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Green Love Letter by Masa-San, Fujino, Kanagawa, Japan

In Higashiyoshino Village [東吉野村] (Yoshino Dist. [吉野郡], Nara Prefecture) there is a shrine called Mid-Niukawakami Shrine [丹生川上神社中社] (above), but the locals also calls it Aridōshi Shrine [蟻通神社] for Aridōshi-myōjin [蟻通明神] is enshrined as one of the deity.

Long time ago (presumably during 9th century AC), an elderly couple were exiled from the city by the Japanese Emperor for being too old to sustain themselves. An Imperial lieutenant general, however, took pity on them and secretly provided refuge to the couples. After a while, a Tàng Dynasty Emperor decided to conquer Japan, but first wanted to test the Japanese Emperor's intelligence. Alas, one of the challenges that the Chinese Emperor poised to the Japanese Emperor was: attach a string on an ant and make it come out from a different ant hole with the string still intact. Unable to solve this challenge himself, the Japanese Emperor tasked the lieutenant general to find a solution who then asked the same elderly couple for an answer. The couple suggested the lieutenant general to place syrups on an ant hole. Taking this solution, the lieutenant general then released the ant tied with a string and as the ant smelled the sweet scent from the syrup, successfully came out from one hole to another carrying the string. After noticing that the Japanese Emperor overcame the challenge, the Chinese Emperor abandoned all plans to invade Japan and as the lieutenant general later confessed that such pending war was only avoided thanks to the wisdom provided by the elderly couple, the Japanese Emperor allowed them to return to the city as well as abolishing the law of exiling old people. The lieutenant general, on the other hand, was deified as Aridōshi-myōjin after his death and was enshrined at Mid-Niukawakami Shrine. ①

This story from Nara Prefecture, however, isn't the only version telling the origin of Aridōshi-myōjin for there's another shrine by the name of Aritōshi Shrine [蟻通神社] (below) in Izumisano City [泉佐野市] (Ōsaka) as well. According to "Otogi-zōshi" [御伽草子] established from Kamakura to Edo Period, the Tàng Chinese Emperor challenged the Japanese government to make an ant tied with strings of 5 different colors to come out from the mouth of a trumpet shell via the opposite end instead and failure to do so resulted in the Tàng Chinese invasion of Japan. In this legend, the same lieutenant general took up the challenge by himself. After the success, the lieutenant general this time revealed his true identity by declaring to be Aridōshi-myōjin of Aritōshi Shrine before vanishing into thin air. ②

Furthermore, Aridōshi-myōjin also made an appearance in the famous Nō play titled "Aridōshi" [蟻通] written by Zeami [世阿弥] (1363-1443). In this play, a Heian Period noble and poet Ki-no-Tsurayuki [紀 貫之] (866?-945?) was in a hurry travelling through Kumano Highway [熊野街道] to visit both Grand Sumiyoshi Shrine [住吉大社] (Ōsaka City [大阪市], Ōsaka) and Tamatsushima Shrine [玉津島神社] (Wakayama City [和歌山市], Wakayama Prefecture), but was bogged down by heavy rain which forced him and his party to seek shelter in Aridōshi Shrine for the night. Though suddenly, Tsurayuki's horse collapsed and died. While contemplating what was happening, the shrine's keeper immerged from the darkness weeping out of utter loneliness and explained that his horse died as a punishment of Aridōshi-myōjin for Tsurayuki, not knowing that he was at Aritōshi Shrine due to the absence of lamp lights, didn't dismantle from the horse when he entered the shrine. In order to appease the deity and restore his favor, the elderly shrine keeper proposed to Tsurayuki in creating a poetic verse as an apology. For Tsurayuki's poem was composed of good, sincere heart, Aridōshi-myōjin resurrected his horse. Alas, Tsurayuki's pilgrimage recommenced after giving thanks to Aridōshi-myōjin.

The old shrine keeper from "Aridōshi".

Sources:

1. "Nara-no-mukashibanashi (10)" [奈良のむかしばなし (10)] via Nara Prefecture's official webpage.

2. "Aridōshi-myōjin-no-engi" [蟻通明神の縁起] via Kokugaku-in University's repository

Suzuhiko hime - 鈴彦姫

The Suzuhiko hime is one of the many tsukumogami (household items that were possessed by spirits resulting in sentient objects) that are present in the world of Yokai. They look like young girls dressed either as a princess or shrine maiden, covered in bells, with a large bell for a head. The Suzuhiko hime are bells that were originally used for ritual dances, specifically the kagura dance. The bells were neglected eventually resulting in the Suzuhiko hime after being possessed. The Suzuhiko hime doesn't harm people. Rather they dance around in ritualistic movements similar to the dances they were once used as holy instruments for.

If you would like to see a kagura dance this is a video where you can watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RwqWhMS688

Art found here: https://starsoulart.artstation.com/projects/PoqK4r

Japanese Mythology & Deities

Major Gods in the Chronicles (30)

Princess Ichikishimahime ~ Sarasvati, Benzaiten, the second of the three Munakata goddesses

Ichikishimahime is one of the three Munakata goddesses who were born at the scene of the oath between Amaterasu and Susanoo.

