Edo - the EDOPEDIA -

2/10/2020

Kamaishi Kaido Highway

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Kaido 街道 Highways - ABC Index .
- Nanbu Kaido, see below
- Kazuno Kaido, see below
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Kamaishi Kaido 釜石街道 Kamaishi Highway
Iwate 岩手県
Connecting 遠野 Tono to the coastal town 釜石 Kamaishi.

The road dated back to the middle ages and the 阿曾沼氏 Asonuma clan.
Later it connected 閉伊郡横田村 Yokota village via the pass 仙人峠 Sennin Toge and along the river 甲子川 Kasshigawa with 閉伊郡平田村 Hirata village at the 浜街道 Sanriku Hama Kaido beach road.

- Postal stations along the Kamaishi Kaido
Tono 遠野宿
Kasshi 甲子
Kamaishi 釜石

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Sennin Tooge 仙人峠 Sennin Pass, 887 m
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Sennin-toge Pass is one of the main spots in Kamaishi for observing the change in color of the autumn foliage. The peak time is in late October to November. The recommended driving route is through the Sennin Tunnel towards the square on the Kamaishi side that overlooks the city while continuing on through the canopy of autumn leaves.
- source : tokyocreative.com/sights... -

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Welcome to Kamaishi
Kamaishi City is located on the southeastern coast of Iwate Prefecture, within the Sanriku Fukko National Park. The city is spread across four bays, and winds its way along the basins of the Kasshi and Unosumai Rivers. The mountain terrain stretching all the way to the sea provides the city with abundant natural beauty, whilst the waters off the coast of Kamaishi provide the perfect conditions for oysters, Japanese scallops,wakame seaweed and a large variety of other fresh seafood. As the birthplace of Japan’s modern steel industry, Kamaishi is also home to the Hashino Iron Mining and Smelting Site, a recent addition to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.
Like so many other towns and cities along the northeast coast of Japan,
Kamaishi suffered severe damage in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami disaster. Over 1000 lives were lost in Kamaishi alone, with a large number of homes, commercial buildings, and infrastructure destroyed. Having commemorated the 6th anniversary of the disaster in March 2017, the city is moving forward with hope and resilience as it continues with the recovery process.
In 2015,
Kamaishi was named as one of the 12 official host cities for the Rugby World Cup 2019™. The construction of the new Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium is scheduled for completion in 2018, and shall accommodate 16,187 spectators in a combination of permanent and temporary seating. The announcement of the Rugby World Cup™ pool draw took place in May, with the match schedule and ticket sales to be announced in late 2017.
- reference source : city.kamaishi.iwate.jp... -

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. Sanriku Hamakaido 三陸浜街道 Sanriku Highway .
Umibe suji 海辺筋 road along the coast, part of the 釜石街道 Kamaishi Kaido.

. Tono Monogatari 遠野物語 Legends of Tono, Iwate - .
with many Kappa 河童 water goblins

The mascot of Tono -
Karin-chan and his pink wife Kururin-chan
カリンちゃん＆くるりんちゃん

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Nabekura Jo 鍋倉城 Nabekura castle
Asonuma Clan, one of the local powerful clans of Tono district
(present day Iwate Prefecture) removed and reconstructed a castle in this place during the Tensho era (1573-91). In 1627, Naoyoshi Nanbu of Nejo Castle in Hachinohe was enffed this region and he changed the name of the castle to Nabekura Castle. This mountain castle stood at the top of Mt. Nabekura at 340 m altitude, which is an independent hill located at the foot of Mt. Monomiyama in the south of Tono Basin.
The castle remains existing at the present were of those constructed in the early modern times. Honmaru (the main compound) originally had a thatched roof, but after the fire broke out during the Keian era (1648-52), the roof was thatched with Japanese spindle tree. Honmaru used to be walled with wooden fences. There was a housing area of warriors at the west, north, and east foot of the mountain, outside of which spread townsmen’s houses. There were also three Doshin (feudal police) offices at the end of the town; Shimo-gumi office was located at the west end, Naka-gumi at the north, and Kami-gumi at the east.
Nabekura Observatory, which looks like a donjon, was constructed at Sannomaru ruins.
- source : nippon-kichi.jp... -

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As a symbol of Kamaishi,
the Daikannon statue stands upon Kamazaki Point, overlooking Kamaishi Bay.

It is 48.5 metres tall, and is divided into 13 stories. Inside the statue, there is much to see, including the [Honzon Gyoran Kannon], the 33 Kannons and the Grand Gallery. At the exact point at which the Kannon is holding the fish, (from the 10th to the 12th floor levels) there is an observation platform located 38 metres above the statue's base. From the platform there are spectacular views of such sights as the Ozaki Peninsula and Mada Misaki.

© www.iwatetabi.jp

source : kamaishi-daikannon.com

釜石大観音 Kamaishi Daikannon
This big statue survived the earthquake on March 11, 2011.

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History of the Kamaishi Mine | Nittetsu Mining Co
Because it was opened during the Edo Period, the Kamaishi Mine developed in line with the growth of Japan's iron and steel industry through the Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods. As a producer of good-quality iron ore, the Kamaishi Mine supported the "iron town" of Kamaishi and Japan’s iron manufacturing for more than a century.
1857 - Oshima Takato, a retainer of the Morioka domain, constructed Western-style blast furnaces in Ohashi and succeeded in producing molten pig iron from iron ore. (To commemorate his success, December 1 is still celebrated as Iron Commemoration Day.)
This paved the way for a total of 10 blast furnaces to be built at the end of the Edo Period (three each in Ohashi and Hashino, two in Sahinai, and one each in Kuribayashi and Sunakowatari), laying the foundation for the modern iron and steel industry in Japan. ...
1993 - Large-scale iron ore mining was discontinued.
Businesses involving the new mine, mineral water and use of the underground spaces were launched.
(Even today, mining continues with a production rate of 100 tons per year.)
- source : nittetsukou.co.jp/eng... Nittetsu Mining -

