Edo - the EDOPEDIA -: - - - Places and power spots

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3/12/2018

Hachioji district

In the autumn of 913, 妙行 priest Myogyo came from Kyoto and built his hermitage at
深沢山 Mount Fukasawayama (445 m). He sat in a cave and meditated, not paying attention to the strong disturbing wind, thunder and all kinds of heavenly distractions, which came and went like mist and fog. Myogyo kept meditating and reciting the Sutras.
Now 大蛇 a huge serpent came dangling down from the cave, encircled the saint and fell asleep. Myogyo took his nyoi-bo 如意棒 priest scepter and hit the serpent gently on the head:
"Wake up, please!" The serpent opened its eyes and left quietly.
Next morning a deity came to him with his eight children (hachi oji):
"My children and myself have great respect for your virtues! You may use all the land to spread the good words and we will protect all the people on it. I am the deity Gozu Tenno and these are my eight children."
「私は牛頭天王で伴っているのは八王子です」

source : en-nichi.seesaa.net/article...

Myogyo continued his meditation and in 916 proclaimed Fukasawayama as 天王峰 Mount Tenno-Mine　and the eight peaks around it as 八王峰 Mount Oji-Mine. He built a sanctuary on each one and spread the belief in Gozu Tenno and his Hachi Oji in all parts.
Then he built a temple at the foot of Mount Fukasawayama, which became quite large within time.
In the year 939 the story reached the ears of the Emperor 朱雀天皇 Suzaku Tenno and he bestowed a new name to the priest :
Kegon Bosatsu Myogyo 華厳菩薩妙行
The name of the temple is 牛頭山神護寺 Gozusan Jingo-Ji.
- reference source : takaopress.net/kegonbosatsu -

八王子神社 Hachioji Jinja

牛頭天王 Gozu Tenno and his eight princes (八王子 hachi ooji) are celebrated at the shrine
八王子神社 Hachioji Jinja and 八王子権現社 Hachioji Gongensha.

. 牛頭天王 Gozu Tenno - Heavenly King with an Ox-Head .

八王子権現社 Hachioji Gongensha

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Hachiōji (八王子市 Hachiōji-shi) is a city located in the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis,...
- - - - - History
The area of present-day Hachiōji was part of ancient Musashi Province. It has been an important junction point and post town along the Kōshū Highway, the main road that connected the historical Edo (today's Tokyo) with western Japan.
Hachiōji Castle was built during the Sengoku period in 1584 by Hōjō Ujiteru, but was soon destroyed in 1590 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
During the Edo period, the area was Tenryō controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate.
In the post-Meiji Restoration reform of July 22, 1878, the area became part of Minamitama District in Kanagawa Prefecture.
The town of Hachiōji was created on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of municipalities law. Minaitama District was transferred to the administrative control of Tokyo Metropolis on April 1, 1893. Hachiōji gained city status on September 1, 1917.
..... The city is surrounded on three sides by mountains, forming the Hachioji Basin which opens up toward the east in the direction of Tokyo. The mountain ranges in the southwest include Mount Takao (599 m) and Mount Jinba (857 m),
- More in the wikipedia ! -

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Kokubunji village charcoal Kiln

This scene depicts a charcoal kiln in Kokubunji village and the people working there.
Kokubunji was a center of charcoal production along with Hachiōji.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library -

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. Kōshū Kaidō 甲州街道 Koshu Kaido Highway .
The Highway from Edo via Kofu to Suwa
11. Hachiōji-shuku (八王子宿) (Hachiōji, Hachioji) postal station

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. Pilgrimage to 36 Fudo Temples in Kanto / Bando .
08 . 高尾山 Takao-San 八王子 Hachioji .

. Kongooin 金剛院 Kongo-In .
39-1 Ueno-machi, Hachioji, Tokyo 八王子東京 / 武州八王子高野山

. Shooeizan 松栄山 Shoeizan 了法寺 Ryoho-Ji .
This temple in Hachioji near central Tokyo belongs to the Nichiren sect.

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. Tama-ori, Tama Ori 多摩織　Woven Fabrics from Tama .
In Hachioji, which was known as the "City of Mulberries," sericulture (the raising of silkworms) and textile manufacturing have both long flourished; and these factors have contributed to the continued weaving of various textiles in the area.

. Legends about Mount Takao-San and its Tengu 天狗 .
and Izuna Daigongen 飯縄大権現

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神奈川県 Kanagawa 津久井郡 Tsukui district 城山町 Shiroyama

kamikakushi 神隠し spirited away
Once the farmer 小松の高さん Komatsu no Taka-san, who had been ill for many years was suddenly spirited away. About two weeks later he came home in a rikshaw, all the way from Mount Takaosan.
But now he had become quite crazy and lost his mind completely.

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. hikarimono 光り物 great light .
At night on the 8th day of the 10th lunar month, a huge stone fell from the sky in Ushigome.
The year before, a similar stone had fallen down in 八王子 Hachioji.
There was thunder in the night and a light like a lightning.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
62 八王子　東京 (01)
71 to explore 八王子 (01)
Including places named Hachioji in other parts of Japan
八王子神社 in Ishikawa

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八王子駅出でて直ぐ桑がくれ
hachiooji eki idete sugu kuwa gakure

out of Hachioji station
right into
the mulberries
Tr. Gabi Greve

三橋敏雄 Mitsuhashi Toshio

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. Hachioji sennin dooshin 八王子千人同心 1000 officials from Hachioji .

. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government .

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

. shokunin 職人 craftsman, craftsmen, artisan, Handwerker .

. Japanese Architecture - Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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3/10/2018

Hibiya district

To the South of the inlet is
Hibiya mura　日比谷村 the village of Hibiya.
Next to Hibiya mura were 桜田村 Sakurada mura, 老月村 Rogetsu mura and other villages.

In the process to develop the city of Edo, Tokugawa Ieyasu had the inly refilled and the land was used for living quarters of Edo government officials and Daimyo.

. Shin Sakanacho 新肴町 Shinsakanacho "new fish market .
and the relocation of Rogetsumura　老月村.

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- quote
Hibi 篊 are bunches of bamboo or brushwood used to grow and farm 海苔 nori (a kind of seaweed).
The area was known for people and shops farming and selling nori (which was grown on hibi). Those people and shops would have been referred to as 篊屋 hibi-ya (hibi-people/hibi-shops). As the area grew (and the nori farmers presumably moved out), the place name came to be written 比々谷 Hibiya which has no meaning).
The first character means “comparison” and represents the sound ひ hi. The second character just means “repeat the previous sound.” (the second “hi” becomes “bi” according to euphonic rules called 連濁). The final character is common in Japanese place names and means “valley.” This final character is also meaningless because there is no valley here. If anything, it’s part of the alluvial plain created by the waters in Tokyo Bay.
Sometime in the Edo Period, 比々谷 came to be written as 日比谷 and that is the way it is still written today.
The characters as they are now are “sun” “compare” and “valley, respectively.
If you go to Hibiya Park today, you’ll notice that there is a large pond near the Imperial Palace (Edo Castle). This pond was part of the system of moats around Edo Castle. The moat is gone today, but the pond is in its place. If you walk around the pond, you’ll notice a line of stone wall fortifications which match the castle area. This was one of the moat’s walls. Also, you’ll notice a photo spot called 日比谷見附 Hibiya-Mitsuke (The Hibiya Approach). This was the path to the 日比谷御門 Hibiya Go-Mon, one of many gates into the castle. Btw, 見附 means “approach” or “walkway.”
The area that is the Hibiya park today used to house 2 daimyōs’ upper residences; Saga domain and Chōshū domain.
- source : japanthis.com/2013...

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- photo : Tokyo National Museum - 旧江戸城写真帖＿日比谷見附図 1871

日比谷見附 Hibiya-Mitsuke
With the landfill of the Sotobori canal the Hibiya Mitsuke was also taken down and only a small piece of its stone wall is left now.

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- CLICK for photos of the park !

Hibiya Kooen 日比谷公園 Hibiya Koen Park
..... in Chiyoda City, Tokyo, Japan. It covers an area of 161,636.66m2 between the east gardens of the Imperial Palace to the north, the Shinbashi district to the southeast and the Kasumigaseki government district to the west.
The land was occupied by the estates of the Mōri clan and Nabeshima clan during the Edo period, and was used for army maneuvers during the Meiji period.
It was converted to a park and opened to the public on June 1, 1903.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. Tokyo Daijingu 東京大神宮 .
The new era of Modern Japan began with the Meiji Restoration in 1868 and a new shrine was built in Tokyo in 1880 with the approval of Emperor Meiji. This shrine enabled people in Tokyo to worship the deities enshrined in the Grand Shrine of Ise from afar. At first this new shrine was called 'Hibiya Daijingu,' taking the name of the area in which it was located.
After the Kanto Earthquake, it was moved to its present site of Iidabashi in 1928,
and it was renamed 'Iidabashi Daijingu'.

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

bakemono 化けもの ghost
On the underground pathway that connects the 銀座 Ginza with 日比谷 Hibiya, there is a Yurei ghost showing up once in a while.
Walking down the stairway from the Ginza side, where is a whirl of golden hair fluttering in the wind, following people. If people try to run away from it, it moves even faster toward them. When they reach the other side at Hibiya, the ghost disappears in a puff.

日比谷神明 Hibiya Shinmei
In the year 1005 on the 16th day of the 9th lunar month, a 御神幣 ritual wand and 大牙 a huge animal fang fell from the sky. All the villagers were afraid and wondering about its meaning, when out of nowhere a young girl of 7 years appeared. The girl got in a state of trance and said the was 伊勢内外宮の神 the deity from great Ise Jingu Shrine. She was back from a trip to the 鹿島 Kashima region, where she had fought with an army of invaders. She had left these two objects as proof of her visit and the villagers should hasten to built a shrine to venerate them.
The child came back to it senses, but disappeared just as suddenly as she had come from nowhere.
The shrine built was named 日比谷神明宮 Hibiya Shinmei-Gu.
Now it is known as 芝神明社 Shiba Shinmei-Sha, 芝大神宮 Shiba Daijingu.
1-12-7 Shiba daimon, Minato ward
The deities in residence are
Amaterasu Omikami (the sun goddess) and
Toyouke no Okami (deity of agriculture and industry)

. Shiba Daijinguu 芝大神宮 Shiba Daijingu .
In former times, it was also called
Iikura Myoojin Guu 飯倉神明宮 Iikura Myojin Gu / Iikura Shinmei Gu
Shiba Myoojin Guu 芝神明宮 Shiba Myojin Gu / Shiba Shinmei Gu

source : metmuseum.org/art...
江戸名所　芝神明 Famous Places of Edo: Shiba Shinmei
Utagawa Hiroshige II

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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秋晴の植木かつぎて日比谷かな
akibare no ueki katsugite Hibiya kana

Hibiya
with the potted trees
in splendid autumn weather . . .
Tr. Gabi Greve

岸本尚毅 Kishimoto Naoki (1961 - )

日比谷公園ガーデニングショー Hibiya Park Gardening Show
A gardening exhibition held at Hibiya Park in Tokyo, includes various events; gardening competition, flower arrangement workshop, outdoor activity experiences and more.
- reference : Hibiya Park Gardening Show -

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秋晴れの都バスは花壇の日比谷過ぎ
高澤良一

黒南風の日比谷にをりぬ湘子亡し
戸塚時不知

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. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government .

