Katsushika ward Shibamata

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Katsushika ku 葛飾区 Katsushika ward
"decorated with kuzu 葛 arrowroot "

Formerly a part of
. Musashi no Kuni 武蔵国 Musashi Province .

It might have been a land overgrown with arrowroot.
The name was also spelled 勝鹿, 河都志加, 加止志加 - therefore the original name did not refer to
the kuzu, katsura 葛, but to the land formation of lowlands and ridges near the 利根川 river Tonegawa.

. kuzu 葛 kudzu flower, arrowroot flower .
Pueraria lobata, grows very strong in wetlands
A person like a kuzu, "ningen no kuzu" means "human garbage".

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... one of the special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It lies in the northeast of the ward area. The ward calls itself Katsushika City in English.
The long running film series, the Otoko wa Tsurai yo series starring Kiyoshi Atsumi as Tora-san, takes place in Katsushika, as does the manga series, Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo.
- - - - - History
Katsushika District was originally a division of Musashi Province. When the province was divided and reconfigured, the district was partitioned between Kita-Katsushika District (within Saitama Prefecture), Higashi-Katsushika District (within Chiba Prefecture) and the remainder was based in Tokyo Prefecture. Minami-Katsushika District conformed today's Katsushika Ward proper, plus Edogawa, Koto and Sumida wards.
On October 1, 1932,
the former Minami-Katsushika District of what was then known as Tokyo Prefecture, and its seven towns and villages, merged and became part of the old Tokyo City.
The special ward was founded on March 15, 1947.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

- - - - - Districts - - - - -
. Aoto 青砥 /　青戸 / 青津 Aoto district .
. Horikiri district 掘切 "digging a moat" .
Hosoda 細田
. Iizuka 飯塚 .
Kamakura　鎌倉
. Kameari 亀有 Kameari district . - 西亀有 Nishi-Kameari
. Kanamachi 金町 / Higashi Kanamachi / . / Toganemachi
Kosuge 小菅
. Mizumoto 水元 Mizumoto district .
Higashi Mizumoto / Minami Mizumoto / Nishi Mizumoto / Mizumoto Koen 水元公園
. Niijuku　にいじゅく/ 新宿 .
. Ohanajaya お花茶屋 Ohanajaya district .
Okudo 奥戸
- - Shibamata - see below
Shinkoiwa 新小岩　/ Higashi Shin-koiwa / Nishi Shin-koiwa
Shiratori 白鳥
Takaramachi 宝町
. Takasago 高砂 Takasago district .
. Tateishi 立石村 Tateishi Mura Village .
. Yotsugi 四つ木 / Higashi Yotsugi .

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The name is attested in the 万葉集 Manyōshū so we know this is an ancient name. The probability of it not being Japanese in origin is high.
There are various theories, but none of them are certain.
1 – Katsushika's かつ katsu
comes from an older word カテ kate or カト kato which meant cliff, hill, or knoll. shika しか comes from an older スカ which meant “sandbar.” The general idea being that this name referred to the lowlands on the right bank and the elevated ridge on the left bank of the Tonegawa 利根川 Tone River (present day 江戸川 Edogawa Edo River).
2 – The name was given
to the area by the “people of the south sea”.
According to this theory, in whatever dialect or language these people spoke it referred to a hunting ground.
3 – The kanji is literal. 葛 katsu
is an onyomi and nanori of kuzu arrowroot. 飾 shika is the nanori of kazaru to decorate. Arrowroot is a kind of vine that grows near rivers. It’s an invasive plant that quickly spreads and takes over an area. It is used to make some kinds of jellies for Japanese sweets. If this etymology is accepted, the meaning is then literally “a field or area decorated (overgrown with) Japanese Arrowroot.”
- source : japanthis.com/2013... -

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Katsushika no Mama 葛飾の真間 Mama town
An old poem from the 万葉集 Manyoshu poetry collection :

葛飾の真間の浦廻を漕ぐ舟の舟人騒ぐ波立つらしも
Katsushika no Mama no urama o kogu fune no funabito sawagu nami tatsu rashimo

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真間の紅葉手古那の社継はし Maple Trees at Mama, Tekona Shrine and Linked Bridge
歌川広重　名所江戸百景 Hiroshige

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Mama in Katsushika was described in some Japanese poems in Manyoshu (Myriad Leaves), and many poets have written Mama in their works since then.
In Edo period, Hiroshige painted Mama in his work 'Edo Meisho Hyakkei' (the 100 best scenic places in Edo), and Mama was introduced as one of the best spots in Edo in Edo Meisho Zue (a guide book of Edo), Issa Kobayashi, a famous haiku poet, and Mitsukuni Mito, a famous lord and a relative of Tokugawa Shogun Family, visited.
In early 20th century, many people loved and lived in Mama, many writers such as Rohan Koda, Shotaro Yasuoka, Hakushu Kitahara and Kafu Nagai lived and wrote memories of Mama and Ichikawa city.