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Nanbu Kaido 南部街道 Nanbu Highway, Nambu Highway
Iwate 岩手県
Connecting 遠野 Tono to the 気仙郡 Kesen district on the coast.
Already mentioned on 葛西領内地図 a map from 1335.
In former times 盛岡藩 Morioka domain was called 南部藩 Nanbu domain.
Connecting the Nanbu domain with 久保田（秋田）藩 the Kubota domain in Akita),
In Iwate, this road was called
Kazuno Orai 鹿角往来 / Kazuno Kaido 鹿角街道.
- see below

- Postal stations along the Nanbu Kaido
Yokota village 横田村 (Tono city)
Aozasa 青笹
Kamigo Hirakura 上郷平倉
Alabane Toge pass 赤羽根峠
Kasai 葛西

In former times Kasai belonged to the 伊達領 Date domain.
The Kasai Clan 葛西氏 reigned in an area stretching from the center of Mutsu no Kuni 陸奥国中部 - present day Sanriku Kaigan in Miyagi 宮城県三陸海岸 to the 岩手県南部 Nanbu area of Iwate.

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Junisho kuchi 十二所口
Obonan kuchi 生保内口
Kaya toge pass 萱峠 between Iwate and Akita, 644 m
Komatsugawa kuchi 小松川口

. Junisho Kaido 十二所街道 .
- Obonai Kaido 生保内街道

. Kesen Michi 気仙道　/ 東浜街道　Higashi Hamakaido .

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. Akita Kaido 秋田街道 Highways in Akita .

Kazuno Kaido 鹿角街道 Kazuno Highway
Connecting Morioka city in Iwate 岩手県盛岡市 via Hachimantai city 八幡平市 with 秋田県鹿角市 Kazuno city and 大館市 Odate city in Akita.

- Postal stations along the Kazuno Kaido
Morioka 盛岡城下 - Iwate
Tando 田頭- Hachimantai
Terada 寺田
Niiya 新谷町
Tayama 田山
Yuze 湯瀬 - (Akita (Kazuno city)
Oxato 大里
Hanawa 花輪
Kanda 神田
Kemanai 毛馬内
Matsuyama 松山
Sawajiri 秋田領沢尻
Junisho 十二所
Ogita 扇田

- quote -
Kazuno city (鹿角市, Kazuno-shi)
- - - - - History
The area of present-day Kazuno was settled in prehistoric times, and contains major Jōmon period archaeological sites and numerous burial mounds from the Kofun period. The area was part of ancient Mutsu Province and was ruled by the Nambu clan of Morioka Domain during the Edo period. After the start of the Meiji period, the area became briefly part of Rikuchū Province before being transferred to Akita Prefecture in 1871. It was organized as part of Kazuno District, Akita Prefecture in 1878 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system.
The city of Kazuno
was founded on April 1, 1972 by the merger of the towns of Hanawa, Towada, and Osarizawa and the village of Hachimantai.
- source : wikipedia -

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Iwate 岩手県
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Iwate 釜石町 Kamaishi town

. hebi 蛇と伝説 Legends about snakes and serpents .
kohebi, shooja 小蛇 small serpent
In the year 1916, three members of a family got sick at the same time. This happened because they had killed a small red snake in their garden.
The serpent had been the master of the nearby riverpool, who wanted the third daughter of the family as his wife. When the daughter died, the other family members got well.
They buried the body of the girl, but the bones soon disappeared.

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A beautiful woman had gone to the mountain forest to pick kuwa no ha 桑の葉 leaves of the mulberry tree, but went missing.
A pilgrim came along and said she had been elected to become 水性の主 the Master of the Water. She was allowed to come back only once every year.
. kuwa 桑 (くわ) mulberry tree .

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. kuchisake onna 口裂け女 slit-mouthed woman .
When she went outside, she wore a mask and looked like a beautiful woman with long hair. When she took off the mask, on could see her mouth all the way to the ears.
Sometimes she would walk around and ask people if they found her beautiful.

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Iwate 九戸郡 Kunohe district

. Izumo taisha 出雲大社 Izumo Grand Shrine, Shimane .
The father of 森越仁太郎氏 Morikoshi Jintaro had built a small shrine and called it 出雲さん "Izumo San", hoping to have some good fortune.
In 1943, he became an inspector of the mines at Kamaishi.
A huge rock came falling down a cliff, but it did not hit him and stopped right before him.
A steel frame came falling down but did not hit him either . . . he was well protected.

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Iwate 唐丹町 Toni town

. Hitachibo Kaison Sennin 常陸坊海尊仙人 .
Retainer of 源の義経　Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159 - 1189)

At the temple 光学寺 Kogaku-Ji there is a mound named 大徳塚 Daitokuzuka, but nobody remembers what is venerated there.
Once a yamabushi 山伏 mountain priest came to visit the mound and when asked about the origin, he replied
"This is the grave of 亀井六郎 Kamei Rokuro (重清 Kamei Shigekiyo ? - 1189) ), a retainer of Yoshitsune.
The Yamabushi must have been Hitachibo Kaison.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
釜石岩手県 - OK
106 遠野　岩手県 (00)

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

Kamaishi sen 釜石線 Kamaishi train line

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The Kamaishi Line (釜石線, Kamaishi-sen)
is a 90.2 km rural railway line in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Hanamaki Station in the city of Hanamaki with Kamaishi Station in the city of Kamaishi.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

蕗に雨釜石線のとある駅
鈴木鷹夫

陽炎を掻き分け掻き分け釜石線
高澤良一

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河童沼すとんと昏れて遠野寒
Kappanuma

曽根とき

. 河童 / かっぱ / カッパ - Kappa, the Water Goblin of Japan! .
カッパ淵 Kappabuchi, Tsuchibuchicho Tsuchibuchi, Tōno, Iwate
Kappabuchi is a small pool and river bank of the 足洗川　Ashiaraigkawa river ...