. 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 .

. senryu, senryū 川柳　Senryu poems in Edo .

. Japanese Architecture - Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - - - #hibiya #rogetsumura - - - -
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Otemachi district

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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- for Hirakawa, see below

Ootemachi, Ōtemachi 大手町 Otemachi district
千代田区 Chiyoda ward.
The name refers to the Ōtemon 大手門 Otemon main gate of the Edo Castle.

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Otemachi is located north of Tokyo Station and Marunouchi, east of the Imperial Palace, west of Nihonbashi and south of Kanda. It is the location of the former site of the village of Shibazaki, the most ancient part of Tokyo.
Ōtemachi is known as a center of Japanese journalism, housing the main offices of three of the "big five" newspapers as well as being a key financial center and headquarters for large Japanese corporations. It is also the location of the Japan Postal Museum.
The Tokyo Fire Department is headquartered in Ōtemachi, as is the Japan Meteorological Agency.

View of a part of Ōtemachi as depicted in the Edo-zu byōbu screens

Ōtemachi derives its name of Ōtemon ("Great Hand Gate") of Edo Castle.
During the Edo period, various daimyōs constructed their lavish residences outside the castle, such as the residence of the daimyō Matsudaira Tadamasa. Ōtemachi was completely destroyed during the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657. It was rebuilt, albeit on a smaller, less grand scale. Ōtemachi remained however in the possession of the various daimyō families until the end of the Tokugawa system and the start of the Meiji period in the 1860s.
The various daimyō families lost their lots as the area was repossessed by the government, who constructed various governmental offices. Today nothing remains of its residential past, the area is dotted with modern high-rise buildings.
In order to gain revenue, the government decided to sell the area into private hands. The area was completely redeveloped.
- - - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

under construction
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Hirakawachoo　平川町 Hirakawa-Cho, Hirakawa district
Hirakawa is sometimes spelled 平河, "flat river".

In the Eod period, it was located in front of the 平川御門 Hirakawa Gomon Gate, leading to Hirakawamura 平川村 Hirakawa village.
Hirakawa village is now known as Otemachi. Other parts have become 一ツ橋 Hitotsubashi and 九段南 Kudan-Minami.

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Hirakawa-mon (平川門) is said to have been the main gate to the Sannomaru of Edo Castle. It is also said to have been the side gate for maidservants and therefore called the Otsubone-mon.
The shape of this gate is in the masugata, similar to the Ōte-mon. However a watari-yagura-mon is built to an adjacent left angle within the kōrai-mon, of which it has two. The other kōrai-mon is located to the west of the watari-yagura-mon which was used as the "gates of the unclean" for the deceased and criminals from within the castle. Outside this gate is a wooden bridge with railings crowned with giboshi ornamental tops.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Hirakawabori 平川堀 Hirakawa moat

Hirakawabashi 平河橋 Hirakawa bridge

Yoshida Hiroshi

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平川天満宮 / 平河天満宮 Hirakawa Tenmangu, Hirakawa Tenjin
This Shrine is the closest to the living quarters of the Emperor in Tokyo, and thus quite popular.

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The history of Hirakawa Tenmangu Shrine starts with Ota Dokan (1432-1486), the poet-warrior-monk tasked with designing and building Edo Castle (today's Imperial Palace Tokyo). Ota is said to have had a dream about the Heian era scholar, Sugawara no Michizane (845-903), who is venerated as a deity in Japan. Then the very next day, he happened to be presented with a scroll of one of Sugawara's works. Taking these as a sign, he established a shrine to Sugawara no Michizane on the northern edge of the castle, not far from the Hirakawamon Gate, which he planted with Chinese plum trees - what is today's Bairinzaka (梅林坂 Plum Tree Slope).
Then, in 1607,
soon after the first Shogun of the Edo era, Ieyasu Tokugawa, occupied Edo Castle, the shrine was moved to its present location in the area then known as Kaizaka, renamed Hirakawacho after the shrine.
Hirakawa Tenmangu Shrine was the shrine at which all three branches of the ruling Tokugawa clan petitioned at, and every New Year, the head of the shrine was afforded the status of being allowed a personal audience with the Shogun.
Also, being dedicated to Japan's most eminent scholar, Hirakawa Tenmangu shrine has been worshiped at by later scholars, notably the blind scholar 塙保己一 Hokiichi Hanawa (1746-1821) and the scholar of Western science,
高野長英 Choei Takano (1804-50), and continues to be associated with learning, and success in learning, to this day. As such, the shrine is a renowned destination for students praying for success in examinations.
Hirakawa Tenmangu
suffered destruction several times, the latest being by bombing in the Second World War, and was reconstructed in 1969, the only "original" parts being the copper torii gate that was donated by local residents in 1844, and the stone guardian lions, dating from 1852.
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There are no less than 5 stone cows on the grounds.
The cow is associated with Tenjin shrines, which are always shrines for scholars. The most famous one in Tokyo is Yushima Tenjin shrine in east Tokyo. The god Tenjin is usually depicted riding on a cow. Stroking one, or all, of the stone cows here at Hirakawa Tenmangu is believed to endow you with scholarly aptitude.
- source : japanvisitor.com... -

. Sugawara Michizane 菅原道真 and the Tenmangu Shrines .

