Edo - the EDOPEDIA -

4/28/2018

Mita district

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According to the 10th century book, 和名類聚抄 Wamyō Ruiju-shō (Japanese Names for Things), there was a place here written 御田 Mita.
(It’s referred to as 御田郷 Mita-gō, the 郷 gō just means “hamlet” or “small village”). That place name was originally written 屯田 Mita and fell under direct control of the Emperor and his court before the Taika Reform (645). 屯田 was specifically used for production of rice for the Imperial Court in Kyōto.
The Taika Reform
enacted sweeping land reforms and it makes sense that place names might change as the use of land changed. For a little while, the area was then used as a 神田 shinden (a rice field affiliated with a shrine), with the rice and/or its proceeds going to 伊勢神宮 Ise Jingū Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture.
The kanji 神田 can also be read as mita.
By the middle of the Edo Period, the area was coming to be increasingly written as 三田, which you have to admit is a lot simpler than the older ways. The reason is most likely that
御田 can be read as oden, onta, onda, and mita, while
神田 can be read as shinden, kamita, kanada, kada, kanda, kōda, and mita.
三田 also has variant readings, but is usually read as mita - or sanda, sata and mitsuda.
- source : japanthis.com/2013...

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... a district of Minato, Tokyo, located near Akabanebashi Station on the Toei Ōedo Line, Tamachi Station on the Yamanote Line, and Mita Station on the Toei Mita Line.
Mita is home to Keio University, Mita Hachiman Jinja, and the diplomatic missions of Kuwait, Italy, Hungary, Papua New Guinea and Australia.
- - - - - Slopes
Many roads up to the Mita plateau have named slopes of historical significance. Each is marked by a wooden post which explains the name.
Hijiri zaka 「聖坂」
corresponds to the ancient Tōkaidō 「東海道」 road. As for the slope, the name changes from the top of Isarago zaka 「伊皿子坂」to the Nihon enoki dori 「二本榎通り」.
. Gyoranzaka (魚藍坂 / 魚籃坂) .
Katsurazaka (桂坂)
is a hill road which lies between Takanawa 2-chōme and 3-chōme. A long time ago, ivy and vines covered the surface of this hill, though an alternate etymology says that a Buddhist priest who wore a wig (鬘 katsura) died along this slope suddenly on a return trip from Shinagawa.
Zakurozaka (石榴坂)
is a hill road which crosses between Takanawa 3-chōme and 4-chōme. The area has many hotels. The street was probably named because there was a pomegranate tree (石榴 zakuro) in the middle of a slope a long time ago.
Hebizaka (蛇坂)
is a slope which is in district four of Mita. Hebi means snake.
Anzenjizaka (安全寺坂)
is a hill road crossing between Mita 3-chōme and 4-chōme. The temple of Anzenji was built here in the Edo era.
Horazaka (洞坂)
is a hill road in Takanawa 3-chōme. The name means "cavernous slope," in Japanese. It is alternatively called Horazaka (法螺坂) or "conch shell slope" and Borazaka (鯔坂) or "herring slope."
Hiyoshizaka (日吉坂)
is a hill road which forms the border of Shirokane 2-chōme and 4-chōme. It goes from Meguro-dori in the southwest to Sakurada-dori in the northeast, and goes past the Kuwaharazaka (桑原坂) to the south.
The name originates from the Noh actor Hiyoshi Kahei who lived nearby.
Tsunazaka 綱坂 / 綱の手引坂
Mita Second district.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Tsunazaka 綱坂

- reference and more photos : tokyosaka -

Yuureizaka, Yūreizaka 幽霊坂 Yureizaka "Ghost slope"

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a hill road located in Mita 4-chome in Minato, Tokyo.
The slope climbs the promontory from east to west, and climbs along busy Sakurada Avenue and terminates at the intersection with Hijiri zaka. There are two possible sources for the name of the avenue:
"Yūrei" meaning ghost, due to the presence of numerous temples along the street, giving it a desolate atmosphere such that ghosts might appear and
"Yūrei," an alternate reading for the given name of the first Minister of Education in Japan, and scholar Mori Arinori, who lived in the vicinity.
Mori Arinori 森有礼 (1847 – 1889)
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

日向坂 Hyugazaka - also called 袖振坂、ひなた坂
神明坂 Shinmeizaka

潮見坂 / 汐見阪 Shiomizaka

歌川広重 Utagawa Hiroshige

. Chayazaka 茶屋坂 Chayazaka "Tea Stall Slope" .
Meguro 目黒区三田二丁目 Mita second district

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. Mita Shikoku Machi 三田四国町 "Shikoku Town" in Mita .
港区 Minato 芝2-5丁目 Shiba second to fifth sub-district

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Mita Hachimangū 三田八幡宮 /　御田八幡宮 Shrine Mita Hachimangu
- Deities in residence:
Hondawakeno Mikoto (誉田別尊命)
Amenokoyaneno Mikoto (天児屋根命)
Takenouchi Sukuneno Mikoto (武内宿禰命)