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2/08/2020

Miyazu Kaido Highway

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Kaido 街道 Highways - ABC Index .
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Miyazu Kaido 宮津街道 Miyazu Highway
Connecting Miyazu, passing 大江山 Oeyama, leading to 福知山 Fukuchiyama.
Also called
Oda no michi 普甲道

Crossing the 普甲峠 Oda Toge Pass.
Used by the Daimyo of 宮津藩 the Miyazu domain for Sankin Kotai.
The pilgrims of Saigoku 33 Temples 西国三十三所 also used this road.

. Tango Kaido 丹後街道 Tango Highway .
From 敦賀 Tsuruga, Fukui to 舞鶴 Maizuru, Kyoto.

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Oda Toge 普甲峠 Pass with stone pavement

South of Miyatsu city, in the mountains of Oda. From the pass there is a nice view of the city and the 宮津湾 Miyazu bay.
The stone pavement was ordered by the lord of Miyazu province to use for his military activities.
About 1 km of this old road near Oeyama has been repaired and can now be seen.

oni 鬼 demon
Jiemon 大谷の治右ェ門 from Otani came home on a Winter day from Kyoto. After he had passed the 普甲峠 Oda Toge the 薦池の鬼 demon from Komoike appeared and asked him not to throw beans at him.
This is the reason why the the farmers from Otani never throw beans during the Setsubun festival.

. Setsubun 節分 the "Seasonal Divide" .

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. Oeyama 大江山 .
and the legend of 酒呑童子 Shuten Doji

. Nariaiji 成相寺 Nariai-Ji .
The main statue is a Bijin Kannon 美人観音 "Beautiful Kannon Bosatsu".
Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage 西国三十三所

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宮津市 Miyazu city
Located in Miyazu City is 天橋立 Amanohashidate, the "bridge to heaven", one of the three most beautiful sights of Japan.
The naturally formed land bridge is 3.6 kilometers long and covered in pine trees.
An Imperial decree in July 1899 established Miyazu as an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom.

source :　www.sukima.com/temp/miyadu
宮津市化粧地蔵群

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Kyoto 京都府
宮津市 Miyazu city

. Gengoroogitsune 源五郎狐 The Fox Gengoro .
and his wife Kojoroogitsune 小女郎狐 Kojorogitsune

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. inu 犬と伝説 Legends about the dog / Hund .
Even if the old man taking care of the temple hall and the bell fell asleep in the afternoon, there always came a dog and woke them up in time. One day the old man and the dog slept both and there was no bell ringing at the usual time.
That night the dog took responsibility for this, cut his tongue and commited suicide.

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. komajishi 高麗獅子 Korean lion dog .
Once a stone statue of a lion dog became alive, flew up to the sky and came to town. There it did a lot of bad things and troubles.
A roonin 浪人 Ronin, masterless Samurai cut off its leg, the lion dog fell down but soon got up again and run away.
Next morning the leg of the stone statue was cut off and blood was oozing out.

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O-Kiku Inari Shrine お菊稲荷
2159 Tsuruga, Miyazu, Kyoto

About 200 years ago there was a maid of the Lord of Miyazu castle, who was falsely charged with a misdeed. She felt so helpless she threw herself into the well to die.
This well, O-Kiku ido お菊井戸 was burred a few years ago, but a small shrine in her honor, O-Kiku Inari is still there.

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oo-onna 大女 a huge woman
In 1702, there was an epidemic in the village of 宮津村 Miyazu, which finally ebbed down.
On the 7th day of the first lunar month in the evening, a villager saw a large woman of about 3 meters in white robes sitting at the foot of a pine tree. When he came home he fell ill with a fever, and mumbled the words of the woman:
"I was the servant of the lady of the castle and was executed because of an intrigue. To get my revenge I made the epidemic come to the village. If you hold a special ritual for me on the 17th day of the second lunar month, I will be saved and become the mamorigami 守り神 protector deity of this village."

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. ryuutoo 龍燈 / 龍灯 / 竜灯と伝説 Legends about Ryuto, "Dragon Lantern" .
At Amanohashidate, at night on the 16th day of every month, there is a strange light coming from the ushitora 丑寅 North-East direction and heading to the Monju Do 文殊堂 Hall for Monju Bosatsu at the temple 智恩寺 Chion-Ji. In front of the hall is one pine tree, which is called
ryuutoo no matsu 竜灯の松 "pine of the Dragon Lantern"

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shikazu no kane 撞かずの鐘 the bell which could not be made
The villagers were collecting money to have a bell, but one family had not yet made any contribution.
At the house there was an old man who said he was so poor, he could only give the baby of the family. So they took the baby and threw it into the ritual fire.
When they rang the bell for the first time there appeared the figure of a baby and the crying of the child was heard all over the village.

................................................................................. Tango no Kuni 丹後国

A person from 丹後国宮津出 Tango no Kuni, Miyazu came to Kyoto to do business, but he became ill and could not hear any more.
He followed the advise of a friend and went to Osaka for three years, but his deafness did not heal. Finally he went back to Miyazu.
But his language had changed and he now talked like someone with the dialect of Osaka!

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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

おれのはらのかわをためしてみおれ、にゃあ、にゃあ
try to shoot the skin of my belly, nyaa, nyaa

. Buson Yokai Emaki 蕪村妖怪絵巻 Buson Monster Scroll .
He painted this scroll while he was living in 丹後 Tango, 京都府宮津市 Kyoto, Miyazu city from 1754 - 1757.

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2/06/2020

Matsumae Fukuyama Kaido

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. Kaido 街道 Highways - ABC Index .
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Matsumae Kaido 松前街道 Matsumae Highway
Fukuyama Kaido 福山街道 Fukuyama Highway

1900: Fukuyama town was founded.
1940: Fukuyama changed its name to Matsumae.