. Oota Dookan 太田道灌 Ota Dokan (1432 - 1486) .

. Hanawa Hokiichi 塙保己一 Hanawa Hoki-Ichi (1746 - 1821) .

. Takano Chōei　高野長英 Takano Choei (1804 - 1850) .

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- - - - - Two famous people who lived in Hirakawa :

Yamada Asaemon 山田浅右衛門 a clan of sword fighters
The first Yamada Asaemon Sadatake 山田浅右衛門貞武（1657 - 1716）
His name lived on for 9 generations till
Yamada Yoshisuke 山田吉亮（1854 - 1911）

The last one of the clan, Yoshisuke, was nick-named the "head-cutter"
kubi-ori Asaemon 首折り浅右衛門 -
kubi-kiri Asaemon　首切り浅右衛門 "Decapitator Asaemon"
manga Kubikiri Asa 首斬り朝 "Neck-chopper Asa".

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Matsumoto Ryoojun 松本良順　Matsumoto Ryojun
(1832 - 1907)
doctor of the 14th Shogun, Tokugawa Iemochi

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Matsumoto Jun 松本順
(also known as Matsumoto Ryōjun 松本良順) (July 13, 1832 – March 12, 1907) was a Japanese physician who served as the personal physician to the last shōgun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu. He also studied photography with J. L. C. Pompe van Meerdervoort (1829–1908), though he was somewhat unimpressed with his instructor's skills, once describing the result of one of Pompe van Meerdervoort's photographic experiments as "a meagre black shadow". Foreign Minister Hayashi Tadasu was his brother.
Matsumoto was born as the son of the domain physician of Sakura Domain, at the clan's Azabu residence in Edo. He was sent to Nagasaki in 1857 to study rangaku, during which time he studied both western medicine and photography. When Swiss photographer Pierre Rossier arrived in Japan in 1859, Matsumoto ordered Maeda Genzō to assist Rossier. Maeda subsequently became a pioneering Japanese photographer. Another link between Matsumoto and photography dates from some point between 1857 and 1859 when he adopted the 13-year-old future photographer Uchida Kuichi.
Matsumoto helped the Aizu Domain modernize its medical practices, and in 1868 moved to Kyoto to assist Aizu daimyō Matsudaira Katamori during the latter's tenure as Kyoto Shugoshoku. The situation in Kyoto was very unsettled, and Matsumoto befriended Shinsengumi leader Kondō Isami and rendered medical assistance to them. During the Second Chōshū expedition of 1866, he served as personal physician to the 14th Tokugawa shōgun, Tokugawa Iemochi.
During the Boshin War of the Meiji Restoration, he volunteered his services as an army medic accompanying the infantry supporting the Shogunate. After the Battle of Aizu in 1868, he made his way to Sendai, and enlisted with the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei. Briefly imprisoned after the war by the new Meiji government, he was released through the efforts of Yamagata Aritomo, who asked him to help develop the medical corps of the fledgling Imperial Japanese Army.
During the Meiji era, he maintained his relations with former retainers of the Shogun. He also was instrumental in helping Nagakura Shinpachi and Saitō Hajime build a monument to the Shinsengumi at Itabashi in Tokyo. He subsequently served in the House of Peers and received the title of baron (danshaku) under the Kazoku peerage system. Matsumoto died in 1907, and his grave is at the temple of Myodai-ji in Ōiso, Kanagawa.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

. General Taira no Masakado 平将門 (? – 940) .
His tomb (which contains only a kubizuka 首塚 monument to his head) is near exit C5 of Tokyo's Ōtemachi subway station.
Masakado was one of the most feared "onryo" (vengeful ghosts) in Japanese history.

. Kanda Myojin Shrine 神田明神 . - Tokyo
The three deities enshrined are Daikokuten, Ebisu, and Taira no Masakado.

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. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government .

. 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 .

. senryu, senryū 川柳　Senryu poems in Edo .

. Japanese Architecture - Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - - - #otemachi #hirakawa #kudanminami #hitotsubashi - - - -
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3/02/2018

Kasumigaseki district

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
- for Oshu Kaido Highway, see below !
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Kasumigaseki district　霞ヶ関 / 霞が関 "fog gate" , "gate of mist"
"checkpoint in the mist"

Hiroshige - Toto Meisho

- quote -
A tract of land from 桜田門 Sakuradamon Gate to around 虎ノ門 Toranomon Gate.
According to legend, this is said to be the place where Prince Yamato Takeru set a sekisho 関所 (barrier station) against the Emishi, and because this barrier separated the Yamato with a kasumi 霞 (mist) and because it was a place from which one could see the far off places separated by the mist it was called Kasumigaseki (gate of mist).

Ichiryusai Hiroshige

It is located on the Yamanote plateau and connected to Edo Castle, and as it was a key point in the defense of the castle, it served as an area for the residences of a large number of Daimyo (feudal lords). It is often pictured in nishiki-e centered on the hill.

