#Mt. Togakushi

[thedalatribune]

© Paolo Dala

Demon Slayer World: The Togakushi Shrine

The 5 Shrines Trail Hike in Mt. Togakushi (Nagano, Japan) is one of my best hikes ever... Unfortunately, my cousin and I weren’t able to complete the 5-Shrines Trail Hike. We were still far from the end of the hike and it was night time already and we didn’t have headlamps. It was December and it was already very cold. Some parts of the trail were covered with snow and my shoes were not for suited for ice. I was sliding through. And to top it all, there were "Beware of Bears" sign everywhere and we were literally the only people in the whole mountain.

We made the decision to turn back because [the most important rule of mountaineering is]: Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory... It was just too risky to continue.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this place so much. It's both creepy and peaceful at the same time. I was both scared and clam at the same time. Mixed emotions. Haha... I have plans on going back and completing this trail, hopefully the on my next Japan vacation...

You're welcome to join me. I'm kidding. I don't hike with people I don't. LOL. I hike with people I'm comfortable with. I mean if I don't like at sea level, I won't like you at a higher altitude. Haha.

...by the way, I just found out from IG Reels that 5 Shrines Trail inspired one of the places in Demon Slayer, the anime. I don't watch that, so I don't really know this is exactly in Demon Slayer. Just a postscript for all you Demon Slayer fans out there.

[eztouringjp]

[postcards-and-postcrossing]

Roads

One of the Togakushi Five Shrines in Nagano Woods Untouched by the busyness of everyday life, Togakushi is a sacred spiritual spot located on Mt. Togakushi blessed with abundant nature and a rich culture that is thousands of years old. As you walk through a primeval forest on a path that is lined with giant cedar trees of over 400 years old, you can see the sunlight spilling out between them…

[monikahihihi]

Được xây dựng trên một sườn dốc trước đây có nhiều cây cối rậm rạp, khuôn viên của Học viện Houjou có địa hình đồi núi. Sân thể thao chính, thư viện và một số tòa nhà khác nằm ở độ cao cao hơn so với các tòa nhà khác trong khuôn viên, nằm ở phần trên của con đường chính chạy qua khuôn viên trường. Nhà kho và vòng ngựa thậm chí còn xa hơn thế trên đồi.

Izumiko đã bình tĩnh lại khi cô, Mayura, Manatsu và Miyuki đến bụi cây mọc không xa vành đai ngựa. Họ đến võ đài sau khi câu lạc bộ cưỡi ngựa đã rời đi. Không gian trống rỗng và im lặng. Với tính khí thu mình của Izumiko, cô không thấy khó chịu ở những nơi vắng vẻ, có bóng râm. Hoàng hôn nhẹ nhàng quấn lấy cô, và đã có thể nhìn thấy một hoặc hai ngôi sao trong ánh sáng đỏ còn sót lại của ngày.

Có lẽ đó là những dấu hiệu nhỏ ở đây và ở đó cho thấy những con ngựa hài lòng trở lại chuồng của chúng đã an ủi Izumiko. Làn gió mát mang đến cảm giác rằng mùa thu sắp đến.

Trong một phút, bốn người đứng yên khi họ quan sát xung quanh và cố gắng cảm nhận sự thay đổi mà Manatsu đã mô tả.

“Này,” Manatsu nói, phá vỡ khoảnh khắc. “Bạn cảm thấy nó, phải không?”

Ba người còn lại quay mặt về phía anh. Tuy nhiên, không biểu hiện nào của họ cho thấy rằng họ cũng cảm thấy giống như anh ấy.

Lông mày của Mayura nhướng lên khi cô ấy nói, “Tôi có thể cảm thấy rằng có điều gì đó đã thay đổi, nhưng cảm giác đó là đúng. Nó hoàn toàn khác với cảm giác kỳ lạ ở đây trước lễ hội. Nhưng, nó có giống như Izumiko không? Em nghĩ sao, Izumiko?”

“Ừm. Nó được cho là giống như tôi, vì vậy tôi thực sự không biết, cô ấy trả lời, không chắc chắn. Đôi khi cô tự hỏi phép thuật của mình có tác dụng như thế nào đối với người khác, nhưng những ý nghĩ đó luôn khiến cô cảm thấy lúng túng và ngượng ngùng. Cô cảm thấy mặt mình bây giờ đỏ bừng lên. “Cậu nghĩ sao, Sagara?”

Miyuki không trả lời ngay, nhưng cuối cùng cậu ấy cũng mở miệng và đáp: “Đừng mong tôi đóng vai một đứa trẻ hoang dã như Mantsu. Anh ấy là người có giác quan thứ sáu. Tuy nhiên, tôi có thể trả lời bạn thông qua logic và ý tưởng. Vào ngày cuối cùng của lễ hội đó, Izumiko đã có thể biến mất khỏi đây vào một chiều không gian khác giống như chiều không gian ở Togakushi, và sau đó quay lại khi cô ấy đổi ý. Tôi nghi ngờ rằng chúng tôi sẽ có thể quay lại chính nơi mà cô ấy đã ở khi đó. Tôi nghĩ Izumiko và vùng đất ở đây đã hình thành một mối liên hệ nào đó.”

“Giống như mối liên hệ giữa Masumi và núi Togakushi?” Mayura hỏi. “Nhưng nếu bạn xem xét ý tưởng đó, Izumiko đã có Mt. Tamakura.”

Trước lời nói của cô ấy, Miyuki do dự một lúc, nhưng rồi tiếp tục nói. “Một trong những lý do Học viện Houjou thu nhận học sinh có khả năng tâm linh là để kiểm tra tất cả những khả năng đó ở một nơi, phải không? Câu hỏi đặt ra là liệu những khả năng đó chỉ thể hiện ở đây trong khu vực cụ thể này hay chúng sẽ xuất hiện ở bất cứ đâu trên Nhật Bản. Ngoài ra, họ sẽ chỉ xuất hiện ở Nhật Bản hay họ cũng sẽ được biết đến như những người giám sát? Về cơ bản, đây là câu hỏi liệu ai đó có thực sự xứng đáng được gọi là Ứng cử viên Di sản Thế giới hay không.”

