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Daibainenge-zan Enzu Shobo-ji Temple (大梅拈華山 円通 正法寺) Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji (妙見山 黒石寺) Fukuwara (福原) and Juan Goto (後藤 寿庵) Komagata-jinjya Shrine (駒形神社) Mizusawa Park (水沢公園) Hitaka-jinjya Shrine (日高神社) "Hitaka Hibuse Matsuri" or Hitaka Fire Prevention Festival (日高火防祭) 2005 Taihaku-san Daian-ji Temple (太白山 大安寺) Korean Hachiman-jinjya (高麗八幡神社) Lost Views of Chokoji-bashi (長光寺橋の失われた風景) Sanjyu-san Kannon-do (三十三観音堂) Otome-gawa and its Environs (乙女川界隈) Shimpei Goto's Old House (後藤新平旧宅) Isawa-jo Remains (胆沢城遺跡) Atoroi (跡呂井) as the legendary birthplace of Aterui (阿弖流為) "Sejiki-hoyo Toro-nagashi" or Food-Offering Memorial Service and Lantern-Offering on the Water (施食法要燈籠流し) Akiba-jinjya Shrine Akiba-cho (秋葉町 秋葉神社) Dainichi-do Hall, Kawaguchi-machi (川口町 大日堂) Hachiman-jinjya Shrine, Katte-cho (勝手町 八幡神社) Shiogama-jinjya Shrine, Daimyojin (大明神 塩竃神社) |
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| Daibainenge-zan Enzu Shobo-ji Temple (大梅拈華山 円通 正法寺) is located approximately 12 kilometers southeast from Central Mizusawa. Since its foundation in 1348 by a Zen Buddhist priest named Mutei Ryosho (無底良韶禅師), it has prospered as the third head temple of the Soto-shu sect (曹洞宗), a major Buddhist sect of Japan founded by Dogen-zenji (道元禅師, 1200-1253) ; until the beginning of the Meiji Period some 200 Buddhist disciples lived and practiced there. Attractions of the temple include its serpentine stone steps and its thatched roof, the largest in Japan. The roof is 33 meters high and 720 tsubo (approximately 2,400 square meters) wide. The main hall, residential quarters, and front gate of the temple have been designated Important Cultural Properties by the Japanese national government. "Hon-do" (Main Hall), in which priests undergo their training, was reconstructed in 1811. The main hall's reconstruction was completed in September, 2006. Its thatched roof is extremely beautiful. | ||
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(Thursday 29 March) San-mon Gate (山門), Shobo-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho | |
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(Thursday 29 March) San-mon Gate, Shobo-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho | |
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(Thursday 29 March) Stone Steps to Hon-do (本堂; Main Hall) from San-mon Gate, Shobo-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho | |
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(Thursday 29 March) Hon-do (Main Hall), Shobo-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho | |
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(Thursday 29 March) Hon-do (Main Hall), Shobo-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho | |
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(Thursday 29 March) Hon-do (Main Hall), Shobo-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho | |
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(Thursday 29 March) Kuri (庫裡; Priests' Quarters), Shobo-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho | |
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(Thursday 29 March) Kuri (Priests' Quarters), Shobo-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho | |
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(Thursday 29 March) Hokora (Small Shrine), Shobo-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho | |
| Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji (妙見山 黒石寺) was founded in 729 by Saint Gyoki (行基) as "Toko-zan-Yakushi-ji" Temple (東光山薬師寺) of the Tendai-shu sect (天台宗), and renamed as "Myoken-zan-Kokuseki-ji" Temple in 849. The mountain title Myoken-zan (妙見山) is derived from the fact that there had been "Myoken-do" Hall in the mountain. Kokuseki-ji (黒石寺) literally means "Temple of the Black Stones" because the mountain produced serpentines (蛇紋岩; ophiolites).
It is famous for the "Kokuseki-ji Somin-sai" Festival (黒石寺蘇民祭), a overnight festival of naked men and fire, praying for "Gokoku-Hojo" (五穀豊穣) or the fertility of the five grains [two kinds of millet, rice, beans and wheat] and stamping out epidemics (疫病除け): it is held from the night of January 7th in the old (lunar) calendar system through the next morning. There are many other places which celebrate the Somin-sai across the nation. The Kokuseki-ji Somin-sai, however, has more than one thousand year history (among the earlier historical records suggest either the 6th year of Wado [和銅6年] or AD 713 or the 2nd year of Encho [延長2年] or AD924) and probably one of the best Somin-sai which has been kept the tradition since the Heian Period (794-1183). As the area of Kokuseki-ji Temple in the eighth century was still populated by the local "Emishi" (蝦夷) tribes opposed to the court in Nara, and Buddhism did not yet reach there. Buddhism came together with the armies of the central government: in heavy, long campaigns in the decades around 800 Tamuramaro Sakanoue (坂上田村麻呂) finally succeeded to make Aterui the legendary "Emishi" chief to him and subjugated the "Emishi" tribes and conquered the northern Tohoku in 802. But the central government still feared the "Emishi"'s counterattack. Kokuseki-ji Temple may have been set up around that time as the spiritual protection of the nearby fortress (government office), Isawa-jo Castle (胆沢城), and the headquarters of Buddhist propagandism (go to Ad G. Blankestijin's "The Japan Pages"). The "Yakushi-nyorai-zazo" (薬師如来座像; the seated statue of the Healing Buddha), their principle Buddhist image, was created in 862: it has both countenances of anger and austerity because, according to an ancient tradition, the immigrants from the Kanto District, etc. wished to disarm the "Emishi" people's anger and to overcome fear of their rebellion. |
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(Wednesday 13 February) "Kokuseki-ji Somin-sai" Festival (黒石寺蘇民祭) is annually held from the seventh evening of the New Year of the Chinese lunar calendar until the eighth morning. In the year of 2008, the festival was held between the evening of February 13 and the morning of February 14.
Somin (蘇民), or precisely, "Somin Shorai" (蘇民 将来), is the name of a deity who protects against evil as the ancient book Bingo Fudo-ki (『備後*風土記』; A Topographical Survey of Bingo, 6th year of Wado [和銅6年] or AD 713) notes: Once upon a time there lived a god named Takeaki-no-kami (武搭神) [=Susano-o-no-Mikoto (須佐之男命)]. He set out on a journey to look for a bride living in the south. After a long journey during which Takeaki-no-kami went over mountains and crossed rivers, He reached a place called Enokuma no Sato (疫隅の里) after sunset. Takeaki-no-kami found a magnificent mansion which belonged to the richest man of the region. He asked the landlord Kotan Shorai (巨旦 将来) for one night stay but He was refused. Kotan, however, told Him to go to his elder brother Somin's house. After walking a little while in the dark Takeaki-no-kami found Somin's humble cabin and asked one night stay in Somin's house. Somin welcomed with all his heart and treated Him as he could: Somin cooked foxtail millet for Him who thanked him very much and had a good sleep. Next morning He thanked everything and set out again. Takeaki-no-kami luckily found a bride and got married. Many years later, Takeaki-no-kami set out on a journey along with his children. On his way He dropped in at Somin's house and said, "I owe you a debt of gratitude. Last time I came here you exercise great hospitality to me. Since then I have gotten married and have been blessed with children." Somin said, "I also got married, and now I live with my wife and daughter." Then Takeaki-no-kami told Somin and his family to put "Chi-no-Wa" (茅の輪; ring of cogon grass) in their belt. That night Takeaki-no-kami (Susano-o-no-Mikoto) destroyed every one without "Chi-no-Wa." Susano-o-no-Mikoto visited Somin's dwelling again and said, "If an epidemic breaks out in later ages, make a ring of cogon grass and put it around your waist. Then you will escape infection." Based on this myth, it is believed across Japan that misfortunes can be avoided by placing an amulet with the name of the house of Somin Shorai written on it at the entrance to a home. This also led to the Shinto ritual in which worshippers go though a large ring of cogon grass, praying for good health. (*Bingo (備後) is now the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture in Western Japan. |
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(Wednesday 13 February) Notice board and sculptures of "Kokuseki-ji Somin-sai" Festival near the temple along Route 343, Kuroishi-cho, Mizusawa Ward, Oshu City | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) Sculptures titled "Somin" (「蘇民」) made by Yasuhiro Asahida (朝日田 恭博) in March 1992. Near the temple along Route 343, Kuroishi-cho, Mizusawa Ward, Oshu City | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) Sculptures titled "Somin" (「蘇民」) made by Yasuhiro Asahida (朝日田 恭博) in March 1992. Near the temple along Route 343, Kuroishi-cho, Mizusawa Ward, Oshu City | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) The entrance of Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) Previously called the Ruritsubo River (瑠璃壺川); now the Yamauchi River (山内川) in the precincts of Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, where naked participants of the festival perform ablutions in the first part of the festival. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) The two-storied building made by Kanjiro Takahashi (高橋 勘次郎) who also designed the Yakushi-do Hall (薬師堂) or the main hall of the temple in the 17th year of Meiji (明治17年) or AD 1884. The first floor is called "Goku-sho" (御供所; office for votive offerings) and the second floor "Sho-ro" (鐘楼; belfry). Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) Stone steps to "Yakushi-do" Hall (薬師堂) or the main hall made by Kanjiro Takahashi (高橋 勘次郎) in the 17th year of Meiji (明治17年) or AD 1884. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) "Yakushi-do" Hall (薬師堂) or the main hall made by Kanjiro Takahashi (高橋 勘次郎) in the 17th year of Meiji (明治17年) or AD 1884. It enshrines the wooden statue (126 cm high) of "Yakushi-nyorai-zaso" (the Seated Image of Bhechadjaguru-tathagata (the Buddhist Physician of Souls) made in the 4th year of Jogan (貞観4年) or AD 862: The image was made of one big "katsura" (the Japan Judas-tree). Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) Stone Steps viewed from "Yakushi-do" Hall, Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) It is 22:30 now. The festival has already started! At the entrance of Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) "Yakushi-do" Hall (薬師堂) or the main hall made by Kanjiro Takahashi (高橋 勘次郎) in the 17th year of Meiji (明治17年) or AD 1884. It enshrines the wooden statue (126 cm high) of "Yakushi-nyorai-zaso" (the Seated Image of Bhechadjaguru-tathagata (the Buddhist Physician of Souls) made in the 4th year of Jogan (貞観4年) or AD 862: The image was made of one big "katsura" (the Japan Judas-tree). Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) [Part 1 of the Somin-sai: "Hadaka-mairi" (裸参り) or Naked Pilgrimage] starting at 10:00 p.m. Participants are making a pilgrimage around the temple: After cleansing their bodies in the sacred river called Yamauchi River (山内川), they go round the precincts three times chanting the two yells of "Jyasso" (邪掃; "Expel evil spirits") and "Joyasa" (除夜祭; "Watch-night Festival"). Now the temperature is minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit). you feel very cold even if you fully put on warm clothes! Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) [Part 1 of the Somin-sai: "Hadaka-mairi" (裸参り) or Naked Pilgrimage] starting at 10:00 p.m. Participants are making a pilgrimage around the temple: After cleansing their bodies in the sacred river called Yamauchi River (山内川), they go round the precincts three times chanting the two yells of "Jyasso" (邪掃; "Expel evil spirits") and "Joyasa" (除夜祭; "Watch-night Festival"). Now the temperature is minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit). you feel very cold even if you fully put on warm clothes! Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) [Part 1 of the Somin-sai: "Hadaka-mairi" (裸参り) or Naked Pilgrimage] starting at 10:00 p.m. Participants are making a pilgrimage around the temple: After cleansing their bodies in the sacred river called Yamauchi River (山内川), they go round the precincts three times chanting the two yells of "Jyasso" (邪掃; "Expel evil spirits") and "Joyasa" (除夜祭; "Watch-night Festival"). Now the temperature is minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit). you feel very cold even if you fully put on warm clothes! Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) [Part 1 of the Somin-sai: "Hadaka-mairi" (裸参り) or Naked Pilgrimage] starting at 10:00 p.m. Participants are making a pilgrimage around the temple: After cleansing their bodies in the sacred river called Yamauchi River (山内川), they go round the precincts three times chanting the two yells of "Jyasso" (邪掃; "Expel evil spirits") and "Joyasa" (除夜祭; "Watch-night Festival"). Now the temperature is minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit). you feel very cold even if you fully put on warm clothes! Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) The ceiling of "Yakushi-do" Hall (薬師堂) or the main hall made by Kanjiro Takahashi (高橋 勘次郎) in the 17th year of Meiji (明治17年) or AD 1884. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) The Dragon carved on the girder of "Yakushi-do" Hall (薬師堂) or the main hall made by Kanjiro Takahashi (高橋 勘次郎) in the 17th year of Meiji (明治17年) or AD 1884. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) Interior of "Yakushi-do" Hall (薬師堂) or the main hall made by Kanjiro Takahashi (高橋 勘次郎) in the 17th year of Meiji (明治17年) or AD 1884. It enshrines the wooden statue (126 cm high) of "Yakushi-nyorai-zaso" (the Seated Image of Bhechadjaguru-tathagata (the Buddhist Physician of Souls) made in the 4th year of Jogan (貞観4年) or AD 862: The image was made of one big "katsura" (the Japan Judas-tree). Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) "Myoken-do" (妙見堂; Hall of Bodhisattva of Divinized Big Dipper [Skt. Sudrsti]). In the traditional "Kokuseki-ji Somin-sai" Festival held in early February, the naked participants were said to climb up to this hall in the climax. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) "Myoken-do" (Hall of Bodhisattva of Divinized Big Dipper [Skt. Sudrsti]). In the traditional "Kokuseki-ji Somin-sai" Festival held in early February, the naked participants were said to climb up to this hall in the climax. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) Interior of "Myoken-do" (Hall of Bodhisattva of Divinized Big Dipper [Skt. Sudrsti]). In the traditional "Kokuseki-ji Somin-sai" Festival held in early February, the naked participants were said to climb up to this hall in the climax. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) The precincts of Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho: A view from Myoken-do Hall | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) The precincts of Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho: A view from Myoken-do Hall | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) Stone Steps viewed from "Yakushi-do" Hall, Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) The special restaurant "Somin Shoku-do" (蘇民食堂) which only opens during the festival. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) The special restaurant "Somin Shoku-do" (蘇民食堂) which only opens during the festival. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) Free Pavilion (無料休憩所) which only opens during the festival. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Wednesday 13 February) Free Pavilion (無料休憩所) which only opens during the festival. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. The elders purge noxious vapor with twig besoms. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. The elders purge noxious vapor with twig besoms. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho. | |
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(Thursday 14 February) [Part 2 of the Somin-sai: "Hitaki-nobori" (柴燈木登) or Fire Purification Ritual] starting at 11:30 p.m. Myoken-zan Kokuseki-ji Temple, Kuroishi-cho.
The Kokuseki-ji Somin-sai Festival continues: [Part 3 of the Somin-sai: "Betto-nobori" (別当登) or Templekeepers' Ritual] staring at 2:00 a.m. [Part 4 of the Somin-sai: "Onigo-nobori" (鬼子登) or Devil Mask Boys' Ritual] staring at 4:00 a.m. [Part 5 of the Somin-sai: "Somin-bukuro Sodatsu-sen" (蘇民袋争奪戦) or Struggle for the Somin-bukuro (Sacred Jute Bag) ] staring at 5:00 a.m. It is the climax of the festival. It is said that the winner can escape from all misfortunes and calamities that year. The 2008 festival had 83 participants (31 less than that of the previous year) while more than 170 press people came and collected news materials here after the news that JR East refused to permit them to put up the 2008 ad (poster) at their stations for the reason that, as they claim, the 2008 poster might annoy people: It features a smiling bushy-bearded man with a hairy chest who stripped down to the waist. Opinion is divided on this question over the country: How can you call tradition "obscenity"? In fact, participants were stripped stark naked until the early twentieth century. It was Westernization that gave people "knowledge" just like the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Book of Genesis. Now a new Western concept "sexual harassment" endangers the surviving tradition again.... Will the day come when Sumo is called "obscene"? ... I wish I could stay here till the end of the festival next morning. However, I could not bear the cold in the middle of snowy and stormy winter! Next year, maybe! |
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| Fukuwara (福原; literally "God-blessed field") is located in the southern part of Mizusawa. | ||
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(Monday 16 August) Juan Goto Memorial Hall, Fukuwara (後藤寿庵廟堂). During the early seventeenth century, Juan Goto (?1577-?1638), born as Matagoro (as called in his childhood), the third son of Hidenobu Iwabuchi, the lord of Fujisawa-jo Castle, Higashi-Iwai County, Iwate, was the Christian lord of Fukuwara (literally "God-blessed field") in the western part of Mizusawa. When he was young, he went to Nagasaki and took ship for Ukujima Island of the Goto Islands to be baptized a Christian. He was given his Latin Christian name "Juan" and renamed himself as Juan Goto in c.1596. Commanding his men as the chief of Date's gun regiment, he went campaigning for the Tokugawa Shogunate at the two battles of Osaka in winter 1614 and summer 1615.
In 1623, however, the Christian faith was prohibited by the Tokugawa Shogunate.* Before leaving Fukuwara, while eluding arrest for keeping his faith, he developed irrigation canals for growing rice. Thanks to "Juan-zeki" (寿庵堰; Juan's canals) this land (the southern part of Isawa County [胆沢郡]) has become a prosperous grain belt. For further information, go to my "Juan Goto and Crypto-Christians" page. |
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(Monday 16 August) Latin script of Juan Goto Memorial Hall, Fukuwara: it can be roughly translated:
Juan Goto was a vassal of Masamune Date [伊達政宗; the great lord of Sendai]. He had his dominions over Fukuwara of Miwake (見分) and held a fief yielding 1,200 koku of rice [1 koku = 47.654 U.S. gallons; 5.119 U.S. bushels]. He always met his people with benignity and saved them at his own expense and even by borrowing some money from others when he found a person in straitened circumstances. In 1615 he began to toil his way at making irrigation canals flumed from River Isawa (胆沢川) and finally reclaimed a big field after years. Since then, the rice field belt enlarged over the southern part of County Isawa. Thanks to the canals, the peasants did not have to worry about irrigating the fields even in the long drought. In 1924 the Japanese government made a pothumous praise to him creating "Jyu-Go-i" [従五位; the junior grade of the fifth court rank] for him. Juan Goto profoundly embraced Christianity and built a church in his domonion Fukuwara and invited foreign missionaries to evangelize people. He wrote a reply to Pope of Rome Paulus V's epistle uttering expiation of sins as the representative of Christians in the two fiefdoms of the Tohoku District. In 1623, however, when the Tokugawa Shogunate government issued orders forbidding Christianity, Masamune Date racked his brains about Goto's conversion. But Goto refused it and abondoned his status, defecting to the Nambu territory to finish his life as a Christian. Now those who work for the good of the local water-utilization association have argued about praising his virtue and erected this monument to posterity Juan Goto's great achievements. Scribed by Ginosuke Kanno (菅野義之助) on October 13, 1931: translated from Japanese into Latin by R.P.S. Candau (English trans. Eishiro Ito) |
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(Monday 16 August) Juan Goto Memorial Hall, Fukuwara | |
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(Monday 1 January) Stone monuments to the memory of local soldiers who rendered great services from the Meiji Restoration in 1867 to the Second World War II, northside of Juan Goto Memorial, Fukuwara | |
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(Monday 1 January) Cenotaph built in 1909 in memory of war victims, Juan Goto Memorial Hall, Fukuwara | |
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(Monday 1 January) Cenotaph built in memory of war victims during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-5), Juan Goto Memorial Hall, Fukuwara | |
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(Monday 1 January) Triumphal monument dated September 13, 1886. Juan Goto Memorial Hall, Fukuwara | |
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(Monday 1 January) Cenotaph built in memory of war victims at Battle of Shirakawa (白川の戦い; now Fukushima prefecture) during the Boshin War (戊申戦争, 1868-1869), Juan Goto Memorial Hall, Fukuwara | |
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(Monday 1 January) Monument for "O Inari-sama" (お稲荷様; the god of harvests; the fox deity), Juan Goto Memorial Hall, Fukuwara | |
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(Monday 16 August) A fake small shrine dedicated to "Kannon"(Sk. Avalokitesvara; Ch. Kuan-Yin; the Buddhist goddess of Mercy), a remain of the crypto Christians, Fukuwara. Even after the Christian lord Juan Goto's leaving Fukuwara, some people did not apostatize from their Christian faith. Fukuwara had the second largest Christian community of the Tohoku District next to Sendai in the early seventeenth century.