The Matsumaedō 松前道 Matsumaedo connected 仙台 Sendai via Matsumae
with 函館 Hakodate, 北海道 Hokkaidō.

Also called
Hamamichi 浜道 beach road
Sotogahama Kaido 外ヶ浜街道
Sotogahama is a town in Aomori.

. Ōshū Kaidō 奥州街道 Oshu Kaido Highway .
Sendai and the Oshu Kaido

- Postal stations along the Matsumae Highway in Hokkaido
Matsumae 松前
Fukushima 福島
Shiriuchi 知内
Kikonai 木古内
Hakodate 函館

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. Matsumae city 松前宿 Hokkaido .

. Matsumaebune 松前船 Matsumae trade ships to Hokkaido .
Kitamaebune 北前船 North-bound trade ships

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- quote

Matsumae Castle 松前城, Matsumae-jō
is a castle located in Matsumae in Hokkaidō, Japan, and is the northernmost castle in Japan.
The only traditional style Edo period castle in Hokkaidō, it was the chief residence of the han (estate) of the Matsumae clan.
- History
First built in 1606 by Matsumae Yoshihiro under orders from the Tokugawa shogunate requiring his clan to defend the area, and by extension the whole of Japan, from the Ainu 'barbarians' to the north, it burned down in 1637 but was rebuilt in 1639. It once controlled all passage through Hokkaidō to the rest of Japan.
The present castle complex,
which dates from 1854, was constructed to deter attacks by foreign naval forces. Only the 30-metre-high tenshu (main tower) and a gatehouse survived destruction following the Meiji Restoration, which began in 1868. However, the tenshu burned down in 1949 and a concrete replica was built in 1960.
All of the castle site is today a public park.
- source : wikipedia

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source and more photos : hakodate.travel...

- quote -
Hakodate (函館市, Hakodate-shi)
is a city and port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture.
- History
Hakodate was Japan's first city whose port was opened to foreign trade in 1854, as a result of Convention of Kanagawa, and used to be the most important port in northern Japan. Also, the city had been the biggest city in Hokkaido before the Great Hakodate Fire of 1934.
... Pre-Meiji restoration
Hakodate (like much of other parts of Hokkaido) was originally populated by the Ainu. They lived in the Oshima Peninsula.
The name "Hakodate" might originate from an Ainu word. Another possibility is that it means "box" or "building" in Japanese which refers to the castle built by the Kono (Kano) clan in the fifteenth century.
Hakodate was founded in 1454,
when Kono Kaganokami Masamichi constructed a large manor house in the Ainu fishing village of Usukeshi (the word for bay in Ainu).
... Hakodate flourished during the Hoei period (1704–11), and many new temples were founded in the area. The town's fortunes received a further boost in 1741 when the Matsumae clan, which had been granted nearby areas on the Oshima Peninsula as a march fief, moved its Kameda magistracy to Masamichi's house in Hakodate. ...
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

- quote -
Genko 玄狐 / Kurogitsune 黒狐 black fox
A black furred fox that incarnated into a Big Dipper.
Before becoming a manifestation of a constellation, Genko was an ordinary black fox that served under the Shinto agricultural deity Ukanomitama as it migrated to Northern Japan. In the historical manuscript "Hokuho-bunmei-shiwa" [北方文明史話] (1930) by Shunzo Nakajima [中島峻蔵] , the descendant of the Matsumae Feudal Family [松前藩], Genko was originally from Kujo [九条] in Kyoto that travelled to Hokkaido with Princess Hatsuhime [初姫] the daughter of Lord Tokimasa Kazanin [花山院常雅] during the Edo Period.
Since the day she began to live with the Matsumae Family in the year 1771, Princess Hatsuhime continued her devotion towards Ukanomitama and for this, whenever she went to the land of Ainu people in Ezo [蝦夷地], a horde of foxes discreetly followed her as guards under the command of Ukanomitama and Genko was one of them.
Unfortunately, Princess Hatsuhime died due to illness only a few years later, but Genko remained in Northern Japan instead of returning to Kyoto for he made a family there.
Then in the year 1788, Genko reappeared as a vulpine spirit at the Benten Buddhist Monastery [弁天堂] in Hakodate City [函館市], Hokkaido.
Discovered by the yamabushi mountain monk Daishoin [山伏大昌院] one night after his spiritual training. Genko told the Yamabushi how it died after being shot down by a hunter for its fur and how it waited for him for 99 days in the monastery to ask Yamabushi a favor.
The favor was to build a shrine for Genko since its soul was never able to pass-on to the afterlife and in return, Genko promised to become a guardian of Northern Japan, forever.
Yamabushi fulfilled Genko’s request and thus the Genko Inari Shrine [玄狐稲荷神社] in Matsumae City was established during the Kyowa Era (1801-1804).
This story above is one of the several legends regarding Genko.
- reference source : kaldibeta/7-types-of-kitsune-spirits-in-japan...-

知内の玄古稲荷
- reference source : donan.org/history-legend/kurokitune... -

nishin 鰊 herring， Genko 玄狐 / Kurogitsune 黒狐 black fox
Since the herring dislike foxes, they never came to this area after a Shrine for Genko was erected.
鰊は蝦夷の物産であった。文化三年に、知内山から玄狐を取ってきたことがあった。それからこの狐が祟りをなすようになった。狐を嫌う鰊も、この頃からさっぱり獲れなくなってしまった。
.
殿様の行列の前を怪しげな男が通り、家臣がこれを無礼打にしたが、よく見ると1匹の黒狐だった。その家臣が短刀でその皮を剥いで襟巻きにでもしようかと思っていると、彼の子供が病気になり、巫女に口寄せを頼むと狐が祟っているという。家臣は驚いてその皮を祀り、祠を建てて皮を剥いだ短刀を松前神社に奉献したという。
.
文政6年に鰊漁をした網を乾かしていたところに、黒狐がひっかかって死んでいた。それを町役所に献上し、同じ年に稲荷ができ、狐の皮を神体とした。鰊は狐を嫌うため、稲荷を建てて狐の祟りを鎮めたのである。
.
昔、松前家が7代の公広公のときの話である。殿様は帰途家来を連れていたが、先を歩くものがいたので不審に思って家来に尋ねると、玄古という狐だという。殿様は、殿様を守っているのだからという家来の進言を聞き入れずに目障りだから打ち取れと命じたが、弾はまったくあたらなかった。殿様が羽織を家来に渡し、それを肩にかけた家来が「君命なるぞ」というと、狐は手を広げて腹を打たせたという。その狐を祀ったのが玄古稲荷神社である。

. nishin 鰊 / 鯡青魚 herring .