“Sagara, bạn lấy ý tưởng này từ đâu vậy?” Mayura hỏi gay gắt.

Câu trả lời của anh ấy ngắn gọn. “Cha tôi.”

"Phải. Vì vậy, đó là điều mà các tu sĩ khổ hạnh biết…”

Vậy đó là những gì Miyuki và ông Sagara đang nói về…

Izumiko thầm nghĩ về điều này. Yukimasa cũng đã nói điều tương tự với cô ấy. Tuy nhiên, vào thời điểm đó, cô không nghĩ rằng nó có liên quan gì đến mình.

Manatsu nhìn về phía Izumiko và nói, “Những con ngựa đã trở lại bình thường, vui vẻ. Tôi nghĩ thật tốt khi bạn là người dẫn đầu chứ không phải tên ngốc mặc hakama trắng đó. Masumi và tôi có linh cảm tốt—Có lẽ Takayanagi đã tự tử hay gì đó.”

“Đừng nói vậy,” Miyuki thô bạo nói. “Bạn và anh chị em của bạn cần phải cảnh sát những gì ba bạn nói và làm. Nếu bạn không thể giữ cho mình khỏi mất kiểm soát, người khác sẽ làm điều đó cho bạn. Đừng quên những gì bạn đã trải qua vào mùa hè năm ngoái.”

“Trời ạ, anh có ác cảm đấy, Sagara.” Giọng điệu của Mayura đang trêu chọc, nhưng sau đó nó trở nên nghiêm túc khi cô vén tóc từ vai ra sau tai và nói, “Nhưng tôi hiểu. Izumiko được chọn là học sinh có khả năng phép thuật nhất. Đó là quyết định của chủ tịch bóng tối. Rõ ràng để xem bây giờ. Tôi đã không được chọn, và tôi thừa nhận rằng Manatsu và tôi có thể cảm thấy bất an về khả năng của mình vì điều đó. Nhưng vì chính Izumiko đã đánh tôi nên tôi không buồn lắm. Dù vậy, nếu Takayanagi được chọn, tôi nghĩ mình vẫn sẽ đá và la hét.”

“Nhưng chúng tôi thực sự không biết liệu Hodaka đã nói gì chưa,” Izumiko nhanh chóng nói. “Và tôi thực sự không an toàn, và không đặc biệt chút nào. Tôi thực sự không thể kiểm soát khả năng của mình, và tôi hoàn toàn không biết điều gì sẽ xảy ra mỗi khi tôi sử dụng chúng.”

“Đó là những gì bạn nói, nhưng có một vật chứa bên trong bạn,” Mayura nói. “Bạn là kiểu người sẽ đi khắp thế giới này, đóng góp cho mọi thứ và mọi người. Đó là ý nghĩa của việc trở thành Ứng cử viên Di sản Thế giới.”

Izumiko mím môi và lắc đầu. “Không, anh sai rồi. Tôi không thể là ứng cử viên di sản thế giới.”

Miyuki hít một hơi dài và sâu rồi mở miệng. “Có vẻ như chúng tôi có điều gì đó cần nói với các bạn,” anh nói, nhìn về phía Mayura và Manatsu. “Đó là về điều mà chỉ có một nữ thần biết về tương lai.”

Thấy Izumiko không phản đối, anh bắt đầu giải thích. Thông qua lời giải thích thẳng thắn của Miyuki, anh em nhà Souda đã biết về sự hủy diệt của loài người trong tương lai mà nữ thần đã cảnh báo anh ta. Nghe tin Izumiko là nhân vật chủ chốt trong tất cả những chuyện này—rằng việc không thay đổi tương lai của cô ấy là bí mật để ngăn chặn sự hủy diệt đó—khiến họ không nói nên lời trong một lúc.

Cuối cùng, vẫn còn bối rối, Mayura lên tiếng. "Tôi xin lỗi. Ngay bây giờ, tất cả những điều này hơi khó tin… Tất cả đều đến từ hư không.”

Manatsu chỉ gật đầu. “Vậy đó là câu chuyện thật của Izumiko hả?”

Đây có thể là phản ứng của Mayura và Miyuki, nhưng Miyuki và Izumiko không thất vọng vì điều đó. Cả hai đều biết rằng nếu họ là người nghe câu chuyện, họ cũng sẽ cảm thấy như vậy.

“Không ích gì khi bảo bạn tin vào điều đó,” Miyuki thừa nhận. “Bạn chưa bao giờ gặp nữ thần, vì vậy rõ ràng là không điều gì trong số này nghe có vẻ khả thi với bạn. Tuy nhiên, Izumiko và tôi biết rằng nữ thần là có thật nên chúng tôi phải tin vào lời tiên tri của cô ấy.”

Anh tiếp tục với giọng nhẹ nhàng hơn. “Mục tiêu cuối cùng của các tu sĩ khổ hạnh là giữ cho sự hủy diệt này không xảy ra. Đó là toàn bộ lý do trật tự được hình thành. Họ nhận được sức mạnh từ nữ thần và sau đó làm việc hướng tới mục tiêu của mình.”

Manatsu gãi mái tóc ngắn của mình bằng một tay. “Điều đó khác rất nhiều so với cha mẹ chúng ta—phải không? Tôi nghĩ rằng tôi hiểu tại sao Masumi thích bạn hơn một chút so với trước đây, Izumiko. Tuy nhiên, hơi khó để tưởng tượng rằng bạn đã tiêu diệt nhiều người như vậy.”