Hiroshige - Edo Hyakkei

Hiroshige - Toto sanjurokkei

- one more Hiroshige print on this page:
- source : ndl.go.jp/landmarks/e/sights/kasumigaseki... -

Kasumigaseki-saka　霞ヶ関坂 the Slope of Kasumigaseki
is clearly depicted on the last two prints. Below the slope are the homes of the townspeople and further down the Edo bay.

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江戸名所図　Edo Meisho Zue

The estate is surrounded by huge stone walls. The road in front is wide enough to have a procession of Daimyo cross with each other.
All kinds of merchants, dealers and normal Edo townspeople are depicted.

- quote -
Kasumigaseki
Painted by Utagawa Hiroshige (1847-1852)

Kasumigaseki has long been described in classical Japanese poetry.
The name is said to have come from the fact that there was a checkpoint on the Ōshū Highway here.
In the Edo period it was the location of daimyo's Edo residence that lined each side of the road, and gave a view out over Edo Bay from the top of the hill.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Museum -

- quote -
Kasumigaseki 霞が関

Kasumigaseki is a name that goes back beyond Edo times,
it originally referring to a "seki" (a customs and security barrier)
that was established on the 奥州街道 Ōshu Road (leading to northern Japan).
In contemporary times, the location of "Kasumigaseki" (literally "the Kasumi barrier")
is bordered on one side by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
and on the other by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
However, when the "Guide to Famous Spots of Edo" was published,
this barrier was bordered by the Edo mansions of
the 福岡藩黒田家 Kuroda, Lords of the Fukuoka Domain; and
the 広島藩浅野家 Asano, Lords of the Hiroshima Domain.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Museum -

- quote -
Kasumigaseki 霞が関

- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Museum -

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. fog, mist and more hazy season words .
the Japanese words kasumi　霞 and oboro　朧 are haze and mist of spring,
whereas kiri　霧 is the fog of autumn and winter.

. sekisho 関所 checkpoint, barrier .
Kasumigaseki was installed long before the Edo period.

Ōshū Kaidō 奥州街道 Oshu Kaido Road - see below
connecting Edo with the Mutsu Province in Tohoku.

. Prince Yamatotakeru 日本武尊 Yamato Takeru .
legendary prince in the 4th century

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- quote -
Hiroshige, Famous Places of Edo - Kasumigaseki
A fine Hiroshige; a stunning and unusual perspectival view of Edo through highly stylised clouds, probably from a miscellaneous series of views of 1854 showing a temple precinct to the right of the picture and hurrying crowds in the thoroughfares. This is a great view and I am reminded of Basil Stewart’s comment:
One wonders whether the historical and topographical value of his prints has yet been realized by his fellow countrymen.

Kasumigaseki, (misty barrier)
was the name of the area of Edo nearest to the castle. The name derives from the control barrier on the road to Oshu. The area looked across Edo Bay and was one of the most famous views in the city. It was up this street that the procession of the Sanno festival travelled which took place at the Hei temple.
- source : toshidama-japanese-prints.com... -

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- quote -
Kasumigaseki 霞が関, 霞ヶ関 or 霞ケ関, / かすみがせき　Barrier/gate of Fog
is a district in Chiyoda Ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is the location of most of Japan's cabinet ministry offices.
The name is often used as a metonym for the Japanese government bureaucracy,
as opposed to Nagatachō, which refers to the elected government or the legislative branch.
- More in the WIKIPEDIA ! -

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ぶきっちよな霞ヶ関の狂言師
bukitcho na kasumigaseki no kyoogenshi

the Kyogen performer
from Kasumigaseki is just
so awkward
Tr. Gabi Greve

山本敏倖 Yamamoto Binko

. Kyogen in various seasons .
traditional Japanese theater

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. Kaidō 日本の街道 The Ancient Highways of Japan .

Ōshū Kaidō 奥州街道 Oshu Kaido Highway Road
connecting Edo with the Mutsu Province in Tohoku.

- quote -
... one of the five routes of the Edo period. It was built to connect Edo (modern-day Tokyo) with Mutsu Province and the present-day city of Shirakawa, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. It was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu for government officials traveling through the area.
- Subroutes
In addition to the established use of traveling from Edo to Mutsu Province, there were also many roads that connected from the Ōshū Kaidō. One such sub-route was the Sendaidō (仙台道), which connected Mutsu Province with Sendai. The terminus for the Sendaidō is in Aoba-ku in modern Sendai. From there, the Matsumaedō (松前道) connected Sendai with Hakodate, Hokkaidō. Though the Ōshū Kaidō has only 27 post stations, there were over 100 designated post stations when the subroutes are included.

- The 27 stations of the Ōshū Kaidō
Tokyo : Starting Location: Nihonbashi (日本橋) (Chūō-ku)
1. Senju-shuku (千住宿) (Adachi-ku)

Saitama Prefecture
2. Sōka-shuku (草加宿) (Sōka)
3. Koshigaya-shuku (越ヶ谷宿) (Koshigaya)
4. Kasukabe-shuku (粕壁宿) (Kasukabe)
5. Sugito-shuku (杉戸宿) (Sugito, Kitakatsushika District)
6. Satte-shuku (幸手宿) (Satte)
7. Kurihashi-shuku (栗橋宿) (Kuki)

Ibaraki Prefecture
8. Nakada-shuku (中田宿) (Koga)
9. Koga-shuku (古河宿) (Koga)