. Ukanomikami, Uka no Mikami 宇迦之御魂神 / 倉稲魂神 .
Deity venerated at Inari fox shrines.

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- - - - - The three famous Cherry Trees of Matsumae - - - - -

Ezo Kasumizakura 蝦夷霞桜
at the temple 龍雲院 Ryuun-In, the oldest temple in Matsumae
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

- - - - -

kechimyakuzakura sakura 血脈桜 blood-line cherry
Near the castle of Matsumae there were two temples, 光善寺 Kozen-Ji and 龍雲寺 Ryuun-Ji with two cherry trees, their roots intertwined.
Legend knows this:
Once upon a time, a girl named お芳 O-Yoshi had come from 芳の山 / 吉野山 Yoshinoyama with a branch of a cherry tree. This branch begun to grow into one cherry tree with yaezakura 八重の花 double-flower blossoms. This tree was the first in the line of trees, but for a long time nobody came to visit.

Kechimyaku Zakura from which the Naden descend . . .
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

- - - - -

Meotozakura 夫婦桜 Couple Sakura
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Hokkaido’s vividly colored cherry blossoms.
- source : en.visit-hokkaido.jp -

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松前領 Matsumae region

reija 霊蛇 "spirit snake"
In the year 1823, the wife of 立之助 Ryunosuke from Ahinoma village was simple and not greedy.
In the sixth lunar month when she worked in the fields, she found a lot of kozen 古銭 old coins. She kept working in the fields but then took some coins home.
On her way back home, a small snake followed her, but was not to be seen any more when she was home.
When Ryunosuke heard this, he checked the basket for carrying soil, there was a small snake inside. He killed the snake with his kiseru キセル metal pipe.
Then he went out to the field, hoping to find more coins, but did not find anything. This was because he had killed the serpent.

. hebi 蛇と伝説 Legends about snakes and serpents .

- - - - -

yanone ishi 矢ノ根石，yajiri ishi 鏃石 arrowhead stone
Once after a strong rain-storm in Matsumae, it begun to rain stones in the form of an arrowhead.

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松前町 Matsumae town

daifuku mai 大福米 "Good Luck Rice"
At the estate of 蠣崎友広 Kakizaki Tomohiro (1598 - 1658), the chief retainer of the Matsumae domain, a lot of rice came out of a well.
Tomohiro called it "Great Luck Rice" and offered it to his lord. The lord filled them into many bottles and kept them.
This rice kept clean for many generations to come. Each time someone opened a bottle, there was something lucky happening.

- - - - -

yamabushi 山伏 mountain priest
The fishing for herrings had been very bad, so the villagers asked a Yamabushi for a purification ritual.
The priest fasted for seven days and nights and then had a divine revelation.
The villagers were happy and made new nets.
But how much they waited, the herring did not come. Eventually the herring season was over and they hat caught nothing. Now the village was in deep trouble.

. nishin 鰊 / 鯡青魚 herring .

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Matsumae 厚岸町 Akkeshi town

reiki 霊亀 "spirit turtle"
In the year 1825, in the region of Akkeshi, they caught a large turtle, in fact a suppon スッポン soft-shelled turtle.
When the fish dealer 惣助 Sosuke came, the turtle made him cry. The man who had caught the turtle also felt sorry, so they let it go.
Since then they never had a bad fishing season. This must have been the magical power of the turtle.

. kame 亀 turtle legends .

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爾志郡 Nishi district 乙部町 Otobe town

Sasayama Jinja 笹山神社 Sasayama Inari Shrine
About 200 years ago, there was a traveler visiting the Sasayama Shrine, oan on his way back he saw three shika 鹿 deer.
He felt lucky and performed a 鹿子舞 deer dance at the shrine.
The wife of the Lord of Matsumae had been ill, but this dance helped her to get well again.
This is a pun with
shishimai 獅子舞 lion dance

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

松前怪談十種
深瀬春一 Fukase Harukazu

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

松前の漁師の厚司波模様

城村貞子 Jomura Sadako

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2/04/2020

Tango Tanba Kaido Highways

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Kaido 街道 Highways - ABC Index .
- for 丹波街道 Tanba Kaido, see below -
- for 亀岡街道 Kameoka Kaido, see below
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Tango Kaido 丹後街道 Tango Highway
From Tsuruga, Fukui to Maizuru, Kyoto.
Now National Highway Nr. 27.

