Edo - the EDOPEDIA -

- - - - - Other names are
Edo Kando 江戸間道 side road to Edo
Kosugi michi 小杉道 road to Kosugi town
Koyashi Kaido こやし街道 - carrying manure out of Edo and coming back the same day
Sarucho Kaido 猿町街道 - leading to the Sarucho district in Edo
Soshu Kaido 相州街道 / 相州道 Soshu Highway, 相模街道 Sagami Highway
o-su kaidoお酢街道 vinegar highway - see below

This road has been used by Tokugawa Ieyasu on his way to Edo.
The final route of the Tokaido was planned later.
In the town of Nakahara was an official residence, 中原御殿 Nakahara Goten and this road became a waki kaido脇街道 side-road.
小杉 Kosugi and 下川井 Shimo-Kawai also had official residences, used by the Shoguns when traveling along the Tokaido or takagari鷹狩 going hunting with hawks.

Many normal travelers, pilgrims and tradesmen used this road to avoid the Tokaido, which was always used by officials on Sankin Kotai tours to Edo.
. Tokaido 53 stations 東海道五十三次 .

Since this was a side-road, there were no special lodgings along it.
Sakuradamon 桜田門
Gotanda 五反田　
Mita 三田
Togoshi 戸越
Magome 馬込
Maruko no watashi 丸子の渡し Tamagawa 多摩川 river crossing at Maruko
Kosugi小杉
Odanaka 小田中
Nogawa 野川
Saedo 佐江戸
Seya 瀬谷
Yoda 用田
Nakayama 中山
Sakuragaoka 桜ヶ丘
Samukawa 寒川
Nakahara Goten 中野御殿

. kinu no michi 絹の道 Silk Road / Hachioji to Yokohama .
is branching off from this road.

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o-su kaido お酢街道 / 御酢街道 vinegar highway
The road was used to transport vinegar made in 平塚 Hiratsuka to 江戸城 Edo castle.

お酢が通った道の名は…？
Tokugawa Ieyasu liked the vinegar from Hiratsuka very much . . .
- reference source : osuken.jp/osuhakase... -

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- reference with many photos -

- reference course -

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Nakahara is now a ward of Kawasaki city.
Primarily a commuter suburb, Nakahara-ku has popular green spaces by the Tama River, including parks, a fishing pond, and cherry blossom picnic spots near Nikaryo dike. Spectators take in soccer and track events at Todoroki Stadium and basketball at Todoroki Arena. Exhibits at Kawasaki City Museum trace the city’s growth from ancient times to present day. Noodle bars and izakayas surround Musashi-Nakahara Station.
- source : city.kawasaki.jp/en... -

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The 毛利氏 Mori clan lived in Hagi and used the 萩往還 Hagi Okan for Sankin Kotai to Edo.
It was built in 1607 and is about 53 km long. It is about 4 m wide and mostly paved with stone.
It was also used by traders.

Many names of the old postal stations have changed in the Meiji period.
徳山 Tokuyama became part of 周南 Shunan.
小郡 Ogori became part of 山口 Yamaguchi city.
府中 Fuchu became 長門府中 Nagato Fuchu, shortened to 長府 Chofu

introducing four routes
- reference source : hagi-okan.yamaguchi-city... -

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There are still many parts with stone pavement and mile markers along the road.

- Click on the photos for more samples ! -

ichirizuka 一里塚 mile mound

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Hagi castle 萩城 (CG version)

- quote -
Hagi city (萩市, Hagi-shi)
- History
In the medieval period, Hagi was dominated by the Yoshimi clan, who built Hagi Castle, the ruins of which can be visited today. The Mōri clan became daimyōs of Chōshū Domain at the beginning of the Edo period and built Hagi Castle at the foot of Mt. Shizuki in 1608. They transferred the capital of the domain from Hiroshima to Hagi at the same time. Since then, Hagi developed as the political center of Chōshū for over 250 years.
When the Meiji Restoration came about in the 1860s,
as the result of efforts by samurai from Chōshū and a number of other domains, this small city gained great historical significance. Many Japanese statesmen and Prime Ministers were born and brought up in this city.
On March 6, 2005, Hagi absorbed the towns of Susa and Tamagawa, and the villages of Asahi, Fukue, Kawakami and Mutsumi (all from Abu District) to create the new, expanded city of Hagi.
..... Hagi Pottery (Hagiyaki)
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Yamaguchi town山口市

. Oouchi Daruma 大内だるま Ouchi Daruma
and more Ouchi Lacquer ware 大内人形 Ouchi ningyoo

. More Folk Art from Yamaguchi .

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The two towns of Suo and Nagato in Yamaguchi prefecture were connected in the South to the 山陽道 Sanyodo and in the North to the 山陰道 Sanindo.
Hōfu 防府市 Hofu City - "the capital (国府) of Suō Province (周防国)".
Founded in 1936.

- quote
Suō Province (周防国, Suō no kuni)
was a province of Japan in the area that is today the eastern part of Yamaguchi Prefecture. It was sometimes called Bōshū (防州). Suō bordered on Aki, Iwami, and Nagato Provinces.
The ancient provincial capital was in Hōfu. Suō was ruled for much of the Muromachi period by the Ōuchi clan, who built a castle at Yamaguchi. In the Sengoku period it was conquered by the Mōri clan, and was ruled remotely by them for much of the Edo period.
- Historical districts -
Kuga District (玖珂郡)
Kumage District (熊毛郡)
Ōshima District (大島郡)
Saba District (佐波郡)
Tsuno District (都濃郡)
Yoshiki District (吉敷郡)
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

- quote -
Nagato Province (長門国, Nagato no kuni),
often called Chōshū (長州), was a province of Japan. It was at the extreme western end of Honshū, in the area that is today Yamaguchi Prefecture.[1] Nagato bordered on Iwami and Suō Provinces.
Although the ancient capital of the province was Shimonoseki, Hagi was the seat of the Chōshū han (fief or domain) during the Edo period. Nagato was ruled by the Mōri clan before and after the Battle of Sekigahara.
In 1871 with the abolition of feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures (Haihan Chiken) after the Meiji Restoration, the provinces of Nagato and Suō were combined to eventually establish Yamaguchi Prefecture. At the same time, the province continued to exist for some purposes. For example, Nagato is explicitly recognized in treaties in 1894 (a) between Japan and the United States and (b) between Japan and the United Kingdom.
Historically, the oligarchy that came into power after the Meiji Restoration of 1868 had a strong representation from the Chōshū province, as Itō Hirobumi, Yamagata Aritomo, and Kido Kōin were from there. Other natives famous for their role in the restoration include Yoshida Shōin, Takasugi Shinsaku, and Kusaka Genzui among others.
- Historical districts -
Abu District (阿武郡)
Asa District (厚狭郡)
Mine District (美祢郡)
Mishima District (見島郡)
Ōtsu District (大津郡)
Toyoura District (豊浦郡)
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Hagi Okan Matsuri 萩往還工芸まつり Art Festival

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Various routes are leading to Mount Koyasan. They start either in Kyoto or in Osaka.
Most came together at 河内長野 Kawachi Nagano in Osaka and made the way to the mountain from there.
Another starting point was 橋本市 Hashimoto city in Wakayama.