Under the Shogunate's prohibition against Christianity, they had to hide their faith and gave the image of Maria an appearance of "Kannon." An ancestor of the Kikuchi family who lived here secretly kept it enshrined as the image of "Kannon." However, in spring in 1754, Reizan, the 29th chief Buddhist priest of Choko-ji Temple, Mizusawa detected it and that put the Kikuchi family in very desperate straits. According to the prohibition, if the crypto-Christians found, in the most typical case, the officers put them behind bars and gave the final test using a copper tablet (or something) with a crucifix to be trodden on to prove themselves non-Christians: if they could not trod on, they were sentenced to be crucified. Knowing the state of things, Kiuemon Ito, the foreman, sent the image to Munemasa Gonnojo Nakagawa, the famous maker of Buddhist images, Kyoto to inscribe "Nyoirin-Kannon" (Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in the form of Chintamanichakra) on it. Later the image was lost and somehow replaced with a wooden box (c.12 cm in width and c.30 cm in length) putting two Christian "Medai" (Port. medalha: medals) in it in 1782. Since then, the local crypto-Christians secretly continued to worship the box with the two Christian medals until the mid-nineteenth century when the Shogunate finally permitted Christianity. |
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(Monday 1 January) Annual New Year's Exposition of the treasured image of "Kannon" [which looks like that of the Virgin Mary] on the Day (from New Year's Eve to New Year's Day), the fake "Kannon" shrine, Fukuwara | |
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(Monday 1 January) Annual New Year's Exposition of the treasured image of "Kannon" [which looks like that of the Virgin Mary] on the Day (from New Year's Eve to New Year's Day), the fake "Kannon" shrine, Fukuwara | |
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(Monday 1 January) Annual New Year's Exposition of the treasured image of "Kannon" [which looks like that of the Virgin Mary] on the Day (from New Year's Eve to New Year's Day), the fake "Kannon" shrine, Fukuwara | |
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(Monday 16 August) A fake "Bishamon-do" (毘沙門堂; Hall of the Buddhist Guardian Deity
of Warriors), a crypto-Christian remain, Fukuwara. The place Juan Goto built "Tenshu-do" a Catholic church.
This place was the most important point for Christian missionaries in the early seventeenth century: Many Catholic priests, among them, Rev. Jeronimo Angeles (Jesuit; b. Sicily, 1568-1623), Rev. Calvarius (Jesuit; b. Portugal 1576-1624),* Rev. Paulo and Rev. Pedro were received and many Christians from other areas came in its golden age before the Shogunate's prohibition against Christianity. After Juan Goto's exodus, all the inhabitants remained here ostensibly promised apostasy but grudged the disposition of the image of Maria: they secretly enshrined it as "Kannon" (see above). People renamed the church as "Bishamon-do." Ginosuke Kanno (菅野 義之助), a scholar of Juan Goto, found a Christian "Medai" (medal) here around 1930. It is said that there were many Christian "Medais" treasured in this district in the early seventeenth century. The Mass-day (feast day) of this hall is set on September 9 and organized by the hereditary members of the Takahashi family since early times. After the last Christmas in Fukuwara in 1623, Rev. Calvarius was captured in Sengenbara, upper River Isawa, immediately sent to Sendai in spite of heavy snow and water-tortured to death by the Date retainers in the bank of River Hirose, Sendai on January 1, 1624. |
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(Monday 16 August) A fake "Bishamon-do" (Hall of the Buddhist Guardian Deity of Warriors), a crypto-Christian remain, Fukuwara. | |
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(Monday 1 January) Annual Exposition of the fake "Bishamon-do" (Hall of the Buddhist Guardian Deity of Warriors), a crypto-Christian remain, Fukuwara. From New Year's Eve to New Year's Day. No "Bishamon" image in this hall! | |
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(Monday 1 January) Annual Exposition of the fake "Bishamon-do" (Hall of the Buddhist Guardian Deity of Warriors), a crypto-Christian remain, Fukuwara. From New Year's Eve to New Year's Day. | |
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(Monday 1 January) Annual Exposition of the fake "Bishamon-do" (Hall of the Buddhist Guardian Deity
of Warriors), a crypto-Christian remain, Fukuwara. From New Year's Eve to New Year's Day.
I found this old picture of young women enshrined in a Shinto way. However, I do not have any memoir related to this picture yet. Were they Christians? |
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(Monday 1 January) Annual Exposition of the fake "Bishamon-do" (Hall of the Buddhist Guardian Deity
of Warriors), a crypto-Christian remain, Fukuwara. From New Year's Eve to New Year's Day.
I found this old picture of young women enshrined in a Shinto way. However, I do not have any memoir related to this picture yet. Were they Christians? |
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| The history of Komagata-jinjya Shrine (駒形神社) can date back to 456 in the reign of Emperor Eyuryaku: it was founded by Ue-Keno the lord of Isawa, who originated in Mt. Akagi, Gunma. "Koma-ga-take" literally means "Koma's mountain": the word "Koma" derived from the song about Akagi-jinjya Shrine which was called "Kara-sha" ("Koma" = "Kara" which indicates the "Koryo" dynasty of Korea (918-1392) because Japanese people at that time longed for the advanced Korean culture and the Great Korean God. Tamuramaro Sakanoue, Yoriyoshi Minamoto, his son, Yoriie Minamoto and the Oshu-Fujiwara family of Hiraizumi also worshipped this shrine heartily. Moved here in Shiogama-jinjya Shrine, from Koma-ga-take, Kanegasaki in 1903. | ||
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(Monday 16 August) "Torii" (Shinto Shrine Archway), Komagata-jinjya Shrine adjoining to Mizusawa Park | |
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(Monday 16 August) "San-mon" (Shrine Gate), Komagata-jinjya Shrine adjoining to Mizusawa Park | |
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(Monday 16 August) "Hon-do" (Main Hall), Komagata-jinjya Shrine adjoining to Mizusawa Park | |
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(Monday 16 August) Mizusawa Shokonsha Shrine (Mizusawa Shinto Shrine Dedicated to the Spirits of the War Dead, founded in 1909), Komagata-jinjya Shrine adjoining to Mizusawa Park | |
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(Monday 16 August) Shiogama-jinjya Shrine (塩竃神社), Komagata-jinjya Shrine adjoining to Mizusawa Park. So there are three shrines in the same precinct: Komaga-jinjya Shrine, Mizusawa Shokonsha Shrine and Shiogama-jinjya Shrine. (Do not be so confused!) The original Shiogama-jinjya Shrine was founded in Shiogama, Miyagi about 1,200 years ago. In 1052 when Yoriyoshi and Yoshiie Minamoto were going to subjugate Sadato Abe, they conjured Shiogama-jinjya Shrine to do so and succeeded it.
After that, they made a branch shrine in Ishida-Daimyojin, Mizusawa. Munetoshi, the first lord of Rusu (or Mizusawa-Date) of Mizusawa-jo Castle restored the shrine in 1629 and the seventh lord Murayoshi moved it from Ishida-Daimyojin to the present location. The present main hall was restored by the eleventh lord Kuninaga in 1863 after the great fire in 1859. The Rusu family especially worshipped this shrine because their ancestors were the Shinto priests of the original Shiogama-jinjya Shrine for generations before they moved to here. |
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(Monday 16 August) "Hon-do" (Main Hall) of Komagata-jinjya Shrine adjoining to Mizusawa Park | |
| Mizusawa Park (水沢公園) was designed by Sanjin Minomushi (b. Gifu,1836-1900; stay in Mizusawa, 1878, 1891-1893) in 1878. Famous for over 500 cherry trees (many of them over 300-year-old) which pleased Masumi Sugae (b. Toyohashi, Aichi, 1754-1829) who stayed in County Isawa in1785-1788. | ||
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(Monday 16 August) Statue of Makoto Saito (斉藤実) by Fumio Asakura, 1963, Mizusawa Park. Born in Mizusawa, Makoto Saito (1858-1936) was an admiral and statesman. A moderate militarist, his selection as prime minister (1932-1934) to replace Ki Inukai, who had been assassinated, signaled the end of prewar party cabinets.
Saito's cabinet was torn by the struggle between the war minister, who advocated expansionist aims in China, and the finance minister, who unsuccessfully opposed greater military expenditures. In 1936, Saito became the keeper of the privy seal, a position close to the emperor. During the abortive military uprising of Feb. 26, 1936, he was assassinated by young militarists (the 2.26 incident). |
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(Monday 16 August) Statue of Shimpei Goto (後藤新平) by Jiichi Kome, 1971, Mizusawa Park. Born in Mizusawa, Shimpei Goto (1857-1929) first studied medicine in Sukagawa Medical School, Fukushima and became the superintendent of Aichi Hospital at the age of 25.