“Tôi cũng không thể tưởng tượng được,” Izumiko nói với vẻ hối lỗi. “Nhưng tôi có cảm giác rằng việc được chọn ở trường với tư cách là Ứng cử viên Di sản Thế giới đang đưa chúng ta đến gần hơn với tương lai mà nữ thần đã nói đến. Tôi muốn tránh khả năng đó càng xa càng tốt. Bên cạnh đó, tôi chưa bao giờ thích sự chú ý.”

Mayura chậm rãi gật đầu. “Tôi hiểu tại sao bạn không vui vì bạn đã được chọn. Nhưng hơn thế nữa, hai bạn đã giúp chúng tôi sinh ba ngay cả khi bạn không biết nhiều về chúng tôi. Vì vậy, bây giờ đến lượt chúng tôi giúp bạn.

Lúc đó bầu trời đã hoàn toàn tối đen, khiến cho những lời của Mayura thêm phần dứt khoát. Họ không thể nói rằng họ đã thảo luận mọi thứ mà họ muốn, nhưng ngày đã hết, và họ cần phải quay tr�� lại đồi để ăn tối.

Khi họ đã ở trong căng tin, họ không thể nói chuyện thành một nhóm, ít nhất là không nói về những gì họ đang nghĩ. Bốn người đi tìm một cái bàn. Cuối cùng, khi họ tìm thấy không gian, đó là với những sinh viên mà họ thường không nói chuyện cùng.

Tuy nhiên, vì Mayura và Miyuki đều là những học sinh hòa đồng, đạt điểm cao, họ đã tạo ra một vỏ bọc tốt cho Izumiko và Manatsu, những người không được như vậy. Không có gì khó xử khi Mayura và Miyuki chào hỏi những người còn lại trong bàn và nhanh chóng bị ngày càng nhiều sinh viên lôi kéo vào cuộc thảo luận, nhiều người trong số họ đề cập đến việc họ đã không gặp họ trong những ngày nghỉ.

Không có lý do thực sự nào để Manatsu và Izumiko tham gia cuộc trò chuyện cùng với những người bạn xã hội hơn của họ, nhưng cách nói chuyện và cư xử thẳng thắn của Manatsu khiến anh ấy trở nên nổi tiếng quanh bàn. Anh ấy luôn nổi tiếng với những người khác. Đó là thứ mà Izumiko đã quen. Nhưng đặc biệt là vào buổi tối hôm đó, có cảm giác như có rất nhiều học sinh vây quanh anh ấy.

Khi tất cả học sinh trò chuyện ồn ào với những người khác xung quanh, Izumiko hầu như không mở miệng để nói một lời nào. Cô ấy đã cố gắng hết sức để tham gia vào các cuộc trò chuyện và mỉm cười, nhưng, như mọi khi, cô ấy không nổi bật giữa những người bạn của mình, và vì lý do nào đó, cô ấy không thể bình tĩnh được vào buổi tối hôm đó.

Có rất nhiều người chúng ta không biết ở đây…

Cuối cùng, Manatsu cảm thấy mệt mỏi với những cuộc trò chuyện trên bàn và khéo léo xin lỗi. Mayura và Miyuki trông vẫn hoàn toàn thoải mái trò chuyện với những người xung quanh. Tuy nhiên, hôm nay, Izumiko quyết định đi theo sự dẫn dắt của Manatsu và rời khỏi chỗ ngồi của mình, gần như là cô ấy đang trốn thoát.

Khi về đến phòng trong ký túc xá nữ, cô thở phào nhẹ nhõm. Cô đã ẩn mình ở đây cả ngày, nhưng bây giờ cảm giác như đã lâu lắm rồi. Tại thời điểm này, nỗi lo lắng mà cô ấy cảm thấy về sự biến mất của Miyuki đã biến mất, nhưng nó đã được thay thế bằng một mối quan tâm mới.

Mặc dù Miyuki đã trở lại bình an vô sự, nhưng mọi thứ vẫn chưa trở lại như trước. Vụ lộn xộn tôi gây ra trong lễ hội trường ngày càng lớn hơn…

Cô có rất nhiều điều phải suy nghĩ, nhưng cô không biết bắt đầu suy nghĩ từ đâu.

Không biết làm sao, Izumiko ngồi xuống bàn và thản nhiên lôi chiếc máy tính xách tay của mình ra khỏi hộp. Khi mở nó ra, cô nhận thấy biểu tượng thư trên màn hình. Nhớ lại những email mà cô ấy đã gửi đi sáng hôm đó, cô ấy ngay lập tức cảm thấy xấu hổ.

Có lẽ họ đang tự hỏi tại sao tôi lại buồn như vậy. Tôi cá là email từ Sawa…

Tuy nhiên, khi cô ấy nhấp vào biểu tượng, cô ấy không tìm thấy phản hồi của Sawa, mà là người ở xa hoàn cảnh sống ở California—Daisei.

Tại sao tôi lại nhận được phản hồi từ bố của tất cả mọi người? Izumiko tự hỏi, thấy lạ.

Tuy nhiên, đó rõ ràng là một phản hồi cho tin nhắn của cô ấy.

Izumiko,

Cảm ơn vì lá thư của bạn! Nó làm tôi hạnh phúc.

Tôi muốn nói rằng bạn không cần phải lo lắng về Miyuki, nhưng có lẽ bạn đã biết điều đó rồi.

Tuy nhiên, email bạn đã gửi không phải là không có gì. Tôi cảm thấy nhẹ nhõm khi thấy rằng cuối cùng tôi cũng có cách để giữ liên lạc với bạn.

Khi bạn còn học cấp hai, bạn có nhớ rằng một lần bạn có thể liên lạc với tôi qua máy tính không? Sau đó, tôi đã suy nghĩ rất nhiều về việc liệu chúng tôi có thể làm điều đó một lần nữa hay không.

