Yamanokami Regional 19 Miyagi

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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 Miyagi 宮城県

. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.



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

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

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

. Mountains named Akakura .

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

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

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


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

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


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


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

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Takebera Taro 竹箆太郎 Shippei Taro

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


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

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

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

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伊具郡 Igu district 丸森町 Marumori

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

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刈田郡 Katta district 七ヶ宿町 Shichikashuku

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

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

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栗原郡 Kurihara district

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

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

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

. shakunage 石南花 rhododendron .

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黒川郡 Kurokawa district 大和町 Taiwa

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

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仙台市 Sendai city 太白区 Taihaku

. 万二万三郎 The Brothers Banji and Banzaburo .

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

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登米郡 Tome district

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

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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.

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. 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 Regional 18 Kyoto Mie

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

. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.


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



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

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


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

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




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

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亀岡市 Kameoka

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


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京都市 Kyoto

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

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


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


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

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

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南丹市 Nantan

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







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



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


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員弁郡 Inabe district 大安町 Daian cho town

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

. ubusunagami 産土神 Ubusuna Deity of the birth place .


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熊野市 Kumano

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


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

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名張市 Nabari

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


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志摩郡 Shima district

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


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鈴鹿市 Suzuka

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


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度会郡 Watarai district

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

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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.

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

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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

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

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

. kami　神　Shinto deities - ABC-LIST - .

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Yama no Kami Regional 17 Kumamoto

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

. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.


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




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. Yamawaroo やまわろ / ヤマワロ / 山童 Yamawaro, Yama-Waro
"Child of the Mountain" / Yamawaraji .
- - - - - and his alter ego
Kappa　河童 "Child of the River"


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

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


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天草郡 Amakusa district

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

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球磨郡 Kuma district

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


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玉名郡 Tamana district 玉東町 Gyokuto 木葉 Konoha hamlet

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


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八代市 Yatsushiro 東陽村 Toyo mura

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

. Kappa legends from Kumamoto .

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ヤマワロ Yamawaro - with one eye

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- reference source : nichibun yokai database -

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. Legends about Yamanokami 山の神と伝説　.


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- - - - - . 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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Ta no Kami Festivals matsuri

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

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


Ebino no Tanokami Matsuri

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



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


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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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


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. hiburi matsuri 火振り祭 "fire-swinging festival" .
at Shrine Aso Jinja 阿蘇神社 Kumamoto, now on March 16.

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


. 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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- #tanokamimatsuri #godofthefieldsfestivals #tanokamimatsuri #yamanokami #kunadonokami #sainokami -
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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 .
- - - - -
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.
- - - - -
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.
- - - - -

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

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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.

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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.


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- 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.

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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 .


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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 .


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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。


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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.

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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


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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.

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

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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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