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This Jinja is one of the four candidates to be the Hiei Jinja mentioned in the Engi-shiki. Said to have been established in August 709 to enshrine the guardian deity of Japan’s eastern provinces. In 1011 the shrine was moved to what was then Mita District in Musashi Province and became a centre of worship of the tutelary kami of the Watanabe clan, a tributary family of the 52nd emperor, Saga (809-823).
Construction of a main hall at what is the present site of the shrine was completed in 1628. In 1668, however, it was destroyed by fire: rebuilding was completed in 1672. In September 1869 the shrine was renamed Hiei Jinja, before being again renamed, as Mita Hachiman Jinja in 1874. Come the fire bombings of 1945 and the main hall, which had survived since 1672, was burnt to a cinder, along with the rest of the shrine. Rebuilding was completed in 1954.
- source and photos : Rod Lucas -

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. Musashi no Kuni 武蔵国 Musashi Province / Bushuu 武州 Bushu .

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三田用水 Mita Yosui Waterway
三田上水 (1664) = Mitagawa

source : massneko.hatenablog.com...

The 三田上水 Mita Josui aqueduct was first constructed above ground in 1864 by 中村八郎右衛門 Nakamura Hachiroemon and 磯野助六 Isono Sukeroku.
It brought drinking water to 三田、芝、金杉 Mita, Shiba and Kanesugi.

In 1722, the 8th Shogun Yoshimune ordered some josui上水 (waterways on the ground) to be put under ground, because some thought the wooden waterways would be at risk of fire.
Since 1724 the water from 三田用水 Mita Yosui was used for farming in 14 villages in Mita, Meguro and further downstream.
Because the Mita waterway came from a plateau, they could use water mills further downstream, since Meiji even for industrial purposes in Meguro.
After the war, the Mita waterway was abolished and now only a memorial stone in Meguro reminds of its existence.

目黒の富士 Mount Fuji seen from Meguro - including Fujizuka and the Mita Yosui.
Hiroshige 広重

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View of a mini-Fuji built in 1829 on the estate of a shogunal retainer named Kondo Iuzo, well known for his exploration of the northern island of Hokkaido. It was a late Edo practice to construct miniature replicas of Mount Fuji. The first such mini-Fuji was built in 1779 in Takata (now the site of Waseda University) by a practitioner of Fujiko, a popular religion that worshipped Mount Fuji as a transcendent god. The miniature replicas enabled women, children, the elderly and infirm to climb Fuji.
The mountain shown in this print is smoother than most mini-Fujis, which were generally built of rough lava transported from Mount Fuji itself and the zigzag path mimicked the route up the real mountain. The Kondo Fuji came to be known as the "New Fuji," in distinction to the early mini-Fuji nearby, (shown in the following print). Known as a religious site it was also a pleasure spot, for the splendid view it offered of the real Mount Fuji, shown in the distance.
The stream below is the Mita Aqueduct, which ran along the bluff and around the New Fuji, and the shrine hidden in the trees in the middle distance is the popular Meguro Fuco, probably the destination for visitors stopping off at the mini-Fuji.
Seven years after the founding of the New Fuji, Kondo Iuzo's son killed a neighboring farmer and his family in a dispute in a right to sell souvenirs to mini-Fuji visitors, resulting in the disgrace of the Kondo family. The mini-Fuji was leveled in 1965 for the construction of a research institute of KDD, Japan's international telephone and telegraph company. Stone markers from the "New Fuji" are still preserved behind the hedge on the south side of the institute lawn.
- source : brooklyn museum -

. The many waterways of Edo - Introduction .

. Fujizuka, Fuji-zuka 富士塚 Mound to honor Mount Fujisan .

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. Gofunai 御府内八十八ヶ所霊場 88 Henro Temples in Edo .
- In Mita there are 5 pilgrim temples -
13 龍生院 Ryusho-In .
65 大聖院 Daisho-In .
69 宝生院 Hosho-In .
80 長延寺 Choen-Ji .
84 明王院 Myo-O-In .

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4/26/2018

Higashimurayama Kumegawa

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Higashimurayama city 東村山市

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..... a city located in the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 1 February 2016, the city had an estimated population of 150,984, and a population density of 8810 persons per km². Its total area is 17.14 square kilometres (6.62 sq mi).
Higashimurayama is approximately in the north-center of Tokyo Metropolis, on the Musashino Terrace.
- History
The area of present-day Higashimurayama has been inhabited since Japanese Paleolithic times, and numerous remains from the Jōmon, Yayoi and Kofun periods have been discovered.
During the Nara period, it became part of ancient Musashi Province.
During the Kamakura period, it was the location of the Battle of Kumegawa in 1333.
In the post-Meiji Restoration reform of April 1, 1889, several villages merged to form Higashimurayama Village in Nishitama District, at that time part of Kanagawa Prefecture.
The entire district was transferred to the control of Tokyo Prefecture on April 1, 1893.
On April 1, 1942, Higashimurayama Village became the town of Higashimurayama. On April 1, 1964, Higashimurayama was elevated to city status.
- source : wikipedia