After saving Taisuke Itagaki (板垣退助)'s life, he became an elite officer: after studying medicine in Germany, the chief officer of civil affairs at the Government-General of Taiwan (1898), the director general of the Southern Manchurian Railway (1906), Communication Minister and director general of Japan Railway (1908), Home Affairs Minister (1916 and 1923) and Foreign Affairs Minister (1919), Lord Mayor of Tokyo (1920), the first director general of Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) (1923), etc. He was called "O-buroshiki" (大風呂敷; lit. a big Japanese cloth wrapper) because people at that time could not understand how advanced his opinions about the international relations and the new city plan of Tokyo after the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923. |
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(Monday 16 August) Monument for Choei Takano (高野長英), Choei Takano Memorial Hall, Mizusawa Park. Choei Takano (1804-1850) was born in Mizusawa as the son of Saneyoshi and Miya Goto and later adopted to Gensai Takano at his mother's parents' home.
He studied medicine, science and Dutch in Edo (Tokyo) with Choshuku Yoshida (吉田長淑) and Nagasaki with Philipp Franz von Seibold. He translated many Dutch books and wrote many books including a biological book Igen-Suuyo (The Key to Iatrophysics, 1832) and Kyukonibutsuko (On the Two Things to Survive in a Famine, 1836, which taught people how to plant, save and cook potatoes and "Haya-soba" [buck-wheat noodles with raphanus sativus longipinnatus or Chinese radish]. But in 1839 the Tokugawa Shogunate regarded Takano and other Dutch scholars as the most dangerous scholars who knew too much about foreign affairs under the seclusion policy. Knowing no way to escape since his friend San'ei Ozaki who translated the Bible committed suicide, Takano surrendered himself to the Bugyosho (the police station) and was put behind bars with the accusation of writing Bojyutu Yumemonogatari (『戊戌夢物語』; My Dream Vision, 1838) which pointed out how absurd the Shogunate's policy of beating away all the foreign ships around Japan was, and insists the importance of the friendship especially with the United Kingdom. In the fire of 1844, Takano escaped from the prison and became a most wanted criminal since he absconded from Edo and wandered about all over Japan. When he was finally discovered in Edo and almost captured, he killed himself with his short sword on October 30, 1850. |
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(Monday 16 August) Potatoes and "Haya-soba," in memory of Kyuko-Nibutsu-ko (On the Two Things to Survive in a Famine, 1836, which taught people how to plant, save and cook potatoes and "Haya-soba" [buck-wheat noodles with raphanus sativus longipinnatus or Chinese radish], Choei Takano Memorial Hall, Mizusawa Park. | |
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(Monday 16 August) Memorial Stone of Basho Matsuo (松尾芭蕉), Mizusawa Park:
傘でおし (Kasa de Oshi) 分見たる (Wakemi taru) 柳かな (Yanagi kana) (Pushing apart With my umbrella I looked at the willow tree.) (Sumidawara [「炭俵」: Charcoal-Sack, 1694] (trans. Eishiro Ito) ... But I do not know why this memorial stone (moved from Yanagi-machi, Mizusawa) stands here. |
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(Monday 16 August) Memorial Stone of Shiki Masaoka (正岡子規, 1867-1902)'s haiku poem, Mizusawa Park:
背に吹くや (Se ni Fuku ya) 五十四郡の (Gojyushi-gun no) 秋の風 (Aki no Kaze) (Against my back The Autumn wind of the fifty four counties Is blowing.) (trans. Eishiro Ito) Shiki Masaoka wrote this haiku on August 19, 1893 when he visited here at the age of 27. He noted this park as the best one between Sendai and Aomori (Hateshirazu no Ki [「果て知らずの記」: The Notes without the End]). |
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(Monday 16 August) The seven-storied pagoda, Mizusawa Park. Made of amethysts from Nikko, Tochigi. Donated by some local people when this park was made in 1877. It was originally from Morioka. | |
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(Monday 16 August) Miyamae-dori Street and Komagata-jinjya Shrine, Mizusawa | |
| Hitaka-jinjya Shrine (日高神社) was founded in 810. Worshipped and donated by Tamuramaro Sakanoue, Yoriyoshi and Yoshiie Minamoto, Masamune Date, etc. The present main hall was restored by Munetoshi Date [Mizusawa-Date] in 1632. The name "Hitaka" is derived from the ancient region name here (lit. [the place of] looking up the sun highly; the Sun-blessing country); the ancient "Emishi" country around County Isawa along the River Hitakami [now River Kitakami]. Hitaka Hibuse Matsuri (literally "Hitaka Fire Prevention Festival") began with Munekage Rusu [Mizusawa-Date]'s prayer in 1657 when he experienced the Great Fire called "Furisode-Kaji" in Edo. | ||
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(Monday 16 August) Samurai House of the Abe family (open to the public) and Hitaka-koji Street | |
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(Monday 16 August) "Torii" (Shinto Shrine Archway), Hitaka-jinjya Shrine | |
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(Monday 16 August) Statue of Munetoshi Rusu (留守宗利) [Mizusawa-Date] (1590-1638), Hitaka-jinjya Shrine. He was Masamune Date's cousin and became the first lord of Mizusawa-Date at the age of 40 in 1629. He moved Mizuyama-jinjya Shirne from Rifu, Miyagi to this precinct. It was he that moved the five Buddhist temples related to the Rusu family from Iwakiri, Sendai to Mizusawa and designed the basic city plan of Mizusawa. | |
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(Monday 16 August) "Sanmon" (Shinto Shrine Gate), Hitaka-jinjya Shrine | |
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(Monday 16 August) "Hon-do" (Main Hall), Hitaka-jinjya Shrine. Restored by Munetoshi Rusu [Mizusawa-Date] in 1632. In "Nagare-dukuri" style and retaining excellent carvings and decors (national important cultural assets,1990) | |
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(Monday 16 August) Mizuyama-jinjya Shrine (瑞山神社), Hitaka-jinjya Precinct. To the spirits of the Rusu's forefathers. Since the first Rusu lord Iekage, the Rusu family took the charge of the Tohoku District during the master[shogun]'s absence since the decline of Oshu-Fujiwara family, Hiraizumi in 1189. "Rusu" literally means "during the master's absence." Thus the Rusu family was one of the best families in the Tohoku District before they renamed themselves Date. | |
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(Monday 16 August) "Gorin-no-To" (五輪の塔; a gravestone composed of five pieces piled up one upon another representing, from the bottom upward, earth, water, fire, wind, and heaven respectively), Mizuyama-jinjya Shrine. They were built for comforting for the eleven retainers (only four of them in this pic) who immolated themselves to attend on Munetoshi Rusu [Mizusawa-Date] beyond the grave in 1638. | |
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(Monday 16 August) "Uba-sugi" (姥杉; lit. the old woman's Japanese cedar), Hitaka-jinjya Shrine. As tradition says, when Yoshiie Minamoto conquered Sadato Abe and his family in 1061 during "Earlier Nine Years' War (1051-1062) and had a feast with his army here, he planted the chopstick(s) he used in the ground: it became this towering cedar tree. Also called "Yoshiie Sugi" (Yoshiie's Cedar Tree). | |
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(Monday 16 August) "Uba-sugi" (the old woman's Japanese cedar), Hitaka-jinjya Shrine | |
| "Hitaka Hibuse Matsuri" (日高火防祭; Hitaka Fire Prevention Festival) annually held on April 28-29 with of the two "Yakudoshi-ren" [the calamity age (Forty-Two and Twenty-Five) associations] and "Matoifuri-Hozon-kai" (the Society for the Preservation of the Traditional Fireman's clothes).