- - - - - Ota Dokan
武士のいくさの場の勝しかや国はこころのままの継ぎはし
Mononofu no ikusaba no Katsushika ya kuni wa kokoro no Mama no Tsugihashi

Mama no tsugihashi - the connecting bridge of Mama
Mama no Tsughihashi Bridge is a small bridge with red parapets under the stone steps in front of the Niomon Gate of Mamasan Guhoji Temple has described in some poems since the period of Manyoshu or Myriad Leaves. The word Tsugihashi means that a bridge attached with planks, so it was a simple wooden bridge connected several wooden bridges to be built on the sandbar called Ichikawa Sasu, it might be called Mama no Irie (Mama Cove), Mama no Ura (Mama Creek) and Mama no Hama (Mama Beach) in thousand years ago. Mama where Tsugihashi Bridge built over was popular scenic spot during Edo period,

- - - - - Priest Nittei
足の音せず行かむ駒もが葛飾の　真間の継橋やまず通わむ
Ashi no oto sezu yukamu koma mo ga Katsushika no Mama no Tshughihashi yamazu kayowamu

I would like to get a horse that could run silently
since I would like to pass Mama no Tsugihasi bridge in Katsushika
to visit my sweetheart every day.

- - - - -Masaoka Shiki
真間寺や枯木の中の仁王門
Mamadera ya kareki no naka no niomon

冬枯やはるかに見ゆる真間の寺
fuyugare ya haruka ni miyuru Mama no tera

Mamasan Guhoji Temple - page with more poems about Mama.
- source : smileandhappiness.net/mama...-

真間弘法寺 Mama Kobo-Ji
江戸名所図会 Edo Meisho Zue

- Homepages of Mamasan Guho-Ji
- reference source : mamasan.or.jp... -

- Mamasan Guhoji Temple - The Head Temple of Nichiren Sect
- reference source : mamasan-guhoji-temple-english... -

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Shibamata 柴又 Shibamata district
葛飾区柴又 Katsushika Shibamata

The old name was Shimamata 嶋俣 "Island with thighs".
There were many islands in this area, some with strange formations along the river.
Already since the Nara period about 40 families lived here.
The name was later written 柴俣, Shibamata. At the beginning of the Edo period, the characters 柴又 were used.
The farmers of 柴又村 Shibamata village often suffered from the flooding of the river 江戸川 Edogawa, with famine and epidemics.
One village headman, 斉藤七郎右衛門 Saito Shichroemon, worked hard with the Bakufu government to improve the crops of the farmers and helped the village to survive. 40 years later in 1826, a memorial was erected in the Shrine 柴又八幡神社　Shibamata Hachiman Jinja.

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While not the largest shrine in Katsushika, there is something special about Shibamata Hachiman Shrine.
The original shrine was reportedly to have been built on top of an ancient tomb of the Shibamata village according to documents from the Edo period.
A 98 ft. (30 meters) circular mound was found and it dates from the 6th to 7th century.
According to historical documents, the shrine is mentioned as part of Shibamata Village, known as Shimamurasato was found in the Shosoin documents dated back in the year 721 and it is mentioned that a main hall was build on an ancient tomb.
The shrine was rebuilt or restored in 1633 but the current shrine was rebuilt in May 1943.
- source and photos : dennis amith com -

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Close to Shibamata is
Yagiri no watashi 矢切の渡し, the river crossing of Yagiri
Yagiri no Watashi was a famous exit road of Edo, crossing the river 江戸川 Edogawa
to the village of Yagiri in 千葉 Chiba.

