Yotsuya district Shinjuku

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Yotsuya 四谷 / 四ッ谷 Yotsuya district - "four valleys"
Shinjuku, 一丁目 - 四丁目 from the first to the fourth subdistrict.

The four valleys are
千日谷 Sennichidani, 茗荷谷 Myogadani, 千駄ヶ谷 Sendagaya and 大上谷 Okamidani.
. Sendagaya 千駄ヶ谷 Sendagaya district .

There were also yotsuya 四ツ家 four rest houses on the 甲州街道 Koshu Highway:
梅屋 Umeya, 保久屋 Hokuya, 茶屋 Chaya and 布屋 Nunoya.
. Koshu Kaido 甲州街道 Kōshū Kaidō Highway .



- quote -
It is a former ward (四谷区 Yotsuya-ku) in the now-defunct Tokyo City.
In 1947, when the 35 wards of Tokyo were reorganized into 23, it was merged with Ushigome ward of Tokyo City and Yodobashi suburban ward of Tokyo-fu to form the modern Shinjuku ward.
- History
Before the growth of Edo, Yotsuya was a farming village outside the city. In 1634, with the digging of the outer moat around Edo Castle, many temples and shrines moved to Yotsuya. The moat had stone walls, and a mitsuke, or watch tower, was also built. Yotsuya Mitsuke stood near the present-day Yotsuya Station.
The relocation of the temples and construction of the mitsuke brought settlements of workers, and following the devastating Meireki fire, many more people moved to Yotsuya, which had been spared. Gradually the area became part of the city of Edo.
In 1695,
the shōgun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi ordered the establishment of a vast dog kennel. The purpose was to board stray dogs as part of his policy of showing mercy to animals. The facility outside the Yotsuya Gate occupied 20,000 tsubo (66,000 m2; 710,000 sq ft).
Yotsuya developed rapidly
due to its central location. In 1894, the Kōbu Railway, predecessor of the present-day Chūō Line, extended its existing railway line between Shinjuku and Tachikawa to Ushigome and opened Yotsuya and Shinanomachi stations. The railway enabled the easy transport of raw materials into the area; soon, pencil, tobacco and other industries moved in and began Yotsuya's rapid industrial development.
Many historic temples and graves are located in Yotsuya.
Among them are Sainen-ji, where the grave of the ninja Hattori Hanzō and his lance are interred.
- more in the wikipedia -

The name of the station is written 四ツ谷駅.


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犬御用屋敷跡　inu yashiki 犬小屋 remains of the dog kennel

In 1695, there were so many dogs that Edo began to smell horribly.
An apprentice was even executed because he wounded a dog. Finally, the trouble was taken to a distance, as over 50,000 dogs were deported to kennels in the suburbs of the city where they would be housed.
They were apparently fed rice and fish which were at the expense of the taxpaying citizens of Edo.
. Tokugawa Tsunayoshi 徳川綱吉 (1646 - 1709) .

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Misty Morning at Yotsuya Mitsuke
. Kawase Hasui 川瀬巴水 (1883 - 1957) .


. Yotsuya Arakicho district 四谷荒木町 .
荒木町 Arakicho, Araki district

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- quote -

Yotsuya Okido 四谷大木戸 Big Gate at Yotsuya

Yotsuya Ōkido was the checkpoint established at Yotsuya in 1616 (the second year of Genna)
to control those passing through
and packages going into and out of Edo via the Kōshū Highway.
In 1792 (the fourth year of Kansei), both the gate and the guardhouse were demolished,
so that people and horses could cross the checkpoint freely.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Museum -

A stone marker in its memory

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

. Legends from Shinjuku ward .


.................................................................................　四ッ谷 Yotsuya district

Yotsuya Kaidan 四谷怪談 The Ghost Story of Yotsuya


- Utagawa Kuniyoshi's portrait of O-Iwa お岩

- quote -
the story of Oiwa and Tamiya Iemon, is a tale of betrayal, murder, and ghostly revenge.
Arguably the most famous Japanese ghost story of all time, it has been adapted for film over 30 times, and continues to be an influence on Japanese horror today.
Written in 1825 by Tsuruya Nanboku IV as a kabuki play,
the original title was Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan (東海道四谷怪談; translation: Ghost Story of Yotsuya in Tokaido). It is now generally shortened, and loosely translates as
Ghost Story of Yotsuya.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

. Kaidan 怪談 ghost and monster stories .

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When Yotsuya had been burned down after a fire,
a wife was sitting outside in the evening. She saw an old man with white hair, laughing and coming closer.
She closed her eyes and begun to recite 普門品 the Kannon Sutra. When she was finished she opened her eyes again and saw that the woman from the neighbours family had become crazy.

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kaijo 怪女 a mysterious woman
In 四ッ谷大番町 Yotsuya Obancho in the year 1799, there was a strong rain at night. The servant of a Samurai came home late and on this way he met a woman. After that he met that woman every night. The Samurai had this man observed. When he lay in his bed moaning, the Samurai drew his sword. Now a black cat jumped out of the bed and ran away as fast as it could.

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. kitsune densetsu 狐と伝説 fox legends .
Around 1760, there lived a sword master in Yotsuya, who was riding a kago 籠 palanquin. Part of his robes peaked out and then a tail . . . it was a fox! The palanquin carriers were much afraid and did not get any money.
The next day they were bewitched by this fox and eventually thrown out of their families and died alone.
.
On another occasion a person was seen hitting a nail into the sacred tree of the Inari Shrine to curse someone.
He was also bewitched by a fox.
. shinboku 神木, shinju　神樹　sacred tree, divine tree .

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. Taira no Masakado 平将門 (? - 940) .

One 旗本家 Hatamoto samurai family living in Yotsuya once got the kabuto 兜 helmet of Masakado by some of his descendants in exchange for money. On the first night in the new home, the house begun to scream and squeek and shake and rumble, so next morning they gave it back to its owner.


Masakado no kabuto 将門の兜 the helmet of Masakado


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Yotsuya 四ツ谷乗運寺横町 Joun-Ji Yokocho

ishi Jizoo odoru 石地蔵踊る dancing stone Jizo
The stone statue of Jizo Bosatsu at the temple Joun-Ji is sometimes dancing . . . but that is just a rumor.

. Jizō - Jizo Bosatsu 地蔵菩薩 - ABC List .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

. Edo, Tokyo　江戸 - 東京 - 伝説 Legends Index .