Tôi đã làm máy tính xách tay của bạn đặc biệt cho bạn sử dụng. Như bạn rất có thể đã phát hiện ra, nó sẽ không hiệu quả với những người khác. Bạn không chỉ có thể sử dụng nó để gửi email một cách tự tin mà còn có thể trò chuyện video.

Hãy thử nó ra. Tôi sẽ có mặt vào lúc 9 giờ tối theo giờ Nhật Bản. Nếu lúc đó bạn cũng rảnh, muốn liên lạc với tôi?

Nếu mọi việc suôn sẻ và chúng ta có thể nói chuyện, tôi hứa sẽ trả lời bất kỳ câu hỏi nào của bạn.

Daisei

[shinebyseven]

A power spot on a mystic mountain. 

Togakushi-jinja Shrine, at the base of Mt. Togakushi northwest of Nagano, is connected to one of Japan's most enduring legends.

[fucktobirama]

Izuna and Madara’s names are references to the deities Madarakishin and Izunagongen, but they’re also references to Mt Izuna (飯綱 meal, cooked grains + rope) and Mt Madarao (斑尾  spot, belmish + tail, foot of the mountain). These mountains are part of the Five Mountains of Northern Shinshu, so it would make sense if their late siblings were named after Mt Myoko (妙高 excellent + tall, maximum), Mt Kurohime (黒姫 black + princess) and Mt Togakushi (戸隠 door + hidden, the name of the stone door Amateratsu used to lock herself inside a cave).

Regarding their birth order, Madara is canonically Tajima’s eldest son, but that doesn’t mean he’s the firstborn. Both Kurohime and Myoko could be older than him, but women were historically excluded from inheriting certain titles in Japan, so Madara would still be the heir. Izuna is probably the third son, a reference to how Izunagongen is sometimes called Izunasaburo, third son, because it’s said he was the third of the ten princes to come from India to live in the mountains of Japan.

[touhou-memories]

Suika’s 萃符「戸隠山投げ」Gather Sign "Mt. Togakushi Toss" spellcard from Immaterial and Missing Power deals 1800 Damage before ver. 1.10 and 2000 Damage from ver. 1.10 onwards.

[sennokami]

*theory about madara and izuna’s names.

In Japan, there is a mountain range called the Iizuna range. There is a mountain in it also called Iizuna (or Izuna), and this mountain is also one of five mountains dubbed the “Five Mountains of Northern Shinshu”.

The other four mountains are: Mount Myoko (妙高山), Mount Kurohime (黒姫山), Mount Togakushi (戸隠山) and Mount Madarao (斑尾山).

(Madara, Madarao. Potato, potato.)

Adding to this, Mt. Izuna is famous for being the home of a daitengu (Izuna Gongen). Five mountains, five brothers, connections to tengu -- it adds up.

[agirlinjapan]

Red Data Girl: My Wish on the Night of the Shooting Stars (Week 25)

Red Data Girl: My Wish on the Night of the Shooting Stars By Noriko Ogiwara A Translation

Miss the last piece? Read it here!

Check out the RDG Translation twitter!

Help me pay for my next translation project on Ko-fi.

It’s summer! Woo! I have the next two months more or less to myself to do all sorts of fun things, including getting back to a regular translation schedule!

Speaking of translation schedules, today marks the return of weekly RDG posts! Lots of translation time means lots of material to share with you. I’ll return to biweekly posts in the fall, but until then, enjoy lots of RDG!

Red Data Girl: My Wish on the Night of the Shooting Stars By Noriko Ogiwara Chapter 3: Winter Solstice Part 4 (1 of 2)

As there were no windows in the hall, it was pitch black without the overhead lights on. Everyone at the party sucked in a collective breath and stopped moving. There was a beat of silence where no one said a word.

I can’t…

Painfully aware that what was happening at the moment was her doing, Izumiko was grateful when the lights flickered back on a second or two later.

“What was that? A power outage?”

“I thought it was going to be the same as what happened at the school festival!”

Relieved voices broke out across the hall. Up on the stage, Hoshino was saying something into the microphone to try and quiet the crowd.

That was close…

Izumiko realized she was covered in sweat, and chills were going down her spine. She wanted to wipe the sweat off her forehead, but her hand couldn’t reach it under the costume’s head. Izumiko took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. However, there was something stopping her from fully relaxing and she couldn’t put her finger on where the feeling was coming from. She was being pulled under further and further by thoughts there was no escaping from.

I’m completely to blame for what’s going on here. I should be the only one being pulled down into this darkness…  

Even before this, Izumiko had been afraid of what she was finding herself to be capable of. But now she knew for sure that the thing that made her quake with fear wasn’t just around her, it was inside of her. She couldn’t separate herself from the darkness, even when she went somewhere as bright and happy as where she was now.

I’m not even a little human-like. No human would call the life I live normal either…    

When she had been deep inside of Mt. Togakushi, she had felt the sensation of floating through directionless darkness. Now inside the reindeer costume, Izumiko was experiencing the same feeling. The darkness inside of her small body was just as deep and all-consuming as the darkness she had found in Togakushi.

Something suddenly came to mind then. St. Nicolas gave presents to good children while his frightening attendant carried off bad children who didn’t receive anything. Not everyone was given equal blessings. Izumiko was overcome by a feeling of profound understanding of that reality.

“Izumiko.”

Izumiko was startled by Mayura’s soft voice which was unexpectedly close by. She hadn’t noticed the other girl’s approach at all. When she looked through the mask’s peephole though, it really was Mayura. She was still dressed in her raggedy costume, and so no one seemed to notice her sitting next to a reindeer. However, the tone of her voice was sharp, conveying her urgency.

“Hey. I couldn’t recognize shikigami before, but for some reason now, I’m seeing them all over the place. The room’s crawling with them. Do you know why?”

“Shikigami?”

Izumiko sucked in a breath and hurriedly looked around her. However, all she could see were partygoers.

“I don’t see any yet. The costume makes it hard to see anything though…”

Mayura seemed surprised.

