Imperial Court but brought trouble to the villagers.
This bad deity was overpowered and burned. His daughter was a pure girl, but the soldiers of Takeru captured and killed her. Her maid servant cried herself to death and her soul became a stone. The stone was called Hanasaki "Stone of flowering blossoms".
The stone is now a historical landmark in 片品村 Katashina village.
Another version of the legend tells of the wife of Oze, which had hidden in a cave. The enemy set fire to the cave and she died in the flames. Her dead body begun to grow into a large stone, with the pattern of rainbow-colored botan 牡丹 peony blossoms.
After her death, the villagers begun to get ill and have misfortunes, so they built a red torii 鳥居 Shrine gate and venerated the place as
牡丹石明神.
This part of Katashina village is called 花咲 Hanasaki Hamlet.

. Yamato Takeru 日本武尊 .

. majin 魔神 - akushin, akujin 悪神 devil, Teufel .




.......................................................................　Hiroshima 広島県 .....
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神石郡 Jinseki district 神石高原町 Kogencho town // 石神さん

A 伊勢参りの旅人 pilgrim to the Ise Shrine forgot a package on iwa 岩 a rock, but the villagers found it. First they wanted to throw it away but the next day they put it back in the rock. This went on for a few days and eventually they opened it.
Inside were tamagushi 玉串 branch offerings. The villagers placed them on the rock and venerated them as shintai 神体 the Body of Kami.
Later a stone mason wanted to split the rock, but red blood came out of it.
The stone had originally been the size of a bed, but now it begun to grow more and more into the sky.

. tamagushi 玉串 offering of a sacred Sakaki branch .

. shintai 神体 "body of the deity" .

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Hiroshima 庄原市 Shobara city 東城町 Tojo town

. Ishigami san 石神さん The Venerable Stone Deity .




.......................................................................　Hyogo 兵庫県 .....
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明石市 Akashi city // 明石の神 Kami from Akashi

. Kakinomoto Jinja 柿本神社 Shinto Shrine in Akashi, Hyogo .
moojoozakura 盲杖櫻 / 盲杖桜 "Blind Stick Cherry".
A blind person from 筑紫 Tsukushi no Kuni province come here and repeated the prayer for a certain time:
ほのゞとまこと明石の神ならば　我にも見せよ人丸の塚
When he could see again, he placed his blind stick here and it grew into a cherry tree.



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Hyogo 神戸市 Kobe city まや山天上寺 Mayasan Tenjo-Ji

yakusui shinkoo 薬水信仰 belief in healing water
At the temple Tenjo-Ji there is a special stone monument with a hole on the top, where the water collects.
In former times this was attributed to 石神 Ishigami or 石仏地蔵碑 a stone statue of Jizo Bosatsu.
The water would heal eye diseases.

. Maya san Tenjooji 摩耶山天上寺 Tenjo-Ji .




.......................................................................　Iwate 岩手県 .....
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八幡平市 Hachimandaira city

Shizukuishi Jinja 滴石神社

At this Shrine there is a mysterious stone with an opening like a bottle to pour a drink. On its top it makes a sound like シズクイシ "shizuku ishi", on the bottom it makes a dripping sound like tantan タンタン. Many people come here to take a look. The local headman who had to guide the visitors became weary of the job and split the top of the spring stone. As a curse his family became very poor, but the story was told from grandfather to grandchild.




.......................................................................　Kagawa 香川県 .....
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さぬき市 Sanuki city // 田石の神様 Taishi no Kamisama

. tanuki 狸 - mujina 狢 － racoon dog, badger legends .
The neighbour of 広瀬 Hirose san once said "I am going to pray at 田石の神様 Taishi no Kamisama sanctuary. When he wanted to go back, it was already quite dark. Suddenly 白い狸 a white tanuki appeared in front of him. This Tanuki, quite a Yokai monster, was called Ashimagari 足まがり Ashi-Magari, trying to prevent him from going straight .
But he kicked the animal with one leg, so it disappeared.
It took him more than 12 hours to get home.