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. Shinjuku　新宿区　Shinjuku Ward .


. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .

. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government .

. Doing Business in Edo - 商売　- Introduction .

. Japanese Architecture - The Japanese Home .

. Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .


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Minato ward legends

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Legends from Minato ward

. Minato ward 港区 .



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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

. tanuki 狸 - mujina 狢　－ racoon dog, badger legends .

tanuki no kai 狸の怪 Tanuki monster
In the third lunar month of 1828 there was an old woman without any relatives working in a home. She fell ill and could not breath.
Soon many Tanuki came to the home, as if to visit the old woman. As the woman got worse, Amida appeared at her side and took her hand.
Then someone saw an old Tanuki come out of the room
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furudanuki 古狸 old Tanuki from Enokizaka slope 榎坂
At Enokizaka lived some soldiers in a rented home. Often someone strange came there at night.
In 1634, on the 15th day of the first lunar month one man hid after pretending to go to bed to see what was happening.
Something wit great sparkling eyes appeared. He caught an old Tanuki, he said!
But people thought that was impossible in the town and the man must have told a lie. The man soon disappeared.

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bakemono 化物 monster
A yoriki 与力 police officer named Kiribuchi lived in a house where a monster had been seen.
- One day a man called 雪飛 Yukihi visited Kiribuchi. He saw a maid-servant running down from the second floor with a pale-green face of fear, saying she had seen a monster upstairs. When Yukihi carefully went upstairs, the dressing table was open and in the mirror he saw something like a monster.
- One day the wife of Kiribuchi called her maid servant. The servant opened the door, kneeling on the floor asking what was the matter. When the wife looked closely, her face looked like a juubako 重箱 food box with many layers. Later they found a deep hole under the floor. After filling this hole the monster did not appear any more.

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butsubatsu 仏罰 Buddha's punishment
On the 28th day of the 8th lunar month in 1680, there was the ritual of painting eyes to the statue of the Gread Buddha of Edo.
They found four nails in the back of the statue and one parishioner wanted to pull them out, but could not do it. He got angry, but now some wood fell down and he got great wounds on four fingers of both hands.

. Tokyo Daibutsu 東京大仏 Great Buddha of Tokyo .
Joorenji 乗蓮寺 Temple Joren-Ji
板橋区赤塚5－28 / 5 Chome-28 Akatsuka, Itabashi ward

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. hebi 蛇と伝説 Legends about snakes and serpents .
Under a tree, a snake had swallowed a child of 4 years. The father of the child followed the snake and came closer. The snake blew a poisonous breath at him and his eyes could not open any more.

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hako 箱 box
One greedy practitioner of Shinto rituals once performed an exorcist ritual for a crazy man and got a box as reward. He was told never to open the box.
When he came home, others had brought him many treasures and he slept among them with his family.
The next morning, all the treasures had become impure.

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hotaru 螢 fireflies
At 蛇池 the Snake Pond at 龍土町 Ryudo district in Edo, someone went to see the fireflies. But there were so many, they overwhelmed him and he run back home in fear.
This happened in other parts of Japan too. This happens if the weeds turn bad at the beginning of summer.
. hotaru 螢 fireflies and Haiku .

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oootoko 大男 O-Otoko, giant
A man named 小島清次郎 Kojima Saijiro once scooped for fish at the river 古川 Furukawa with a friend.
Kojima had his leg and did not go into the river, he stood outside and held the bucket. A giant appeared and hindered him from walking this road. Kojima was a large man himself, so he was not so surprized and passed the giant by his side. When he looked in the bucket later, the four fish were all gone.

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reiken, reigen 霊験 miracle
In the autumn of 1795, an ill man living in 麻生 Asao had a dream. He went near the fox shrine 椙田稲荷 / 杉田稲荷 Sugita Inari, where there lived an old woman who performed purification rituals for him.
He should go to the Inari Shrine, say prayers and rub his ailing stomach. He did as told and was soon healed. As word spread, more people came to pray here and the man distributed clean rice to them. The Shrine became so popular, the Edo government later forbid people to go thear and soon the fad subsided.

Asao ku 麻生区（あさおく）Asao ward
in 川崎市 Kawasaki town (formerly part of Tokyo)
Asao-ku is one of the 7 wards of the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture.

- source : city.kawasaki.jp/en... -

Under the Nara period Ritsuryō system, what is now Kawasaki Ward became part of Tachibana District Musashi Province.
. Kawasaki in the Edo Period along the river Tamagawa　多摩川 .

. Asao Fudo Temple 麻生不動だるま市 Daruma Market .

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yoobo 妖姥 / ヨウボ old monster hag
In the family of a yoriki 与力 police officer a baby had been born. The sanba 産婆 midwife took the baby in her arms and run to the empty nagaya 長屋 long store house.
When the family members run after her and finally got hold of her, she was indeed the midwife.
The old midwife who had taken the baby out of the house had disappeared. But soon after the whole estate went up in fire.



.................................................................................　Akasaka 赤坂

. Hikawa Jinja 氷川神社 Akasaka 赤坂 .

Hikawa Myoojin 氷川明神 Hikawa Myojin and 十一面観音Juichimen Kannon
Around 950, a priest named 連林 Renrin from 近江国甲賀郡 Koga came to study to Hikawa.
That night he had a dream. An old man with white hair came to him and told him to dig out something from the ground and venerate it. This would become 守護神 the protector deity of the area.
When Renrin looked around he saw something golden and dug it out. It was 十一面観音 a statue of Kannon with 11 heads. So he built a Shrine and venerated it.
In 1066 there was a gread drought in the Kanto area and people came here to pray for rain. And indeed, it begun to rain soon.

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In Akasaka there lived a stupid kojiki 乞食 beggar called 亀次 Kameji.
After his death, he was reborn in the family of a Daimyo.
When the baby was born, it could not open its hand. Later when it finally opened its hand, the word KAMEJI was written inside.

. kojiki 乞食 beggar / binboonin 貧乏人 Bimbo, "a poor person" .
and Haiku by Kobayashi Issa

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. 赤坂伝馬町 Akasaka Denmacho .
小伝馬町 Kodenmacho and 大伝馬町 Odenmacho district

In Denmacho there was a strange person seen every night, almost like a monster from Ikebukuro.
One evening a man put a piece of paper and a brush outside. When the strange person passed, it stopped and wrote something like a word.