This two-day fireproof festival started more than 300 years ago in the middle of the Edo Period (1603-1868). After witnessing a disastrous fire (4th year of Meireki or 1st year of Manji) in Edo in 1657 (known as "Furisode-kaji"[the Long Sleeved Kimono Fire]) which destroyed more than 100,000 lives and more than 60 % of Edo (now Tokyo), Munekage Date, the seventeenth lord of the Mizusawa clan offered prayers at Hitaka-Myoken-sha Shrine [associated with "hi" (fire) by its sound] and Mizuyama-jinjya Shrine [associated with "mizu" (water) by its sound] in the precincts of Hitaka-jinjya Shrine for protection from fires. Later in the reign of Murakage, after the big fire of Mizusawa in 1735 (20th year of Kyoho), Sagohei Sasaki was sent to Edo to study how to organize a fire brigade and on his return home he organized a first modern non-official fire brigade in Mizusawa. They have been holding an annual memorial event which is now considered to be the origin of the festival. The festival starts on April 28: 15:30-21:00 (Festival Eve) The main event starts on April 29: 8:30-21:00 (Festival Day) On Festival Day, after the prayers and the fire-fighters' dedicatory performance at Hitaka-jinjya Shrine in the morning (10:40 a.m.), the procession starts at 1:15 p.m. from the municipal office. It is formed of the modern fire brigade, the fire-fighters in traditional costumes, the original six "Cho-jirushi" ("town sign" carts)*, the original six "Uchi-bayashis"(drum floats) and the nine "hayashi yatais" (musical accompaniment floats) organized by each town block company: 1. Yoko-machi-gumi [the Yoko-machi Company] (melody: "Issei-kuzushi"); 2. Fukuro-machi-gumi [the Fukuro-machi Company] (melody: "Issei"); 3. Ekimae-Sancho-gumi [the cooperative company of the three Ekimae blocks] (melody: "Issei"); 4. Kawaguchi-machi-gumi [the Kawaguchi-machi Company] (melody: Tsurube-i"); 5. Yanagi-machi-gumi [the Yanagimachi Company] (melody: "Ken-bayashi-kuzushi"); 6. Jonai-gumi [the Company within the Walls of the Castle] (melody: "Kanran"); 7. Tachi-machi-gumi [the Tachi-machi Company] (melody: "Matsu-no-Midori"); 8. Kichi-koji-gumi [the Kichi-koji Company] (melody: "Gion-bayashi"); 9. O-machi-gumi [the O-machi Company] (melody "Gion-bayashi"). The "hayashi-yatai" normally consists of "Shamisen" (three-string sitar: 5 young women and their master), "Ko-daiko" (small drums: 15-20 "doll" girls), "Yokobue" (flutes: two men): 23-28 plus dozens of each townsmen and other attendants for each "yatai" (floats). The nocturnal parade is the highlight of the two-day Hitaka Hibuse Festival. Brightly lit floats carrying girls dressed up like traditional Japanese dolls emerge from the darkness in the city center as the sounds of chanting, flutes, drums and shamisen echo through in the city. Friday was marked by a procession of colorful floats through the city center, with groups of young female musicians and some male performers riding "hayashi yatai" (musical accompaniment floats) led by many townsmen. The six "Cho-jirushis" (town signs)--The lord of Mizusawa ordered the original six town blocks to organize each fire brigade using the sign "仁心火防定鎮" (Jin Shin Ka Bo Jo Chin) which means "Fire prevention can be always possible with people's virtue." Thus each "cho-jirushi" bears one of the six Chinese letters: The letter "仁" (Jin: virtue) is used by Kawaguchi-machi-gumi, "心" (Shin: heart) by Tachi-machi-gumi, "火" (Hi: fire) by "Yanagi-machi-gumi," "防" (Bo: to prevent) by O-machi-gumi, "定" (Jo: always) by Yoko-machi-gumi" and "鎮" (Chin: to suppress, put down, etc) by Fukuro-machi-gumi. |
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(Friday 29 April) "Torii" (Shinto Shrine Archway), Hitaka-jinjya Shrine | |
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(Friday 29 April) Prayers of "Yohai-shiki" (the ceremony of saluting the God from a distance starting at 10:40 a.m.), Hitaka-jinjya Shrine | |
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(Friday 29 April) Fire-fighters' dedicatory performance of "Yohai-shiki" (the ceremony of saluting the God from a distance), Hitaka-jinjya Shrine | |
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(Friday 29 April) Sasaki Dentist's Office, Tachi-machi, where Sagohei Sasaki, the founder of the festival and Mizusawa Fire-brigade in the mid eighteenth century, lived: his descendants still live here running a dentist office. | |
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(Friday 29 April) The image [doll] of Sagohei Sasaki in front of Sasaki Dentist's Office. When the procession passes by, each "yatai" (festival cart) stops and turns to this small image to pay homage to him: a sight to see (around 2:25-2:45 p.m.). | |
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(Friday 29 April) Yokomachi-gumi's "hayashi-yatai" (musical accompaniment floats; melody: "Issei-kuzushi") in front of the image of Sagohei Sasaki, Tachi-machi | |
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(Friday 29 April) Ekimae-Sancho-gumi's "hayashi-yatai" (musical accompaniment floats; melody: Tsurube-i") in front of the image of Sagohei Sasaki, Tachi-machi | |
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(Friday 29 April) Tachi0machi-gumi's "Cho-jirushi" ("town sign" carts) showing the "心" (heart) sign in front of the image of Sagohei Sasaki, Tachi-machi | |
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(Friday 29 April) Tachi-machi-gumi's "Uchi-bayashi" (drum floats) in front of the image of Sagohei Sasaki, Tachi-machi | |
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(Friday 29 April) Jonai-gumi's "hayashi-yatai" (musical accompaniment floats; melody: "Kanran), near Chuo-dori Street crossing (around 6:50 p.m.) | |
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(Friday 29 April) Omachi-gumi's "hayashi-yatai" (musical accompaniment floats; melody "Gion-bayashi"), near Chuo-dori Street crossing (around 6:50 p.m.) | |
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(Friday 29 April) Ekimae-Sancho-gumi's "hayashi-yatai" (musical accompaniment floats; melody: "Issei"), near Chuo-dori Street crossing (around 6:50 p.m.) | |
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(Friday 29 April) "Ai-uchi" (courtesy exchange by performance) between Yoko-machi-gumi (melody: "Issei-kuzushi")and Kawaguchi-machi-gumi (melody: Tsurube-i") in front of Mizusawa Station (around 7:30 p.m.) | |
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(Friday 29 April) "Ai-uchi" (courtesy exchange by performance) between Yoko-machi-gumi (melody: "Issei-kuzushi")and Kawaguchi-machi-gumi (melody: Tsurube-i") in front of Mizusawa Station (around 7:30 p.m.) | |
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(Friday 29 April) Kawaguchi-machi-gumis "hayashi-yatai" (musical accompaniment floats; melody: Tsurube-i"), Eki-Dori Street (around 7:50 p.m.) | |
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(Friday 29 April) Ekimae-Sancho-gumi's "hayashi-yatai" (musical accompaniment floats; melody: "Issei") in front and Kawaguchi-machi-gumi's "hayashi-yatai" (musical accompaniment floats; melody: Tsurube-i") in back, Eki-dori Street (around 8:03 p.m.) | |
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(Friday 29 April) Kawaguchi-machi-gumi's "hayashi-yatai" (musical accompaniment floats; melody: Tsurube-i"), Eki-Dori Street (around 8:05 p.m.) | |
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(Friday 29 April) Jonai-gumi's "hayashi-yatai" (musical accompaniment floats; melody: "Kanran) in front and Tachi-machi-gumi's "hayashi-yatai" (musical accompaniment floats; melody: "Matsu-no-Midori") in back, Eki-dori Street (around 8:10 p.m.) | |
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(Friday 29 April) Ekimae-Sancho-gumi's "hayashi-yatai" (musical accompaniment floats; melody: "Issei"), Eki-dori Street (around 8:15 p.m.) | |
| Taihaku-san Daian-ji Temple (太白山 大安寺) is one of the four temples related to the Rusu or the Mizusawa-Date family: Taihaku-san Daian-ji Temple (2 Azuma-cho St.), Kito-san Zocho-ji Temple (26 Tera-koji St.), Muryo-jyu-san Choko-ji Temple (33 Tera-koji St.) and Rinjo-san Daian-ji Temple (1 Tera-koji St.). It was founded by Rev. Shuchu (宗中和尚) in 1607 (12th year of Keicho) in Hataori-yama, Ichinoseki, Iwate in the time of the first Mizusawa-Date lord Munetoshi. It became one of the Rusu family since the time of the third lord Munekage. It moved to the present site in c. 1640 (some year of Kan-ei). It was reconstructed several times after 1686 (3rd year of Jotei). In 1860 (1st year of Man-en) Kisho-ji Hall, strongly related to the Rusu family, moved here and became the main hall (Hon-do). Since then, the temple has been reconstructed three times. There are three spots for the graves of the Rusu family in the precincts. | ||
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(Monday 19 September) Taihaku-san Daian-ji Temple, 2 Azuma-cho St. | |
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(Monday 19 September) "San-mon" (Main Gate), Taihaku-san Daian-ji Temple, 2 Azuma-cho St. | |
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(Monday 19 September) "Hon-do" (Main Hall), Taihaku-san Daian-ji Temple, 2 Azuma-cho St. | |
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(Monday 19 September) Signpost of Choei Takano (高野長英)'s grave:;Takano family's grave fronting the space.
Choei Takano (1804-1850) was born in Mizusawa as the son of Saneyoshi and Miya Goto and later adopted to Gensai Takano at his mother's parents' home. He studied medicine, science and Dutch in Edo (Tokyo) with Choshuku Yoshida and Nagasaki with Philipp Franz von Seibold. He translated many Dutch books and wrote many books including a biological book Igen-Suuyo (The Key to Iatrophysics, 1832) and Kyukonibutsuko (On the Two Things to Survive in a Famine, 1836, which taught people how to plant, save and cook potatoes and "Haya-soba" [buck-wheat noodles with raphanus sativus longipinnatus or Chinese radish]. But in 1839 the Tokugawa Shogunate regarded Takano and other Dutch scholars as the most dangerous scholars who knew too much about foreign affairs under the seclusion policy. Knowing no way to escape since his friend San'ei Ozaki who translated the Bible committed suicide, Takano surrendered himself to the Bugyosho (the police station) and was put behind bars with the accusation of writing Yumemonogatari (My Dream Vision, 1838) which pointed out how absurd the Shogunate's policy of beating away all the foreign ships around Japan was, and insists the importance of the friendship especially with the United Kingdom. In the fire of 1844, Takano escaped from the prison and became a most wanted criminal since he absconded from Edo and wandered about all over Japan. When he was finally discovered in Edo and almost captured, he killed himself with his short sword on October 30, 1850. For further information, see above. |
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(Monday 19 September) Grave of Choei Takano: The left one is the newly erected stone (1928) and the right small one is the original stone (1879).