They were popular pilgrim roads since the Heian period then Kukai founded the monastery.

- - - - - Coming from Kawachi Nagano were
東高野街道 Higashi Koya Kaido
中高野街道 Naka Koya Kaido
下高野街道 Shimo Koya Kaido
西高野街道 Nishi Koya Kaido

- - - - - Coming from Hashimoto were
町石道 Choishi michi
京大坂道 Kyo-Osaka michi
勅使坂 Chokushi saka - 三谷坂（ミタニザカ）Mitanizaka slope
黒河道 Kuroko michi

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東高野街道 Higashi Koya Kaido
山城国八幡（京都府八幡市）－洞ヶ峠－河内国田口村（大阪府枚方市）－郡津村（交野市）－中野村（四條畷市）－豊浦村（東大阪市）－楽音寺村（八尾市）－安堂村（柏原市）－国府村（藤井寺市）－誉田村（羽曳野市）－富田林村（富田林市）－長野村（河内長野市）[西高野街道と合流]

中高野街道 Naka Koya Kaido
摂津国平野郷町（大阪市平野区）－西喜連村（平野区）－河内国三宅村（松原市）－黒山村（堺市美原区）－狭山新宿（大阪狭山市）－市村（河内長野市）[西高野街道と合流]

下高野街道 Shimo Koya Kaido
摂津国天王寺村（大阪市天王寺区）－[庚申街道と合流]－田辺村（東住吉区）－河内国高木村（松原市）－小寺村（堺市美原区）－岩室村（大阪狭山市）[西高野街道と合流]

西高野街道 Nishi Koya Kaido
和泉国堺（堺市堺区）－中筋村（堺区）－[竹内街道と重複]－舳松村（堺区）－河内国関茶屋新田（堺市東区）－和泉国福田村（堺市中区）－河内国岩室村（大阪狭山市）－[下高野街道と合流]－茱萸木新田（大阪狭山市）－市村（河内長野市）－[中高野街道と合流]－長野村（河内長野市）[東高野街道と合流]

長野から橋本 from Nagano to Hashimoto
河内国長野村（河内長野市）－烏帽子形城－三日市村（河内長野市）－天見村（河内長野市）－紀見峠－紀伊国橋本（和歌山県橋本市）

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- Detailed introduction to the hiking courses -
. source : nankaikoya.jp/en/tours... .

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Koya nanakuchi kaido高野七口街道 seven entries to Mount Koyasan

高野山町石道（チョウイシミチ）Choichi michi
九度山駅～上古沢駅・上古沢駅～壇上伽藍・壇上伽藍～御廟
紀伊国橋本（和歌山県橋本市）－明神ヶ田和－わらん谷の赤石－市平橋（九度山町）－市平春日社の大カツラ－旧久保小学校－黒河峠－高野山奥之院（高野町）
also called
麻生津道（おうづみち）Ouzu michi
- reference source : choishimichi.com/ozu01... -

黒河道（クロコミチ）Kuroko michi 　
橋本駅～高野幹部交番、橋本駅～黒河口女人堂跡

高野街道京大坂道（キョウオオサカミチ）Kyo-Osaka michi
学文路駅～不動坂口女人堂
世界遺産高野参詣道不動坂は、高野街道京大坂道のルートマップ上のいろは坂を起点とするルート（地図上では「不動坂ルート」と表記）となります。
紀伊国橋本（和歌山県橋本市）－河根村（九度山町）－不動坂－高野山女人堂（高野町）

熊野古道小辺路（クマノコドウコヘチ）Kohechi
水ヶ峰～三浦口～柳本橋（十津川温泉）・十津川温泉～熊野本宮大社1・十津川温泉～熊野本宮大社2

大峰道（オオミネミチ）Omine michi

有田・龍神道（アリダ・リュウジンミチ）Arida Ryujin michi
はなぞの温泉「花圃の里」～大門・龍神口

相ノ浦道（アイノウラミチ）Ainoura michi

三谷坂（ミタニザカ）Mitanizaka slope / 勅使坂 Chokushisaka slope
妙寺駅～丹生都比売神社
紀伊国橋本（和歌山県橋本市）－三谷村（かつらぎ町）－笠松峠－笠木峠－高野山大門（高野町）

女人道（ニョニンミチ）Nyonin michi - road for women　

はじめての『高野七口と参詣道』入門 Introduction to the seven entries
高野七口再生保存会監修
- reference and many photos : kouyananakuchi.jp... -

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[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Kaido 街道 Highways - ABC Index .
- Otaki Okan, see below
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Boso Okan 房総往還 / Boso Kaido 房総街道
Connecting 館山 Tateyama with 浜野 Hamano in Chiba.

- Postal stations along the road

浜野宿 Hamano (now in Chiba city)
八幡宿 Yawata
五井宿 Goi
姉ヶ崎宿 Anegasaki
奈良輪宿 Narawa
木更津宿 Kisarazu
貝渕宿 Kaifuchi
中野宿 Nakano
佐貫宿 Sanuki
湊宿 Minato
竹岡宿 Takeoka
金谷宿 Kanaya
勝山宿 Katsuyama
市部宿 Ichibu
那古宿 Nago - 那古観音 Nago Kannon
北条宿 Hojo
館山宿 Tateyama

Since the road stretches over a long range, there are various local names for it:
上総道 Kazusa michi
木更津道 Kisarazu michi
房州道 Boshu michi
鎌倉道 Kamakura michi

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房総の街道繁盛記

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. Nagodera 那古寺 Nago Kannon Temple .

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Otaki Okan大多喜往還 /Otaki Kaido 大多喜街道

- Postal stations along the road
馬加宿 Makuwari (Chiba city)
検見川宿 Kemigawa
寒川宿 Samugawa
蘇我野宿 Sogano
浜野宿 Hamano
潤井戸宿 Uruido
長柄山宿 Nagarayama
長南宿 Chonan
- - - - - 久留里城 Kururi castle
大多喜宿 Otaki
松野宿 Matsuno
小湊宿 Kominato
天津宿 Amatsu

長南町 Chonan town 棒坂 Bosaka slope

- quote -
Chiba castle
Chiba Tsuneshige built a large scale castle around this site in the 1100's. His descendents ruled over the area from this castle until the 1400's.
In 1455, 馬加康胤　Makuwari Yasutane, a relative of the Chiba, attacked the castle and defeated the Chiba.
Makuwari took the name of Chiba and built a new castle (Motosakura Castle) in nearby Sakura abandoning Chiba Castle.
- source : jcastle.info... -

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Ōtaki (大多喜町, Ōtaki-machi)
is a town located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The town is known for its association with Edo period general Honda Tadakatsu, and its prominent castle.
- source : wikipedia -

. Chiba Kaido 千葉街道 Chiba Highway .

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source : sites.fas.harvard.edu...