Part of the Jukan Doro along the Sea of Japan
日本海側の縦貫道路の一部 jūkan dōro

- Postal stations along the Tango Kaido
Tsuruga 敦賀市
Wakasa 若狭町
Obama 小浜市
Takahama 高浜町
Kichisaka toge pass 吉坂峠 (in Maizuru)
Maizuru 舞鶴市 (Kyoto)

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- quote -
Tango Province (丹後国, Tango no Kuni)
was an old province in the area that is today northern Kyoto Prefecture facing the Sea of Japan. Together with Tanba Province, Tango was sometimes called Tanshū (丹州).
Tango bordered on Tajima, Tanba, and Wakasa provinces.
At various times both Maizuru and Miyazu were the capital and chief town of the province.
- History
In the 3rd month of the 6th year of the Wadō era (713), the land of Tango Province was administratively separated from Tanba Province. In that same year, Empress Genmei's Daijō-kan continued to organize other cadastral changes in the provincial map of the Nara period.
In Wadō 6, Mimasaka Province was sundered from Bizen Province, and Hyūga Province was divided from Ōsumi Province. In Wadō 5 (712), Mutsu Province had been severed from Dewa Province.
Maps of Japan and Tango Province were reformed in the 1870s when the prefecture system was introduced. At the same time, the province continued to exist for some purposes. For example, Tango is explicitly recognized in treaties in 1894 (a) between Japan and the United States and (b) between Japan and the United Kingdom.
The 1927 Kita Tango earthquake caused major damage in the region and killed around 3,000 people.
This area is still known as Tango Peninsula, some parts of it are in Tango Quasi-National Park. A town in this region was likewise named Tango. It is now defunct and part of Kyōtango (Kyō + Tango) since 2004.
- Historical districts
Kasa District (加佐郡)
Yosa District (与謝郡)
Naka District (中郡)
Takeno District (竹野郡)
Kumano District (熊野郡)
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

. Kurihan Kaido 九里半街道 Kurihan Highway .
Connecting 今津 Imazu in 近江国 Omi on the West side of 琵琶湖 Lake Biwako with 若狭国小浜 Obama in Wakasa, Fukui.

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. Matsuo Basho - Station 41 - Tsuruga 敦賀 .

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. Wakasa 若狭 lacquer and agate 漆と瑪瑙 .

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Kichisaka toge pass 吉坂峠

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. Maizuru Daruma Festival 舞鶴だるま祭 .

. Ama no Hashidate 天の橋立 .

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- quote -
Historical streetscape of Onyu / Obama
Historical streetscape of 遠敷 Onyu spreads along the road at the junction of Wakasa-kaido Road and 針畑越（根来道） Harihatagoe also known as Negori-zaka slope. In the surrounding area of Onyu district stand 若狭姫神社 Wakasahime Shrine, 若狭国府 Wakasa Kokufu, and 若狭国分寺 Wakasa Kokubunji Temple. This is the area where dedicated articles and salt were sent to Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. A market was established here after medieval times and developed into a town in front of Wakasahime Shrine.
Before 熊川宿 Kumagawa-juku was developed, it used to be the base of transportation of 鯖街道 Saba-kaido Road, or a highway supplying marine products and fish such as mackerel called “saba” in Japanese to the Imperial family and court in Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. In the mid Edo Period, Onyu district flourished by processing agate in Hokkaido and Tohoku region brought there by Kitamae-bune, or freight vessels by way of the Japan Sea. A large quantity of agate called Wakasa agate processed in Onyu was shipped to Kyoto and Osaka. Processing of agate has been handed down as a traditional craft up to today.
Today Tango-kaido Road
and the area close to Wakasahime Shrine are lined with houses called Machiya, or merchants’ houses, which retain traditional architectural style built after the Meiji Period. In Onyu Festival, an annual festival of Wakasahiko shrine and Himegami shrine, drum dance and Kagura drum performance are dedicated to the gods of these shrines by local residents and Ujiko, or shrine parishioners. Kagura refers to sacred Shinto music and dancing performed at a shrine.
- source : city.obama.fukui.jp...-

source : 4travel.jp/travelogue...
熊川宿 Kumagawa-juku

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. Tango Chirimen Kaidoo 縮緬街道 the Chirimen Road .
to transport Tango Chirimen Silk Crepe to Kyoto.

. saba kaido 鯖街道 mackerel road .

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Tanba Kaido 丹波街道 / 旦波街道 Tanba Highway
From Tanba (Tamba) to Kyoto.

Tanba no kuni 丹波国 the Tamba province of the Edo period, now parts belong to Hyogo, others to Kyoto.

The first part of the 山陰街道 Sanin Kaido led to the Tanba region.
It was also called
Tanba Kaido 丹波街道
Tanshu Kaido 丹州街道
Tanbaji, Tanba-Ji 丹波路
Tanshuji, Tanshu-Ji 丹州路

- quote -
Tanba Province (丹波国, Tanba no kuni)
was an old province of Japan. The ambit of its borders encompassed both the central part of modern Kyōto Prefecture and the east-central part of Hyōgo Prefecture. It and the neighbouring Tango Province were collectively known as Tanshū (丹州). Besides Tango, Tanba bordered on Harima, Ōmi, Settsu, Tajima, Wakasa, and Yamashiro Provinces.
The ancient provincial capital is believed to be in the area of modern Kameoka.
- History
In the 3rd month of the 6th year of the Wadō era (713), Tango Province (丹後国) was administratively separated from Tanba. In that same year, Empress Genmei's Daijō-kan continued to organize other cadastral changes in the provincial map of the Nara period. ...
After being governed by a succession of minor daimyō, the region was eventually conquered by Oda Nobunaga in the Sengoku period. He assigned the province to one of his generals, Akechi Mitsuhide, who would become the central figure in Nobunaga's assassination in 1582.
A town in this region also named Tanba was merged with several other towns in 2005 to create Kyōtanba (Kyō + Tanba).
- Historic districts
----- Hyōgo Prefecture
Hikami District (氷上郡)
Taki District (多紀郡)
----- Kyoto Prefecture
Amata District (天田郡)
Funai District (船井郡)
Ikaruga District (何鹿郡)
Kuwada District (桑田郡)
- Kitakuwada District (北桑田郡)
- Minamikuwada District (南桑田郡)
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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- quote -