.................................................................................　Atago 愛宕

onigawara 鬼瓦 demon roof tiles
At 天徳寺 temple Tentoku-Ji in 愛宕下 Atago-shita there is a demon roof tile with a tokin 兜巾（ときん）Buddhist cap.
Once upon a time, there was a fire and the sparks seemed to set the roof in flames. From this roof tile water begun to spray and the fire was extinguished.

. onigawara 鬼瓦 demon roof tiles .


Tengu wearing a TOKIN.



.................................................................................　Azabu 麻布

iseki 異石 a strange stone
There are five different strange stones in Azabu:
麻布に異石が５種類ある。
寒山拾得石像に切られた痕が残っている。
夜久神の石像は願をかけると験が多く、長谷寺の僧の霊夢によって長谷寺に置かれるようになった。
陰陽石が縁結びの願を成就する。
道路に埋った石が願を成就する。
烏帽子形の石に日月の像が現れた。

Nearby was a rock called takaishi 鷹石 "hawk rock".
When the villagers tried to dig it out a long long time ago, there had a mysterious atmosphere about it, but that is lost today.


source : deepazabu.blogspot.com...
鷹石（烏石）Takaishi

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kieta onna 消えた女　a woman vanished
A man named 玉置清吉 Tamaki Seikichi walked along 麻布古川 Azabu Furukawa (old river) in the evening without carrying a lantern. A beautiful woman of about 40 years came walking toward him. He thought this was strange and wanted to let her pass, but the woman stopped to ask him the way. He told her where to go, and the woman did not even answer, but just went on. When he looked back a few moments later, the woman had vanished, but he heard a strange laughter from the river.


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Azabu Ichibei town 麻布市兵衛町

. kitsune densetsu 狐と伝説 fox legends .
In June 1752, the maid servant of a villager of Azabu Ichibei village was suddenly possessed by a fox. They tried all kinds of exorcism, but nothing helped.
The fox seemed to live in 松平紀伊守様屋敷 the estate of Matsudaira, Governor of Mikawa.
His daughter was from the Inari shrine in the estate of the Lord of Ishikawa 石川近江守様屋敷の稲荷, his wife from the Inari shrine of Sannocho 山王町の稲荷.
So they built a small Inari shrine to honor the fox family and prayed for the protection from fires.

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. unagi うなぎ /　鰻 a crazy eel restaurant owner .



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Azabu Kogaicho 麻布笄町

yashagami 夜叉神 Yasha deity -渋谷金王麿 Shibuya Konnomaru
At Azabu Kogaicho is 長谷寺 the temple Hasedera with a hall for the Yasha deity, 夜叉明王堂 Yasha Myo-O Do.
When Shibuya Shigeie build a castle, he had a stone statue of this deity buried in the Northern corner of the castle.
When later in the Edo period 阿部豊後守の臣安川繁成 Yasukawa Shigenari (1839 - 1906) lived here, he had a well dug out and they found the stone statue.
He kept it close to himself as his protector deity and sometimes saw Konnomaru in his dream, so he enshrined it. Later he had made 鬼の面 a demon mask with a features of Konnomaru.
The story is also told in Kabuki theater.

... Actor Ichikawa Ebizô as Shibuya Konnomaru Masatoshi

金王八幡宮 Konno Hachimangu Shrine
東京都渋谷区渋谷3-5-12 / 3 Chome-5-12 Shibuya



The Shrine was founded by the Shibuya clan in 1092.
河崎基家 Kawasaki Motoie (General of the Heian period), also called 渋谷重家 Shibuya Shigeie.
The Shrine was not destroyed in WWII and still shows the style of the Edo period.
Shinmon gate, Shaden, Haiden, Kaguraden, Homotsuden
- Deity in residence
応神天皇(品陀和気命) Ojin Tenno - Homutawake or Hondawake
15th emperor of Japan

- quote -
Konnō Hachiman Shrine 金王八幡社 Konno Hachiman Sha

Konnō Hachimangū Shrine 金王八幡宮 was said to have been founded in 1092 by 河崎基家 Kawasaki Motoie
who had built Shibuya Castle and become the founder of the Shibuya Clan.
It was also famous for a rare cherry tree named 金王桜 "Konnō- zakura" which blooms in the precinct with the mixture of single and double petalled flowers on each branch.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Museum -

At the end of the Edo period, the temple 澁谷山親王院 東福寺 Shibuyazan Shinno-In Tofuku-Ji was build next to it.
The eldest son of Kawasaki Motoie, 常光 Tsunemitsu, came here to pray.
He thus became an incarnation of the deity 金剛夜叉明王 Konno Yasha Myo-O. He then called himself
金王丸 / 金王麿 Konnomaru, Konno Maro.


.................................................................................　Shiba 芝

Shiba Myojin Shrine 芝神明社 / 芝大神宮 Shiba Daijingu / 芝神明 Shiba Shinmei
1 Chome-12-７ Shibadaimon, Minato, Tokyo
In the 9th lunar month of 1005, in 武蔵国日比谷村 Hibiya mura village in Musashi no kuni it begun to rain 幣帛 ritual wands and 大牙 large animal fangs from the clear sky. An oracle said a Shrine should be built here. This is the beginning of prestigious Shiba Myojin Shrine.

. Shiba Daijinguu 芝大神宮 Shiba Daijingu Shrine .

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. Zoojooji, Zōjō-ji 増上寺 Temple Zojo-Ji .
the family temple of the Tokugawa family - with some legends below
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choozubachi 手水鉢 hand-wash basin
The hand-wash basin of the temple was made from a special stone. Even after many years the water never got dirty.
Come too much rain or drought, the water level always stayed the same.