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The Bōsō Peninsula (房総半島, Bōsō-hantō)
is a peninsula that encompasses the entirety of Chiba Prefecture on Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It forms the eastern edge of Tokyo Bay, separating it from the Pacific Ocean.
The peninsula gets its name and kanji from the former provinces that were located there:
Awa (安房), Kazusa (上総) and Shimōsa (下総).
The Japan Meteorological Agency refers to the west and east coasts of the peninsula as Uchibō (内房) and Sotobō (外房) respectively.
- source : wikipedia -

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Chiba 千葉県
印旛郡 Inba district

itatchi 鼬
朝、鼬に道を遮られると不吉で、その日の仕事は不首尾という。

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
39 房総 (01)
03 千葉　勝山
05 木更津
10 千葉　館山

房総地方の動物に関する俗信 Tales about animals in the Boso area
斉藤源三郎

- source : himuka.blue.coocan.jp/michi/bousou...

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The route was named after Mino Province, which makes up the southern portion of the modern-day Gifu Prefecture.

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The Minoji (美濃路, Mino Road) was a 60 km (37 mi) highway in Japan during the Edo period. It was a secondary route, ranked below the Edo Five Routes in importance, and connected Miya-juku on the Tōkaidō with Tarui-juku on the Nakasendō.
The road received much use before and after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Fukushima Masanori, the leader of the eastern armies, traveled the Minoji from Okoshi (modern-day Ichinomiya) to Mino Province for the battle. Tokugawa Ieyasu, the victor of the battle, traveled the route afterwards to a hero's welcome.
It was also referred to as the Kichirei Kaidō (吉例街道).
Royal embassies to Tokugawa Japan from Korea traveled along the route ten times. Their general itinerary was they stayed the night in Ōgaki-juku, then rested at either Sunomata-juku or Okoshi-juku, before spending the following night in Nagoya-juku.
Official travelers from the Ryukyu Islands also traveled along the Minoji. Though initially just traveling along the Tōkaidō, they began traveling along the Minoji in 1714.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

- Postal stations along the Minoji
Including the starting and ending points, there were only nine post stations on the Minoji.

Aichi Prefecture
1. Miya-juku (宮宿) (Atsuta-ku, Nagoya) (also part of the Tōkaidō)
2. Nagoya-juku (名古屋宿) (Naka-ku, Nagoya)
3. Kiyosu-juku (清須宿) (Kiyosu)
4. Inaba-juku (稲葉宿) (Inazawa)
5. Hagiwara-juku (萩原宿) (Ichinomiya)
6. Okoshi-juku (起宿) (Ichinomiya)

Gifu Prefecture
7. Sunomata-juku (墨俣宿) (Ogaki)
8. Ōgaki-juku (大垣宿) (Ōgaki)
9. Tarui-juku (垂井宿) (Tarui, Fuwa District) (also part of the Nakasendō)

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Another name for this highway was
Kichirei Kaidō吉例街道 Kichirei Kaido Highway, "auspicious road"
Since it was used by the Shogun and the embassies from Korea.

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Tarui-juku 垂井宿
Hiroshige
Tarui-juku was divided into three parts: western, middle and eastern. Its honjin was located in the middle section. The post town itself served as a major transportation hub for western Mino Province, as it was one end point for the Minoji, which connected the Nakasendō with the Tōkaidō at Miya-juku. It also sat on the banks of the Ai River.
source : wikipedia

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. Tokaido 53 Stations 東海道五十三次 .

. Nakasendo　中山道 .

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Kiyosu-juku 清須宿 Kiyosujuku

source and photos : network2010.org

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Inaba-juku 稲葉宿 Inabajuku

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Hagiwara-juku 萩原宿 Hagiwarajuku

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Okoshi-juku 起宿 Okoshijuku

source : city.ichinomiya.aichi.jp/rekimin...

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Sunomata-juku 墨俣宿 Sunomatajuku

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Ōgaki-juku 大垣宿 Ogakijuku

. 松尾芭蕉 Matsuo Basho in Ogaki .

At the Ogaki Town Museum for the End of the Trip

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- quote -
Mino Province (美濃国, Mino no kuni),
one of the old provinces of Japan, encompassed the southern part of modern-day Gifu Prefecture.
It was sometimes called Nōshū (濃州). Mino Province bordered Echizen, Hida, Ise, Mikawa, Ōmi, Owari, and Shinano Provinces.
Although the ancient provincial capital was near Tarui, the main castle town was at Gifu, the home of Inabayama Castle.
In 713,
the road crossing through Mino and Shinano provinces was widened to accommodate increasing numbers of travelers.
Mino Province served an important military and political role as the path to Kyoto as well as to Tokaido.
During the Kamakura and Muromachi Period,
Mino Province was governed by the 土岐　Toki clan and later in Azuchi period controlled by Oda Nobunaga. His heirs continued to control it after Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi took power.
The Battle of Sekigahara took place at the western edge of Mino, near the mountains between the Chūbu Region and the Kinki Region.
..... Mino and Owari provinces were separated by the Sakai River, which means "border river." .....
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Gifu 岐阜県
多治見市 Tajimi city

ryuu 龍 dragon
小泉村大原の高社山の中腹にある龍ヶ池は、昔から龍が住んでいて水が絶えることが無かった。旱魃のときにも、その池をかへどると必ず降雨がある。

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
43 美濃国 (01)

美濃国可児郡小泉村の伝説
木全圓寿 Kimata Enju

- reference from Mie -

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. Nichiren, Saint Nichiren 日蓮 (1222 – 1282) .
lived on 身延山 Mount Minobusan.

This old road connected the sea of 駿河 Suruga with the inland province of 甲斐 Kaii in Yamanashi.
Apart from being the main pilgrim road to Mount Minobusan,
it was a trade route and also used by the army, especially by 武田 Takeda Shingen and the 今川 Imagawa clan.
There are still many 題目道標 stone markers along the road.

- Stations on the road
From 岩淵 Iwabuchi village
along the river 富士川 Fujikawa
光栄寺 Temple Koei-Ji
吉津川 river Yoshizugawa
小山 Oyama
木島 Kijima
馬坂 Masaka
松野 Matsuno
芝川町 Shibakawa town

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Minobusan shukubo 泊まるなら宿坊

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- quote
Kuon-ji (久遠寺)
is a major Buddhist temple in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. Founded by Nichiren in 1281 it is today the head temple of Nichiren Shū. While the Ikegami Honmon-ji in Tokyo is also the Nichiren sect's administrative centre, Kuon-ji today plays an important role as a seminary. Locally it is referred to as the Minobu-san Temple, after the mountain upon which it is built.
..... After returning from banishment to the island of Sado, Nichiren returned for a period to Kamakura, the seat of the Kamakura shogunate which ruled Japan at the time. He was invited by the magistrate Nambu Sanenaga, one of his converts, to relocate to Kai province, where the Nanbu clan had its ancestral estates, in 1274. Soon after his arrival Nichiren set up a hermitage that became a centre of learning for his disciples and adherents.
The original dwelling became too small and in 1281 Nichiren founded a temple nearby, which he named Minobu-san Hokke-in Kuon-ji.
- source : wikipedia

under construction
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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Yamanashi 山梨県