“You don’t see any? Something must have happened. I’m going to go find out if Manatsu can see any.”

With this said, Mayura quickly left Izumiko’s side. Izumiko sat there, speechless. She did have to admit that something strange was happening, though.

Even when she strained her eyes, she couldn’t pick any shikigami out of the crowd. As expected in the artificial, overhead light, everyone’s shadows looked pale and barely there. Like the time before when she had identified Nobuyuki Sakano as a shikigami, all the guests’ bodies had a grainy look to them as if they might come apart at any minute. They were all the same.

What’s happening?...  

As she looked around the room in confusion, Miyuki and Takayanagi both came into view. Miyuki rushed towards Takayanagi and began to make the nine signs he had taught Izumiko, chanting as he did so. Takayanagi began to make the signs in the familiar lattice-shaped gesture as well. This was the first time Izumiko had seen him do it.

Perhaps it was due to the self-protection charms they were chanting, but Miyuki and Takayanagi looked less insubstantial than the people around them. Inside of her mask, Izumiko couldn’t hear distant sounds well, but she easily picked up what Miyuki said to Takayanagi.

“Don’t you think there’s a limit to what you should do? You’re so full of yourself that you brought this many shikigami here?! The regular students are going to notice something at this point!”

“Before you blame anyone, take a good look. Those aren’t shikigami. They’re something else. I thought their numbers had been growing,” Takayanagi practically snapped.

As he spoke, he pulled a piece of paper cut into a human-like form from his breast pocket and brought it to his mouth. He blew it towards a nearby female student in a costume. When the paper touched her, she disappeared. The fact remained though that to Izumiko, the girl hadn’t looked different from any other human.

“Ah, so she disappeared. Good. It doesn’t make any difference to me,” Miyuki said irritably. As he spoke, he began to swing his staff around in a way that suggested the action and its goal really didn’t make a difference to him. More students began to disappear. Only then did he appear to notice what Izumiko had already seen—all the students looked like the ones that were currently disappearing.

Mayura’s voice traveled to Izumiko in the same way as Miyuki’s had before. “Hey, Spot. Even if you’ve finally gotten to the point where you can’t control all your shikigami, you don’t have to announce it to the world.”

“Who are you calling Spot?” Takayanagi shot back unabashedly.

When Izumiko turned her reindeer head, she saw Manatsu with Mayura. They were walking forward hand in hand. Manatsu had taken off the upper half of his animal costume and had wrapped the arms around his waist to keep the bottom half up over the clothes he wore underneath. Mayura was already speaking to Takayanagi.

“You’ve had your chance, so now it’s Masumi’s turn. You’re not allowed to complain, even when he cleans all of this up. After everything’s over, you should consider apologizing to the adults for what you’ve done.”

Manatsu looked serious as he and his sister twisted their hands into a number of different gestures not unlike the ones Miyuki and Takayanagi were making. After a moment though, he glanced at Mayura as if realizing something.  

“Shoot. We messed up. It probably wasn’t the best idea to call Masumi right away…”

“Why?” Mayura asked in surprise.

It was Masumi, appearing in full form in front of them, who answered though.

“Mayura, why are you never dressed up like a princess? It’s so discouraging to me.”

Masumi was dressed in the same outfit Mayura was, complete with the fraying apron and kerchief on his head. He crouched down, looking sullen. “You know I can’t do my best when I don’t like what I’m wearing…”

“Alright, alright. I’ll go change,” Mayura said, sounding as if she had given up. Then she hurriedly walked away.

What was strange about the whole scene was that none of the other students, teachers, or guardians seemed to be paying any attention to what was going on. They all just kept talking to one another. No notice was taken of the people who Takayanagi and Miyuki had made disappear. It was as if those students had simply walked away or left the party. The non-shikigami that had escaped the two of them seemed to be sluggishly moving away without anymore fuss.

What if this is another dimension?… What if this is all happening outside of reality?...

A thought suddenly occurred to Izumiko. While she had thought everything had gone back to normal a second after the lights had gone out, something was slightly different.

Is this someplace inside of me?...

This way of thinking gave her a reasonable explanation for why she hadn’t been able to detect any shikigami. If this was someplace inside of her, then everything here was a part of her. It was strange that Miyuki and the others were acting the way they always did, but maybe this was some sort of phenomenon brought on by her desires.

I’ve been sucked down into myself. I have to find the reality beyond this…

It was difficult to be aware of the outside world when she was in a place with no apparent way out. As much as she didn’t want to, she forced her awareness in the direction of the party.

It had gotten dark outside of the auditorium. She could taste that darkness and the chill of the rattling branches on the trees across the campus. Beyond the noises of the wind, she could hear what sounded vaguely like far off, distant thunder.

Ah, it’s getting closer…

Izumiko realized this through her reluctance. Now that she was aware of it, the sound was slowly beginning to grow louder. Her senses were getting sharper, but they still offered no help. The unpleasantness of the noises continued to increase. The low bass noises felt as if they were burrowing into her head.

While it sounded like thunder, it was different from the real thing. What she heard now was a mix of ground shaking rumble and high-pitched noise. The ground shaking rumble sounded like a herd of horses’ hooves, and the high-pitched noise was like dogs howling.

…Is it the Wild Hunt?...

As she thought of this, she lost her train of thought connecting her to the outside world. She remembered what she had looked up after the exams. This was like Japan’s night parade of one hundred demons. The Wild Hunt with its supernatural hunters chasing after the dead… The collection of spirits that prowled through the darkness and storms that came along in the dead of winter…

They collect souls. The hunters of darkness that ride black horses and own black hunting dogs…

There was a thunderous roar accompanied by an ominous tremor that made her stomach quake and all the doors in the auditorium fly open. A white, mist like haze flowed into the room.