When Takano went to Edo (now Tokyo) to learn Dutch Studies in 1820 (3rd year of Bunsei), it was the Mizusawa-born wholesale chemist Kanzaki-ya or the Kataoka family that allowed him to stay at their house and offered a great amount of financial aid for him. The Kataoka family was said to claim Takano's remains and bury it in their grave. As the family moved to Tuchiura City, Ibaraki, they reburied Takano's remains at Joshin-ji Temple, Tuchiura City in 1940. In October 30, 2004, in the 200th anniversary of Choei Takano's birth, Takano's spirit was welcome here between the two gravestones with profound reverence, thanks to the Kataoka family's kindness. |
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(Monday 19 September) The original grave stone of Choei Takano, erected in 1879, 15 years after his mother's death. | |
| Some sites related to Choei Takano (高野長英, 1804-1850) in his hometown, Mizusawa, Oshu City. See also Mizusawa Park and Daian-ji Temple in this page. | ||
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(Monday 16 August) The birthplace of Choei Takano (高野長英, 1804-1850), Kichi-koji Street. See the above explanation (mzs2004-068). | |
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(Monday 16 August) Choei Takano's house where he lived in his childhood, Obatake-koji Street. The year 2004 is the two hundred anniversary year of his birth. See the above explanation (mzs2004-068). | |
| A small shrine named "Korai-Hachiman-jinjya" (高麗八幡神社; Korean Hachiman-jinjya Shrine), Shin-koji Street. | ||
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(Monday 16 August) The information board of "Korai-Hachiman-jinjya" (高麗八幡神社; Korean Hachiman-jinjya Shrine), Shin-koji Street | |
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(Monday 16 August) A small shrine named "Korai-Hachiman-jinjya" (高麗八幡神社; Korean Hachiman-jinjya Shrine), Shin-koji Street. See the above explanation (mzs2004-068).When Masamune date dispatched his troops to Korea at Hideyoshi Toyotomi's command in 1593, the 14th Rusu lord Masakage (Masamune's uncle) went on the campaign. Masakage enshrined Omi-Hachiman-jinjya Shrine, Shiga as his guardian god. After his return safely, he deeply worshipped the god and built a shrine titled "Korai-Hachiman-jinjya." | |
| A narrow street to the Chokoji-bashi Bridge (長光寺橋), O-machi. This street reminds me of my kindergarten days: on the right (south) side of the street stands Mizusawa Kindergarten (水沢幼稚園; 26 O-machi), founded as a branch of Kissho-gakuen Educational Institution (吉祥学園) in 1912.
In early October 2008, the two old buildings of Mizusawa Kindergarten and Kissho-gakuen (right) were demolished on account of advanced age. I missed this view with the lost buildings. |
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(Tuesday 29 March) A narrow street to the Chokoji-bashi Bridge (長光寺橋), O-machi. This street reminds me of my kindergarten days: on the right (south) side of the street stands Mizusawa Kindergarten (26 O-machi), founded as a branch of Kissho-gakuen Educational Institution (吉祥学園) in 1912.
In early October 2008, the two old buildings of Mizusawa Kindergarten and Kissho-gakuen (right) were demolished on account of advanced age. I missed this view with the lost buildings. |
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(Tuesday 29 March) The same narrow street to the Chokoji-bashi Bridge, O-machi.
In early October 2008, the two old buildings of Mizusawa Kindergarten and Kissho-gakuen (right) were demolished on account of advanced age. I missed this view with the lost buildings. |
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(Tuesday 29 March) The Chokoji-bashi Bridge (widely known as "Megane-bashi" (眼鏡橋; lit. Eye-glass Bridge) crossing over the Omachi River (the old outer moat of Mizusawa-jo Castle), viewed from Choko-ji Temple. The bridge was built in 1929. The west side of the bridge was the merchant's block during the Edo Period (1603-1867).
In early October 2008, the two old buildings of Mizusawa Kindergarten and Kissho-gakuen (left) were demolished on account of advanced age. I missed this view with the lost Kissho-gakuen building. |
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(Tuesday 29 March) Two cars parking over the O-machi River, viewed from the Chokoji-bashi Bridge.
Somehow I vividly remember this curious scene since my kindergarten days, probably because I am still wonder how the thin iron board can bear as heavy as two cars. In early October 2008, the two old buildings of Mizusawa Kindergarten and Kissho-gakuen were demolished on account of advanced age. I missed this view with the lost Kissho-gakuen building. |
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(Tuesday 29 March) The Chokoji-bashi Bridge (widely known as "Megane-bashi" (lit. Eye-glass Bridge) crossing over the Omachi River, viewed from the south side (the city center side).
In early October 2008, the two old buildings of Mizusawa Kindergarten and Kissho-gakuen (left) were demolished on account of advanced age. I missed this view with the lost Kissho-gakuen building. In early October 2008, the two old buildings of Mizusawa Kindergarten and Kissho-gakuen (left) were demolished on account of advanced age. I missed this view with the lost Kissho-gakuen building. |
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(Tuesday 29 March) The Chokoji-bashi Bridge (widely known as "Megane-bashi" (lit. Eye-glass Bridge) crossing over the Omachi River, viewed from the north side.
In early October 2008, the two old buildings of Mizusawa Kindergarten and Kissho-gakuen (left) were demolished on account of advanced age. I missed this view with the lost Kissho-gakuen building. |
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| "Sanjyu-san Kannon-do" (三十三観音堂; Hall of the 33 Avalokitevara (Ch. Kuan Yin) Statues) (not open to public), off O-machi Street. 11 of those 33 statues were originally made in Kyoto during the Heian Period (794-1192). They were brought by the Rusu clan (later became one of the Date clan), the Lords of Mizusawa. The original site of the hall was in the north side of the street. | ||
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(Tuesday 29 March) "Sanjyu-san Kannon-do" (三十三観音堂; Hall of the 33 Avalokitevara (Ch. Kuan Yin) Statues) (not open to public), off O-machi Street. 11 of those 33 statues were originally made in Kyoto during the Heian Period (794-1192). They were brought by the Rusu clan (later became one of the Date clan), the Lords of Mizusawa. The original site of the hall was in the north side of the street. | |
| The Otome-gawa River (乙女川), viewed from O-machi. The present Chinese characters using for "Otome" means "virgin" or "maiden" but the original Chinese characters (お留め川) literally mean "The Forbidden River": it functioned as the outer moat of Mizusawa Castle during the Edo Period (1603-1867). So the citizens were strictly forbidden to go into the river for security. To cross the river you needed to ask permission at either of the two guardhouses. | ||
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(Tuesday 29 March) The Otome-gawa River (乙女川), viewed from O-machi. The present Chinese characters using for "Otome" means "virgin" or "maiden" but the original Chinese characters (お留め川) literally mean "The Forbidden River": it functioned as the outer moat of Mizusawa Castle during the Edo Period (1603-1867). So the citizens were strictly forbidden to go into the river for security. To cross the river you needed to ask permission at either of the two guardhouses. | |
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(Tuesday 29 March) Otome-gawa Park, off O-machi Street. Somehow the city authority employed the stage structure but I am not sure if they have some plans to use this park for some pageants or concerts in the future.
As I remember, the famous strip-show theatre "Mizusawa Gekijo," Kawara-koji which retired in the late 1980s, was very close to this park (maybe bad association). |
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(Tuesday 29 March) Otome-gawa Park, off O-machi Street | |
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(Tuesday 29 March) "Otome-gawa Senjin Kinenkan" (乙女川先人記念館; The Otome River Predecessors' Museum), 103-1 O-machi. They feature the three "predecessors" who were born in Kawara-koji along the Otome River: Shogo Midukuri (1821-1846): geographer who wrote Konyo-zushiki (Mappe-monde; Map of the World, 1845), etc.; Tamenori Yamazaki (1857-1881): Christian educator working for Doshisha University, Kyoto, etc.; Tetsunosuke Yoshikawa (1859-1931): pioneer in Hokkaido, founder of Naganuma Town near Sapporo.
I was lucky enough to visit this small museum two days before it closed on March 31, 2005. However, they are willing to open at your request from now on: Call Mizusawa City Board of Education: (0197) 24-2111. |
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(Monday 11 September) "Mizusawa-gekijo" (水沢劇場; Mizusawa [Strip-show] Theatre) site, 6-1 Kawara-koji (in the north bank of the Otome-gawa River). I am not sure when it was closed (maybe between 1985 and 1990?). When I lived in Kawaguchi-machi, this area was notorious for series of the strip-shows from Kansai District. | |
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(Monday 11 September) "Mizusawa-gekijo" (Mizusawa [Strip-show] Theatre) site, 6-1 Kawara-koji | |
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(Monday 11 September) "Marumatsu" (丸松), traditional Japanese restaurant, 7-1 Kawara-koji (in the opposite side of the "Mizusawa-gekijo" site. | |
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(Monday 11 September) "Yamazaki-koen" (山崎公園; Yamazaki Memorial Park), Kawara-koji, in the north bank of the Otome-gawa River. This small park was named after Tammenori Yamazaki (1857-1881): Christian educator working for Doshisha University, Kyoto, etc). This small lot was donated by the Yamazaki family.
It was located near "Mizusawa-gekijo" (水沢劇場; Mizusawa [Strip-show] Theatre), thus some show-girls off duty sometimes came here for fresh air and killing time. It was also the place for picture-card shows in my childhood. I do not remember titles very well but they surely included some stories of old TV heroes like "Ogon Batto" (the Golden Bat). In the tacit custom for children, you needed to buy some sweet to to get a good position to watch a picture-card show. My mother did not give me pocket money so often, so I could not get a good seat and often had to climb the horizontal bar or the jungle gym to view the show over other children's shoulders and candies in their hands. One early autumn afternoon in 1972, when I was seven, I tried to climb the bar to see the card show as usual, one beautiful long-haired show-girl off duty came to me showing a 100-yen coin in her hand: "You can use this if you like. Join the club!" At first, I hesitated to receive it from the stranger. 100 yen was big money for me then. You can buy almost everything you like with it in a dagashi-ya (cheap sweet shop). However, her debonnaire smile made me very relaxed and I eventually took it and bought some thick malt syrup with two cracknels of wheat flour. I could get a good seat for the show this time! "Thank you, mom," I said with a smile. She replied, smiling back, "No trouble, boy. But when you are grown up an adult, come to see my show, if you remember. HA HA HA." It was the first and last time to meet her. After I graduated from Mizusawa High School, I lived in Sendai to take higher education and almost completely forgot this by that time. When I returned home and rambled about the streets after a long absence, I noticed that the theatre was already closed, which suddenly reminded me of the kind woman. It is still one of my beautiful childhood memories. |
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(Monday 11 September) "Yamazaki-koen" (Yamazaki Memorial Park), Kawara-koji | |
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(Monday 11 September) Monument of Tetsunosuke Yoshikawa (吉川 鉄之助: 1859-1931)'s Birthplace, "Yamazaki-koen" (Yamazaki Memorial Park), Kawara-koji. Yoshikawa was born in Kawara-koji, Mizusawa. When he was 13 in 1871, his father and he went to Sapporo with the 36 families of the former Rusu clan to exploit Hokkaido. Hokkaido, formerly called "Ezochi" (蝦夷地; literally means "the land for the Ezo [Ainu people]), was a New World for Japanese people under the Colonization Office established after the Boshin War in 1869. Soon after "Sapporo No-gakko" (Sapporo Agricultural School; now Hokkaido University) was established in 1872, Yoshikawa entered it and took lessons of western-styled agriculture (particularly land-surveying and geology) from the American Puritan scholar/colonel Dr. William Smith Clark (1826-1886). He learned much and then worked there until 1885 when he relieved of his post at his own request. Throughout his lifetime Yoshikawa was very proud of being taught by Dr. Clark, saying, "The most influential and proud thing in my life is that I have served Dr. Clark."