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身延町 Minobu town

uma 馬 horse
身延山の奥の院へ行く道中にある稚児池の下に鬼子母神堂がある。この堂には狩野探幽の描いた馬があり、足と口先に泥がついている。これは毎夜飛び出して梅平というところの稲を食べた為で農民は随分困ったそうである。

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
24 身延 (01)

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水筒につめる身延の寺清水
suitoo ni tsumeru minobu no tera shimizu

in my waterbottle
I collect the clear water
from Minobu Temple
Tr. Gabi Greve

仁科歌子 Nishina Utako

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01 小山宿 Oyama
02 飯塚宿Iizuka
03 壬生宿 Mibu
04 楡木宿 Niregi
05 奈佐原宿 Nasahara
06 鹿沼宿 Kanuma
07 文挟宿 Fubasami
08 板橋宿 Sakahashi
09 今市宿 Imaichi

. Nikkoo Kaidoo 日光街道 Nikko Kaido Highway .

mibu壬生 means place along the water 水辺、水生（みぶ mibu）and refers to a low-lying wetland.
The writing 壬生 was later used for the name and also for the clan which ruled in this area.
It may also be a version of the Mibu Be（壬生部、みぶべ), a 乳部 wet-nurse to the Emperor.

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- link with many photos on the way
- reference source : kaidouarukitabi.com/rekisi... -

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- quote
Mibu Domain (壬生藩, Mibu han)
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Tsuga District of Shimotsuke Province (modern-day Tochigi Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Mibu Castle in what is now part of the town of Mibu, Tochigi. Mibu was ruled through much of its history by a branch of the fudai Torii clan.
- History
The Mibu clan, which had ruled this area since the Muromachi period was destroyed at the Battle of Odawara in 1590, and their lands came under the control of the Yūki clan. After the Battle of Sekigahara, Tokugawa Ieyasu assigned a 19,000 koku holding in this area to Hineno Yoshiaki, formerly of Takashima Domain in Shinano Province in 1602. Hineno was instrumental in the construction of the Nikkō Tōshō-gū complex, and was rewarded for his efforts in 1634 by a transfer to Funai Domain (20,000 koku).
Mibu was assigned to Abe Tadaaki,
who has served as a Rōjū to Shōgun Tokugawa Iemitsu, with revenues raised to 25,000 koku. He was reassigned in 1639 to Oishi Domain in Musashi Province.
Mibu then came under the control of the Miura clan,
for three generations, until the transfer of wakadoshiyori Miura Akihiro to Nobeoka Domain in 1692.
Shōgun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
then assigned the domain to Matsudaira Terusada, with an increase in size to 32,000 koku, and then 42,000 koku; however, he remained for only 3 years until his reassignment to Takasaki Domain. The domain was then reduced back to 25,000 koku and given to Katō Akihide, also a former wakadoshiyori, who made many attempts to reform the domain’s finances and administration. After his son, Katō Yoshinori was transferred to Minakuchi Domain in 1712, Mibu came under the control of the Torii clan, who then ruled until the Meiji Restoration.
The 6th daimyō, Torii Tadatomi,
sided with the Satchō Alliance in the Boshin War of the Meiji Restoration, and fought in the Battle of Aizu, despite considerable opposition within the ranks of his samurai. The final daimyō, Torii Tadafumi was later raised to the rank of viscount in the kazoku peerage system, and served as the Japanese consul to the Kingdom of Hawaii.
After the abolition of the han system in July 1871, Mibu Domain became part of Tochigi Prefecture. The domain had a samurai-class population of 1693 people in 437 households, per a census in 1870.
- List of daimyōs ...

Mibu (壬生町, Mibu-machi)
is a town located in Tochigi Prefecture
The remains of many burial mounds from the Kofun period can be found in Mibu. During the Edo period, Mibu-shuku was a post station on a branch the Nikkō Kaidō connecting Edo with the shrines at Nikkō,
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. Mibudera 壬生寺 Temple Mibu-Dera .
31 Mibunaginomiyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Tochigi 栃木県

kagami 鏡 mirror
If one stands in front of a mirror at night, at 3:33:33, there will be a different person shown in the mirror.

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Sankai Shonin 三海上人 Saint Sankai
The founder of the temple 行念寺 Gyonen-Ji near the Honguri bridge in the old province of Shimosa 下総国 Shimōsa was 三海上人 Saint Sankai.
He came to help the people of the region during a drought to get some rain. He performed rituals for 7 days without eating but no rain clouds showed up. The villagers got angry and decided to kill him. Just then black clouds appeared and it begun to rain terribly.

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benjokai 便所界 a realm of the toilet
When the boys from the local school go to the toilet and call out
「ノブユキくーん」 Hey Nobuyuki!
there is a hand coming out of the toilet trying to pull the caller inside.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Kaido 街道 Highways - ABC Index .
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Ensho Kaido 塩硝街道 Saltpeter Highway
Ensho no Michi 塩硝の道 Salpeter Road

From Kanazawa to Nishi-Akao, Ishikawa prefecture, former Kaga domain.
To transport saltpeter found near 刀利 Tori and 五箇山間 Gokayama to the harbour of Kanazawa.
This road was kept very secret,
Kaga han no kage michi 加賀藩の陰道 "Shadow road of the Kaga domain".
The saltpeter was used for the army and thus kept secret.

Kanazawa 金沢
Odatsuno 小立野
Tsuchishimizu 土清水
Yuwaku hot spring 湯涌(温泉)
Yokodani 横谷
Tori 刀利 (五箇山間) Gokayama
Bunao toge pass ブナオ峠
Nishi-Akao 西赤尾

- quote
塩硝街道の歴史
- source : kaidoaruki.com/area_chubu...

salpeter - saltpetre (UK) - saltpeter (US) - various spellings of the word

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- quote -
About Gokayama
The geographic making of Gokayama allowed the people to secretly produce saltpeter and gunpowder in underground facilities.
In 1585, Gokayama became part of the Kaga Domain under the Maeda family. The mountainous terrain led to the development of the sericulture industry with silkworms, for their cocoons, Japanese washing paper production, and saltpeter, for gunpowder. The money made from production was collected by the Kaga domain.
One of the reasons
for the high-roofed gasshō-style houses was to provide suitable space for all of the producers. The ground floor was where the saltpeter making and living spaces were located. The second floor, which is warmer, was where the silkworms were raised and also had some living spaces.
Saltpeter and black gunpowderproduction
was a huge industry here, with every home in Gokayama involved. When the demand for enshō (a raw ingredient of gunpowder) rose, up to 20 tons of Kaga enshō were produced here. Both the quantity and quality were the best in the country. ...
Saltpeter Museum (Ensho no Yakata 塩硝の館)
- source : thegate12.com... -