source : db.nichibun.ac.jp/ja...
water-tank at Shiba, with its monolith columns, on the tops of which festooned drapery in colours and gold is painted...
(Dresser, Christopher, 1834-1904)
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dochuu no fugu 土中の河豚 a Fugu blowfish in the earth
On the 17th day of the second lunar month in 1725 during the construction of a new building at Zojo-Ji they found a very large living fugu 河豚 puffer fish in the ground!
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. kitsune densetsu 狐と伝説 fox legends .
A young priest living in a dormitory at Zojo-Ji was bewitched by a fox and began moving like a woman. He told the head of the dormitory that he had lived in a small sanctuary in the park, but when the head of the dormitory destroyed the sanctuary, he had lost his home. Now he wanted a new 祠 sanctuary shrine.
The headmaster found out that many years ago there was someone called 花崎 Hanazaki, so he had a shrine built with a torii gate and called it
Hanazaki-sha 花崎社 Hanazaki Shrine.
- - - - -
In the dormitory there was a small sancturay for a fox. The priests came here to have rituals and make offerings there on special days. Once after the offerings, a priest came to the dormitory door the next morning where he saw an ols man wearkng an eboshi 烏帽子 ritual cap asking for a favor. He had lived in the sanctuary for a long time, but now a new sanctuary for 弁天 Benten was putting shadow on his place and he wanted it to be relocated.
When the priest reported this to the head of the dormitory. The head found out that the priest making the offerings had in fact thought of Benten to grant him a wish. Anyway, they relocated the sanctuary and the man wearing the ritual cap came back to express his gratitude.
- - - - -
. nekomata 猫また monster cat Yokai .
Around 1700 in a side-temple of Zojo-Ji called 徳水院 Tokuzui-In there lived 赤猫 a red cat. Once the cat was running after a mouse when it fell from the ceiling and called the prayer out
南無三宝 Namu Sanbo for help. People thought it might be a cat monster, but the animal disappeared soon after.
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. Onyo 音誉聖観上人 Saint Onyo Shokan Shonin .
音誉上人自ら火車に乗る Onyo Shonin riding the kasha 火車 "burning chariot"
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. Ryogaku 了学上人 Saint Ryogaku Shonin (1549 - 1634) .


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Shiba Tamachi 芝田町

. hebi 蛇と伝説 Legends about snakes and serpents .
In the eighth district of Tamachi lived a woman who had hated her husband. When she died they found a large dead serpent under her futon 蒲団 matres. The husband threw the serpent into the sea, but it came back to life and was back at the home before the husband returned.
After the official 49 days of mourning for his wife he got himself a new wife. But this woman fled the house the next morning.
One can only wonder what terrible thing happened in the house that night !

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -


. Edo, Tokyo　江戸 - 東京 - 伝説 Legends Index .

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- - - To join me on facebook, click the image !

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. Minato ward 港区 .


. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .

. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government .

. Doing Business in Edo - 商売　- Introduction .

. shokunin 職人 craftsman, craftsmen, artisan, Handwerker .

. senryu, senryū 川柳　Senryu poems in Edo .

. Japanese Architecture - The Japanese Home .

. Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .


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Shinjuku ward legends

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Legends from Shinjuku ward

. Shinjuku　新宿区　Shinjuku Ward .



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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

A legend from Shinjuku and Nakano ward 新宿区，中野区

daija no hone 大蛇の骨 bones of a huge serpent
At the temple 円照寺 Ensho-Ji in Shinjuku and 豊仙寺 / 宝仙寺 Hosen-Ji in Nakano there are parts of the bones of one huge serpent kept as secret treasures.
River water can be poured over the bones for an oracle about coming rain.
At the temple Hosen-Ji the water from the well 井の頭 Inokashira is used for offerings.

. Temple 豊仙寺 / 宝仙寺 Hosen-Ji . - Nakano ward

. Inokashira　井の頭 "Head of the Well" .

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

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. Ochiai 落合 Ochiai district .

Ochiai no Kappa 落合の河童 The Kappa from Ochiai
In 1571, there was a great famine in Edo. From spring to July it was only raining and everything was overflown.
In 落合村の下落合 the village of Ochiai in Shimo-Ochiai there was a mountain priest named 佐貫坊 Sanuki Bo, who had caught a Kappa. This Kappa had fallen in love with a 人魚 "human fish".
Sanuki Bo promised the Kappa that his love would be fulfilled, if he would stop the rain and flooding.
Thus he saved the area.


Kappa bottom right, human fish top right !

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. Ushigome 牛込 Ushigome district legends .

. Yotsuya 四谷 / 四ッ谷 Yotsuya district legends .
Yotsuya Kaidan 四谷怪談 the famous Ghost Story of Yotsuya and many more

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. Ichigaya Sanaizaka 市谷左内坂町 Ichigaya Sanaizaka district .

. tanuki 狸 - mujina 狢　－ racoon dog, badger legends .
Once a man fled from the Great Fire at Meguro Gyoninzaka and in Ichigaya Sanaizaka he found a woman crying.
She had fled her home because of the fire, so he brought her back and she said she would give him something to eat. All of a sudden he fell asleep.
When he woke up, the woman was also sleeping, but he saw hair around her mouth and thought she looked like an old Tanuki. It was a male badger with his larte testicles hanging out showing burns. He tried to kill the Tanuki, but he woke up and run away as fast as he could.

. Meguro 目黒行人坂の大火 Meguro Gyoninzaka (Meiwa no taika fire) .


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Yonbangai 四番街 / 四番町 Yonbancho "fourth district"



In a small alley in Yonbangai there was the estate of 織田屋敷 the Oda clan. The living quarters in the storehouse suddenly collapsed and people say it was the doing of chiyo 地妖 an earth monster.

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. datsueba 奪衣婆 / ダツエバ the Hag of Hell .
She sits near the river crossing to Hell and takes the cloths of people who can not pay properly for the crossing.
On a cold evening
a begger came to the Buddha Hall where a statue of Datsueba was kept and stole a cushion to sleep warm in a different place.
In his dream, Datsueba appeared and said "The cushion you stole must be quite warm!"
The beggar woke up, regretted his deed and brought the cushion back the next day.

. kojiki 乞食 beggar .

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. The Deity Hachiman Daibosatsu 八幡大菩薩 .
- Matsudaira Naotsugu 松平直次 and the Owari Tokugawa Family

- - - - -

. kitsune 狐 fox and 茶の木稲荷 Chanoki Inari .
at Ichigaya Hachiman 市ヶ谷八幡

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. Kooshin 庚申 The Koshin Deity .
Once a child was hit by a car, but did not have and injuries.
On another day, a car bumped right into a restaurant, but there were no people and nobody got hurt.
People say that Koshin Sama is protecting this area.

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Once a stingy chooja 長者 very rich man buried his gold and silver in a lonely field and then killed the servant who had helped him.
He threw the dead body from a bridge into the nearby river.
This bridge is therefore called 姿不見橋（すがたみず）Sugatamizubashi or 橋や俤橋（おもかげ）Omokagebashi.
When his daughter found out about this, she turend into a serpent.
The rich man changed his attitude and died peacefully later on.