秋津町 Akitsu // 青葉町 Aoba // 久米川町 Kumegawa // 諏訪町 Suwa ・野口町 Nogushi // 多摩湖町 Takako ・廻田町 Megurita // 本町 Honcho ・栄町 Sakaecho // 恩多町 Onta // 美住町 Misumi ・富士見町 Fujimi // 萩山町 Hagiyama
- reference source : city.higashimurayama.tokyo.jp... -

. Musashi no Kuni 武蔵国 Musashi Province / Bushuu 武州 Bushu .

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Kumegawa mura 久米川村 Kumegawa village
東村山市久米川村

As you can see on the map above, Kumegawa village is just in the middle of Higashimurayama city.
Its name dates back to a Kume clan　久米部 Kumebe, Kume-Be / 久米氏 Kume Shi
The Kumebe were one of the five military clans : the Otomo, Kume (Kumebe), Imibe, Mononobe, and Nakatomi. The Kuma clan held the land on both sides of the 川 river, soon named after them.

久米川　（江戸名所図会より）

It was a postal station along the
Kamakura Kaido 鎌倉街道
Kamakura Kaidō, Kamakura Highway or Highways during the Kamakura Period.

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Higashimurayama 東村山市

keyaki 欅 zelkova tree
There was a huge zelkova tree along the highway. They say it used to cry.
But this was only a made-up story (狂言 kyogen) bt its owner who did not want the tree to be cut down.

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　梅岩寺　Zelkova Tree of Baigan-ji Temple

Baigan-ji Temple is an ancient temple of Sotoshu sect, said to be refounded by Asan Donseki in 1651.
There are two Japanese Zelkova trees on both sides of Sanmon entrance gate. The tree on the left side of the gate is “Zelkova Tree of Baigan-ji Temple” designated as Natural Monument of Tokyo. According to the topography “Shinpen Musashi Fudoki-ko” edited in Bunka and Bunsei era (1804-1830), the mention about this temple is found in the article of ‘Kumegawa Village’. Also, there is the mention about this Zelkova tree in the article; ‘There are two trees on the both side of the gate. One is an old Zelkova tree of 2 jyo in circumference. Another is Kajyu of 1 syaku 2jyo’.
This tree has about 27 meters in height and about 7.3 meters in circumference. Its main trunk branches off into several thick limbs at a height of about 3 meters and the branches widely spread out. It grows thick and has a strong vitality.
Furthermore, the tree mentioned as ‘another is Kajyu of 1 syaku 2 jyo’ in the topography indicates the Kaya tree on the right side of the gate.
This tree is “Kaya Tree of Baigan-ji Temple” designated as Natural Monument of Higashimurayama City.
- reference source : syougai.metro.tokyo.jp/bunkazai... -

. keyaki 欅と伝説 Legends about the Zelkova tree .

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恩田町 Onda

Tenno Sama 天王様 deity "Heavenly King"
In a part of the village it was not allowed to grow cucumbers or pumpkins, without the special permission of the Deity.
This was due to the fact that the family crest of the Gion Shrines, where Gozu Tenno is venerated, looked very similar to the form of a cut through a cucumber.

. the Deity Gozu Tennō 牛頭天王 and the Gion shrines .

. The Shrine crest of the Gion shrine .
鹿児島県 Kagoshima 伊佐郡 Isa district

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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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 . ]
- - - - - #higashimurayama #kumegawa - - - -
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4/24/2018

Musashi Province

This is a map of the 22 counties of Musashi Province. Rivers, marshland, and the ocean are drawn in blue, mountainous areas in green, and the confines of the city in deep colors to distinguish from the outskirts. Also, in the blank space an explanation of place names, a brief history, a list of temples and shrines, and a list of famous spots of Musashi Province are noted.
Musashi Province is a large region that covers the present day Tokyo Metropolis, Saitama Prefecture and a large portion of Kawasaki City and Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture.
Initially Musashi Province was formed from the 19 counties of
豊島 Toshima, 荏原 Ebara, 橘樹 Tachibana, 久良岐 Kuraki, 都筑 Tsuzuki, 多摩 Tama, 足立 Adachi, 入間 Iruma, 比企 Hiki, 横見 Yokomi, 埼玉 Saitama, 大里 Ohsato, 男衾 Obusuma, 幡羅 Hara, 榛沢 Hanzawa, 那賀 Naka, 児玉 Kodama, 賀美 Kami and 秩父 Chichibu.
However in the 8th century, the Koma County and the Shiragi County (which later became the Niikura County) and in the beginning of Edo period, a part of the Katsushika County of Shimōsa Province were integrated to make 22 counties.
- source : library.metro.tokyo.jp...