（丹波地域）たんば三街道 - 3 Kaido in Tanba
丹波の森街道： Tanba no Mori Kaido
国道427号～県道青垣柏原線～国道176号（篠山市草野～丹波市青垣町遠阪）
水分れ街道： Mizuwakare Kaido
国道175号（丹波市山南町井原～丹波市市島町下竹田）
デカンショ街道：Dekansho Kaido
国道372号（篠山市西野々～篠山市今田町本荘）
川代恐竜街道：Kawashiro Kyoryu Kaido- Dinosaur road
県道篠山山南線（篠山市大山下～丹波市山南町谷川）

- reference source : web.pref.hyogo.lg.jp... -

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Tanba Province: 鐘坂　Kanegasaka
Utagawa Hiroshige
鐘坂と鬼の架け橋　－Kanegasaka Oni no kakehashi 鬼の架け橋 - Kinzan

- quote -
Kinzan Castle
Oiiri Tanba-Sasayama city, Hyogo
..... Kinzan castle spreads T shaped peak of Kinzan mountain. Central area of castle is a rectangular one of 50 meter long and 20 meter wide, which has about two meter height stone wall at its western half where main building might exist. At the west slope of central area there is a huge shaped rock called as “Oni no Kakehashi”, which is a huge flat stone stands over the gap of the rock like a bridge......
- source : japancastle.jp... -

. Kanegasaka Toge pass 鐘ヶ坂峠 .
Sasayama Kaido 篠山街道 Sasayama Highway

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. Kameoka Kaido 亀岡街道 Kameoka Highway / 摂丹街道 Settan Kaido .

. Sanin Kaido 山陰街道 Sanin Highway, San'in Highway .

. Folk art from the Tanba region .

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

................................................................................. Tango no Kuni 丹後国

A person from 丹後国宮津出 Tango no Kuni, Miyazu came to Kyoto to do business, but he became ill and could not hear any more. He followed the advise of a friend and went to Osaka for three years, but his deafness did not heal. Finally he went back to Miyazu.
But his language had changed and he now talked like someone from Osaka!

. Miyazu Kaido 宮津街道 Miyazu Highway .

.................................................................................　Kyoto 京都府
.......................................................................
宮津市 Miyazu city
Located in Miyazu City is 天橋立 Amanohashidate, the "bridge to heaven", one of the three most beautiful sights of Japan.
The naturally formed land bridge is 3.6 kilometers long and covered in pine trees.

oo-onna 大女 a huge woman
In 1702, there was an epidemic in the village of 宮津村 Miyazu, which finally ebbed down.
On the 7th day of the first lunar month in the evening, a villager saw a large woman of about 3 meters in white robes sitting at the foot of a pine tree. When he came home he fell ill with a fever, and mumbled the words of the woman:
"I was the servant of the lady of the castle and was executed because of an intrigue. To get my revenge I made the epidemic come to the village. If you hold a special ritual for me on the 17th day of the second lunar month, I will be saved and become the mamorigami 守り神 protector deity of this village."

- - - - -

In the year 1026, a woman of about 2 meters with a long face came on a boat from 丹後国 Tango no Kuni. On the boat they had quite a Sake party and everybody got ill. When the boat reached the coast, they had all died.

- - - - -

. ryuutoo 龍燈 / 龍灯 / 竜灯と伝説 Legends about Ryuto, "Dragon Lantern" .
At Amanohashidate, at night on the 16th day of every month, there is a strange light coming from the ushitora 丑寅 North-East direction and heading to the Monju Do 文殊堂 Hall for Monju Bosatsu at the temple 智恩寺 Chion-Ji. In front of the hall is one pine tree, which is called
ryuutoo no matsu 竜灯の松 "pine of the Dragon Lantern"

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Kyoto 与謝郡 Yosa district 野田川町 Nodagawa

. Eiko 英胡，Karuashi 迦樓夜叉，Tsuchiguma 土熊 - Three oni 鬼 demons .
and 麻呂子親王 Prince Maroko Shinno

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
丹後国 - ok
50 丹波国 (00)
24 丹波国動物 (00)
78 亀岡市 (00)

丹波国船井郡の動物伝説 Animal legends from Funai, Tanba.
田中勝雄 Tanaka Katsuo

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

朝凪のちりめん波も丹後なる
asanagi no chirimen nami mo Tango naru

大立しづ　Hirotatsu Shizu

. asanagi - no wind in the morning .
- - kigo for late summer - -

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2/02/2020

Shiotsu Kaido Highway

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Kaido 街道 Highways - ABC Index .
- for Omi, Ōmi see below
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Shiotsu Kaido 塩津街道 Shiotsu Highway / 塩津海道 Shiotsu Sea Road
Connecting Shiotsu in 滋賀県 Shiga prefecture with 敦賀 Tsuruga, 福井県 Fukui, on the Sea of Japan.

This old road was also called
Shiotsu koe 塩津越え crossing over at Shiotsu
Another name is
Hokkoku Kaido 北国海道 Hokkoku Sea Road

. Kitamaebune 北前船 North-bound trade ships .
Tsuruga 敦賀, a traditional harbour where the ships from Hokkaido (Kitamaebune 北前船) used to stop over and unload things, mostly marine products, that were transported to Kyoto by land via
the Shiotsu Kaido 塩津街道 along the lake Biwako, linking to Kohoku Shiotsu in Omi. (Kohoku is Northern Shiga region.)
Tsuruga was also the endpoint of the road Tango Kaido 丹後街道 Tango Kaido.

Also called
shio no michi 塩の道 salt road
to transport salt from Tsuruga to Kyoto.

. Hokkoku Kaido 北国街道 Hokkoku Highway Roads .
From Oiwake on the 中仙道 Nakasendo Highway to 野尻宿 Nojiri into 越後 the Echigo province.

- Postal stations along the Shiotsu Kaido
Shiotsu 塩津宿 / Omi-Shiotsu 近江塩津
- source with many photos -

. Kurihan Kaido 九里半街道 Kurihan Highway .
Connecting 今津 Imazu in 近江国 Omi on the West side of 琵琶湖 Lake Biwako with 若狭国小浜 Obama in Wakasa, Fukui.