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. nekomata 猫俣, 猫又, 猫叉, 猫股 "forked cat" monster .
Once a traveler had taken a prostitute to a lodging.
She begun to lick the oil of the lamp all night and he thought she must be a cat monster.
But she then told him she had hurt her tongue and tried to heal the wound with oil.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

. Edo, Tokyo　江戸 - 東京 - 伝説 Legends Index .

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .

. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government .

. Doing Business in Edo - 商売　- Introduction .

. shokunin 職人 craftsman, craftsmen, artisan, Handwerker .

. senryu, senryū 川柳　Senryu poems in Edo .

. Japanese Architecture - The Japanese Home .

. Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .


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Chuo ward legends

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Legends from Chuo ward

. Chūō ku, Chuuoo Ku 中央区 Chuo Ward "Central Ward" .



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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

中央七不思議 Chuo Nana Fushigi - Seven Wonders of Chuo ward
- - - - - From the Summer of the year 1799.
A man caught a strange animal.
Then a woman gave birth to eggs.
One female dog copulated with two male dogs.
A child drowned in a water bucket.
After a peace treaty, a man had a sword wound.
After a three-day fight for a well started on a 三日月 three-day new moon and ended the next month on the third day.
Kamakura Gongorō Kagemasa 鎌倉権五郎景政 - (1069 - ?) lost his eyesight from an arrow wound.
- - - - -
. 霊岸島の七不思議 seven wonders of Reiganjima .
- - - - -
. Edo Nana Fushigi 江戸七不思議 The Seven Wonders of Edo　 .
- - - - - including
八丁堀七不思議 seven wonders of Hatchobori
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. Tengu 天狗と伝説 Tengu legends "Long-nosed Goblin" .

- - - - - from Fukiyacho
Tengu no misemono 天狗のみせ物 a Tengu show
At a show performance they paraded a "Tengu", with a robe decorated with feathers of an owl painted all red. Sometimes they use the feathers of other birds.

- - - - - from Nihonbashi
A man had been missing suddenly, but later a letter from him arrived, saying it was too difficult for him to come back home.
It must have been a Tengu, people thought.
.
The servant of a merchant, about 15 years old, went to the sento 銭湯 public bath. When he came back, he wore traveler's robes and said "I am just home from my family visit!" He even had some presents from home.
But at his family house, they have not seen him. He must have been bewitched by a Tengu, most probably.


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. Fukiyachoo 葺屋町 Fukiyacho district of roof thatchers .

Sugiyama Daimyojin 杉山大明神 Sugiyama Daimyojin deity
In the year 1813 carpenters cut down a shinboku 神木の松 sacred pine tree to built a theater, but the building was cursed and did not prosper.
A few years before that a female servant had been bewitched by a fox and the villagers promised to built a sanctuary, but did not.
Another disaster was the sail of a boat catching fire and the mast cracked broken.

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. Hatchobori 八町堀 Hatchobori district .

The son of a minister 山崎彦左衛門 Yamazaki Hikosaku from lord 松平和泉侯 Matsudaira Izumi, named 山崎彦内 Yamazaki Hikouchi was thrown out of the family and went to Kyoto to become a 陰陽師 Onmyoshi, kind of fortune teller.
But he failed and went back to Edo. He changed his name to 渡部帯刀 Watanabe Tatewaki but was found out and imprisoned.
Then he changed his name to 蒲生左部 Gamo Sabu and lived in Hatchobori.
At that time the lord 神保左京 Jingo Sakyo and his karoo 家老 chief retainer 崎山平内 Sakiyama Heinai became very ill.
They asked Sabu for a purification ritual and after that, they soon recovered.
- - - - -
kiriotosarete odoru yubi 切り落とされて踊る指 a cut-off finger is dancing
A man named 三次郎 Sanjiro had a lot of debts. To help his master, 八町堀の大工 a carpenter of Hatchobori, he cut off the little finger of his left hand and wanted to sell it to make money
He wanted to put the finger in a box and give it as an offering, then the finger jumped up and away, dancing with joy for a while.
Nobody knows what really happened.
- - - - -
uba 姥 the old hag
In 江戸八町堀二丁目 the second sub-district of Hachobori in the year 1677 there lived an old hag of about 60 years as a servant. She wanted to let a strange person in, claiming he was the master of the house, but the other servants stopped her. On the evening of the same day the real master of the house lost his mind and died.

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本所 Honjo

. Temple 回向院 Eko-In, Ekoin .
Tokida Kisaburo 時田喜三郎, the fish vendor and a cat.

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. Honryoogaechoo 本両替町 Hon-Ryogaecho district .
Edo Shin-Roygaecho 江戸新両替町

nezumi 鼠 rat
In the year 1666 a man named 香具屋九郎左衛門 Kaguya Kurozaemon had too many rats and mice in his home and asked a servant to kill them.
The servant took pity on the rats and thought of something to spare them. In a dream he saw a child and said if he spared its life it would give him a gold fish with some Sake.
When he woke up he found a gold fish in his mouth. Kurozaemon thought that was quite auspicious and never killed a rat again.

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. Kakigaracho 蛎殻町 / 蠣がら町 .

. kitsune densetsu 狐と伝説 fox legends .
The kujaku 孔雀 peacock which had been kept in a cage at the estate in Kakigaracho was killed and the Samurai was very angry about it. He even destroyed 稲荷の社 the Inari Fox Shrine in the compound. At night a fox appeared in his dream. The fox said he was not responsible for the death and would prove it within three days.
The next day the fox appeared again in his dream and said he had punished the criminal.
When the Samurai stepped out next morning, he found a large old fox lying dead on his doorstep.

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. Kamimakicho 上槇町 .

henshoku suru ishi 変色する石 stone changing color
On the ground somewhere in Kamimakicho there was mass looking like shikui 漆喰 plaster.
The headman sent his manservant to hit it with the ax for splitting wood, but it did not split.
So he gave the servant a genno げんのう hammer and now it split. Out came a stone with a soft touch, never seen before. When the headman looked at it in the evening of the next day, it had changed its color to green like tea. The stone soon became the wonder spot of all the people living around.

. gennoo 玄能 Genno hammer .
The gennoo type is double-faced and has two round sides. It is used to split rocks or to hit the back of a chisle. It is basically a tool for stone workers.

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. Kobikichoo 木挽町 / 木梚町 Kobikicho district .