- quote -
Ensho no Yakata 塩硝の館 Salpeter Museum

富山県南砺市菅沼134 Toyama, Nanto city, Suganuma
- reference source : 塩硝の館 -

- quote -

塩硝の作り方 How to make salpeter
- reference source : 金沢市崎浦公民館 -

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五箇山塩硝鉄砲隊

火縄銃演武 Festival

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- quote -
Origin of Japanese gunpowder production and it's first use
Noel Perrin:”Giving up the gun-Japan’s Reversion to the Sword,1543-1879”(1979) pointed out that Japan was No.1 in the world for number of gun. But his discription did not touched to gun powder. A gun is only a pipe without gunpowder.
[1.]
How to produce the gun powder?
Ancient times, black gunpowder was a mixture of three fine powders. It consists of 75% saltpeter, 10% sulfur and 15% carbon. The grinding of saltpeter and sulfur are very easy, but grinding of carbon is very hard work, because the origin of carbon is charcoal of special hard wood( Hannoki in Japanese). For the grinding implement, stone mill was used. For pilot light of gunpowder, special fine powder, which was grinding by tea-mill, was used until second world war in Japan.
[2.]
A secret of saltpeter production in Japan Gun was introduced into Japan from Europe 1543 AD. The gun was present from TOKIAKI to a SHOGUN , which mediated by HONGANJI. HONGANJI temple initiate into the secrets to a warrior UESUGI KENSHIN.）. 　
As the production of the gunpowder is a secret, there was no information. We can find the origin of saltpeter in a game of children. Under the floor of old Japanese private house, we could find the crystal of saltpeter. The crystals is play a role of interesting toys. I’m sorry, but the phenomenon was lost by environmental change of sanitary living style. You can understand the mechanism of formation of saltpeter in Fig.1. ...
[3.]
First use of gun was in KAWANAKAJIMA war
Industrial production was started in GOKAYAMA by the of the disciples of HONGANJI. HONGANJI (temple) to oppose ODA NOBUNAGA. On the first use of gun was 1561 at fourth KAWANAKAJIMA war by SHINGEN. 1570A.D. by HONGANJI , NOBUNAGA was surprised very much in SESSHU-NODAFUKUSHIMA. An accepted theory of first use in NAGASHINO must revise by this fact. ...
- source : bigai.world.coocan.jp/msand... -

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- quote -
Saltpeter - Potassium nitrate .-
is a common food preservative and additive, fertilizer, and oxidizer for fireworks and rockets. It is one of the principal ingredients in gunpowder. Potassium nitrate is used to treat asthma and in topical formulations for sensitive teeth. It was once a popular medication for lowering blood pressure.
Niter, or nitre (chiefly British),
is the mineral form of potassium nitrate, KNO3, also known as saltpeter or saltpetre. Historically, the term niter was not well differentiated from natron, both of which have been very vaguely defined but generally refer to compounds of sodium or potassium joined with carbonate or nitrate ions.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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The 本野田街道 Main Noda Kaido Highway
Passing from Morioka via the 小本街道 Omoto Kaido to 岩泉 Iwaizumi, then passing 安家 Akka and on to the Daikansho 代官所 Government office in Noda.
This was the shorter route and used more often.

The Numakunai 沼宮内廻野田街道 Noda Kaido passing via Numakunai
Branching off from the 奥州街道 Oshu Kaido in the North of 沼宮内宿 Numakunai-juku at the village of 尾呂部 Orobe
Passing 吉ヶ沢 Yoshigasawa, 葛巻 Kuzumaki, 関 Seki, 木売内 Kiurinai and 下戸鎖 Shimotokusari
and joining the Oda Kaido at 宇部 Ube.
Another route via the 角掛峠 Tsunokake toge pass went to 久慈 Kuji city.

Since 1664 the lord of 八戸藩 the Hachinohe domain used this road to go to Morioka and a 関番所 barrier was erected.
This road is sometimes called
shio no michi 塩の道 Salt road
to transport the salt made in 塩釜 Shiogama via Noda to Morioka. It was used by 南部牛方 the Nanbu Ushikata traders, who transported the salt on cows.

- Postal stations along the Noda Kaido

Noda野田
Shimotowada 下戸渡
Kiurinai 木売内
Oguni 小国
Seki 関
Kuzumaki 葛巻
Numakunai沼宮内
Umibe 海辺
Akka安家

Akka is now part of the 下閉伊郡 Shimohei district, Iwate.

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Shiogama Kaido 塩釜街道 Shiogama Highway
Connecting Shiogama with 仙台 Sendai, 宮城県 Miyagi.

- Postal stations along the Shiogama Kaido

Sendai Castle　仙台城
Iwakiri 岩切
Nangu 南宮
Ichikawa 市川
Shiogama塩釜
then via Matsushima 松島 to Edo.

- quote -
Shiogama (塩竈 or 塩釜)
The city derives its name ("salt furnace") from an ancient method to harvest salt by boiling seawater in large kettles. The ritual is still performed every July at Shiogama Shrine, an important shrine at the center of the town. The shrine is also a popular cherry blossom spot with a large variety of cherry tree varieties.
Shiogama
is often combined with a visit to nearby Matsushima, as the two cities are connected by the popular sightseeing cruises via Matsushima Bay.
- source : japan-guide.com... -

. Shiogama Jinja 塩釜神社 Shiogama Shrine .
It is the head shrine of several hundred Shiogama shrines located throughout Japan.
Shiogama is one of the doorways to tourism in the famed Matsuhima Bay.
In the“Narrow Roads to the Deep North", the poet, Matsuo Basho, describes traveling from Shiogama to Matsushima by boat.
. tsubo no ishibumi at Tateishi 壷の碑を立石 .

- quote -
Shiwahiko Jinja　志波彦神社
It was formerly situated in Iwakiri, to the west of Shiogama, but it was transferred to the precincts of Shiogama Jinja in 1874.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

source : artne.jp/event... 福岡市博物館

塩竈・松島図屏風 Shiogama - Matsushima Byobu folding screen

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. Sanriku Hamakaido 三陸浜街道 Sanriku Beach Road .

. shio no michi 塩の道 the salt roads of Japan .

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Miyagi 宮城県
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塩竃市 Shiogama city 一森山 Ichimoriyama

Shiotsuchi no Oji 塩釜翁神 / シオツチノオジ / 塩竈明神 Shiogama Myojin
塩椎神 Shiotsuchi no Kami
塩釜は左宮の武甕槌神と右宮の経津主神、別宮の塩土翁神の三神が初めて草鞋を脱いだ場所。二神は南に帰って、武甕槌神は利根川の左岸常陸の鹿島に、経津主神は右岸の下総の香取に定住。塩土翁神のみはこの地に留まり、潮を煮て塩をとることを教えた。昔から、祭神は童形に化身して、大火の時に消火を手伝ったり、政宗が一時船着きを蒲生に移して塩釜が寂びれたときに村人を励ましたりした。また祭りの神輿に子供が供をして神意を村人に伝える「ざっとナ」という行事もあった。

- quote -
Kotokatsukunikatsunagasa
A local kami who greeted the heavenly grandchild Ninigi upon his arrival at Kasasa of Ata no Nagaya (in Kagoshima Prefecture) after his descent from heaven (tenson kōrin). Nihongi states that the kami made a free-will offering of the land to Ninigi.
According to a variant "alternate writing" also provided by Nihongi, the kami is identified with Shiotsuchi no oji ("old man of the sea"), an offspring of Izanagi.
Shiotsuchi no oji is described elsewhere as guiding Hohodemi to the Palace of the Sea, and telling Emperor Jinmu about the "fair land to the east," with the result that he is viewed as a tutelary kami of the sea.
- source : kokugakuin Kadoya Atsushi -

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

32 塩釜 (01)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

. Nakasendo 中山道 .