Izumiko knew that the pack of howling dogs was now in the lobby. Then they were barreling into the room, jumping and leaping as they went. A black shadow rose up in the middle of the mist. The first horse of the hunt placed a heavy hoof on the floor and let out a snort before immediately advancing. More horses followed after it, their tack jangling as their massive bodies stepped forward. Their riders, however, were less substantial than their mounts. They were little more than their brimmed hats, cloaks, boots, and gloves, like mummies or bare skeletons.

The area covered by the white mist was growing, making it hard to see the people at the party. Still, no one noticed. They paid no attention to the shadow hunters, nor did the hunters have any interest in them. The object of their hunt, the reason these dead had come together, was her alone.

This is my problem…

The hunters were the only things Izumiko could see in the darkness of her costume. At the same moment that she realized the position she was currently in, Claus let out a yell next to her.

“Ah! Keep the dogs away from me please, Izumiko.”  

“Claus, you can see them?”

“Hunting dogs are the worst. I’ve been bitten before.”

Izumiko didn’t have the time to look in Claus’s direction, but there was no doubt that he could see the black dogs from the fear audible in his voice. She took another deep breath, unsure of what to do.

“What’s happening…”

“Izumiko.”

She could hear Miyuki’s voice right next to her. She hadn’t noticed his approach anymore than she had Claus’s. When she gravely brought her hands up and turned the reindeer head, she saw Miyuki dressed in his ascetic monk’s garb and holding his staff horizontally over his head. She knew he was focused on the threat coming through the doors of the hall.

“You can see them too, Miyuki?”

“Of course I can. What do you think the point of having Wamiya with me is?” Izumiko got the sense that Miyuki had intended to speak calmly, but his voice came out hollow.

The dead hunters on their black horses and the pack of black dogs continued forward. The dogs’ deafening baying and the sounds of the horses’ hooves grew, but so did another sound—unsettling silent screams that seemed to enter her body not through her ears, but through her skin. This was joined by the high pitched, metallic sound and the unforgettable scent of death.

Unable to shout over all the noise, Miyuki brought his face close to the reindeer head.

“I don’t know why they’re here, but I’m going to drive them away. I don’t need your help, so go stand by Takayanagi.”

Izumiko held her breath. She was no longer capable of knowing if she was talking to the real Miyuki or if this was a dream. Uncertain of herself, she said weakly, “You can’t drive them away anymore. This is what’s inside of me. So there’s no point in running from it…”

“What are you talking about? I have no idea what you’re trying to say, but snap out of it. You know how to protect yourself, so don’t let them get into your head!”

Miyuki clapped a hand onto the reindeer costume’s shoulder and shook her as if trying to wake her up.

“Get it together! Everyone’s doing their best to keep you hidden.”

Izumiko couldn’t feel much through the thick fabric of the costume, but the sense of Miyuki’s touch reached her. Belatedly, she realized that they weren’t in her own personal darkness.

Ah… Alright. So I have to replace the barrier…

She knew at once what was making reality so messy. She hadn’t truly realized the reason for her protection charm, one so large it covered the whole campus, until now.

…They said that the winter solstice is the darkest day of the year…

It was as if she had opened her eyes for the first time since all of this had begun. It all made sense now. The darkness of the season had a dark effect on Izumiko’s power as well. It was something that was necessary for her to understand. Just like summer and winter came and went. Just like day and night danced around each other. This world was always shifting back and forth between light and darkness here and there. While certain things remained throughout the year, the world was not something that remained the same all the time. It was made to constantly recreate itself.

I can’t chase the darkness away from myself. But if I know that there’s a way through the darkness inside of me, I can change how I deal with it. I don’t have to let the darkness take me over…

As Izumiko discovered this about herself, Miyuki continued speaking about something else.

“I feel the same way as Mayura. I’m not happy about working with Takayanagi. It’s just that he’s here in the right place at the right time. I feel bad about saying this to Mayura and Manatsu, but we can’t let Masumi take control of this place. If he swallows up this many spirits, he’ll become invincible.”

Now that Izumiko knew that Miyuki really was himself, she was positive that this wasn’t a dream. She answered him.

“Yeah, I agree.”

Hearing her words, Miyuki turned away and called out in the opposite direction, “It sounds like we’re ready! Let’s start, Takayanagi.”

It appeared that Ichijo Takayanagi was also completely capable of seeing the Wild Hunt. Its appearance, however, seemed to have taken him very much by surprise. He faltered, not beginning whatever magic he was supposed to, and Miyuki was forced to urge him on before he began to chant.

The little paper dolls that Takayanagi blew into and then threw towards the oncoming hunt seemed like nothing compared to what they were up against. They were simply blown back in Takayanagi’s direction by the power of the invading force, fluttering up into the air.

However, up in the air, the appearingly useless charms began to change form one by one. Letting off golden glows so powerful they sent beams of light streaming down below them, they became dazzling balls of light. A second later, they had grown wings and were flying through the mist, leaving trails of brightness behind them.

Takayanagi’s creations were so bright that it was difficult to make out their actual forms, but the V-shape of their wings made them look like birds of prey. As they glided through the air, the lights split, increasing their numbers. Eventually, the whole hall was filled with light and it became clear that the black hunting party would not be able to keep moving forward. The strength of the ear-splitting noise weakened, and the hound’s baying began to lessen.

Eventually, the horses and their riders began to fade. They changed from midnight black to light grey, then continued on to an even lighter misty dust color. The dogs, horses, and the dead were surrounded by the birds of light. Then they disappeared.

Keep reading!

[hundredfamousmountains]

The Hundred Famous Mountains in Japan

Fukuda's list of the Hundred Famous Mountains in Japan is divided into several regions and focuses on mountain ranges in the Chubu region. The selection of the mountains also emphasizes the importance of seasonality. Seasonality is deeply connected to Japanese culture - from ancient poetry to modern food delicacies. As a result, the change of season and the passing of time are intrinsically linked with the beauty of landscape. You can find more information about choosing a 百名山

The Hokushingogaku mountain range includes Mt. Myoko, Mt. Kurohime, Mt. Togakushi, and Mt. Iizuna. Each mountain has different forms and histories, making it one of the most popular hiking destinations in Japan. The Hokushingogaku range is also famous for its hot springs. In addition to the Hokushingogaku, there are several other notable mountain ranges in Japan.