When the new office of Hokkaido-cho (the Hokkaido Government) was established in 1885, the time was ripe for colonization work again, Yoshikawa heard that the Maoi Area southeast of Sapporo is a fertile land. In 1886 Yoshikawa first went to the area called "Tantonee" (Ainu "[the] long bog") or Naganuma (長沼: the literal translation of the original Ainu word) for investigation and concluded that the land is suitable for farming. In May 1887 he and his comrades settled in N18 W1 (西1線北18番地) in the side of the Yubari River. It was said that Yoshikawa brought the Bible with him (although he does not seem to have been actually baptized). Naganuma was a wasteland with thick forests, rivers and bogs, although they reclaimed the marshy land as wide as 10 hectares in the first two years. They also constructed the Yubari Road (between Naganuma and Iwamizawa via Kuriyama), and then built a school for children. With late-coming settlers, they constructed many roads and bridges: Naganuma Village was born with authorization of the Hokkaido Government in 1895. Yoshikawa became the first mayor. Following the success of pomiculture and livestock farming the village was rapidly developed during the Taisho Eara (1912-1926). Go to the "Naganuma" page. |
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(Monday 11 September) Monument of Tammenori Yamazaki (山崎 為徳, 1857-1881: Christian educator working for Doshisha University, Kyoto, etc.) and Shogo Midukuri (1821-1846: geographer who wrote Konyo-zushiki [Mappe-monde; Map of the World, 1845], etc.). "Yamazaki-koen" (Yamazaki Memorial Park), Kawara-koji. | |
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(Monday 11 September) Bust of Tammenori Yamazaki (1857-1881): Christian educator working for Doshisha University, Kyoto, etc). "Yamazaki-koen" (Yamazaki Memorial Park), Kawara-koji. | |
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(Monday 11 September) "Yamazaki-koen" (Yamazaki Memorial Park), Kawara-koji | |
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(Monday 11 September) "Yamazaki-koen" (Yamazaki Memorial Park), Kawara-koji | |
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(Monday 11 September) The Otome-gawa River, viewed from Kami-no-hashi Bridge, Kawara-koji. | |
| Shimpei Goto (後藤 新平; politician, 1857-1929)'s Old House, Kichi-koji Street. This house was recorded as the one owned by Sadenji Goto, "Oku-Kosho-kashira" (chief page for ladies) in Mizusawa Kachu Ie-nami Oboe-cho (The Notes of the Mizusawa Clansmen, 1866). It was built in the mid eighteenth century. The present structure was followed by Shimpei Goto's reconstruction in his later years. See above as for Shimpei Goto. His family belonged to a lower middle class Samurai in the clan. | ||
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(Friday 29 April) Front gate of Shimpei Goto (後藤新平; politician, 1857-1929)'s Old House, Kichi-koji Street. This house was recorded as the one owned by Sadenji Goto, "Oku-Kosho-kashira" (chief page for ladies) in Mizusawa Kachu Ie-nami Oboe-cho (The Notes of the Mizusawa Clansmen, 1866). It was built in the mid eighteenth century. The present structure was followed by Shimpei Goto's reconstruction in his later years. See above as for Shimpei Goto. His family belonged to a lower middle class Samurai in the clan. | |
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(Friday 29 April) Main Building of Shimpei Goto (politician, 1857-1929)'s Old House, Kichi-koji Street | |
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(Friday 29 April) "Do-ma" (unfloored part) of Shimpei Goto (politician, 1857-1929)'s Old House, Kichi-koji Street | |
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(Friday 29 April) "Genkan-no-ma" (Entrance Hall) of Shimpei Goto (politician, 1857-1929)'s Old House, Kichi-koji Street | |
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(Friday 29 April) "Zashiki" (room) of Shimpei Goto (politician, 1857-1929)'s Old House, Kichi-koji Street | |
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(Friday 29 April) Front (southside) garden viewed from "Zashiki," Shimpei Goto's Old House, Kichi-koji Street | |
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(Friday 29 April) Inner (north side) garden of Shimpei Goto's Old House, Kichi-koji Street | |
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(Friday 29 April) Uchida Family's Old House (内田家旧宅), Kichi-koji Street. The Unichida family received the second largest amount of a fief from the Mizusawa-Date [Rusu] clan next to the Amarume family: 96 koku and 2 sho (1847) [1 koku = 180 liters or 47.654 U.S. gallons; 1sho = 1.8 liters]. The main building holds 175.62 square meters, and there are two gardens; the front garden and the back garden inside of the inner gate. | |
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(Friday 29 April) Uchida Family's Old House, Kichi-koji Street | |
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(Friday 29 April) Free Tea Ceremony served by some local tea ceremony group, Uchida Family's Old House, Kichi-koji Street | |
| Isawa-jo Remains (胆沢城遺跡) | ||
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(Sunday 26 September) The "Torii" (Shinto Shrine Archway), Mizusawa Hachiman-jinjya Shrine or "Chinjyu-fu [military station]-Hachiman-gu." | |
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(Tuesday 17 August) The first "Torii" (Shinto Shrine Archway), Mizusawa Hachiman-jinjya Shrine or "Chinjyu-fu [military station]-Hachiman-gu." Found in 801 by Tamuramaro Sakanoue and offered a wand with hemp and paper steamers to Hachiman, a Shinto god by Yoritomo Minamoto in 1189: still holding Sakanoue's sacred sword and arrow with a turnip-shaped head that makes a sound as it flies as the shrine treasures. Located in the northeast edge of Isawa-jo Castle as Enryaku-ji Temple, Mt. Hiei to Kyoto, because the northeastern quarter was supposed to be the "demon gate" or an unlucky or a tabooed quarter in the ancient times. It is probably because the ancient Chotei (central government) always feared the Emishi or the people of the Tohoku District who often resisted against a number of their invasions.
There are so many Hachiman-jinjya shrines in Iwate because Hachiman is the shinto god of war or the Japanese Mars: it also the guardian god for the Minamoto clan who had fought with many Emishis and the local powerful families such as the Abe family, the Kiyohara family and the Oshu-Fujiwara family in Iwate and Miyagi. This Hachiman-jinjya Shrine had been especially worshipped and donated by famous samurai including Tamuramaro Sakanoue, Yoshie Minamoto, Yoritomo Minamoto, the Oshu-Fujiwara family, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Masamune Date. |
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(Tuesday 17 August) The second "Torii" (Shinto Shrine Archway) and "Hon-do" (Main Hall), Mizusawa Hachiman-jinjya Shrine. Shinto shrines normally has one "Torii" but this shrine has two "Torii" to show its authority. | |
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(Tuesday 17 August) Site of Isawa-jo Castle [Naval Station or Government Office Isawa]. Began to build in 801 and became a naval station in 808: functioned as a government office for about 150 years. Tamuramaro Sakanoue chose this location because it was near Aterui's headquarters and located between two big rivers, River Isawa and River Kitakami: easy of access and good for defense against enemies. The main building stood around here. | |
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(Tuesday 17 August) An information board of the main building of Isawa-jo Castle Site | |
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(Tuesday 17 August) Site of Isawa-jo Castle | |
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(Tuesday 17 August) An information board of Isawa-jo Castle Site. Characteristic of the two gates to show its dignity toward the local people. About 700 soldiers guarded this castle in turn. | |
| Atoroi (跡呂井) is the eastern part of Mizusawa Ward, Oshu City (奥州市水沢区跡呂井). It is the legendary birthplace of Aterui (阿弖流為), the Great Hero of "Emishi" | ||
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(Tuesday 17 August) Monument of Aterui (Stone Dealer Onochu, 1994) in the legendary birthplace of Aterui, Atoroi, Mizusawa Ward, Oshu City (奥州市水沢区跡呂井).