. 稲城市 Inagi City / 穴澤 Anazwaa / Yanokuchi 谷の口 / 矢野口 .

. Chōfu 調布市 Chofu city

. 調布市佐須町 Sazumachi, Chōfu City .

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Musashi Province (武蔵の国 Musashi no kuni)
was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Metropolis, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called Bushū (武州). The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama. Musashi bordered on Kai, Kōzuke, Sagami, Shimōsa, and Shimotsuke Provinces.
Musashi was the largest province in the Kantō region.
- Name
The name Musashi, recorded in early records as 牟射志 muzasi, has been conjectured to be of Ainu origin. It has no apparent meaning in Japanese, but mun-sar-i or mun-sar-ihi (weed-marsh-POSS) is a hypothetical Ainu form that would mean "marsh/wetland of (i.e. belonging to) weeds/inedible or otherwise useless plants," with Musashi in the middle of the Kantō Plain.
- History
Musashi had its ancient capital in modern Fuchū, Tokyo, and its provincial temple in what is now Kokubunji, Tokyo. By the Sengoku period, the main city was Edo, which became the dominant city of eastern Japan. Edo Castle was the headquarters of Tokugawa Ieyasu before the Battle of Sekigahara and became the dominant city of Japan during the Edo period, being renamed Tokyo during the Meiji Restoration.
Hikawa-jinja
was designated as the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) of the province; and there are many branch shrines.
The former province gave its name to the battleship of the Second World War Musashi.
- Timeline of important events
...
708 (Keiun 5):
The era name was about to be changed to mark the accession of Empress Gemmei; but the choice of Wadō 和銅 as the new nengō for this new reign became a way to mark the welcome discovery of copper in the Chichibu District of what is now Saitama Prefecture.

The Japanese word for copper is dō (銅); and since this was indigenous copper, the "wa" (the ancient Chinese term for Japan) could be combined with the "dō" (copper) to create a new composite term—"wadō"—meaning "Japanese copper".
...
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. Adachi ku 足立区 Adachi ward .

. Ebara district, Himonya village 武州荏原郡碑文谷村. .

. Fuchuu, Fuchū 府中市 Fuchu city .

. Higashimurayama city 東村山市 and 久米川村 Kumegawa village .

. Itabashi ku 板橋区 Itabashi ward / 武州板橋 Bushu Itabashi .

. Katsushika ku 葛飾区 Katsushika ward .

. Kichijoojimura 吉祥寺村 Kichijo-Ji village .

. Kodaira shi 小平市 Kodaira city and 小川町 Ogawa district .

. Machida shi 町田市 Machida city "city of fields" .

. Musashino Plain 武蔵野 Musashino Uplands .
A part of the 関東平野 Kanto Heiya plain.

. Musashi Fuchu Kumano Jinja Kofun　武蔵府中熊野神社古墳 burial mound .

. Negishi 根岸 Negishi district - Taito ward .
武蔵国豊島郡根岸村

. Sakuragaoka 桜ヶ丘 / Tama .

. Tamagawa 多摩川 / 玉川 River Tamagawa, Tama .

. Tanashi 田無 and 保谷 Hoya . - Nishi-Tokyo

. Toshima 豊島区 Toshima ward, "Rich Island" .
and 巣鴨 Sugamo district "ducks nest"

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. Shrine Hikawa Jinja 氷川神社 . - Musashi Ichi no Miya 武蔵一の宮
Saitama 埼玉県

. Shrine Musashi Mitake Jinja 武蔵御嶽神社 .
176 Mitakesan, Ome, Tokyo

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

azarashi, suiko 水豹 / 海豹 (あざらし) seal // todo トド,　魹、sea lion, Eumetopias jubatus
Seals have been living in the rivers of Musashi province and many are born in spring near the sea. When they grow up, they become sea lions, but later in their life they go back to be seals.

ryuugyo 鰡魚 bora, striped black mullet; a springer, Mugil cephalus
When the Bora gets older, he changes his form, even becoming a sea lion or a seal. This fish is born in the Musashi province and then moves on South, where he spends about one year in the sea at 紀州 Kishu, Wakayama. He is never caught there in a net or with an angler's hook. A few years older he turns back into a seal. Since he likes the cold, he now moves up to Hokkaido to live there.

. - Suiko 水虎 Water Tiger, Water Beast - .

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Osaki Kitsune をさき狐 / オサキキツネ fox with a split tail
- known in 埼玉県 Saitama，東京都 Tokyo and 神奈川県 Kanagawa

This is a kind of Yokai monster weasel or small fox with a split tail, also written 尾先, 尾裂」「御先狐」or「尾崎狐」. Some see it as a Yokai. It used to be known in the Chichibu area and then spread all over Musashi province. Before choosing a bride or groom, on has to carefully investigate the family to make sure it does not live with the family and comes along. The bride might give birth to foxes and leaves the family soon after giving birth.
Some Kitsune-women also give birth to mice before disappearing, and the whole family becomes unhappy and unlucky.
also known as osakigitsune オサキギツネ

. kitsune densetsu 狐　伝説 fox legends .

