#folklifejapan

[folklifejapan]

Equinox Flower in Mitsuhashi

三都橋の彼岸花

We Japanese have some particular days when we believe spirits of our ancestors come back to this world from the world after death. Most important and famous is BON in July or August. Beside it, around Vernal Equinox Day and Autumnal Equinox Day we have days called HIGAN彼岸. This word means 'another side of the river'. Of course it is a land of the dead people. During these days we visit family tomb to hold a memorial service for our ancestors. Equinox Flower( we call it 彼岸花HIGANBANA) blooms during this term. It reminds us of the coming of HIGAN season.  

Thank you for reading my post. I live in mountain area in Aichi pref in Japan. The village’s name is Mitsuhashi. I enjoy rural life there. If you are interested in Japanese life in mountain area, please take a look at my another article.

In that page and following pages I describe one woman’s history. At the time of ww2 and until today, how did she live her life ? I’ll show you it.

[folklifejapan-trainsandflowers]

Dear readers. This page is one of my sub blogs. I made some sub blog pages and posted many photos. But day by day it got difficult to grasp 'where did I post the article' or 'what articles are in this blog page'. So, from now on, I'm going to post my new articles only to my main blog page. That is here. You can see various photos there. I hope you are able to find your favorite ones.

Yours sincerely　　　Shige folklifejapan

[nouveau-riche-princess]

folklifejapan is such a good blog... i love seeing them post

[folklifejapan-niinobon]

[demonvsamurai]

Oni in  'Tales of Ise'

' Tales of Ise ' is a famous story written in 9th or 10th century, one of the oldest novels in Japan. The protagonist of this novel is Narihira who belonged to the aristocracy but had no hope to be promoted.

One day he fell in love with a woman.  The story says thus...

**********************************

Once upon a time, there was a man. He had been making advances to a woman for many years but it was difficult to take her out. Having a lot of difficulty, at last he kidnapped her. In the darkness, they arrived at Akutagara. Then she saw the  dew on the grass and asked him  ' What is that? '

They still had a long way to escape and it was getting late. To make the matters worse, it began to rain heavily with extreme thunderbolts.

So he had her get into a broken house, not knowing it to be a Oni's nest. He stayed outside with a bow and arrow case on his shoulder. He said to himself ' Not yet? I'm looking forward to the dawn'  and he had been  standing out of the broken house. Meanwhile , inside ,Oni caught her swiftly and had eaten her in one bite.  'Alas!' She cried, but because of the thunder, Her scream didn't reach to his ears.

Gradually the sun light came. He looked into the house only to despair. He cried and squirmed in vain.

Then he made a 'Waka'(or 'Tanka' ,very short poem, consists of only 35 syllables)

白玉かなにぞと人の問ひし時　露と答え��消えなましものを

She asked me 'what is that ? , pearl  or anything else? '

At that time , I should disappear off the face of the earth

like a dew leaving grass. (Now I left alone  alive. And in grief and the feeling of loss )

*****************************************

*translated by Shige. from Japanese ancient writing to English

* A clay figure abave is created by Tohkichi Oihira

[folklifejapan]

Buddha, gods and flowers in Shitara 花に埋もれた神仏、設楽の森で 2

A small shrine of 田の神様TA NO KAMISAMA(paddy field god) 

Strolling countryside in Japan we sometimes find a small shrine beside paddy fields. It's for TA NO KAMISAMA. In our faith and folklore he comes down from mountain to village area every February. People enshrine him next to their paddy field. And he stay there until October to guard farmer's agricultural work. And after harvest he returns to mountain. This is a basic pattern of Japanese agricultural faith.

Now I found TANO KAMI SAMA when I was taking photos of flowers. But the paddy field seemed to have been abandoned for long time. At first I felt disappointed. But I saw it twice and three times, and found there was Sakaki sprig. That is a offering.Someone offered it to the shrine. The paddy field had gone. But the faith is still alive.

‘Enshu haguma’, endangered species

���ヌショウマ

[folklifejapan]

Buddha, gods and flowers in Shitara 花に埋もれた神仏、設楽の森で

The area of Shitara town in Aichi Pref is pretty large. But civilized area is limited. Only five or ten minutes drive leads us out the artificial space. Now we arrive at the border where we can find fusion of nature and old human culture.

Above is 'Enshu haguma', endangered species

[folklifejapan]

Autumn has come around my house KappaTei, in Mitsuhashi

[folklifejapan]

Abigan

Now Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have a press interview. One of reporters asked to him about a medicine called Abigan.

(Originally Abigan is a medicine for novel influenza, it's good for the people having flu, except pregnant women and fetus. When a Chinese city Wuhan had Corona pneumonia disaster last month doctors administered this medicine to their patients and had good results. Now many institutes in the world are testing this medicine 'Abigan' to confirm its effectivity and how to use it. )

As the answer for reporter's question, Mr. Abe said. 'If Corona pneumonia patient wants Abigan to be administered he can request his doctor to use it '

I think this is a very huge and important point. If Abigan is effective enough for Corona pneumonia,, If Abigan is not harmful,, If we can construct reasonable medical system to use this medicine,,, Though we still have many 'if' but we can see the light of hope.