While Mount Tsukuba and Mount Fuji may seem unrelated, they are both designated as 100 famous mountains. Although they have low altitudes, they have a rich history. Mount Tsukuba was even named in the oldest anthology of Japanese poetry, proving its historic and cultural significance. Its two peaks make it a highly intimate location. Marriages are often performed at Mount Tsukuba shrines. The iconic Mount Fuji is considered part of the Japanese spirit. Crown Prince Naruhito is currently on a mission to climb all 100 mountains.

The first of the Hundred Famous Mountains in Japan, Mount Okudake is a popular place for mountaineers in every season. The mountain is covered in spring foliage, which makes it especially attractive during the spring and early summer. To reach the summit, hikers can access the mountain via a trailhead near the town of Dake Onsen. If you are a first-timer to Japan, be sure to plan an overnight stay in a hut.

Another part of the Hundred Famous Mountains in Japan is Mt. Myoko, which is 2,400 meters high. At the northern tip of the Akaishi Mountains, the mountain is also home to the Queen of the Southern Alps. The surrounding region contains several peaks and a high moor. In addition to Mt. Myoko, the area is home to several famous waterfalls. The pond at IkenoTaira offers an excellent view of the mountain and surrounding area. During spring, Asian skunk cabbage blooms.

Mount Fuji is another popular destination. While it is an active volcano, the mountain is well worth the trip. Many famous artists have dedicated prints to the mountain. It was once believed to hold the source of immortality. The Japanese archipelago is volcanic and many of the mountains are still active. This makes them unique in nature. You can visit the peak to witness the magnificent scenery. The Hundred Famous Mountains in Japan

The list of the Hundred Famous Mountains in Japan includes 21 mountain ranges. The tallest is Mt. Fuji, which is the tallest of the 3,000ers in the country. The shortest, Mt. Hijiri, is the smallest. The author of One Hundred Famous Mountains in Japan, Kyuuya Fukada, compiled a list of the Hundred Famous Mountains in Japan.

[theolddalatribune]

The 5 Shrines Trail by Paolo Dala

When I was doing research on what trails and mountains are opened in Japan during the winter season, one Japanese Adventure Guide Website suggested that I do the 5 Shrines Trail at the foot of Mt. Togakushi…

This is a sacred place for the Japanese. According to mythology, “the Sun Goddess Amaterasu become so furious with her little brother that she hid herself inside a cave. With the Sun Goddess gone, the world plunged into darkness, so the other gods had to devise a plan to get her out again. One goddess started doing a funny dance and the laughter she heard outside made Amaterasu curious. She peeked out, and at that moment one of the gods grabbed the cave’s door and quickly threw it away. The door flew all the way to Nagano Prefecture and landed in a forested area which was thus named Togakushi, or ‘Hiding Door'”…

Rich in culture, nature, and Japan’s largest trees (Giant Cedar Trees), this is one of the most beautiful trails I’ve hiked.

[thedalatribune]

© Paolo Dala

Spiritual Adventures

A QUIET WALK in the woods can be a spiritual experience, and countless hikers head to redwood groves and high places to find a sense of awe. But if following a dirt track is a kind of prayer - the hypnotizing rhythm of feet and breath an ancient song - some trails are true religious pilgrimages, routes laid down by the faithful.

…With wild beauty and fascinating culture, these trails call even secular trekkers to make the journey, pulling on their boots for the hike of a lifetime.

Jen Rose Smith

[emzeciorrr]

WINTER IN JAPAN from Firdaus Hashim on Vimeo.

Winter in Japan is a short Travel Film documenting two good friends exploring the cold winter in the country. Japan is a country teeming with cultural, traditional, and modern beauty. Wedged between a gorgeous bygone era and an avant-garde future, Japan owns the best of both the worlds. Among its awe-inspiring sights in the cold winter are:

Hokkaido – The Snow Country in Japan Synonymous with skiing, snowboarding, dog sledding, and pristine natural beauty, Hokkaido is a must-visit place in Japan. In winter, the city becomes host to several jaw-dropping events like ice drifting, Otaru’s Snow Light Path Festival, Sapporo’s White Illumination and Snow Festival. However, the real showstopper is the Shikaribetsu Kotan Ice Village that surfaces only during winter.

Kyoto - City of Ten Thousand Shrines During winter, Arashiyama illumines in harlequin lights of the Hana Touro Festival. The treasure of ancient shrines, Torii gates, temples, and castles also exude a glowing charm under a sheet of snow. Alongside the sacred Kyoto attractions thrives the Geisha district, Gion with specialty restaurants, machiya merchant houses, and theatre. The most famous area of the Gion district is at the end of the Hanami-koji Street where cultural shows are held.

Nagano - Roof of Japan Bordered by eight prefectures, Nagano or Shinshuu is a paradise for the nature lover and the gourmet. It is teeming with winter ski and mountain resorts. It is also home to national treasures like Zenkouji temple, Matsumoto Castle, Ueda Castle, and Komoro Castle. Holidaymakers will find several onsens and soba restaurants to treat themselves. Among the many Nagano winter activities, visiting Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani tops the list. Others include attending Dosojin Matsuri, enjoying snow-capped wilderness, and attempting to visit the Togakushi Shrine.

Kawaguchi-ko - Gateway to Mt. Fuji Past the urban centers is the Kawaguchi-ko Area, towered by the watchful Mount Fuji. Sprawling across its picturesque landscape are parks, forests, lava caves, shrines, breweries, and hot springs. The athletic and adventurer will find ample opportunities to unleash adrenaline rush by cycling, hiking, and climbing the volcanic summit!