.......................................................................　Kanagawa 神奈川県 .....
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鎌倉市 Kamakura city

At the Shrine 石神神社 Ishigami Jinja (In the compound of Goryo Jinja) there is an annual ritual on the 25th of July to appease the local 河童 Kappa. Young men with bowls of offerings swim as far as the point from where the island of Enoshima can be seen, then they throw the offerings into the sea. This will prevent the Kappa from doing harm to the swimmers on the famous beach.
. Kappa Legends from Kanagawa 神奈川 .




.......................................................................　Kochi 高知県 .....
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幡多郡 Hata district 西土佐村 Nishi-Tosa village // 石神さん

. kannazuki 神無月 month where the Kami are absent .
kami no rusu 神の留守 the gods are absent
This is the 10th lunar month, when the Kami father at 出雲 Izumo.
During that time Izumo no matsu 出雲の松 the pine of Izumo begins to bend.
Konpira san 金毘羅さん and 石神さん Ishigami san do not go.

. matsu 松と伝説 Legends about the pine tree / 松の木 matsu no ki .




.......................................................................　Kyoto 京都府 .....
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上京区 Kamigyo ward

iwagami 石神 / イワガミ Iwagami Deity
The rock at 下の石神 Shimo no Iwagami has been pulled here by 高松殿 the lord of Takamatsu. There had been a strange light every night at the top, so the wet nurse of the lord was awarded to become priestess at the temple / shrine to venerate and appease Ishigami 石神寺 / 石神社.
The Shrine is also known as 岩神神社 Iwagami Jinja, 「岩神祠(いわがみし/いわがみ　の　ほこら)」 Iwagami no Hokora, 、「岩神さん」 Iwagami san or 「岩上神社」 Iwagami Jinja.

Iwagami Shrine (岩上神社) - Daikokucho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto

- quote -
It Shrine is very small. When I first visited the place, I almost overlooked it, because the shrine consists of only one water basin and one main building. The size of the shrine is about 10 square meters of land. However, it has obviously been enshrined importantly by local people for a long time.

This shrine’s object of worship is this rock.
There is an interesting story related to this rock. In ancient times, this rock used to be placed at Nijo Horikawa. However, people in those days decided to relocate the rock to different places, and they did so several times. The rock was actually really upset about it, and some people heard the sound of crying from the rock at night. What is more, soon after the relocations, many unfortunate accidents happened in Kyoto over and over again. People of that time were terrified and started to believe that these accidents were results of the rock’s wrath. Consequently, people decided to establish a shrine to appease the wrath of the rock, and they restored the peace in the city. Today, we can still see the rock enshrined at Iwagami Shrine. - source and more photos : urarachan.wordpress.com/... -




.......................................................................　Mie 三重県 .....
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河藝郡 Kawage district 栗眞村 Kurima village // 石神

A woman in the village became ill. An oracle told her, it was because the family had burned down the little forest around the local Shrine for 石神 Ishigami. Since then the family begun to pray at the Shrine and never cut a tree from there again.




.......................................................................　Miyazaki 宮崎県 .....
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西都市 Saito city 銀鏡 Shiromi // 石神

tatsu no koma 龍の駒 horse of a dragon
On the Westernn slope of 龍房山 Mount Ryubusuyama there is a hamlet called 秋切集落 Akkiri.
There is 石神 a stone deity named Ryu no Tama 龍之玉. In the nearby river the tatsu no koma 龍の駒 horse of the deity comes do drink.



銀鏡(しらみ)神社 Shirami Jinja / 銀鏡神社（しろみ神社） Shiromi Shrine
- reference source : pmiyazaki.com/siromi_j... -




.......................................................................　Okinawa 沖縄県 .....
.......................................................................
マユイシノカミは前石の神 mayuishi no kami

.......................................................................
モンイシノカミ mon ishi no kami
門の石の神 stone deity of the gate

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パライシノカミ para ishi no kami
パライシノカミ（腹石 hara no ishi） は柱石の神である。

.......................................................................
シティイシノカミshitii ishi no kami
シティイシノカミは墓の下部の石の神である。

.......................................................................
ウヤイシノカミ waya ishi no kami
ウヤイシノカミは親石、または上石の神である。




....................................................................... Osaka 大阪府 .....
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天王寺区 Tennoji ward

During the construction of 四天王寺 Shitenno-Ji temple, ox carts were used to transport the stones. When the construction was finished, one bull turned into a stone.
He is now venerated at 石神の祠 a small Ishigami Shrine, Ishigami Do　石神堂.