For further information, go to my "Aterui the Great Hero of Emishi" page. |
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| The 30th "Sejiki-hoyo Toro-nagashi" (施食法要燈籠流し; Food-Offering Memorial Service and Lantern-Offering on the Water) in 2006. This Buddhist memorial service is annually held on August 20 by Kawara-koji Ryuto-e (川原小路流燈会; the Kawara-koji Association for Lantern-Offering) since 1977, later in corporation with Kawara-ko-ji Chonai-kai (川原小路町内会; the Block Association of Kawara-koji) since 1992. The origin of the service can be found in the Ishihawa family (石原家) living by the Otome River (乙女川) and starting lantern offering service on the water for the repose of lost souls in the early Showa Era (around the early 1930s). The family's ancestors were the Samurai specializing for lighting a signal fire for the Mizusawa-Rusu [-Date] clan. However, the family had to stop the service because of aggravation of wars in the late 1930s.It was not until 1977 that the local young men's association reactivated the lantern service for the repose of ancestors' souls. It usually starts with sending up a beacon at 6 p.m. It follows poetry presentation and the Buddhist service by Buddhist monks from dozens of temples in Mizusawa at 6 p.m. in front of Mizusawa Hospital by the Otome River. Then hundreds of lanterns (more than 600 in 2006) are offered on the Otome River from Karamete Bridge (搦手橋) off Mizusawa Hospital. | ||
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(Sunday 20 August) Hall of Otome (乙女) Kanzeon-bosatsu (観世音菩薩; Skt. Avalokitesvara or Ch. Kuan Yin), Karamete Bridge over the Otome River | |
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(Sunday 20 August) Lantern-Offering on the Otome River | |
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(Sunday 20 August) Lantern-Offering on the Otome River | |
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(Sunday 20 August) Lantern-Offering on the Otome River | |
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(Sunday 20 August) Lantern-Offering on the Otome River | |
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(Sunday 20 August) Lantern-Offering on the Otome River | |
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(Sunday 20 August) Lantern-Offering on the Otome River | |
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(Sunday 20 August) On this occastion of the Food-Offering Memorial Service and Lantern-Offering on the Water, "O Kagura-mai" (御神楽舞; the Sacred Dance) is performed by "Uguisuzawa Kagura Hozon-kai" (うぐいす沢神楽保存会; The Uguisuzawa Society for the Preservation of Sacred Dances) from Sotoura, Hada, Mizusawa-ward (水沢区羽田外浦). The society was founded in the late Meiji Era (around the beginning of the twentieth century) and are well-known for creating a sacred dance "Kagura Aterui" for the 1,200th anniversary of Aterui's death in 2002. The 2002 president was Yoshiro Konno (今野芳郎) and now they have 25 members in estimation. | |
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(Sunday 20 August) "O Kagura-mai" (御神楽舞; the Sacred Dance) performed "Uguisuzawa Kagura Hozon-kai" | |
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(Sunday 20 August) "O Kagura-mai" (御神楽舞; the Sacred Dance) performed "Uguisuzawa Kagura Hozon-kai" | |
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(Sunday 20 August) "O Kagura-mai" (御神楽舞; the Sacred Dance) performed "Uguisuzawa Kagura Hozon-kai" | |
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(Sunday 20 August) "O Kagura-mai" (御神楽舞; the Sacred Dance) performed "Uguisuzawa Kagura Hozon-kai" | |
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(Sunday 20 August) "O Kagura-mai" (御神楽舞; the Sacred Dance) performed "Uguisuzawa Kagura Hozon-kai" | |
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(Sunday 20 August) Spectators gathering for "O Kagura-mai" (御神楽舞; the Sacred Dance) performed "Uguisuzawa Kagura Hozon-kai" | |
| Akiba-jinjya (秋葉神社), Akiba-cho (秋葉町; behind Tachi-machi), Mizusawa Ward is a branch shrine of Akiba-jinjya Shrine, Shizuoka. Mizusawa Akiba-jinjya Shrine was first founded in the present-day Mizusawa Park site (現 水沢公園) during the Genwa era (元和年間; 1615-1624) when a branch of Atago-jinjya Shrine (愛宕神社) was built there. However, the Great Fire in the 6th year of Ansei (安政6年) or AD 1859 destroyed the shrine buildings of both shrines. Akiba-jinjya Shrine is said to have been reconstructed in Tachi-machi (立町) as the guardian shrine of the original six streets of Mizusawa along the "Oshu Kai-do" road [奥州街道]: [Fukuro-machi [袋町], Yoko-machi [横町], O-machi [大町], Yanagi-machi [柳町], Tachi-machi [立町] and Kawaguchi-machi [川口町]] after the fire. However, another official record called "Rusu-shi-Kafu" (「留守氏家譜」: The Genealogy of the Rusu Family) tells that Akiba-san-do (秋葉山堂) was already in Tachi-machi in the time of the Ansei great fire.
This shrine enshrines "Akiba-Sanjyaku-bo" (秋葉三尺坊) or the deity of fire prevention (防火の神) called "Tengu-han" (天狗はん) by the local religious poeple. |
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(Sunday 6 May) Akiba-jinjya Shrine, Akiba-cho, Mizusawa | |
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(Sunday 6 May) The hall of Akiba-jinjya Shrine, Akiba-cho, Mizusawa | |
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(Sunday 6 May) Interior of the hall of Akiba-jinjya Shrine, Akiba-cho, Mizusawa | |
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(Sunday 6 May) The inscription stone of Akiba-jinjya Shrine, Akiba-cho, Mizusawa: It says: "Dai-Jin-gu" (Great Shinto Shrine) dated the 20th day from Kyu-Shogatsu, 26th year of Meiji [March 7, 1893]. | |
| Dainichi-do Hall (大日堂), Kawaguchi-machi (川口町), Mizusawa Ward has been maintained by the Higuchi family (樋口家) for decades. The foundation date is unknown, although this hall in Kawaguchi-machi is recorded as a monk training hall (修験道場) of Kiraku-in Temple (喜楽院) of Haguro-ha-Kyuga-in sect (羽黒派九ヶ院) of Buddhism in the Fudo-ki Shiogama-mura Goyo-kakidashi (風土記 塩釜村御用書出) in the 5th year of An-ei (安永5年) or AD 1776. It enshrined the image of "Fudo-myo-o" (不動明王; Skt. Acala; the God of Fire) in the present-day Dainichi-do Hall. In the anti-Buddhist movement at the beginning of the Meiji era (廃仏毀釈), the Buddhist monk training room was demolished. Then the precinct was purchased by the Higuchi family through the Chiba family (千葉氏) the keeper. The Higuchi family enshrines the image of "Dainichi-nyorai" (大日如来: Skt. Mahavairocanasatathagata; Dainichi Buddha) in this hall. | ||
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(Sunday 6 May) Danichi-do Hall, Kawaguchi-machi, Mizusawa | |
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(Sunday 6 May) Danichi-do Hall, Kawaguchi-machi, Mizusawa | |
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(Sunday 6 May) Danichi-do Hall, Kawaguchi-machi, Mizusawa. The largest stone is dedicated to the "Bato-kannon" (馬頭観音; Skt. Hayagriva: an image of Kannon which has a human body with the head of a horse; an image of Kannon which has a human body and head with the figure of a horse's head in the crown). The right stone probably indicates some year of Koshin (庚申: a division of the Chinese sexagenary cycle). The left stone indicates that there was something related to the Haguro-san (羽黒山), the famous monk training hill [414 m high], Yamagata. | |
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(Sunday 6 May) The building of Danichi-do Hall, Kawaguchi-machi, Mizusawa | |
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(Sunday 6 May) Interior of the building of Danichi-do Hall, Kawaguchi-machi, Mizusawa | |
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(Sunday 6 May) Danichi-do Hall, Kawaguchi-machi, Mizusawa | |
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(Sunday 6 May) An empty small shrine, Danichi-do Hall, Kawaguchi-machi, Mizusawa | |
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(Sunday 6 May) These inscription stones indicate that there was something related to the Haguro-san (羽黒山), the famous monk training hill [414 m high], Yamagata. Danichi-do Hall, Kawaguchi-machi, Mizusawa. | |
| Hachiman-jinjya Shrine (八幡神社), Katte-cho (勝手町), Mizusawa Ward, is a branch shrine of Hachiman-jinjya Shrine. | ||
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(Sunday 6 May) Hachiman-jinjya Shrine (八幡神社), Katte-cho (勝手町), Mizusawa Ward. This branch shrine of Hachiman-jinjya Shrine was founded as the god of war by Kagetoshi Nakauemon Suzuki (鈴木 仲右衛門 景利) and other people in the 2nd year of Kyoho (享保2年) or AD 1717. They invisted the deity from Takamori-jo Castle 高森城), Miyagi. In the Meiji Era when the Suzuki family moved to Hokkaido, they requested the Itazawa family (板沢家) of Katte-cho to keep this shrine as the guardian deity of Katte-cho, which have been kept by the Ishikawa family (石川氏) and the Ohashi family (大橋氏). They moved the shrine in the present site in the early Showa era. | |
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(Sunday 6 May) Hachiman-jinjya Shrine, Katte-cho, Mizusawa Ward | |
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(Sunday 6 May) Hachiman-jinjya Shrine, Katte-cho, Mizusawa Ward | |
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(Sunday 6 May) Hachiman-jinjya Shrine, Katte-cho, Mizusawa Ward | |
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(Sunday 6 May) The inscription stone reading "Kobu-san" (古峯山). Hachiman-jinjya Shrine, Katte-cho, Mizusawa Ward. There are many temples and shrines which has the inscription stone reading "Kobu-san" and "Koshin" (庚申) around Oshu Ciity. It might refer to Kobu-san Saiko-ji Temple (古峯山 西光寺) known as Takkoku-no-iwaya Bishamon-do Hall (達谷窟毘沙門堂), Hiraizumi. See the Hiraizumi page. | |
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(Sunday 6 May) Three small inscription stones, Hachiman-jinjya Shrine, Katte-cho, Mizusawa Ward. The right one reads ""Kon-jin" (金神; God of Directions in the interacting principles of Yin and Yan [陰陽道]). | |
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(Sunday 6 May) Hachiman-jinjya Shrine, Katte-cho, Mizusawa Ward | |
| Shiogama-jinjya Shrine (塩竃神社), Daimyojin (大明神), Mizusawa Ward. The foundation year is unknown. There are many branch shrines called "Shiogama-jinjya" in and around Mizusawa because the lord of Mizusawa, the Rusu/Mizusawa-Date family (留守氏/水沢伊達氏) had been priests of Shiogama-jinjya Shrine, Miyagi for generations since the early Kamaura Period. This hall is located in the middle of the rice fields of the western edge of Mizusawa Ward adjoining Natsuta (南都田), Isawa Ward. | ||
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(Sunday 6 May) Shiogama-jinjya Shrine (塩竃神社), Daimyojin (大明神), Mizusawa Ward | |
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(Sunday 6 May) Shiogama-jinjya Shrine (塩竃神社), Daimyojin (大明神), Mizusawa Ward | |
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(Sunday 6 May) Shiogama-jinjya Shrine (塩竃神社), Daimyojin (大明神), Mizusawa Ward |