In Kobikicho there lived a poor merchant with his child. The son was very gentle and obedient. One day the son became very ill. His mother thought if he could get some choosen ninjin 朝鮮人参 Ginseng medicine, he might get better, but she did not have the money to buy this expensive medicien.
So she bought some normal ninjin 人参 carrots at the greengrocer store and gave them to the ill child. The boy thought it was the medicine from the doctor, drunk it all and was soon healed.

. koorai ninjin 高麗人参 "Korean" ginseng .

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. Kodenmacho 小伝馬町 .

oogonkyuu 黄金宮 Ogon-Kyu Golden Hall
The maid servant of 佐久間勘解由 Sakuma Kageyu named 竹 Take was very pious and kind-hearted, she always gave food to the poor. One day she suddenly died, but her body still felt warm and so they kept her in the house to see what was going to happen. Eventually she came back to life. The people asked her about her experience in meidoo 冥途 the other world. She had walked in an endless plain when suddenly she came to a Golden Hall. The Buddha told her that he knew Take was coming. She started praying, but could escape death and came back to life.
- - - - -
. Yuuten Shoonin 祐天上人 Saint Yuten Shonin .
(1637 - 1718)

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. Kuremasacho 榑正町 .

. iken 異犬 a strange dog .

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. Nihonbashi 日本橋地区 .

. kori 狐狸 fox and Tanuki legends .
In Nihonbashi lived a shin-i 鍼医 acupuncture doctor named 大場検校 Oba Kenkyo. One evening he went to the home of a patient for treatment. When he stroke over his stomach, it felt like fur. Kenkyo was quite surprized and touched the face, which felt like the mouth of an animal. Now he realized that the patient was not a human, but still treated the patient and then went home. Since foxes and Tanuki know a lot about the treatment of acupuncture, they trusted in Kenkyo to help them.

. hari chiryoo 鍼治療 acupuncture treatment .
- - - - -
rei 霊 spirit
In the first district of Muromachi there lived a merchant. His family cherished two old dolls of the 高砂 Takasago couple.
The former owner of the merchant's home had move out and taken his dolls, but it seemed they wanted to come back to their old home.

日本橋室町 Nihonbashi Muromachi / Murocho

日本橋室町一丁目から日本橋室町四丁目 - from the first to fourth sub-district

- quote -
Nihonbashi Fish Market 日本橋魚市 Uo-Ichi

There used to be fish markets in the present-day Nihonbashi, Muromachi 室町 (Murocho) and Honchō areas.
Seafood gathered from the sea near the shore including Edo Bay would reach the people of Edo through intermediaries such as peddlers.
The whole north bank area of Nihonbashi River from Nihonbashi bridge to Edobashi bridge such as
本船町 Honfuna-chō, Anjin-chō and 長浜町　Nagahama-chō was known as the Nihonbashi Fish Market.
There was also salt fish wholesalers who dealt with salted and dried fish in Yokkaichi-chō of the south bank and a fish market called the "New Market" in Honzaimoku-chō.
The bustle and excitement of this market was adopted in many ukiyo-e as a famous place in Edo.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library -

- quote -
Yokkaichi 四日市

Yokkaichi-chō was the name of a town that once existed in the road
running south of the river between Nihonbashi and Edobashi,
and where a market was held on the 4th, 14th and 24th day of every month.
After the Great Fire of Meireki (1657), the machiya 町屋 (merchants' residences) were relocated,
and dotegura 土手蔵 a stone wall of a height of 7.2-7.8 meters
and length of 272.5 meters was built as a means of fire defense.
Subsequently, the town was called 元四日市町 Moto-Yokkaichi-chō,
the path along the river was called 四日市河岸 Yokkaichi-gashi,
and the area began to flourish with a number of markets.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library -

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. Nagahamacho 長浜町 Nagahama town .

. Jikkendana (Jukkendana) 十軒店（じっけんだな） in Muromachi .
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. Odenmacho 大伝馬町 .

. inari 稲荷 と伝説 Inari fox legends .
In the 11th lunar month of 1727, a woman of about 26 years living in Odenmacho became quite crazy and had an exorcist ritual from the priest at the temple 東叡山凌雲院 Toeizan Ryoun-In.
She had been bewitched by a fox and the family built a small Shrine to appease the Inari deity.
- - - - -
In the year 1820, a girl of 18 years had the rokuji myoogon 六字名号 six ritual words (南無阿弥陀佛 Namu Amida Butsu) written as an amulet by 祐天上人 Saint Yuten Shonin.
But one letter was wrong and a fox could bewitch her. Later they found that the fox was from another home.

In 津幡町 Tsubata town in Ishikawa prefecture, there is a stone memorial with the 6 words
written by 蓮如上人 Saint Rengyo Shonin.


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Reiganjima 霊巌島 / 霊岸島 Island Reiganjima .

. kori 狐狸 fox and Tanuki legends .
At Reiganjima, a child had moved from 伊豆新島 Izu Niijima. She found a sleeping cat on the ground and breathed at it. The cat went crazy.
What happened, the girl was asked. When breathing at something, this had happened 5 times before, they found out. Sometimes foxes and Tanuki use that trick.

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. Ryoogoku, Ryōgoku　両国 Ryogoku district and bridge 両国橋 .

kaen 火焔 ritual flames
On the 13th day of the 7th lunar month month of 1816 someone walked over the Ryogokubashi bridge. Looking down at the water he saw some ritual flames. The look changed to an official on horseback, surrounded by ritual flames.
Two months later there was a strong storm and flooding, so this might have been the premonition of disaster.


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. Tsukiji 築地 .

yuurei 幽霊 ghost
The sukuigoya 救小屋 rescue cabin from Tsukiji was moved to 愛宕 Atago in the middle of the night, to prevent the ghosts of the people who had died in a fire, from showing.
When they saw a shady figure hanging arund, it was not a ghost but a burgler.

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. Yagenbori 薬研堀 .

shikotsu 死骨 bones
Once a man wanted to move to Yagenbori. He had the precincts checked out by a Shaman and was told that there were bones in the ground and everybody living there would also die.
So the man moved somewhere else.

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. Yoshicho 芳町 - the former Yoshiwara .