. Temple Shitenno-Ji 四天王寺 .




.......................................................................　Saga 佐賀県 .....
.......................................................................
東松浦郡 Higashi-Matsuura district 鎮西町 Chinzei town // 石の神

ochosusama, o-chosu sama おちょす様 Deity to protect children
At the roadside is a stone deity named O-Chosu Sama, venerated in a small shrine with a thatched roof.
On the 20th day of the New Year there is 的射り a ritual of children shooting at a target. The small shrine was once relocated to 十二社宮 the place for 12 Shrines, but a priest said this was not good, so it was brought back to its old place.
In former times, children had used bamboo sticks to pick the stone, but a farmer stopped them.
The farmer soon died of a curse from the Deity.
. kodomo no kami 子供の神 Deity to protect children .




.......................................................................　Shimane 島根県 .....
.......................................................................
浜田市 Hamada city

Once upon a time, there was a huge rock. If people touched it, they got crazy or even died. When スサノオノミコト the Deity Susanoo no Mikoto split it into two parts, the strange things did not happen any more. One of these rocks gave name to the Shrine erected there, 石神神社 Ishigami Jinja.



.......................................................................　Tokyo 東京都 .....
.......................................................................
練馬区 Nerima ward

. Shakujii Park 石神井公園 Shakujii Koen .
石神井神社 Shrine Shakujii Jinja

sakana 魚 fish
At 石神井の池 the pond in Shakuji Park there lived a strange fish, each of its scales looked like a torii 鳥居 gate of a Shinto shrine.
During flooding this fish is swept out to the surrounding rice and vegetable fields. The villagers revere it as a messenger of the deity of Shajuji Shrine and never catch it.

- - - - - 石神井川 River Shakujigawa
Once a man heard the bell of a bicycle along the river Shakujigawa.
There were very few bycicles in this area and it might have been the mischief of the ghost of someone who had once fallen into the river and drowned.
Suddenly the place became quite popular and many people came to look out for the ghost.
Finally they realized it was the voice of frogs and the excitement died down.



. Yamata no orochi 山田の大蛇 / 八岐大蛇 huge monster serpent .




.......................................................................　Yamaguchi 山口県 .....
.......................................................................
防府市 Hofu city // 立石

Tateishi Inari 立石稲荷 / 立石稲荷神社
Dannouracho, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi


Built in the slope in three steps.

Tateishi Inari Myojin 立石稲荷明神
Once the elder brother was very sick and his life in danger. The parents went to 立石稲荷社 Tateishi Inari Jinja to pray for his recovery. The next morning there was a long flag from white cotton hanging from the ceiling. The flag touched the cheek of the boy, fell down before the mother and then vanished. The sick boy recovered very soon. The flag must have been from the Deity of the Tateishi Shrine.

. momen 木綿 legends about cotton .
.......................................................................
大島郡 Oshima district 周防大島町 Suo Oshima town

On the mountain near the Shrine 志度石神社 Shidoishi Jinja there is a bird with white patterns below its wings. It is said to be fed by the Deity itself.
On the 11th day of the new year, there is a ritual called Otogui, O-to kui 御鳥喰 "feeding the bird", when the bird is fed. If the bird does not eat the food, there will be a bad year with disasters ahead.

.......................................................................　Yamanashi 山梨県 .....
.......................................................................
// 石の神

On the 14th day of the New Year the Dosojin 道祖神 Wayside Gods are venerated as 石の神 Ishi no Kami. The fire of the ritual will protect children from getting ill.
. Doosojin 道祖神 Dosojin, Dososhin - Legends about Wayside Gods .