- source with many photos -

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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

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

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伊香郡 Ika district西浅井町 Nishi-Asai town

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

. Kappa 河童 water goblin legends .

- - - - -

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

- - - - -

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

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

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

塩津浜逸話集 Tales from Shiotsu
中村芳三

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

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

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

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

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. Matsuo Basho - Station 41 - Tsuruga 敦賀 .

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. Wakasa 若狭 lacquer and agate 漆と瑪瑙 .

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Kichisaka toge pass 吉坂峠

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. Maizuru Daruma Festival 舞鶴だるま祭 .

. Ama no Hashidate 天の橋立 .

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

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

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

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

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

- quote -
Tanba Province (丹波国, Tanba no kuni)
was an old province of Japan. The ambit of its borders encompassed both the central part of modern Kyōto Prefecture and the east-central part of Hyōgo Prefecture. It and the neighbouring Tango Province were collectively known as Tanshū (丹州). Besides Tango, Tanba bordered on Harima, Ōmi, Settsu, Tajima, Wakasa, and Yamashiro Provinces.
The ancient provincial capital is believed to be in the area of modern Kameoka.
- History
In the 3rd month of the 6th year of the Wadō era (713), Tango Province (丹後国) was administratively separated from Tanba. In that same year, Empress Genmei's Daijō-kan continued to organize other cadastral changes in the provincial map of the Nara period.
In Wadō 6, Mimasaka Province (美作国) was sundered from Bizen Province (備前国); and Hyūga Province (日向国) was divided from Ōsumi Province (大隈国).[3] In Wadō 5 (712), Mutsu Province (陸奥国) had been severed from Dewa Province (出羽国).
After being governed by a succession of minor daimyō, the region was eventually conquered by Oda Nobunaga in the Sengoku period. He assigned the province to one of his generals, Akechi Mitsuhide, who would become the central figure in Nobunaga's assassination in 1582.
A town in this region also named Tanba was merged with several other towns in 2005 to create Kyōtanba (Kyō + Tanba).
- Historic districts
----- Hyōgo Prefecture
Hikami District (氷上郡)
Taki District (多紀郡)
----- Kyoto Prefecture
Amata District (天田郡)
Funai District (船井郡)
Ikaruga District (何鹿郡)
Kuwada District (桑田郡)
- Kitakuwada District (北桑田郡)
- Minamikuwada District (南桑田郡)
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Tanba Province: 鐘坂　Kanegasaka
Utagawa Hiroshige

鐘坂と鬼の架け橋　－Oni no kakehashi 鬼の架け橋 - Kinzan
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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

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

. Folk art from the Tanba region .

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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

tsunbo 聾 a deaf person
丹後国宮津出身の或る人は京で商売をしていたが、病気で耳が聞こえなくなった。そこで大坂の知人を頼り、３年間初めて大坂で生活していたが治らなかった。仕方なく故郷の宮津に帰った所、その人の言葉は大坂人の如くになっていたという。皆は非常に不思議がったという。

.................................................................................　Kyoto 京都府
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宮津市 Miyatsu city

oo-onna 大女 a huge woman
元禄15年1月13日、丹後国与謝郡上宮津村で疫病が流行り、おさまっていった。ある百姓が1月7日の夜半身の丈1丈（約3m）余りの女が白装束で松の元にいるのを見て以来寝込んでしまった。熱におかされ口走るには、我は昔の城主に仕えた女で、讒言により処刑された。その無念を晴らす為に疫神とともに疫病を流行らせている。命日2月17日に弔いの祭を行えば今後村の守り神になるといった。
.
万寿3年4月頃、身の丈7尺余り、顔の長さ2尺余りの女が丹後国から船に乗った。船中で酒飯があった時に周りの人が皆病気になったので着岸したが、死んでしまったという。

- - - - -
ryuutoo 竜灯
丹後国与謝郡天橋立に、毎月16日夜半ごろ丑寅の沖から竜灯が現れ文殊堂の方によってくる。堂の前に1本の松があり、これを竜灯の松という。また、正月、5月、9月の16日には空から一灯が下る。これを天灯という。また、伊勢の御灯というものもある。

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Kyoto 与謝郡 Yosa district野田川町 Nodagawa

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

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

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

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

大立しづ

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

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

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

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

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. Matsumae city 松前宿 Hokkaido .

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

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- quote

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

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

................................................................................. 松前町 Matsumae town

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

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

nishin 鰊， Genko 玄狐 / Kurogitsune 黒狐 black fox
鰊は蝦夷の物産であった。文化三年に、知内山から玄狐を取ってきたことがあった。それからこの狐が祟りをなすようになった。狐を嫌う鰊も、この頃からさっぱり獲れなくなってしまった。
.
殿様の行列の前を怪しげな男が通り、家臣がこれを無礼打にしたが、よく見ると1匹の黒狐だった。その家臣が短刀でその皮を剥いで襟巻きにでもしようかと思っていると、彼の子供が病気になり、巫女に口寄せを頼むと狐が祟っているという。家臣は驚いてその皮を祀り、祠を建てて皮を剥いだ短刀を松前神社に奉献したという。
.
文政6年に鰊漁をした網を乾かしていたところに、黒狐がひっかかって死んでいた。それを町役所に献上し、同じ年に稲荷ができ、狐の皮を神体とした。鰊は狐を嫌うため、稲荷を建てて狐の祟りを鎮めたのである。

. nishin 鰊 / 鯡青魚 herring .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
25 松前北海道 (03)

松前怪談十種
深瀬春一

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

松前の漁師の厚司波模様

城村貞子 Jomura Sadako

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

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

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Oda Toge 普甲峠 Pass with stone pavement

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

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

. Setsubun 節分 the "Seasonal Divide" .