[folklifejapan]

Hanamatsuri festival at Kochi(河内), Aichi Pref, Japan, 02

Various gods, some are from myth of Japan(古事記Kojiki)

神話世界の神々、河内の花祭りにて

アメノウズメノミコトAMENOUZUMENOMIKOTO

Many villages in Shitara area have Hanamatsuri festival. Some of them are different from other usual Hanamatsuri in the aspect  of having stories like a stage drama. The  stories came from myth of Japan（古事記 Kojiki）.

河内の花祭りは、記紀神話に由来する演目がいくつかあるというのが特色です。

AMENOUZUME and her followers アメノウズメとその従者

翁 OKINA

ひのねぎHINONEGI

[folklifejapan]

Hanamatsuri festival at Nakashitara, Aichi Pref, Japan 中設楽の花祭り、なう。

[folklifejapan]

2019 Hanamatsuri festival at Higashi-Sonome 3

2019 東薗目の花祭

The festival of rebirth. They believe this holy hot water make their spirits vivid and their bodies healthy. 聖なる水と炎による生まれ清まりの祭り。冬至のころ、肉体と魂の再生を期して行われる湯立神楽です。

[folklifejapan]

Hanamatsuri festival at Tsuki, Aichi Pref, Japan

愛知県北設楽郡東栄町月の花祭り

A festival of winter solstice. Our ancestors believed their spirits got weaken at the season. So they held festival of water and fire in order to get new energy. This is also a festival of rebirth.

[folklifejapan]

Hanamatsuri festival at Kochi(河内), Aichi Pref, Japan, 03

Various gods, some are from myth of Japan(古事記Kojiki)

神話世界の神々、河内の花祭りにて

Kochi's Hanamatsuri has two layers. The base layer is ordinary Hanamatsuri, and story derived from 'Kojiki' is newer layer.  In this festival most remarkable program is '大蛇退治OROCHI TAIJI'  (annihilating huge snake). Of course this is a famous story in Kojiki. A mythical hero 素戔嗚SUSANO defeated an evil huge snake having eight heads by his clever scheme.　　 Now Let's look at festival yard. We can see a great oni, its name is SUSANO.

河内の花祭りは二重構造になっています。本来は普通の花祭りだったものに、記紀神話がか覆いかぶさってきていると言えば良いでしょうか。神話の内容を取り込んだものになっています。「大蛇退治」という演目では、登場する鬼はスサノオノミコトと呼ばれ、獅子が八岐大蛇（やまたのおろち）の代役を務めます。

A Shishi(lion) entered the yard. But in this program it plays a role of huge snake called YAMATA NO OROCHI. By SUSANO's scheme OROCHI had got drunk and lay down. SUSANO (oni) approached it and ,,,,

古事記にある通り、八岐大蛇（代　獅子）は酒に酔っぱらって地に伏します。そこへ、スサノオノミコトが近づいて

槍でグサッ。ひとしきりバトルがあり、スサノオノミコトは倒れ伏した獅子の体内から 天叢雲剣（あめのむらくものつるぎ）を取り出します。（獅子の後ろ足役の人が小剣を素戔嗚に手渡すのが、私の位置から見えました）

He stung Orochi with lance. The two fought for a while. But soon the god won. He took the sword  from Orochi's body. It is called AMANO MURAKUMO NO TSURUGI. (It is one of Three Sacred Treasures.This sword and other two treasures are things that prove their owner to be Japanese emperor, even today).

ほうほうの体で逃げたず八岐大蛇

At last Orochi escaped

[folklifejapan]

Hanamatsuri festival at Kochi(河内), Aichi Pref, Japan, 01

Various gods, some are from myth of Japan(Kojiki)

神話世界の神々、河内の花祭りにて

Many villages in Shitara area have Hanamatsuri festival. Some of them are different from other usual Hanamatsuri in the aspect  of having stories like a stage drama. The  stories came from myth of Japan(古事記 Kojiki).

河内の花祭りは、記紀神話に由来する演目がいくつかあるというのが特色です。

[folklifejapan]

森林鉄道と、ある酒屋の物語 17（日本語&English）

A novel, of memorable liquor store and logging railroad   17

Kurijima River at typhoon 2018 　2018年の台風時の栗島川  

「ここにいては危険だ。少しでも高いところに逃げよう。津島神社が良い」　正之さんは言った。

車軸を流すがごとき大雨である。加えて、立っていられないほどの強風。そして停電。真っ暗闇の中、耳を聾するばかりの川の音がする。子供たち4人を抱えて、無事に神社までたどりつけるだろうか？　我が家からわずか80mのところにあるのだが。

「行こう」という正之さん。「はい」と、覚悟を決めたように、ちか子さんが応える。

一家の命の危機であった。夫婦には二男二女の子供があった。「守らねば、守らねば。この子らを守らねば。伊藤家を守っていかなければ」ちか子さんは思った。

Masayuki-san said 'It's very dangerous to stay here. Let's get away to higher place as much as possible. Tsushima jinja shrine would be proper.'