. Yooka sama. Yōka 八日様 Yoka Sama, the Honorable Day Eight .
oyooka sama お八日様 O-Yoka Sama


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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
（蒲生郡安土町老蘇式内奥石神社『神社本紀』）

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Yamanokami Regional 28 Tochigi Tokushima Tokyo

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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 栃木県 Tochigi, 徳島県 Tokushima and 東京都 Tokyo

. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.


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.......................................................................　Tochigi　栃木県


山の神ドライブイン Yamanokami Drive-In
栃木県鹿沼市上粕尾/キャンプ場 / Kanuma city, Kamikasuo

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

. kinki 禁忌 taboo and legends .
On the day when Yamanokami is counting the trees, people should not go to the forest. They might get hurt by cutting their arm with the hatchet or fall under a tree and die.
Yamanokami does not like to see blood.

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安蘇郡 Aso district 田沼町 Tanuma town

. Tengu daoshi 天狗倒し Tengu knocking down trees" .
If a forest worker takes a nap at lunch time, he calls out loud to Yamanokami: "Please, wake me up at xx time!" At the exact time there will be a sound of a large tree falling and the man will wake up. But no tree nearby has fallen down.
- - - - -
. Yamanokamisama no yasumi ki 山の神様の休み木 Tree to rest .
A tree 三又のナラノキ / 楢 with three stems from the family of Quercus is sacred to Yamanokami, who comes here to rest.
in 1964, some people wanted to cut it down. A painful sound like ヒエーヒエー」 hiee hiee was heard from the cut. But someone said this was not the voice of Yamanokami and they continued without a problem.
- - - - -
Two fellows went to the forest to work. They were arguing if there was really a being like Yamanokami. On their way back home in the evening, the baskets on their backs were shaken heavily by Yamanokami.

.......................................................................
鹿沼市 Kanuma city

People who work in the forest are not allowed to pour soup over their cooked rice meals, because Yamanokami does not like that.

.......................................................................
鹿沼市 Kanuma city 粟野町 Awano machi town

Once a man was 炭焼き making charcoal on a cold winter night, when something black stuck to his throat. It might have been Yamanokami.
- - - - -
Once the head of a family went to pray at the shrine of Yamanokami, who was his family deity. While he was there he saw a strange red face with white hair staring at him angrily. This was Yamanokami. The man was afraid and never came back to this shrine.

. ujigami 氏神 clan KAMI deities, family deity .

.......................................................................
那須郡　Nasu district 大山田村 Oyamada mura village

. kitsune densetsu 狐と伝説 fox legends .
If Yamanokami gets angry and envious, he might send a fox to kill a baby. Even if the mother thought she was holding it, suddenly the child was gone and found dead down in the well.



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.......................................................................　Tokushima 徳島県

峰八の「山の神神社」Minehachi no Yamanokami Jinja
Deity in residence is 大山積命.
峰八古墳群
- reference source and photos : sueyasumas.exblog... -



Yamanokami Kofun 山ノ神古墳
徳島県名西郡石井町石井 Myozai district, Ishii
- reference source : wikipedia 峰八古墳群 -

石井町における山の神の信仰
１．祠について
２．行事について
（１）祭り
（２）ヤマノクチアケ Yama no kuchi ake
（３）山の神講
３．山の神の祠一覧 (almost 20 Hokora shrines)
４．山の神の祠分布図
おわりに
- source and photos : library.tokushima-ec.ed.jp... -

. Yamanokami kofun 山の神古墳 Yamanokami tumulus of Japan .

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徳島県阿波市土成町吉田山の神、Awa City, Donari town, Yoshida, Yamanokami hamlet

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

The third day of the third lunar month is called
shika no aku hi シカのアク日 in the local dialect. People do not work but celebrate with Yamanokami.
On the fourth day they stay at home and hope Yamanokami will come down to the fields to protect them as 田の神 Tanokami.
- - - - -
In most hamlets people venerate Yamanokami. Before cutting down a tree, they pray at its roots. If they find special marks on the roots, they venerate this tree as sacred to Yamanokami and to not cut it down.