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

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

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

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

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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

. Gengoroogitsune 源五郎狐 The Fox Gengoro .
and his wife Kojoroogitsune 小女郎狐 Kojorogitsune
百姓が夕方大根を小舟に積んでの帰り道、若い女に舟にのせてくれるよう頼まれる。小女郎狐だと思い、舟に乗せるやいなや荒縄でしばった。帰ると青松葉を燃やしその上に女を投げ込んだら、それは大根であった。小女郎狐はとっくに逃げていたのだった。

- - - - -

inu 犬 a dog
堂守の老人が居眠りをしていても時間になると犬が起こしてくれていた。ある晩、老人も犬も眠ってしまったために鐘を撞くことができなかった。その責任をとってその晩、犬が舌を噛み切って自殺した。

- - - - -

komajishi 高麗獅子
石の高麗獅子に性が入って宙を飛び、町に行った。そこで獅子は悪さばかりして暴れまわった。浪人がその獅子の足を切ると、獅子は倒れたがすぐ立ち上がって逃げていった。翌朝見ると、高麗獅子の足が切れ、血がにじんでいた。

- - - - -

O-Kiku Inari お菊稲荷
お菊は不義のぬれぎぬで井戸に身を投げ、その近くにお菊稲荷がある。

- - - - -

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

- - - - -

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

- - - - -

shikazu no kane 撞かずの鐘
鐘の吹上げができないので、村でただ一人寄進をしていない家に行った。その家の老人が、家で不必要なのは赤ん坊だけだと言ったので、連れてかえり吹上げの火の中に入れた。撞き始めの鐘を鳴らすと、赤ん坊の姿が浮かび上がり、村中の赤ん坊が泣き出した。

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

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

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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

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

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

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

文政8年（1825年)
小川川をさかのぼり佐比内村（遠野市）に出て遠野に行く小川新道がつくられた。仙人峠のような険もないため利用する者も多かったが、甲子町から反対運動が起り、まもなく廃止となった
幕末の釜石鉱山の開発以降、釜石へのルートが幹線となり、明治14年の県統計書で三等県道として「釜石街道」があげられている。

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

© www.iwatetabi.jp

source : kamaishi-daikannon.com

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

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Iwate 岩手県

釜石市の武藤某の祖先は遠野を治めた南部侯の家臣で、郷を火難から守る為に京都伏見稲荷を勧請した。後に稲荷社は東小学校内となり、戦後にマッカーサー指令で撤去された。しかし残された礎石は撤去を試みたが動かない。その頃遥か離れた武藤某の夢枕に伏見稲荷が現れ、故地に連れ帰るよう懇願した。某は遠野を訪れ撤去された稲荷社の所在を訪ねあて、御室を自ら故地に移した。その後稲荷大明神は夢枕に現れる事も無く、礎石も容易に移動できたという。5、6年前の話。

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

6 釜石岩手県 (01)
106 遠野　岩手県 (00)

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

蕗に雨釜石線のとある駅
鈴木鷹夫

陽炎を掻き分け掻き分け釜石線
高澤良一

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河童沼すとんと昏れて遠野寒
Kappa numa

曽根とき

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[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Kaido 街道 Highways - ABC Index .
- for other Kaido, see below -
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Fushimi Kaido 伏見街道 Fushimi Highway
From 京五条 Kyoto Gojo along the East bank of the river 鴨川 Kamogawa to the town of 京町 Kyocho in 伏見区 Fushimi ward, Kyoto.
About 6 km long.
The name was also written
Fushimi Kaido 伏水街道 / ふしみかいどう "road of the hidden water"

It is said to have been used by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who had his famous castle in Fushimi.
It was also on the road connecting Kyoto with the harbour of Fushimi.
Pilgrims used it to reach the Shinto Shrine
. Fushimi Inari Taisha 伏見稲荷大社 .

- - - - - There are various names for different parts of the road

The part in 東山区 Higashiyama district is called
Honmachi-doori 本町通（ほんまちどおり）

The part in Fushimi ward, Fukakusa 伏見区深草 is called
Sujikaibashi-doori 直違橋通（すじかいばしどおり Sujikaibashi road

The part passing the temple with the Great Buddha of Kyoto, built by Hideyoshi at the temple 方広寺 Hoko-Ji, is called
Kyoo Daibutsu Kaidoo 京大仏街道 Road to the Kyoto Daibutsu

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- quote
Fushimi (伏見区, Fushimi-ku)
is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.
Famous places in Fushimi include the Fushimi Inari Shrine, with thousands of torii lining the paths up and down a mountain;
Fushimi Castle, originally built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, with its rebuilt towers and gold-lined tea-room; and the Teradaya,
an inn at which Sakamoto Ryōma was attacked and injured about a year before his assassination. Also of note is the Gokōgu shrine, which houses a stone used in the construction of Fushimi Castle. The water in the shrine is particularly famous and it is recorded as one of Japan's 100 best clear water spots.
..... Although written with different characters now, the name Fushimi (which used to be its own "town") originally comes from fusu + mizu, meaning "hidden water" or "underground water". In other words, the location was known for good spring water. The water of Fushimi has particularly soft characteristics, making it an essential component to the particular type of sake brewed in Fushimi. This also explains why the area developed as a sake-brewing center in Kyoto.
- more in the wikipedia -

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. Nara Kaido 奈良街道 Nara Highway .
- - - - - Along this road are more sub-roads, explored below :

Furutsutsumi Kaido 古堤街道
Fushimi Kaido伏見街道 - see above
Jusan Kaido 十三街道
Kiyotaki Kaido 清滝街道
Shuntoku Kaido 俊徳街道
Takeda Kaido竹田街道 - Connecting Kyoto with Fushimi
Tateishi Kaido 立石街道 / Ooto Kaido おおと街道
Tatsutagoe Nara Kaido 竜田越奈良街道

under construction
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Furutsutsumi Kaido, Furuzutsumi Kaido 古堤街道 Highway
Connecting Osaka city with 奈良県生駒市 Ikoma in Nara, via North of 生駒山北側 Mount Ikoma
Also called 竜間越 Tatsuma-goe.

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Jusan Kaido 十三街道 Jusan Highway
also called
Shuntoku Kaido 俊徳街道 Shuntoku Highway
From Osaka city, 四天王寺南門 the South gate of the temple Shitenno-Ji via the pass 十三峠 Jusan toge to 生駒郡斑鳩町 Tatsuta in Ikaruga, Ikoma district, Nara.

俊徳街道・十三街道 (河内の街道を歩く2)
杉山三記雄 Sugiyama Mikio

The famous poet 在原業平 Ariwara no Narihira passed here.
. Ariwara no Narihira 在原業平 (825 - 880) .

俊徳街道は、俊徳道ともいわれてきた。古くより、俊徳丸が生まれた、八尾の高安の里から舞楽を習いに四天王寺に通った街道と伝わる。一方、玉造から発する十三街道は、東へ現在の東大阪市菱屋西で俊徳街道と合流し、八尾を経由、十三峠を越えて平群・龍田に通じている。平安初期の歌人在原業平は、大和の龍田を通り、この峠を越え八尾高安の茶屋にいた恋人梅野の元へと八百夜も通いつめたといわれることから、この道はまた業平道とも呼ばれた。
The place where 俊徳丸 Shuntokumaru was born.
- - - 俊徳丸 More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Kiyotaki Kaido 清滝街道 Kiyotaki Highway
Connecting Osaka with Nara.
From 四條畷市 Shijo Nawate city via the Kiyotaki Toge pass 清滝峠 to Nara.

From 守口市 Moriguchi city, Osaka to 四條畷市中野地区 Shijo Nawate city, Osaka it is also called
Moriguchi Kaido 守口街道 Moriguchi Highway

- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

From 竹田村 Takeda village to 伏見港 the harbour of Fushimi.
In the Edo period this road got a stone pavement and was suited for transport of heavy loads.
It was one of the seven exit roads of Kyoto, 京の七口.