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Before there were bridges, people were using ferry boats to cross the rivers in Tokyo, as they were doing anywhere else. The only place where this is still in use in Tokyo is in Shibamata, albeit just for tourists. This crossing is called the Yagiri no Watashi.
A ferry, without motor, connects Shibamata with Matsudo city in Chiba prefecture as it has been done for the past 400 years. Maximum 30 people can take place in the boat and it takes 10 minutes to cross the Edogawa river.
This crossing,
together with the Taishakuten temple, is part of the 100 Landscapes of Japan that represent Japan during the Heisei era (the current time period started in 1989 when Emperor Akihito acceded to the throne, time periods in Japan coincide with the reign of an emperor). Only 7 places in Tokyo made it on this list, which means this is really a place dear to many Japanese. It is also part of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan, a list of 100 places in Japan where natural and traditional sounds prevail. It was made in 1996 by the Japanese Ministry of Environment in an effort to combat noise pollution and protect the environment.

The crossing has its origin in connecting the two farm communities at either side of the river. It has sort of an idyllic atmosphere around it thanks to the novel from Sachio Itō titled Nogiku no Haka (“The Wild Daisy” from 1906, literal translation: Grave of Wild Chrysanthemum) and a song about the crossing written by Miyuki Ishimoto. The novel was made into movies in 1955, 1966 and in 1981.
- source : old-tokyo.info/yagiri-no-watashi... -

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Yagirinegi, Yagiri negi 矢切葱 / 矢切ねぎ leek from Yagiri
was grown along the Edogawa river bank at temple 西蓮寺 Sairen-Ji in Chiba.

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Shibamata Taishaku-Ten temple 柴又帝釈天

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Shibamata Taishakuten is a Buddhist temple in Katsushika, Tokyo.
Founded in 1629, the main image is of Taishakuten.In 1996 the Ministry of the Environment designated the temple and its ferryboat as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan. In 2009 the temple and its ferryboat were selected as one of the 100 Landscapes of Japan (Heisei era).
- source : wikipedia -

. Taishaku-Ten 柴又帝釈天 .
One of the most famous ita honzon 板本尊 deity carved on a wooden plank is at Taishaku Ten in Shibamata.
Monkey amulets from Shibamata Taishaku Ten

Otoko wa Tsurai yo 　男はつらいよ　"It's Tough Being a Man"
Katsushika Shibamata Torasan Memorial Hall
- source : gotokyo.org/en... -

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Shibamata Shichifukujin pilgrimage 柴又七福神

. Shibamata Shichifukujin 七福神 Seven Gods of Good Luck .

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Katsushika 葛飾区

. Dairokuten Ma-O 第六天魔王 Number Six Heavenly Deity .
There were Shrines for this fearful deity in many areas of Edo.

葛飾区亀有の高木神社（旧称：第六天社）Katsushika, Kameari - Takagi Jinja
北葛飾郡杉戸町下野 - 第六天社 Kita-Katsushima district, Sugito

. 高木神社 Takagi Jinja .

This deity punishes the bad and rewards the good people.
Once upon a time,
There was an epidemy in the village 宝木塚村 Hogizuka with many dead people. The reason was the missing faith in a protecting deity - or so they said. Finally they got a deity from 第六天神社 Dairokuten Jinja in Asakusa and the epidemy stopped.

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. 龍燈 / 龍灯 / 竜灯と伝説 Legends about Ryuto, "Dragon Lantern" .
In Katsushika village at 木下川浄光寺 the temple Joko-Ji in Kinegawa there was always a dragon lantern to be seen on the eighth day of each month and on the third day of the first lunar month.
When priest 慈覚大師 Jikaku Daishi wisited the Northern region, he stayed some time at 浅草寺 Asakusadera.
One day an old man with white hair appeared and told him, that in the East there was 霊地 a sacred place where he should place a statue of himself. So he prepared a statue and set off to the East. Suddenly he saw auspicious clouds all in one place and then a 青竜 green dragon in the clouds.
So Ennin founded a temple here for the dragon. The dragon was happy about this and then his features dissolved again in the sky.
But from time to time there were 竜燈 dragon lights in the area now.

. Ennin - Jigaku Daishi 慈覚大師 / 慈覺大師 (794 – 864) .

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sekiji 赤児 a baby
In 1825 on the 18th day of the second lunar month, a fisherman named 与右衛門 Yoemon from 葛飾郡柳島 Yanagishima (Katsushika district) went to his usual place for fishing. There he found a strange baby with four holes in the ears, four arms and two legs.

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. 立石稲荷神社石祠 Tateishi Inari Jinja Stone Sanctuary .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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- - - - - H A I K U and S E N R Y U - - - - -

. かつしかや月さす家は下水端 .
katsushika ya tsuki sasu ie wa gesui-bata

Kobayashi Issa
the Katsushika haiku school

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