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海部郡 Ama district 宍喰町 Shishikui cho town

If someone immerses himself in the smoke at the fire of the Dondoyaki ritual, he will not loose much weight and strenght in summer.
The 20th day of the first lunar month is sacred to Yamanokami, who plants trees in the forest. So people should not cut trees on this day.

. dondon yaki どんどん焼き Dondon Fire Ritual, Dondo yaki .
- - - - -
If a tree begins to wither in the forest, it shows that Yamanokami had taken a pee here, so the tree should not be cut down.

.......................................................................
三好郡 Miyoshi district

The 9th day of each month is the festival day of Yamanokami. On this day people are now allowed to sumiyaki 炭焼き make charcoal or go to the mountain forest.
- - - - -
There is a special place where the makers of wooden items venerate Yamanokami and other poeple are not allowed to go there.
If someone does, he will die a young man.
Since Yamanokami is also the deity 猿田彦 Sarutahiko, nobody may use the word saru 猿 / サル monkey while in the forest.

. kijishi 木地師 maker of wooden items, wood turner .
- - - - -
. Yamanokami likes Okoze 虎魚 / 鰧魚 / オコゼ / ヲコゼ stonefish .
- - - - -
. hebi 蛇と伝説 Legends about snakes and serpents .
hikagiri ヒカギリ Hikagiri is a form of Yamanokami and 水神 Suijin the Water Deity.
If someone is bitten by this snake, he will die the same day.
Once a man observed this snake trying to swallow a kiji キジ pheasant, tore it out of its mouth and went home. But the serpent followed him all the way and at the entrance of his house he gave it back to the serpent.

- - - - -
The bird shijuukara 四十雀 Japanese tit (Parus minor) is 山の神の使い the messenger of Yamanokami.
If a hunter shoots it, the bird will fly up to heaven with a twig of Shikimi (hanashiba ハナシバ) in its beak.
On such a day the hunter should go home and pray.
In some parts of Japan this bird is seen as a harbinger of bad luck. Its voice is interpreted as
「親死ね子死ね、四十九日の餅をつけ」oya shine ko shine shijuukunichi no mochi o tsuke
. shikimi シキミ, 樒 Skimmia, Illicium religiosum .

Another messenger of Yamanokami is hikagiri ヒカギリ Hikagiri, a small serpent with a ring pattern around its neck.

.......................................................................
三好郡 Miyoshi district 東祖谷山村 Higashi Iyayamason village

Trees sacred to Yamanokami are not to be cut down.

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麻植郡 Oe district 山川町 Yamakawa cho town

. 山の神 and Tengu 天狗 the Mountain Goblin .
Once a man cut a branch from 銀杏 a Gingko tree which was in memory of the 赤穂浪士 Ako Roshi legend.
Since then there was often the sound of someone practising with the sword below the tree. But when looking closer, there was nobody.
The noise was also heard in 山の神の森 Yamanokami no Mori wood.
The person who cut down the Gingko tree was later killed, but he came back to life with the face of a Tengu.



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.......................................................................　Tokyo 東京都


（1月17日）は山の神のお祭りの日.
January 17 is the Festival of Yamanokami and Tokyo Wood Workers do not go to the forest.
- reference source : tokyowood.net/workers... -

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The 17th day of the third lunar month is sacred to Yamanokami.
On this day people do not go to the mountain forest. Once a man went anyway to collect maki マキ firewood and burned it in the middle of his field, but it started a real yamakaji 山火事 mountain fire.
- - - - -
In the hut where a dead body has been burned, people have to walk around three times before going in, lest Yamanokami will get angry and bewitch him.
Once a man became bewitched, went to the sea and drowned.
- - - - -
. O-inu sama オイヌ様 / Oinusama 御犬様 O Inu Sama, Wolf Deity .
Once people quarreled about the existence of O-Inu Sama. The man who had insisted there was NO such Deity passed a spot where a creature with four legs stopped him from passing.


.......................................................................
神津島 Kozushima island 神津島村 Kozushima village

. Yamanokami and Tengu 天狗 the Mountain Goblin legends .
Once a man cut down sugi no ki 杉の木 an old cedar tree of more than 100 years, where Yamanokami (and his alter-ego, 大天狗・小天狗 Big and Small Tengu) reside).
The deity got very angry about loosing its home and killed all the members of the wood cutter's family.
To show his regret and apology, he planted a new tree.