Tochigi Prefecture
10. Nogi-shuku (野木宿) (Nogi, Shimotsuga District)
11. Mamada-shuku (間々田宿) (Oyama)
12. Oyama-shuku (小山宿) (Oyama)
13. Shinden-shuku (新田宿) (Oyama)
14. Koganei-shuku (小金井宿) (Shimotsuke)
15. Ishibashi-shuku (石橋宿) (Shimotsuke)
16. Suzumenomiya-shuku (雀宮宿) (Utsunomiya)
17. Utsunomiya-shuku (宇都宮宿) (Utsunomiya)
18. Shirosawa-shuku (白澤宿) (Utsunomiya)
19. Ujiie-shuku (氏家宿) (Sakura)
20. Kitsuregawa-shuku (喜連川宿) (Sakura)
21. Sakuyama-shuku (佐久山宿) (Ōtawara)
o Yagisawa-shuku (八木沢宿) (Ōtawara) (ai no shuku)
22. Ōtawara-shuku (大田原宿) (Ōtawara)
23. Nabekake-shuku (鍋掛宿) (Nasushiobara)
24. Koebori-shuku (越堀宿) (Nasushiobara)
o Terago-shuku (寺子宿) (Nasushiobara) (ai no shuku)
25. Ashino-shuku (芦野宿) (Nasu, Nasu District)
o Tani-shuku (谷宿) (Nasu, Nasu District) (ai no shuku)
o Yorii-shuku (寄居宿) (Nasu, Nasu District) (ai no shuku)

Fukushima Prefecture
26. Shirosaka-shuku (白坂宿) (Shirakawa)
27. Shirakawa-shuku (白川宿) (Shirakawa)
Ending Location: Shirakawa Castle (白河城) (Shirakawa)
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

From Shirakawa the Kaido went on through
Fukushima - stations 30 - 57
Miyagi - stations 58 - 82
Iwate - stations 83 - 98
. Aomori - 99 - 112 .
Hokkaido - 113.Matsumae / 114. 箱館宿 Hakodate

. Minowa　三ノ輪 / 箕輪 Minowa district .
Even before the Edo period, this was a sort of highway station on the way to the North.

. Nezu 根津 - Bunkyo ward .
Nezu Monzenmachi 根津門前町 along the Highway

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. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government .

. 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 .

. senryu, senryū 川柳　Senryu poems in Edo .

. Japanese Architecture - Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - - - #kasumigaseki #kaidoo #kaido - - - -
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2/01/2018

Okayama place names

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- quote

県名の由来（岡山県ってどういう意味？）

備前県民局エリアの地名
(岡山・玉野・備前・瀬戸内・赤磐・和気・吉備中央）

備中県民局エリアの地名
（倉敷・浅口・笠岡・井原・総社・高梁・新見・早島・里庄・矢掛）

美作県民局エリアの地名
(津山・真庭・美作・新庄・鏡野・勝央・奈義・西粟倉・久米南・美咲)

旧国名の由来
（吉備、備前、備中、美作）

中国地方の呼び名の由来
(日本なのに、何で中国地方なの？）

山陽地方の呼び名の由来
(山陽地方、山陰地方ってどういう意味？）

岡山の県北・県南の境界線ってどこ？

番外編・全都道府県の名前の由来
- source : okayamania.com/chimei...

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【いくつ読めますか？？　岡山県の難読地名】
今日はその中でも10ほどご紹介します。
岡山県愛が強い方なら、きっと全て読めるはず？？

1.妹（倉敷市）…せ - Se
2.虫明（瀬戸内市）…むしあげ - Mushiage
公式には「むしあげ」ですが、「むしあけ」と呼ばれることもあるそうです。-
3.刑部（新見市）…おさかべ - Asakabe
総社市にも同じ地名がありますが、読み方は「おしかべ」です。
4.宍粟（総社市）…しさわ - Shisawa
5.美袋（総社市）…みなぎ - Minagi
「水流れ」が転じたものと言われています。
6.神戸（津山市）…じんご - Jingo
「こうべ」と呼んでしまいそうですが、日本各地には「かんべ」、「かんど」、「ごうど」などと読む所もあります。
7.香登（備前市）…かがと - Kagato
8.麻宇那（備前市）…あそうな - Asouna
麻で作った紐、麻苧（あさお）の産地であることに由来しているそうです。
9.四御神（岡山市）…しのごぜ - Ghinogoze
この地に鎮座する大神神社の祭神が、大物主神など四神であることが由来だそうです。
10.加茂町百々（津山市）…かもちょうどうどう - Kamocho Dodo

https://www.okayama-ebooks.jp/

under construction
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. Mingei 民芸 Okayama Folk Art - 岡山県　 .

. Washoku - food specialities from Okayama .

. Sekibutsu stone statues by Bunei 文英様石仏 - Okayama -
吉備の文英様石仏 .
Marebito　まれびと　/ 客 / 賓 / 客人 "rare person"
koshinage Jizoo 腰投げ地蔵 "hip-throw" Jizo -
Bishamonten Magaibutsu - 毘沙門天磨崖仏
Kibi no Sekibutsu 吉備の石仏 Stone Buddhas from Kibi

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

. Okayama no Misaki Densetsu　岡山県のミサキ伝説 Misaki Legends from Okayama .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
- collecting

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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 .