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- Places along the Omi Kaido
Kyoto 京都市
Otsu 大津市
Kusatsu 草津市
Ritto 栗東市
Moriyama 守山市
Yasu 野洲市
Ryuo 竜王町
Omi Hachiman 近江八幡市
Higashi-Omi 東近江市
Aisho 愛荘町
Toyosato 豊郷町
Hikone 彦根市
Maibara 米原市

- more photos : biwa.ne.jp/~futamura... -

. Nakasendo 中山道 .

- source with many photos -

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Nishi-Omi Kaido 西近江街道 Western Omi Highway
Connecting 近江国 Omi with the 越前国 Echigo domain.

- Places along the Nishi-Omi Kaido
Fuda no tsuji 札の辻
Koseki 小関越え
Hokkokubashi bridge 北国橋
Kannonjo town 観音寺町
Karasaki Jinja 唐﨑神社 Shrine
Sakamoto Castle ruins 坂本城跡
Hiei tsuji 比叡辻
Noka 苗鹿（のうか）
Koromogawa 衣川
Ukimido 浮御堂
Katata 堅田

- reference source : kaidouarukitabi.com/rekisi... -

- wikipedia knows this -
In olden times also called Hokkoku Road 北陸道。北国海道、北国脇往還、北国往還、北国脇道
via
Koseki koe 小関越え
Ano 穴多　穴太
Wani 和邇
Mio 三尾
Tomoyuki 鞆結
Arachi no Seki 愛発関

- in modern times via
Otsu 大津宿 - Fuda no Tsuji 札の辻
Koromogawa 衣川宿
Wani 和邇宿
Kido 木戸宿
Kita-Komatsu 北小松宿
Kawaraichi 河原市宿
Imazu 今津宿
Kaizu 海津宿
Tsuruga 敦賀宿

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- quote -
Ōmi Province (近江国, Ōmi no kuni)
is an old province of Japan, which today comprises Shiga Prefecture. It was one of the provinces that made up the Tōsandō circuit. Its nickname is Gōshū (江州).
Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, is located at the center of the province. "Ōmi" came from awaumi or "fresh-water sea" and the kanji of "Ōmi" (近江) means "an inlet near the capital" (See also Tōtōmi Province).
The ancient capital was near Ōtsu, which was also a major castle town. In north of Otsu, one of the most important monastery Enryaku-ji is located on Mount Hiei.
- History
Hōjō Tokimasa, the first shikken of the Kamakura shogunate, was made daimyō of Ōmi Province in the 10th month of Shōji 2 (1200).
During the Sengoku period, the northern part of the province was the fief of Ishida Mitsunari, Tokugawa Ieyasu's opponent at the Battle of Sekigahara, although he spent most of his time in Osaka Castle administering the fief of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's young son. After Ishida's defeat, Tokugawa granted the fief to his allies, the Ii clan, who built the castle and town of Hikone from the ruins of Sawayama.
Takebe taisha was designated as the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) for the province.
Ukiyo-e print by Hiroshige of the sailboats at Yahashi, one of the Eight Views of Ōmi, c. 1834
During the Edo period, it was host to five stations of the Tōkaidō and eight stations of the Nakasendō.
The southern part of the province around the town of Kōka (Koga) was the home of the famous Kōga ninja, one of the two main founding schools of ninjutsu.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Kurita District (栗太郡)
Yasu District (野洲郡)
Kōka District (甲賀郡)
Gamō District (蒲生郡)
Kanzaki District (神崎郡)
Echi District (愛知郡)
Inukami District (犬上郡)
Sakata District (坂田郡)
Azai District (浅井郡)
Ika District (伊香郡)
Takashima District (高島郡)

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Shiga was known as Ōmi Province 近江国
. Oomi Hakkei　近江八景 Eight Views of Omi .

. Folk Art from Omi .
. Omi joofu 近江上布 Omi Jofu Ramie fabric .
. Oomi shoonin tsuchi ningyoo 近江商人土人形 clay dolls from tradesmen of Omi .
. Omi Hino Merchant Museum 近江日野商人 .
. Oomi Daruma 近江だるま Daruma from Omi .

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Shiga 滋賀県
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伊香郡 Ika district 余呉町 Yogo town

. kitsune densetsu 狐と伝説 fox legends .
A dealer in brooms made from Shuro palm came crossing over the pass to reach Shiotsu in the early morning.
He saw a fox sleeping on the roadside and teased it with his broom. When he came back the same road during daytime, it became quite dark and he could only see a strange fire. He went there and found a large lodging house, where he could sleep and get some food, even a hot bath.
Another man came past and asked him "What are you doing here?"
The man came to his senses and saw he was all naked. His food was only shit from the fox.

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伊香郡 Ika district 西浅井町 Nishi-Asai town

gawata がわた Kappa (in the dialect of Shiga)
The Gawata pulld people into the river. One day children were playing on the river side and one boy was imitating the Gawata to shock the others. The others, who thought it was the real Kappa, caught him and beat him quite hard.

. Kappa 河童 water goblin legends .

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. hinotama, hi no tama 火の玉と伝説 Legends about fire balls .
Around 3 in the morning at the beginning of the month, a ship was heading to the lake. From the East came a fire ball and stopped right above the mast.
A little later a bit of wind came and the fire ball seemed to ride the wind and blew away.
Pondering about this happening, the men thought it must have been a group of spiders.

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minomushi ミノムシ roundworm
A man boarded his ship around 3 in the morning in March, when he saw something sparkling. He picked it up, it looked like 金粉 gold powder.
This was a minomushi, which represents the soul of people who have died on sea or in water accidents.

. minomushi 蓑虫 , "straw raincoat bug" .
larva of Psychidae

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

塩津浜逸話集 Tales from Shiotsu
中村芳三

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