志計 Shigemaru had seen the ghost of 文作 Bunsaku. He went to the miko 女巫 Shrine Maiden 〔ニョフ〕who was known to use an izuna イヅナ weasel and lived in Yoshicho.
She Maiden asked Shigemaru about many details of Bunsaku, his age and if he had used a green straw hat to scoop water. Then she chanted some jumon 呪文 spells.
Shigemaru called out three times, then the Maiden called out three times with the same voice as Bunsaku. Bunsaku had taken his own life and wanted his friend Shigemaru to perform prayer rituals for him.
A while later they found out that Bunsaku was still alive.

. jumon 呪文 と伝説 Legends about magic spells .

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. hebi 蛇と伝説 Legends about snakes and serpents .
A very stingy man was dying and asked that all his money be placed before the Buddhist house altar. When he was almost dead, a belt he had kept at his pillow turned into a serpent.
When he was dead, the belt-serpent came to wrap around his hips.

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deishuu 出居衆 Deishu, special servants
The special servant 才覚 Saikaku had been bothered day and night by the jealous wife of his master.
After the master had calmed down his wife, the spooks stopped.

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kanban 看板 shop sign
On the 21st day of the third lunar month, there was a huge fire. But the shop sign of a store had survived.
There was also a small hot not affected by the fire, although it was quite close to the origin of the fire.

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. Masakado 将門 Taira no Masakado .
His head is buried in a place now called Koosan 甲山 Kosan, "Mount Helmet" / Kozuka 甲塚 Mound Helmet.

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. Amida Nyorai 阿弥陀如来 .
migawari Nyorai 身代り如来 Amida Nyorai as substitute
In the autumn of 1824, a man in a group of people was about to fall down and a Samurai behind him was also falling, hitting another person. Falling down his wakizashi 脇差 short sword came out, but only cut a furoshiki 風呂敷 cloth wrapper. When the man came home he found the statue of Amida Nyorai in his home had fallen down and had a would in the shoulder with blood dripping from it.

. migawari 身代わり the deities substitute for us .

. wakizashi 脇差と伝説 Legends about the short sword .

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. ushi 牛と伝説 Legends about ox, bull, cow . . .
Once there was a wicked man showing a "Tiger" for money, but it was in fact a bull he had wrapped the skin of a tora 虎 tiger around and sewed int mouth so it could not call out.
Since the mouth was stitched close, the animal could not eat and died within six days. He just went and got the next animal and did the same thing. Since the sixth bull had died, the man became crazy, mooing like a bull and died soon afterwards.

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. Onipedia - 鬼ペディア　the Demons of Japan .
A woman like a Demon
In the 中橋 Nakabashi district there lived a woman who had become ill because of her jealousy for her husband. One night she jumped out of bed, said she was very angry and tore her mouth open to the ears, then she attacked and killed her husband. Next day she brought the body to the temple for a funeral. But soon after she became crazy and died 100 days after her husband.

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Sendai tsuuhoo 仙台通宝 iron coins from Sendai

Once a man went to the Shrine 高尾稲荷 Takao Inari at the bridge 永代橋 Eitaibashi to pray.
He wanted to give some money offering and put his hand in the purse, when he felt his hand getting numb. He thought this was strange and looked inside his purse.
There was one coin from Sendai.
He knew that the actress 高尾太夫 Takao Taiyu had been killed by the Daimyo of Sendai and wanted revenge.

高尾稲荷 Takao Inari
Chuo City, Nihonbashi Hakozakicho

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tamashi 魂 the soul
On the third day of the fifth lunar month in 1683, a very pious woman died.
The next year on the third day of the third lunar month the dead woman appeared in a dream of her sister.
She told her to be pious, recite the prayers of 光明真言 Komyo Shingon and the Nenbutsu prayer to make sure she goes to the Buddhist paradise.

. nenbutsu 念仏 Nembutsu Amida prayer - legends .

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. umeboshi 梅干と伝説 Legends about dried pickled plums .
To prevent motion sickness, one has to peel one Umeboshi and stick it to the navel.
This helps especially when travelling in a palanquin in the Edo period.

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. yomogi 艾 / ヨモギ mugwort, Artemisia princeps .
An old man was growing kiku 菊 chrysanthemums and tried to make them grow higher and higher every year, but cutting them down before they flowered.
After three years, the plant had transformed into mugwort, which is also called
too mogusa, kara yomogi 唐艾 Chinese mugwort

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

. Edo, Tokyo　江戸 - 東京 - 伝説 Legends Index .

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. Chūō ku, Chuuoo Ku 中央区 Chuo Ward .

. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .

. Doing Business in Edo - 商売　- Introduction .

. shokunin 職人 craftsman, craftsmen, artisan, Handwerker .
. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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Chiyoda ward legends

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Legends from Chiyoda ward

. Chiyoda ku 千代田区 Chiyoda ward - "Fields of Eternity" .



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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .


. Samuhara サムハラ SA MU HA RA divine amulets .



A man in Edo had carried a SAMUHARA amulet on his body. When he fell from his horse one day, he was not hurt.
Soon this kind of amulet became popular in Edo.

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Chiyoda Inari Jinja 千代田稲荷神社 Shrine
渋谷区道玄坂2-20-8 / 2 Chome-20-８ Dogenzaka, Shibuya



This shrine is famous for its many spiritual experiences when visiting.
The Deity is said to prevent fire and many come here to pray.
It was erected in 1457 by Ota Dokan to protect his new castle of Edo.

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. Edo Bancho 江戸番長 Banchō, Bancho .
- haifuri tanuki 灰降狸 the ash-throwing Tanuki
- shari 舎利 sacred bones of Buddha
- . Banchō Sarayashiki, Sara yashiki　皿屋敷 "the Dish Mansion" .
..... where the ghost of 菊 O-Kiku comes out of a well. Okiku and the Nine Plates.

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Ichibancho 一番町

kori 狐狸 fox and badger
In 新道一番町 Shindo Ichibancho there lived the family of 上原庄作 Uehara Shosaku. His wife suddenly found that from her arm about 10 red hair had begun to grow. She pulled them out immediately and found them to be almost 60 cm long. But pulling them out did not help, they soon grew back. Once she had peed on a place with black gravel. A doctor tole her, this must have been the deed of a fox or badger.
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Morikawa Inari 森川稲荷, 三光院いなり Sanko-In Inari, 腰掛稲荷 Koshikake Inari
On the 11th day of the second lunar month in 1827, on the night before the festival of the First Day of the Horse, the low-ranking Samurai 幸吉 Kokichi from 新道一番町 Shindo Ichibancho told his master that he was off to the Morikawa Inari shrine, where he lived.
Next morning his master found a wooden statue of Inari at his doorstep.
From this day on, if he had a wish to make to Inari, he would ask Kokichi to mediate for him.
On the first day of the third lunar month, his master and 若殿 the young lord made an offering of ritual Sake for the Deity. Looking closer the next day, half of the Sake and the other food offerings were gone.
So they thought the Inari deities from Sanko-In and the Koshikake Inari had come too.