It rained bitterly and wind blew so extremely. It kept everyone from standing firmly. Moreover the power had been down.

Chikako-san thought  'In the true darkness , are we able to take our four children to the shrine ?  Even if it's only eighty meters.'

'Let us go.' Masayuki-san said.

'Oh yes, my hus' Chikako-san answered with determination.

The matter was  life of whole family. Chikako-san and Masayuki-san had two sons and two daughters.

Chikako-san thought 'I must keep, I must keep their life, and blood of Ito family '

伊勢湾台風。昭和34年（1959）に東海地方を襲った日本史上最悪の台風である。最低気圧は894hPa、中心付近の最大風速は90m/sを記録した（アメリカ軍による観測値）。

6人はずぶぬれになりながら、這うようにして神社の石段を登り、社殿の軒下へと入った。神社のすぐ下に我が家があり、そのすぐ隣が栗島川であった。その川の方から、かすかに音が響いてくる。どどぉん、どどぉんという重低音で、それがだんだんと大きくなる。最初にその音に気付いたのは、まだ幼い次男だった。

「お母さん、あれは何の音」

「え？」

音は次第に大きくなる。そして数も増してくる。あちこちから響いてくる地底の巨人の足音。無数の巨人が行進をしているような、重たい響きだった。

「あれは…」

正之さんはそのあとの言葉を続けることができなかった。

川底の岩石が、大雨による水流に耐え切れず、重い腰を上げて転がり始めた音なのだ。転石は転石を呼び、川のいたるところで、大岩が動き始めているのだった。いくら山の中、川のほとりに住んでいても、生涯何度も経験しないような地響きだった。一家は押し黙って夜明けを待った。

「神様、お助けください」ちか子さんはそうつぶやいて社殿の軒を見上げた。

全国の犠牲者数5098名。甚大な被害の中で夜が明けた。

この時の状況を受け、栗島川に堤防が築かれ、今日の地形へとつながっている。

Isewan typhoon. The most notorious one which attacked Tokai district in Showa 34 (1959). The lowest air pressure was 894hPa, maximum wind speed around its center was 90m/s (measured by US forces).

Being soaked by rain the family climbed  the stone steps at the shrine and arrived at under the shrin's roof. Their house was almost at the foot of the step. And beyond their house, we was able to see Kurijima river run. From the river the strange sounds came. At first they were faint.  More and more they got loud and the number of them got many. Strange base sounds. Their second son noticed them first.

'Mammy, what is that ?'

'What? You say about what '

The sounds got loud more and more and got many. The sounds like giants' footsteps marching in the underground world.

'That is,,'  Masayuki-san tried to answer but he could not continued his words.

Extreme rain caused extreme flow. And it pushed stones and rocks in the river. Eventually even huge stones could not keep themselves staying still. They started to move. Those rolling rocks collided other stones. Then these stones started to move and collided. It was tremendous chain reaction. Even a person who had lived mountain area for long years seldom see such a scene. It was fearful experience.

The family waited for dawn without any words. Chikako-san prayed in her mind 'Please help us, my god, the god of our village '. And she looked up the shrine's eaves.

5,098 people were killed by this disaster. The morning light came but with huge number of victims.

Because of this terrible typhoon the authorities made a embankment along Kurijima river. We can see it today, as a important part of Mitsuhashi's landscape.

堤防とかっぱ亭　embankment and Kappatei 

波乱���平穏を繰り返しつつ、月日は飛ぶように流れていった。

ちか子さんは正之さんとの間に二男二女を設けた。男の子は水中眼鏡を手作りし、すぐ裏手を流れる栗島川で友達と一緒に銛打ちをして、魚を取って遊んだ。女の子たちはお絵描きに精を出し、台所や洗面所の壁にお姫様の絵を描いて楽しんでいた。男の子たちは、落書きよりもシールの方を好んだようだ。伊藤家の家の柱をよく見ると、マジックプリントと呼ばれたガムのおまけのシールがいくつか残っている。

Days and years had passed like an arrow. Their four children grew up soundly. Boys made swimming goggles by themselves and went to Kurijima river next to their house, to spear fishes with their friends. Girls loved drawing. They drew pictures of princess and ladies on the walls in the kitchen or washroom !  Boys preferred to affix seals which are small free gifts, when they bought chewing gum they can get them. Now we can find some anime hero's seals pasted on pillar in this house.

jump to the table of contents 目次のページへ

previous page 前のページへ

next page 次ページへ