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三宅島 Mitakejima Island 三宅村 Mitake mura village

If someone cuts down a tree sacred to Yamanokami, he will be bewitched, which is called
kirikomi キリコミ in the local dialect.

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西多摩郡 Nishi-Tama district 桧原村 Hinohara village

A Shaman has the ability to see the figure of the local deity.
At 和田の山 Mount Wadayama it is a hebi 蛇 serpent.
At 大沢の山 Mount Osawayama it is a small serpent
At another mountain, where the female Yamanokami went as a bride, it is a serpent with a large belly.

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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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Yamanokami juunisama

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. Yama no Kami 山の神 - Introduction .
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Yama no Kami 山の神 God of the Mountain
and juunisama, jūni sama 十二様 Juni Sama
"Honorable 12" deities,
another name for this male / female mountain deity
In some regions, Juni Sama is seen as two deities, husband and wife.

His / her messengers are Okoze, the stonefish and Okojo, a kind of weasel.

. Tanokami 田の神 and legends about
okoze 虎魚 / 鰧魚 / オコゼ stonefish and オコジョ Okojo weasel.
with legends from Gunma and Nagano.



hondo okojo ホンドオコジョ Mustela erminea nippon

The name of this deity varies from region to region,
十二山の神 Juni Yamanokami, 十二山神 Juni Yamagami . . .
Shrines in his / her honour are called 十二神社 Juni Jinja, 十二大明神 Juni Daimyojin,
大山祇十二神社 Oyamazumi no Mikoto Juni Jinja . . .
These deities are often venerated at 12 stone memorials or in 12 small shrines.



The explanations of the name are various too, some from a Shinto and others from a Buddhist background as a group of 12 honorable deities :

1 - A deity giving birth to 12 children in one year (one for every month)
2 - A deity that has given birth and raised 12 children.

3 - A place where 12柱の神 12 deities are venerated.

4 - . 12 incarnations of Amida Nyorai - 十二光仏 / 十二光佛 Juni Kobutsu .

5 - . 12 zodiac animals 十二支 Juni Shi .

6 - . 12 Kumano Junisha Gongen Avatars from Kumano 熊野十二所権現 .

7 - . 12 Ten Deities, 12 Devas 十二天 Juni Ten, Jūniten .

8 - . 12 Heavenly Generals 十二神将 Juni Shinsho .
12 Warrior Generals . 12 Divine Generals of Yakushi Buddha
Each of them represents one heavenly direction, one of the twelve hours of the day and one of the twelve months of a year.


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heisoku 幣束（へいそく） ritual paper wand
Yamanokami venerated as Juni Sama has given birth to 12 children in one year.
He is venerated as a mountain deity that brings 山の豊穣 a rich mountain harvest.


source : kan*an1*57

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熊野十二社　（くまのじゅうにそう) Edo Kumano Juniso
Kumano Juniso Gongen no Yashiro Shrine
Kumano no Yashiro, Juniso Gongen no Yashiro



This began during the Oei Era (1349-1427), when a man called Suzuki Kuro came from Kishu and he enshrined deities the Juniso of his hometown Kumano. The name of the surrounding area is called Juniso.
The Juniso Pond which was located at the west side of Kumano-jinja Shrine, was used as a reservoir for the town of Tsunowazu, and there is a legend that a woman drowned herself and became a giant serpent. There was a waterfall on the eastern side and it was popular as a scenic spot.
- source : national diet library -

. Twelve Shrines at Tsunohazu in Yotsuya .
Yotsuya Tsunohazu Jûnisô ike Kumano yashiro


. 12 Kumano Junisha Gongen Avatars from Kumano 熊野十二所権現 .


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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .


.......................................................................　Fukushima 福島県 .....
南会津郡 Minami-Aizu

十二山神 Juni Yamagami
Juni Yamagami is seen as husband and wife. Near the hamlet is the shrine 山神神社 Yamagami Jinja.
It houses two statues, a husband and wife.


toorigami 通り神 Kami passing by
Once a woman felt very ill and had an itinerant shaman look at her problem.
He told her she had peed on a spot where Juni Sama uses to pass by. He performed ablutions and soon the woman was healed.