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - - - #okayama #okayamaplacenames #placenames #okayamachimei - - - -
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1/12/2018

Tonegawa river

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
. kawa　江戸の川 -- 江戸の河 the rivers of Edo .
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Tonegawa 利根川 / 刀禰川 River Tonegawa, Tone river
Bandoo Taroo, Bandō Tarō 坂東太郎 Bando Taro

- quote
The Tone River (利根川 Tone-gawa) is a river in the Kantō region of Japan.
It is 322 kilometers (200 mi) in length (the second longest in Japan after the Shinano) and has a drainage area of 16,840 square kilometers (6,500 sq mi) (the largest in Japan). It is nicknamed Bandō Tarō (坂東太郎); Bandō is an obsolete alias of the Kantō Region, and Tarō is a popular given name for an oldest son. It is regarded as one of the "Three Greatest Rivers" of Japan, the others being the Yoshino in Shikoku and the Chikugo in Kyūshū.
... The Tone River was once known for its uncontrollable nature, and its route changed whenever floods occurred. It is hard to trace its ancient route, but it originally flowed into Tokyo Bay along the route of the present-day Edo River, and tributaries like the Watarase and Kinu had independent river systems.
For the sake of water transportation and flood control, extensive construction began in the 17th century during the Tokugawa shogunate, when the Kantō region became the political center of Japan. The course of the river was significantly changed, and the present route of the river was determined during the Meiji period, with the assistance of Dutch civil engineer Anthonie Rouwenhorst Mulder.
Its vast watershed is thus largely artificial. ...
- More in the wikipedia -

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- quote -
... By strict definition, the river begins on the 大水上山 Ōminakami Yama Ōminakami Mountains (literally, “Great Headwaters Mountains”) in Gunma Prefecture and empties out into the Pacific Ocean at 銚子 Chōshi in Chiba Prefecture. That said, the entire watershed is littered with towns and waterworks which reference the river, despite being off the official government designated course. The Arakawa and Edogawa are often cited unofficially as exit points of the river.

The Tone River as it flows through Maebashi (present day Gunma Prefecture).
... The history of the river is really long and complicated ...
- source : japanthis.com/2014... -

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Tonegawa barabara matsu　利ね川ばらばら松　/ 利根川ばらばら松
Scattered Pines”on the Bank of the Tonegawa River
Scattered Pines beside the Tone River
広重　Utagawa Hiroshige

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. 河童 / かっぱ / カッパ - Kappa, the Water Goblin of Japan! .

Neneko 禰々子 / 祢々子河童 / 弥々子河童（ねねこがっぱ) Neneko.
A female Kappa living in the river Tonegawa.
She became known around 1850. Every year she moved to a new place in the river and people, especially children drowned when she moved.
There was also a family which has the hand of a Neneko,禰々子の手 and venerated it, but the hand has been lost in recent years.

子ヽコ Neneko kappa in Tonegawa zushi by 赤松宗旦 Akamatsu Sōtan,1855
Tonegawa zushi 利根川図志 is an illustrated history of the Tone River. The book records the history and folklore of the communities found along the Tone. According to Sōtan, the river was believed to be home to the neneko kappa, illustrated here. With webbed claws and scaly skin, it was a dangerous creature that moved location every year, causing chaos wherever it went.
- British Library, London

Other tales from 利根川図誌 Tonegawa zushi

kawabotaru カワボタル river fireflies
In Chiba 千葉県, 印旛村 Inba mura
Two villagers went fishing at night. Suddenly the weather seemed to change to a storm and it became pitch-dark. A light came up from the water and begun to rise to the sky like a flame.
The villagers begun to pray for their safety.
But this kind of river fireflies is quite a natural phenomenon in the region, they learned later.

- - - - -

enkoo えんこう Enko Kappa
Kappa like Sumo wrestling, But even if someone wins, he will loose his mind. By simmering Shikimi for a tea and make him drink it, he will come back to normal.
. shikimi 樒 Skimmia, Illicium religiosum .

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利根川中・下流の年中行事 Yearly festivals and rituals along the Tonegawa
大林太良 Ohashi Taryo (1929 - 2001)
- including legends about the Kappa

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- 利根川流域における水神信仰 -
直江広治 Naoe Hiroji (1917 - 1994)
- including legends about the 河童 Kappa and the water deity Benten

Generally, Kappa is seen as 水神 a water deity, who looks like a monkey with a water plate on its head. He is very tall and has four long extremities. He looks like a turtle, since he carries a 甲羅 shell on his back.
He is usually thick.

Kappa seen along the Tonegawa in 群馬 Gunma, 栃木 Tochigi, 茨城　Ibaraki and 千葉県 Chiba:
Kappa is seen as 水神 a water deity. In the midstream region they say he looks like a kame 亀 turtle.
Some tales know of a Kappa getting caught while trying to pull a horse in the river. To get free again he had to promise to protect children from water accidents.

- - - - - nekoko ネココ Nekoko
Along the Tonegawa there lives a Kahaku called Nekoko. At that part of the river is a huge swirl. On the river shore there is a large yanagi 柳 willow tree, which has grown from the roots of a tree taken down be flooding.
. kahaku, kawa no kami, kawako 河伯 River Deity, "river chief" Kappa .

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

There are rivers named Tonegawa in other parts of Japan.

.................................................................................　Aomori 青森県

sunamaki-danuki 砂撒狸 a Tanuki throwing sand
They are known in 筑後久留米 Chikugo Kurume, 三井郡宮陣村 in the Mii distrct and other parts.
Also in Aomori, Tsugaru, Niigata, Aichi and Fukuoka.
A Tanuki climbs on a three at the dam of the upper Tonegawa, his body covered with sand or a bag of sand. If a human passes by, it shakes its body and splashes sand on the person below it.

source : youkaitama.seesaa.net/article...