. Inari 稲荷神社 fox shrines in Tokyo .

. hatsu uma, hatsu-uma 初午 First Day of the Horse .
hatsu uma moode 初午詣 first shrine visit on the day of the horse

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. Hibiya 日比谷 / 比々谷 Hibiya district legends .

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. Kajibashi 鍛冶橋 Kajibashi Bridge .

nezumi 鼠 mouse, rat
In the house of 堀大和守 Lord Hori at Kajibashi bridge, his servants observed a rat that would place a small piece of 南鐐 silver into an offering box at the kamidana 神棚 shelf of the gods for about 14, 15 days in a row. The couple of the house was very happy and begun to use the money for shopping!
And well, you guess, the rat never showed up again.

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. Kanda 神田 Kanda district legends .

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. Konyachoo 紺屋町 district for indigo cloth dyers .

kamikiri 髪切 cutting the hair off
A servant from a metal dealer at Konya-Cho went out to do some errants. When she came back home, she realized that someone had cut off her hair without her noticing anything.
When people pointed with their fingers at her head, she was so embarrassed she lost consciousness.
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. oyako tanuki 親子狸 parent and child badger legend .
Otama-ga-ike お玉ヶ池, close to 東紺屋町 Eastern Konya-Cho.

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. Koojimachi, Kōjimachi 麹町 / 麴町 Kojimachi district legends .
and 三年坂 Sannenzaka / Sannen-zaka

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Ushigafuchi, Ushigabuchi 牛ヶ淵 （うしがふち）

The canal at the slope Kudansaka 件坂下 / 九段坂 is called 牛ヶ淵 "riverpool of the bull".
It is a 魔所 bewitched place.
Once upon a time, a man called 石川新六 Ishikawa Shinroku got up early and passed here around the ushimitsu 丑三つ cursed hour, with a lantern hanging from a stick. He saw a man with his body cut in half, just the upper body was visible.
When he went there later to have a look for the lower body, there was nothing, not even the upper part any more.

. ushimitsu 牛三 the double-hour of the bull.
from one to three at night make a curse.



Utagawa Hiroshige

. 九段坂　- 牛ヶ淵　Kudanzaka Ushigabuchi .

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. kuchisake onna 口裂け女 slit-mouthed woman .
from Sangenjaya 三軒茶屋 Sangen-jaya, "three tea stalls" .

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ayashi mono 怪しき物 something strange
Once a doctor named 岡本玄意 Okamoto Genya walked with another doctor along the 弁慶堀 Benkei-Bori moat.
They saw a strange dog, walking like a man. Another man tried to press the monster down, but could not do it. Then came a carpenter back from work and dispelled the monster. The other man went to his lodgings and developed a high fever.

岡本玄意 Okamoto Genya (1587 - 1645)
- quote -
Genyadana Hamadaya　玄冶店 濱田家　
Hamadaya is the name of Okiya, a house where Geisha lived,in the Meiji period(1868-1912).
One famous geisha from Hamadaya was Kawakami Sadayakko (1871-1946) who later became Japan's first international superstar.
Madame Sadayakko toured Europe and the U.S. with her husband Kawakami Otojiro and gave performances. Her presentations were very well -received and she gained great popularity. A high-class Japanese restaurant called Hamadaya was founded in 1912 after the first owner of restaurant inherited the name of long and distinguished history of Sadayakko.

The geographic name of Genyadana originates from Genya Okamoto (1587-1645),
a doctor who lived here in the Edo period (1600-1867).
Genya was a doctor of the Tokugawa Shogunate. When Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, fell ill of small pox, Genya treated the Shogun Iemitsu and completely cured Shogune of the disease. Genya leaped to fame as a good doctor. His descendants lived in this area for nine generations and continued the profession using this grand family name.
- source : hamadaya.info... -

. isha 医者, ishi 医師 doctors in Edo .

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Minamihōgen-zaka 南法眼坂 Hogenzaka Hogen slope
another name for the slope 行人坂 Gyoninzaka, on the divide of 三番町 Sanbancho and 四番町 Yonbancho.

At the housing of workers for the Edo bakufu, the 小十人組 Koshoningumi at the Hogenzaka slope, a maid saw hinotama 火の玉 a a ball of fire on a rainy evening, but nobody believed her.
On the next rainy night, one of the men had a fight with a strange person with long white hair, eyes glimmering like gold and holding a ball of fire in his hand. He killed the monster.
They say it was the doing of a fox that had been burried when they built the house.

. hinotama, hi no tama 火の玉と伝説 Legends about fire balls .

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. reiken 霊剣 the magic sword .
江戸神田小柳町 Kanda Koyanagicho

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. shachihoko 鯱 gable decoration .
shachi, shachihoko 鯱　"Dragon Fish"
from 虎御門 Toranomon to 小石川御門 Koishikawa no mon. tsunjikaze つんじかぜ .

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. dokuro 髑髏と伝説 Legends about the Skull .
sharekoobe しゃれこうべ Sharekobe
at Fukiage Goten 吹上御殿 / Fukiage Gosho 吹上御所

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tanuki 狸 badger
In August of 1795, in the estate of the 小倉 Kokura clan the servant of the retired lady became missing.
In the same year in November there was something strange in the living quarters of the women and they found the missing servant.
She had been taking care of three young men and then died.
But in the estate were also many Tanuki. The ritual food offerings in August usually went missing by next morning and it must have been these Tanuki.
All the young maid servants quit soon after they heard this story.

. tanuki 狸 - mujina 狢　－ racoon dog, badger legends .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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. Edo, Tokyo　江戸 - 東京 - 伝説 Legends Index .


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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .

. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government .

. Doing Business in Edo - 商売　- Introduction .

. shokunin 職人 craftsman, craftsmen, artisan, Handwerker .

. senryu, senryū 川柳　Senryu poems in Edo .

. Japanese Architecture - The Japanese Home .

. Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .


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