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Minami-Aizu 檜枝岐村 Hinoemata

山の神 Yamanokami and 十二大明神 Juni Daimyoji
At the hut for the hunters it is customary to take water ablutions every morning before entering the forest and pray to Juni Sama.
He is also called 十二大明神 Juni Daimyojin or 大山祇命 Oyamazumi no Mikoto.

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fuchikari 貂 / フチカリ，heko ヘコ weasel, marten
If someone dies in the mountains, his soul can be transferred to a weasel.
At the foot of the mountain, Juni Sama and Fuchikari are venerated every morning and evening.
Fuchikari gets special food offerings.




.......................................................................　Gunma 群馬県 .....
There are quite a few legends about Juni Sama in Gunma.

Komochiyama 子持山 Mount Komochi "having children" 1296 m
渋川市 Shibukawa town



- Long Japanese explanation is here
- reference source : 偏平足 -

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Gunma 吾妻郡 Azuma district

hitotsu manako ヒトツマナコ "one eye"
Juni Sama is a female deity who gave birth to 12 children in one year, one in every month.
This is most probably the same as the deity called Hitotsu Manako, who comed to the village on the 30th day of the 11th lunar month.

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Gunma 吾妻郡 Azuma district 六合村 Kunimura

Okojo オコジョ weasel
Dried Okoze fish is called okojo オコジョ. If it is offered to Juni Sama, the Weasel, there will be a good hunting season.
But the offerings have to be made in the correct way. If they are placed with both hands, the hands might disappear with the offering.
The Weasel often stays with one family and watches over their well-being.

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Gunma 倉渕村 Kurabuchi

yamainusama 山犬様 Yama-Inu Wolf Deity
Once upon a time, the Wolf Deity had given birth in the shrine of Juni Sama. People then brought special rice offerings to celebrate.

. Yamanokami messenger, the inugami 犬神 Wolf Deity .


O-Tengu sama お天狗様
On the night of the tenth people prepare special mochi餅 ritual rice cakes and make offerings to the small shrines of 八幡様 Hachiman Sama, 十二様 Juni Sama, 道陸神 Dosojin, the Wayside Deities and O-Tengu sama, the local Tengu.
The Mochi for the Tengu are especially long and narrow, called
O-Tengu Sama no Obi お天狗様の帯 Belt of the Tengu.
They are placed on the roof of the small sanctuary, cut in 108 small stripes.
Other offerings are long radish and chrysanthemums.
In some regions, people take the Mochi home after making an offering and eat them.
In 三ノ倉 Sannokura they are called Tengu no Sawa Mochi 天狗のサワ餅. People either place them on the sanctuary and leave or they take home an offering that had been made by a person before them.
This is called Tengu Sama no Omigoku 天狗様のオミゴク　Offering for the Tengu.

. tookanya 十日夜 night of the tenth .
tenth day of the tenth lunar month, with special rituals

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Gunma 沼田市 Numata city 利根町 Tone village

In Tone they make offerings to Juni Sama, because in former times a goze 瞽女 blind itinerant woman had been killed there and cursed the region.

. goze 女盲, ごぜ, ゴゼ, 瞽女 blind woman .

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Gunma 利根郡 Tone district 片品村 Katashina

inukuguri イヌクグリ plant, Veronica polita, Grey Field-speedwell
inu kuguri 犬潜り - "a dog walks through it"
This is a plant / tree, which is not allowed to be cut down in the mountain forest. It has two stems and the branches become one as it grows. Yamainu ヤマイヌ the Mountain Dog, messenger of Juni Sama, walks through this.


Tengu sama 天狗様
Trees with two-pronged roots sticking out on a mountain road or at a swamp are sacred to Juni Sama.
Tengu also like to rest on them. So they are not to be cut down.