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武蔵国多摩郡中野 Nakano hamlet in the Tama district

. The 怨念 grudge of Taira no Masayori 平将頼 (? - 940) .

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武蔵国比企郡 Hiki district

takejo 竹女 "Bamboo woman"
Around 1640, there lived a priest in Hiki who performed austere practises and venerated 大日如来 Dainichi Nyorai. He later went up to 羽黒山 Mount Hagurosan, There he had a dream vision about the servant Takejo (Bamboo woman) who lived in Sakuma. So he went back to Edo and Sakuma and prayed in front of Takejo. Takejo was ill, but his prayers helped her to die in piece, wrapped in a purple cloud on her ascent to paradise.

. Haguro San 羽黒山 . 羽黒出羽三山 Three mountains of Dewa - Yamagata .

. Kanda 神田佐久間町 Sakuma cho district 　 .

.................................................................................　Kanagawa 神奈川県
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川崎市 Kawasaki

. 河童 / かっぱ / カッパ - Kappa, the Water Goblin of Japan! .
Near 武蔵国河ごえ the town of Kawagoe there is a place called たて Tate.
A child once wanted to wash a horse, but the horse went wild and the child fell in the river. The villagers saw a Kappa nearby, caught it and wanted to kill the Kappa.
A priest from a nearby temple felt pity for the Kappa and asked the villagers to forgive him. The Kappa promised never to attack humans or animals in the river and then went off.
That night, the priest found two buna 鮒 carps at his bedside, a present from the greatfull Kappa.

. buna densetsu 鮒伝説　crucian carp - kigo and legends .

川越藩 Kawagoe Han 武蔵国入間郡 Iruma district（現在の埼玉県川越市 Now Saitama, Kawagoe town）

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川崎市 Kawasaki 中原区 Nakahara ward

. yoogooseki 影向石 Yogoseki Stone with Yakushi Nyorai Image .

. Nakahara Kaido 中原街道 Nakahara Highway .

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多摩区 Tama ward

koshoo 古松 the old pine
橘樹郡宿河原村 In the Tachibana district, Shukugawara village there is an old pine on the top of the mountain.
Around 1834 is suddenly withered and all villagers were very sad. In this year, a young man from the next village had used some branches for firewood, but he came down with a high fever. So his family took the remainder of the branches, placed them around the old tree and said prayers and apologies. Soon the young man became well again.

. matsu 松と伝説 pine legends .

.................................................................................　Saitama 埼玉県
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川口市 Kawaguchi

zenibashi 銭橋 Zenibashi bridge
When Tokugawa Ieyasu was hunting with hawks, part of the path near 青木村 Aoki village collapsed and he could not go back.
The villagers collected all their zeni coins and burried them here to build a bridge.

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大里郡 Osato district 寄居町 Yorii

. tanuki 狸と伝説 racoon dog, badger legends .
In the ruins of 鉢形 Hachibata castle in Chichibu there live many foxes and Tanuki.
At night when there was a poetry meeting at the nearby temple, there was suddenly a strange laughter from below the brazier, just at the most scary time of the night.
When they moved the brazier, a black monster animal jumped out and run toward the Buddha statue. When they looked at the statue the next morning, the statue begun to laugh. Then they tried to cut the statue into pieces, a black monster animal like a Tanuki run away fast.

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さいたま市 Saitama city

. yao bikuni 八百比丘尼（やおびくに）nun for 800 years - Legends .
happyaku bikuni 八百比丘尼 / ハッピャクビクニ
武蔵国足立郡水波田村 In the Adachi district, at the temple 慈眼寺 Jigen-Ji, there was a huge enoki 榎 nettle tree cut down, the open cut covering a huge size of the ground.
This tree had been planted by a Happyaku Bikuni nun from 若狭 Wakasa. When the villagers dug deeper, they found the statue of Jizo Bosatsu in a stone box, with an inscription dating to 大化元年 the year 645. This Bikuni must have lived for more than 1000 years.