WINTER IN JAPAN Filmed by Firdaus Hashim with the Fujifilm XT-3 and the DJI Mavic Pro Edited and Color Graded in DaVinci Resolve 16

[dojizerker]

hey! sorry to bother you, but I've been doing some hunting around, trying to figure out Yamanbagiri Kunihiro's origins, and I came across a few articles that all reference the same English translation of japanese sword legends. in it, it implies that Kunihiro's duplicate (soon to be name Yamanbagiri) was the one who actually slew the witch - is it true? where did the original get its name? do you have any idea? you seem to be one of the most knowledgeable abt tkrb sword histories around here

Hello, anon, and it’s no bother at all!

To put it simply: there are two different witch slaying legends, one for each Yamanbagiri. I’ll list the important info about it (otherwise it’d get too long with historical master changing…).

Under the cut to save your dash.

?? - Forged by Nagayoshi Chougi of Bizen Osafune, given to Hojo Ujimasa. There’s request issued to slay a mountain witch on Mt. Togakushi in Shinano country, which was where the sword earned its name.

Tensho 14 (1587) - The Chougi sword was owned by the Hojo clan, before it’s given to Nagao Akinaga.

Tensho 18 (February 1590) - Nagao Akinaga commissioned Horikawa Kunihiro to make Yamanbagiri Kunihiro.

Tensho 18 (May 1590) - Horikawa Kunihiro received the request to give Chougi’s Yamanbagiri an inscription.

After the Siege of Odawara (May - August 1590), Nagao Akinaga lost everything to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, including his life. Yamanbagiri Kunihiro ended up with the surviving vassal, Ishihara Jinzaemon, after that.

At this point, the sword picked up a witch slaying legend. In order to make a living, Ishihara and his pregnant wife were making their way to Shinshu. However, along the way, his wife went into labour.

He left his wife with an old woman living in the mountains and went back to get medicine. By the time he return, he found the old woman eating his newborn child. Realising what happened, Ishihara supposedly used Yamanbagiri Kunihiro to kill her. It’s said that when she died, her white hair disappeared like smoke.

Sources:Yamanbagiri - Meitou (JP) + Tsuruginoya (JP)

Yamanbagiri Kunihiro - Meitou (JP)  + Tsuruginoya (JP)

TKRB History Book - Yamanbagiri Kunihiro (Scans + translation summary)

[maphatingcharacteroftheday]

Suika Ibuki hates pedophiles. I'm sure she'd love to give them an up-close and personal demonstration of her "Massacre on Mt Togakushi" spell card

I'm sure she would, but what show/book/whatever is she from?-Julie

[arbs-high-quality-translations]

Run Girls, Run! Blog: 8/11/17 Mountain Day!-Nanami-

Yaaaaay! It's Friday! Good work this week, everyone!

This week, I tried doing my hair like Hayashi Ayumi~(* ॑꒳ ॑* )! How is it...( *ˊᵕˋ)?

Today, August 11th, is Mountain Day! If we're talking about mountains, it has to be my hometown, Nagano Prefecture! For 360 degrees, wherever you look, it's mountains! Mountains Mountains!

Looking at that gives me a Gestaltzerfall effect... Sorry for thinking about such strange things, everyone...(´•ω•ˋ) I said 360 degrees, but it's not an exaggeration. Nagano Prefecture is really surrounded by mountains!

Also, the Hokushin Gogaku(Five Northern Peaks). There's Mt. Madarao, Mt. Myoko, Mt. Kurohime, Mt. Togakushi, and Mt. Iizuna!

But where I'm from, we don't really call them the Five Northern Peaks. Instead, we take the first character from each of their names, and call then Mamikutoi٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و

Along with learning to ski and experiencing farming, students must come visit the mountains, right( ˊᵕˋ* )?

We started on a difficult topic, but I hope you all learned a little about the hometown I love so much(* ॑꒳ ॑* )!!

Nagano is really a nice place~! People get the impression that it's all rural, but Nagano Station is beautiful, too!

You can see it in the picture, but I think one of the charm points of Nagano is that are never many people in front of the station!

I hope we can hold a concert there one day( *˘ω˘)♡

Hmm? Someday...if we're talking about hometowns...

The hometown of Atsugi Itsuka-chan, Sendai, had a WUG 4th Live Tour performance, didn't it ~(*˙꒳˙*)‧⁺✧︎*

It seems they had a JoJo collab, and they covered "Crazy Noisy Bizzare Town"!

It must have been a really intense performance...!

It was just for one night, so I didn't get a chance to see it, but doing that collab there has a lot of meaning, so doing it only once makes it incredibly precious( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈  )!

Also, TUNAGO!

I watched the choreography video on YouTube, and it was really moving!

I hope that one day we can be like WUG, and become one with our performances( *˘ω˘)!

Well, then, let's change the topic... Mocchi talked about this in her blog on Wednesday, but have you all read "Wake Up, Girls! Eternal Senses"?

I was excited for what happens after the movies, so I decided to read it!

Ranga has already made its appearance...! "Waaah! I got to see Itsuka-chan's various expressions( ；∀；)!!" is how I felt while I was reading.

I even started laughing to myself without thinking while I was reading(///ˊㅿˋ///)

The next chapter will be on September 1st... so that's really far away(∩ˊᵕˋ∩)!!!

Please take a look at it from this URL!! http://www.comic-clear.jp/comic.aspx?c=72

I think I'll go read it again(o´罒`o)

Also, lastly, I snapped this photo during a break in our lessons.

I said "I want to take a photo of all 3 of us", and the two of them came over and did a cute pose(o´罒`o)♡

Well, then, see you next week! Nanami(*´ ³ `)ﾉ

Original post: https://ameblo.jp/rungirlsrun/entry-12300672141.html