These three goddesses are incarnated from the mist that arose when Amaterasu broke Susanoo’s Totsuka (ten-fisted) sword into three sections and sprinkled water from the Manai of Heaven over it before biting into her mouth and blowing it out.

They have long been worshipped as guardians of maritime traffic by people living in the Genkai Sea. The Genkai Sea (Genkai-nada) is a body of water that comprises the southwestern tip of the Sea of Japan and borders the northern coasts of Fukuoka and Saga prefectures.

Of the three deities, Ichikishimahime is the most important. In the Middle Ages, this deity was worshipped in conjunction with Sarasivati, a water deity of Indian origin, due to the spread of the Honjisuijaku ideology. In the Edo period (1603-1868), the goddess became Benzaiten, one of the seven gods of good fortune and she was often invoked as a guardian deity.

日本神話と神様たち

記紀に登場する主な神々(30)

市寸島比売命（いちきしまひめ）~ 宗像三女神の次女、弁財天・サラスヴァティー

市寸島比売命（いちきしまひめ）または市杵島姫（いちきしまひめ）は、天照大御神(あまてらす)と須佐之男命（すさのお）との誓約（うけい）の場面で誕生した宗像三女神（むなかたさんじょしん）の一人である。

この三女神は、天照大御神(あまてらす)が須佐之男命（すさのお）の十拳剣を三段に折って、天の真名井（まない）の水を振りそそいでから口に噛んで吹き出したときの霧から化生する。

そして、玄界灘（げんかいなだ）にくらす人々によって古くから海上交通の守護神として信仰されている。玄界灘（げんかいなだ）は、日本海の南西端を構成する水域で、福岡県と佐賀県の北岸に接している。

三神のうち特に重要なのは、この市寸島比売命（いちきしまひめ）である。この神は、中世には本地垂迹（ほんじすいじゃく）思想の流布により、インド起源の水神・サラスヴァティーと習合、崇拝されるようになる。また七福神の一神、弁財天（弁才天）となり、江戸時代には財産の神、技芸の神として大いに流行し、寺院や地域の鎮守神としてしばしば勧請された。

絵馬 - Wishing Plaques

A common sight in Japanese shrines is walls of 絵馬 (えま) , or wooden wishing plaques. Remember that shrines (神社) = Shinto and temples (寺) = Buddhism, so the tradition of 絵馬 is Shinto. However, because the two religions have blended so much, you can now find these plaques at temples as well.

Obviously, there are two kanji in the word 絵馬. One means picture, while the other means horse. This is because horses were seen as messengers to heaven. Some people donated horses to shrines to have the gods hear their wishes. However, if you haven’t noticed, horses are a bit pricey. The tradition morphed into donating figures of horses, and then these plaques with pictures of horses. Nowadays, plaques aren’t always of horses. It’s very common for the zodiac of the year to be on plaques, the shrine’s emblem, or other religious art. Often times, these designs are localized to the shrine selling them. For example if a region is famous for a particular legend, the 絵馬 will have a picture representing that. Sometimes there’s even plaques with pictures of anime characters!

Basically, these wooden plates are meant to write messages and wishes to the gods on. These wishes can be for good luck on exams, safe childbirth, love, general happiness, anything the wisher wants really. Shrines sell the plaques for people to write their messages on. The money then goes back to support the shrine.

Stone lantern by Tiigra

Bats in the moonlight: Japanese artist, Biho Takashi (1890-1930).

“Tachibana-hime” (1855), Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861)

Otome, The Evil Fox Kayo Becomes Apparent to the Indian Prince Hansoku by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1855)

Himeji Castle and full cherry blossom, with Fuji mountain background, Japan

Sun Shower

In Japanese, sun shower is sometimes referred to as “Kitsune-no-yomeiri” [狐の嫁入り] meaning “Fox’s Wedding” when translated directly to English. 

The history behind this unique term’s creation, according to “Hokusai-yōkai-hyakkei” [北斎妖怪百景] (2004) by Natsuhiko Kyōgoku [京極 夏彦] (1963 - present), can be traced back to Edo Period when artist Hokusai Katsushika [葛飾 北斎] (1760 ? - 1849) illustrated a Ukie scenery titled: “Kitsune-no-yomeiri-zu” [狐の嫁入り図] where a group of foxes heading to their wedding ceremony accompanying the gloom and the spouse during a sun shower. 

This idea of “fox’s wedding + sun shower” later caught on and was popularized even further as famous Japanese poets during both Edo Period and Meiji Era such as Issa Kobayashi [小林 一茶] (1763 - 1828) and Shiki Masaoka [正岡 子規] (1867 - 1902) implemented Katsushika’s concept into their poetry works. Subsequently, the reference “Fox’s Wedding” (Kitsune-no-yomeiri) became a word to indicate “sun shower”. 

I went to a magical place today. It was such a powerful and peaceful spot and the trees were incredible. They looked straight out of a fantasy book, with this grass-like plant growing all over them.

Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya Japan.

Pictures are my own, please don't repost.

The Theological Importance Of Rain

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