.................................................................................　Tokyo 東京都
日野市 Hino city

- quote -
Taira-mura Burial Mound of Taira no Koremori Tairamura 平村 - 平惟盛古墳

A sacred stone monument believed to have been built in 1271 (the eighth year of Bun'ei)
remains within an orchard located in 南平 Nampei, Hino City.
The monument is said to be the grave of 平惟盛 Taira no Koremori.
This was built by a samurai named 平資綱 Taira no Suketsuna who lived in this area,
in order to pray for the repose of Koremori's soul.
Taira no Koremori was a descendant of the eldest son of 平清盛 Taira no Kiyomori,
and he committed suicide by drowning himself in the sea of Kishū (Wakayama Prefecture)
in 1183 during 源平合戦 the Battle of Genpei.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Museum -

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Hino no tsu 日野津 Hino no watashi

Hino-no-watashi, along the Koshū Highway, was an ferry landing officially recognized by the shogunate.
It is said that the ferry landing was finally set up in its current location during the Jōkyō era (1684-1687).
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library -

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hakuhatsu no okina 白髪の翁 old man with white hair
In 武蔵国多摩郡久保村 the village of Kubomura in Tama there lived a farmer named 藤五郎 Kikugoro, whose son named 藤蔵 Fujikura died when he was six years old. At the funeral there came an old man with white hair and took away the spirit of Fujikura (some say the body of the boy who was still alive). Fukukura lived in a dark place for three years and then came back to the world of men. Now he was born in the same Tama district in the village of 中野村 Nakano as the second son of 源蔵 Genzo, named 勝五郎 Katsugoro.
When Katsugoro was nine years old, he said he was in fact the son of Kikugoro and could tell all the stories of Kikugoro's family and the son Fujikura.

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港区 Minato ward

In the year 1005 during the reign of 一条天皇 Emperor Ichijo Tenno suddenly it begun to rain 幣 ritual wands and huge fangs from the sky in 武蔵国日比谷村 Hibiya village.
To appease the deity, the villagers built the Shrine
. 芝大神宮 / 芝神明社 / 芝神明宮 Shiba Myojin Gu .

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練馬区 Nerima ward

. Yamata no orochi 山田の大蛇 huge monster serpent .
（八岐大蛇、八俣遠呂智、八俣遠呂知　ー　ヤマタノオロチ）- a legendary 8-headed and 8-tailed Japanese dragon.
When the deity 素盞鳴の尊 Susanoo killed the huge serpent of Yamata there have not yet been metal swords in Japan. The first 鉄剣 iron sword is said to be in the shrine 石神井神社 Shakujii Jinja at the 武蔵国豊島郡下石神井村 Shimo-Shakujii village in the Toshima district.

. Shakujii Park 石神井公園 Shakujii Kōen .

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

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渋谷区 Shibuya ward

. Hatagaya Fudo 幡ヶ谷不動 / 荘厳寺 Shogon-Ji .
藤原秀郷 Fujiwara Hidesato came here to pray for victory against 平将門 Taira no Masakado.

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立川市 Tachikawa

reiken 霊験 spiritual achievement
武蔵国多摩郡芝崎村鎮守八幡宮 Chinju Hachimangu
At 八幡宮 the Shrine Hachimangu in Shibazaki village in the Tama district there is a Buddha statue said to have been made by 弘法大師 Kobo Daishi. People come here to pray for spiritual achievements.
Once upon a time, there was a fire at the Shrine, but the statue had flown away just in time. The temple was reconstructed around 1717. At the pine tree in the compound there was a strange light and when they dug there, they found the statue, safe and secure.

. Kobo Daishi Kukai 弘法大師　空海 . - (774 - 835)
. Chinju Sama, Chinjusama 鎮守様 Guardian Deity Legends .

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- quote -
Shibazaki Fusai-ji Temple 芝崎普済寺

Genbu-san Fusai-ji in Shibazaki-chō, Tachikawa City, is a famous temple of the Rinzai Buddhism.
People in the Edo period could see panoramic views of the Tama hillside, the mountains of Tanzawa,
and even Mt. Fuji from this temple.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library -

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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4/23/2018

Teppozu district Akashi Ginza

su 洲 (-zu in compound words) is a kind of sandbank or island in a river.
Between the river Sumidagawa near its estuary and river Kyobashigawa 京橋川 there was a long Su, the Teppozu.
Right opposite was Tsukudajima　佃島.
The name refers the thin long shape of the island, looking like a teppo 鉄砲 gun to the inhabitants of Edo.
There were many Daimyo Yashiki estates in Teppozu.

- - - - - Fujizuka Mound in Teppozu

. Fujizuka, Fuji-zuka 富士塚 Mound to honor Mount Fujisan .

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Hiroshige 広重
東都名所之内　鉄砲州佃真景 Toto meisho no uchi Teppozu Tsukuda shinkei

- quote
The name of Teppozu is said to originate either from the fact that the sandbars were long and narrow, like the shape of a rifle, or because of the test firing of artillery. It is said that at the time a Fujizuka (mound made in the image of Mt. Fuji) was constructed in Minatoinari Shrine (present day Teppozu Inari-jinja Shrine) and Mt. Fuji could be viewed from here. Ships from various regions entered the port at Teppozu, so the shrine was revered as a god of safety on the sea for ship passengers. In the Meiji Era it was moved approximately 100 meters to the southwest.
- source : National Diet Library -

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In the grounds of Teppozu Shrine (Minato, Chuo Ward), is Fujizuka (Fuji mound – a miniature Mt. Fuji), which was put together with lava rocks carried from Mt. Fuji. Many people come to make pilgrimages (or Fuji-mode) to this small-sized Fuji.