Juunisama no shimeharigi 十二様のシメハリギ Sacred tree of Juni Sama
The 注連縄 ritual Shimenawa rope is fastened around this tree, which is sacred to Juni Sama (Yamanokami) and thus not te be cut down.
If someone cuts it, he will be crushed by 十二様の鳥居 the torii Gate of the Shrine for Juni Sama.

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Gunma 碓氷郡 Usui district 松井田町 Matsuida

In this region on the border to 上越国 Joetsu, Yamanokami is called "Juni Sama".





.......................................................................　Kanagawa 神奈川県 .....
藤野町 Fujino

The ubugami 産神 deity of birth is called Juns Sama in the hamlet of 藤野町名倉 Nagura in Fujino.

. ubugami 産神 "deity of birth" .
guardian deity of pregnant women, newborn babies and one's birthplace

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Kanagawa 鎌倉　Kamakura　十二所 Juniso

Juniso Jinja　十二所神社
This shrine is located up in the mountain, at the foot of Asahina pass.



- quote -
Beyond a stone shrine gate, of a myojin-style torii (明神鳥居), lies the main building directly ahead. To the right of the main hall are three small shrines: Yamano Jinja (山の神社), Hoso Jinja (疱瘡神社) and Usa Hachiman Jinja (宇佐八幡神社).
A large, heavy-looking stone to the right of the torii is called Hyakukan-ishi (百貫石, or Hyakkan-ishi). The stone, long neglected, weighs roughly 110 kilograms and was once a popular object of weightlifting at shrine festivals. Further to the right stands Kaguraden Hall (神楽殿), for sacred music and dances.
... Early in the Meiji period (1867-1912), under a government policy of separating Shintoism and Buddhism, the shrine was moved from the grounds of Kosokuji Temple (光則寺) in the neighborhood to its present site and dedicated to
seven deities in Heaven and five deities presiding on Earth.
At the same time, the name was changed to Juniso Jinja Shrine　from
Kumano Juniso Gongensha (熊野十二所権現社).
- source : kcn-net . org - Juniso Jinja　十二所神社 -




.......................................................................　Niigata 新潟県 .....

. juunikko ジュウニッコウ（十二講) Junikko .
prayer groups

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中魚沼郡 Naka-Uonuma district 川西町 Kawanishi

Juni Sama is a male mountain deity who protects women giving birth. He also helps with a good harvest.
The 12th day of the second lunar month is dedicated to this deity, when he leaves the mountains to go to the fields as Tanokami.
He comes back in Autumn after the harvest.

Yamanokami 山の神
Wheat bran (karako, カラコ, 麩) is offered to Yamanokami and then given to children to help them grow up healthy. JuniSama descends to the fields in spring and comes back after the harvest.

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長岡市 Nagaoka 成願寺町 Joganji

山の神 Yamanokami and 十二神社 Juni Jinja
Once the deity of 十二神社 the Shrine Juni Jinja, Yamanokami, fell down in a field of garlic and lost one leg,
looked at the ears of wheat and lost one eye.
So he is now known as 片目片足の神様 the Deity with one Eye and one Leg.
Since then it is forbidden in the village to eat ニンニク garlic or 麦 wheat.
Children born in the village of Joganji are often born with one eye much smaller than the other.




.......................................................................　Yamagata 山形県 .....

Yamagami Jinja to fuufu katsura 山神神社の夫婦カツラ
and the "Husband-and-Wife Katsura tree
katsura 桂 Japanese Judas tree, Cercidiphyllum japonicum



The trees are about 26 m high.
In 新庄市北部 the North of Shinjo is 不動山 Mount Fudoyama (546 m). At the entrance of the shrine are two large Katsura trees.
These two 門カツラ Katsura trees at the gate keep any Oni demons from entering the compound.

- 山形県新庄市萩野土内 Tsuchiuchi Hagino, Shinjō-shi
- reference source : hitozato-kyoboku.com/yamagamijinja... -




.......................................................................　Yamanashi 山梨県 .....
北都留郡 Kita-Tsuru district

. 十二天様 Juni Ten Sama，十二天神 Juni Tenjin .



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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -
- reference : 十二様 -
tba

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. 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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