砂を撒くという動物 suna o maku dobutsu . . . animals splashing sand
in Aomori 青森県三戸郡五戸町
sunamaki kitsune 砂撒き狐 fox

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

.................................................................................　Chiba 千葉県

sunamaki neko 砂撒猫 a cat throwing sand
A villager took a walk on a full-moon night along the banks of Tonegawa. He saw something like a cat running along the bank, rolling around and running back again. When he walked along under a tree, there was sand thrown on his head from above.

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銚子市 Choshi

kame no tatari カメのたたり the curse of the turtle
Toward the end of the Meiji period, around 1912, some workers on a maschine boat on the Tonegawa caught a 海がめ sea turtle and ate it.
That day when they finished work and wanted to go back to the harbour, the sea suddenly turned wild and the boat capsized. Only one of the workers made it back to the shore alive.
Others found him mumbeling "this turtle, this huge sea turtle . . . " and then he breathed his last too.
The fishermen of Choshi say this was the curse of the sea turtle and have great respect for this animal.

.................................................................................　Gunma 群馬県
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吾妻郡 Azuma district 高山村 Takayama

hata o oru bijo 機を織る美女 a beauty weaving
On the 8th day of the 4th lunar month in 858, an old man lost his hatchet on the riverpool 揺動淵. He looked for it and stepped into the river. He found it next to a beautiful women weaving. The woman gave him delicious food and drink and then he went home. There he made offerings of ritual Sake.

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沼田市 Numata 薄根村 Usune

Along the river 田釜川 Dengamagawa is a riverpool with many large boulders, called kama 釜 The Kettle.
This part is an access to 竜宮 the Dragon Palace and a Kappa lives there.

. ookami 狼 Okami, wolf legends .
Once a wold was howling loud and painful, so the villagers came closer to see what was wrong. The wolf had a bone stuck in his mouth, so they pulled it out to help him. The wolf was very happy and greatful and came every day to protect the villagers on their way to the river Tonegawa.

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邑楽郡 Ora district 板倉町 Itakura

- - - - - Folk belief knows this:
If suddenly many frogs come out, there will soon be a strong rain. If the frogs try to go inside a house, there will be a big flooding of the river.

Benten sama no tatari 弁天さまの祟り the curse of Benten
North of the home of 小林角蔵 Kobayashi Kakuzo is the oldest shrine for the deity Benten, 弁天ヤシキ Benten Yashiki.
When he tried to make some fields there, his house almost burned down.
The Benten Deity later moved on to Mount 筑山 to the 雷電沼 Raiden-numa swamp.

雷電神社(らいでんじんじゃ) Shrine Raiden Jinja, 群馬県邑楽郡板倉町板倉

. Benten 弁天 Benzaiten .

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太田市 Ota

. ダイダラボッチャ Daidarabotcha / Daidarabotchi ダイダラボッチ Monster .
Daidarabochi, the Giant, sat on 赤城山 Mount Akagisan and put his feet into the river Tonegawa to wash them. The footprints are now the two ponds
吉沢の池 Yoshizawa no Ike and 東金井の池. Higashi-Kanai no Ike.

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勢多郡 Seta district 赤城村 Akagi

. daija, orochi 大蛇 the huge serpent, great snake .
Once upon a time
a huge serpent came swimming down from upstream Tonegawa. She climbed on a rock called 龍王の岩 "Rock of the Dragon King". Between this and another rock was a small riverpool, and at its bottom is said to be a 竜宮 Dragon Palace.

.................................................................................　Ibaraki 茨城県
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稲敷郡 Inashiki district 新利根村 Shin-Tone Mura

. byooninda 病人田 Byoninda "the field of ill persons" .
This is a field that will bring bad luck to the one who plow and use it.
Once upon a time, to prevent the flooding of Tonegawa, 河内屋 Kawachiya took it and wanted to build something. But he came to a hard layer of earth and could not continue. So for the rest of his life he was angry and died soon after. The field is now cursed.

.................................................................................　Saitama 埼玉県
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加須市 Kazo

. ikenie (ikinie)　生贄 / 生け贄 / 生けにえ　human sacrifice .
- - - - - hitobashira 人柱 "human pillar
Once upon a time
there was severe flooding of the Tonegawa during a long period of rain. The village was on the verge of being flooded and the villagers thought it was a curse of 竜神 Ryujin, the Dragon Deity.
To appease him, they decided to make a human sacrifice of a young girl. Just then a mother and daughter on a pilgrimage stayed in the village and so they threw the girl into the water. The mother, observing this, hurled herself into the water too.
And oh wonder, soon the water retreated and the flooding stopped.
But a few years later people became ill and the harvest was bad. A mendicant monk told them this was a curse of the soul of mother and daughter and their human sacrifice.
So the villagers build a shrine, 川圦神社 Kawairi Jinja at Kazo village, to appease their souls.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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

- Kobayashi Issa

刀禰川や只一ッの水馬
tone-gawa ya tatta hitotsu no mizusumashi

Tone River--
only one solitary
water strider
Tr. David Lanoue

. Water strider, amenbo アメンボ、水馬.
- - kigo for all summer - -

"Clouds over Bando Taro" 坂東太郎（ばんどうたろう）
Bando Taro (bandoo taroo) is an old name for the Tone river, which flows through Edo/Tokyo.
. clouds - kigo for summer .

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