Utagawa Toyokuni III and Utagawa Hiroshige II 1864 (Genji 1)
Thirty-six Views of the Pride of Edo-Pilgrimage to Teppozu Inari Fuji Shrine
(Edo Jiman Sanjūrokkyō Teppōzu Inari Fuji Mōde)

The 'Mountain Opening' of Mt. Fuji took place on the first day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar and on this day, the people of Edo burnt incense in front of their homes and worship the mountain. Mt. Fuji was revered as a deity since times past and in the Edo period, there were gatherings of mountain worshippers in various locations which were called 'Fuji-kō' and the adherents made pilgrimages to the mountain and this is called Fuji-mode. There were also man made Mt. Fujis here and there in the city and so Edo residents could go on Fuji-mode without having to go all the way to the real mountain.
The Teppozu Inari Shrine pictured here is one of these and is famous along with Komagome, Asakusa, Yotsuya and Fukagawa. In the picture, a figure holding a parasol can be seen half way up the mountainside in the background of a man-made Fuji. The young girl in the foreground is holding a straw snake and in around the Hōei period (1704 to 1711), these were sold as charms against diseases in Fujizuka in Komagome and after this they were sold in various locations during the Mt. Fuji Festival.
- source : library.metro.tokyo.jp/portals...

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Shrine Teppozu Inari Jinja 鐵砲洲稲荷神社
This shrine was founded in 841.
The protector deity for the local residents - ubusuna no kami 産土神 was established in 1554
生成太神(いなりのおおかみ) Inari no Ookami

- quote -
This shrine, close to the banks of the Sumida River, traces its origins back to a shrine constructed nearby in 1520, while it has been in its current location since 1642.
Besides being the site of a number of interesting festivals throughout the year (including one that sees participants taking a dip in a pool on the second Sunday in January), arguably the main attraction is next to the actual shrine. Here, you'll find a mini Mount Fuji constructed from rocks carried from Fujisan itself by devotees, as part of an old tradition of worshipping the great mountain.
- source : timeout.com/tokyo/attractions... -

- Deities in residence
稚産霊神（わくむすびのかみ）Wakumusubi no Kami
豊受比売神（とようけひめのかみ）Toyoukehime no Kami
宇迦之御魂神（うがのみたまのかみ）Uganomitama no Kami

- HP of the Shrine
- reference source : teppozujinja.or.jp... -

. Shrine 新富稲荷神社 Shintomi Inari Jinja .

Inaribashi bridge 稲荷橋 Hiroshige

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前野良沢 Maeno Ryotaku (1723 - 1803)
was born in the residence of the 奥平 Okudaira family at Edo Teppozu.

also known as 前野蘭化 Maeno Ranka
known as one of the most active in learning the Dutch language, reading and translating Dutch materials, and organizing opportunities for others to learn the language.
He studied with Yoshio Kôsaku, and was active in Rangaku circles of his time.
In his Kanrei higen (1777),
Maeno writes of the virtue of European nations, and of the importance of the quality of a culture's religious teachings in ensuring peace and prosperity. He writes of the success of the spread of Christianity as evidence for the value of Christianity as a moralizing agent, and asserts that while China has seen numerous violent coups, no European ruler has ever taken power by violent usurpation. He never published his Kanrei higen for fear of running afoul of the shogunate, but manuscripts circulated among other Rangaku scholars, physicians, and translators.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

. Medicine in Edo .

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

. kanchuu suiyoku 寒中水浴 midwinter bathing .
- - kigo for mid-winter - -
Teppozu Inari Shrine 鐵砲洲稲荷神社, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
January 12
Men wearing only loincloths pour purifying water over themselves.

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神輿追ひ銀座新富明石町
mikoshi oi Ginza Shintomi Akashi choo

carrying Mikoshi
Ginza Shintomi
Akashi
Tr. Gabi Greve

愛澤豊嗣 Aizawa Toyotsugu

. mikoshi神輿、御輿 portable shrine .
kigo for all summer

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4/22/2018

Tateishi village Katsushika

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Tateishi is a neighborhood in Katsushika, Tokyo, Japan.
The name derives from a tiny stone monument called Tateishi-sama (立石様), located at 8-37 Tateishi.
With its retro-chic shopping streets and small, back-street workshops and factories, the area retains an atmosphere associated with Tokyo's earthy Shitamachi ("downtown") neighborhoods. Katsushika Ward Office, is located at 5-13-1 Tateishi.
Tateishi
is situated on the west bank of the Nakagawa, a river, about 3 km south of the Kameari area known to many through the manga Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo.
The Higashi-Tateishi ("east Tateishi") neighborhood lies to the south of Tateishi. Tateishi Nakamise (立石仲見世), an old-fashioned shopping street near the railway station, was started soon after World War II ended.
Until around 1980, Tateishi was home to numerous small, family-owned factories, though many of these have since closed and small apartment houses now occupy many of their former sites. The neighborhood's chief industries include dyeing works and doll manufacturing.

Tateishi ("standing stone")
derives its name from a standing stone addressed by locals as Tateishi-sama, sama being a suffix indicating respect.
The stone has been at its present location for at least 600 years and is thought to have been carried and erected here given that the area is on alluvial soil. Locals began to worship the stone as an embodiment of the deity Inari during the Edo period (ca. 1600–1868), hence the sama in the name. The stone is reputed to have once had a height of 8-24 inches (approximately 20 to 60 cm), but today it stands only 1 inch above ground level due to the effects of floods, subsidence, and breakage by locals who wanted to use a piece of the stone as a talisman against disease or getting shot in battle.
- source : wikipedia

. Kameari 亀有 Kameari district - Katsushika .

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Edo Meisho Zue 　立石様　Tateishi Sama

Three people, obviously travelers, have come from afar to crap off a bit from the stone and took it home as an amulet.

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Tateishi Nanzō-in Temple Kumano Shrine 立石南蔵院熊野祠

Nanzō-in Temple, in Tateishi, Katsushika Ward, is affiliated with the Buzan school of Shingon Buddhism and also known as Gohō-zan Risshaku-ji Temple, it is said to have been stablished as an annex of the Kumano Shrine during the Chōho era (999-1004).
During the Edo period, it was also used as a dining place when the Shogun practiced falconry.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Museum -

. Nanzooin 南蔵院 Nanzo-In .
板橋区蓮沼町４８－８ // Itabashi, Hasunuma cho 48-8

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Tateishi: Artisan and Merchant Quarters During the Edo Period

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There are quite a few notable areas in Tokyo for an evening out or a taste of some delicious street food, but most visitors and hardly any locals know of this tucked away location only 15 minutes from Asakusa. Tateishi flys pretty low on the radar, and upon first glance it might seem the lack of reputation is well deserved, but Tateishi has held on to some truly unique and tasty shops over the years.
Located in the Shitamachi area,
Tateishi literally means “standing stone,” a name derived from a stone that protrudes out from the ground at a nearby shrine. The stone has been worshipped for over 600 years and today only a small portion remains above the ground. The Shitamachi area was home to merchants and artisans during the Edo period, although after the economic boom, Shitamachi struggled to hang on to the traditions and culture of Japan. Because of this the area today feels a far cry away from that of the more popular areas of Tokyo, but the residents of Shitamachi like it that way, or so I have been told.
- - - - - Tateishi Nakamise Shopping Street
Exiting the Keisei Tateishi train station it is quite easy to find the Tateishi Nakamise Shopping Street. A large sign hangs above the covered entrance, and shops line either side of the boulevard. This shopping street was originally opened as a black market in post-war Japan in 1954 and has remained a celebrated location for the local culture since then. The shopping area boasts five different shopping streets, each with its own unique vibe. The largest by far is also the most modern, but right next door you can find a smaller alleyway with standing room only restaurants and deli-style buffets. Outside the station, a tiny window shop sells croquettes to waiting customers, and next door cuts of fresh meat are displayed in the small smudged windows of a butcher. A line of people waits outside a popular ramen restaurant, while three men sit on stools, the only thing visible through the half curtains are their backs poking out of the dimly lit restaurant while they enjoy their meal.
You can find places like this in central Tokyo,
but rarely with so much gruff charm. It is easy to see that the people here have furiously held on to the Shitamachi culture that made this place what it was. Today it may seem somewhat sparse at first glance, but if you are interested in finding the truly hidden gems and forgotten places of Japan, look no further than Tateishi.

- - - - - Nonbe-Yokocho: Tateishi’s Drinking Alley
Just across the train tracks from Tateishi’s Nakamise Shopping area, and somewhat tucked away between the buildings you can find the popular drinking alleys in Tateishi. While they may look somewhat frightening and broken down in the daylight, I have heard that in the evening these tiny bars come alive. There are two main streets comprising Nonbe-Yokocho, each one just as narrow and fascinating as the other. I have heard that the interior of these small drinking holes outstrips the exterior appearance. If you happen to be in the area, or if you decide to make a trip to Shitamachi to see the sights, make sure to stop by Tateishi in the evening for a quick meal and a drink.
- source : voyapon.com/old-tokyo-tateishi... -

. Shitamachi 下町 - Introduction .

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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

At the field of the village headman of Tateishi village, there was suddenly a round stone of about 30 cm in the field. He wanted to dig it out, but it was deep in the ground and he left it that day, going home to sleep. Next morning, the stone looked out of the ground for about 30 cm, so the headman thought this must be a good omen and covered it with earth.
But again, next morning the stone was up 30 cm.
So he built a stone sanctuary for Inari on top of it and begun to worship here.
This is the origin of the village named Tateishi in Edo.

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

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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