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Tateishi Kaido 立石街道 / Ooto Kaido おおと街道

From 大阪府八尾市 Osaka, Yao city via おおと越 the Ooto pass to 奈良県生駒郡平群町 Heguri town in the Ikoma district.
It was also used by pilgrims to 信貴山 Mount Shigisan.

. Mount Shigisan, Temple Chogo Sonshi Ji 信貴山朝護孫子寺 .

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Tatsutagoe Nara Kaido 竜田越奈良街道
Connecting Osaka with Nara

- source with many photos : jumgon.exblog.jp/ -

Used by pilgrims to the Shrine 竜田神社 - 龍田神社 Tatsuta Jinja.
With many temples and shrines on the road.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Kyoto 京都府 Fushimi 伏見区

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Toba don 鳥羽殿
伏見小倉の湖は昔巨掠の入江といって淀川につながる大きな湖水である。この中に1丈以上の大きな鯉2匹いる。このあたりの漁師はこの鯉を鳥羽殿と呼んで湖中の神霊とする。

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
15 伏見区 (01)

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- quote
Naganuma-no-Komagata-Daibutsu　長沼の駒形大仏
Komagata Great Buddha in Naganuma
Komagata Daibutsu is a great Buddha statue located in Naganuma-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba City.
It was set up in 1703 by Noda Gennai, who was a pharmacy commission merchant in Edo and developed paddy-fields in Naganuma village. He collected voluntary subscriptions from 60 nearby villages and set it up to pray for cure of illness and safe travel of the people and horses going up and down the Onari Kaido Road.
It was designed and cast by Hashimoto Izaemon Fujiwara Shigehiro, a casting workman in Sanmacho, Asakusa, Edo. This 2.4 m tall statue is the image of seated Amida Nyorai making Jou-in (meditation mudra) in front of the abdomen. The head and body were separately cast and joined together.
The list of donators inscribed on the back of the statue shows that this Great Buddha was worshipped by a people in a wide range of area including Matsudo and Inbanuma.
The Great Buddha still gently watches over the traffic on the Naganuma Kaido Street.
Chisaki, Naganuma-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba
- source : nippon-kichi.jp/article...

. Onari Kaido 御成街道　Highway for the Tokugawa Shogun .

長沼城址 Remains of Naganuma Castle
千葉県成田市 Chiba, Narita city

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Naganuma Kaido 長沼街道 Naganuma Highway - Fukushima
福島県

- quote -
Naganuma (長沼町, Naganuma-machi)
was a town located in Iwase District, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.
- History
The people lived in Naganuma,because of Jomon pottery(縄文土器)and Dugout(竪穴式住居)discovered from Tsukakoshi remains in 25th century BC.
Naganuma town built by Takatoki Naganuma in 1260 AD.
It is deserted castle by Decree of One Castle Per Province(一国一城令) in 1615 AD.
Old Naganuma was formed as a result of the enforcement of town organization in 1901 AD.
Old Naganuma town and Hokotsuki village merged Naganuma town in 1955 AD.
On April 1, 2005 AD, Naganuma, along with the village of Iwase (also from Iwase District), was merged into the expanded city of Sukagawa.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Koriyama Naganuma 福島県郡山市
- reference : 長沼街道沿い -

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. Japanese Legends - 伝説　民話　昔話 – ABC-List .

There are many places named 長沼 Naganuma in Japan.

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

hebi 蛇 snake
長沼池には弁天様が祭ってあるが、池の主は蛇だという。池の主は他村から来た女性に化け、近くを通る村の馬車引きなどと道連れになる。そして池が汚れたとか祠の掃除の仕方が悪いとか、その池についての希望をさりげなく話す。話しかけられた者は村人にそれを告げ、村人は総出でその希望通りに祀るという。

.................................................................................　Fukushima 福島県
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長沼町 Naganuma town

uma 馬 horse
桙衛神社の絵馬の馬が田畑を荒らしたので、杭を書き添えた。

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Kaido 街道 Highways - ABC Index .
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Onari Kaido 御成街道 Highway for the Shogun
Onari Michi 御成道 O-Nari, Road for the Shogun

There two roads with this name in Japan
日光御成道 Nikko Onari Michi
東金御成街道 Togane Onari Kaido

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日光御成道 Nikko Onari Michi

. Morikawajuku 森川宿 Morikawa postal station Tokyo .
Here was the first ichirizuka 一里塚 stone marker mound of the 中仙道 Nakasendo Highway, where the
日光御成道 Nikko Onari Michi started.
This Onari Michi was also called 岩槻街道 Iwatsuki Kaido.

. Nikko Onari Kaido　日光御成街道 .
Nikko Reiheishi Kaido　日光例幣使街道
Nikko Nishi Kaido 日光西街道
Mibu doori 壬生通り Mibu road / Mibu michi 壬生道

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Tōgane 東金御成街道 Togane Onari Kaido
From 船橋 Funabashi in Edo via 東金市田間 Togane Tama to 山武市小松 Sanmu Komatsu village in Chiba.
About 37 km. Almost in a straight line.
The part from Tama to Komatsu was also called
Sunaoshi Kaido 砂押街道 Sunaoshi Highway

Gongen Michi 権現道 Road for the Great Lord

Built by the first Shogun Ieyasu, and later used the third Shogun Iemitsu to go takagari鷹狩 hunting with falcons.
Ieyasu had his vassal 土井利勝 Doi Toshikatsu (1573 - 1644) built the road toward 九十九里 Kujikuri.
It was built very fast, some say 三日三晩 in three days and three nights, holding up torches at night, thus the road was called
choochin kaido 提灯街道 Chochin Highway of Lanters

. takagari 鷹狩 hunting with hawks and falcons .

ちょうちん塚の「徳川家康」、御成街道を行く
- reference source : ameblo.jp/2465789... -

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東金御成街道を探る
徳川家康の天下制覇後、東金地帯に忽然と出現した世に言う「お鷹狩り街道」。
その秘められた歴史的推移について、

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. Japanese Legends - 伝説　民話　昔話 – ABC-List .

ishi no karabitsu 石の韓櫃
享保12年5月23日、御成りがあった際に、江戸より３、４里程外の麻間の地の、くれひの明神と言う社の大木の松の下に、石の韓櫃が埋められてると言う伝説が有り、誰も見た事がないことをお聞きになった。ならば掘ってみろと仰せられたので百姓10人程で3、4尺程掘ったら、たちまち空が曇り、雷が3つ百姓に落ち、百姓たちは微塵になった。将軍の前にも1つ落ちた。

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

. Edo, Tokyo　江戸 - 東京 - 伝説 Legends Index .

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

御成道穴に入る日の蛇に遭ふ

町田しげき

. takagari 鷹狩 hunting with hawks and falcons .
- - kigo for all Winter - -

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[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Kaido 街道 Highways - ABC Index .
- for Ikaho Kaido, see below -
- for Mizusawa Udon Kaido, see below -
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Sado Bugyo Kaido 佐渡奉行街道 Road for the Governor of Sado Island
Sado Kaido 佐渡街道 Sado Highway
From 本庄 Honjo 埼玉県 Saitama (Nakasendo) to 渋川 Shibukawa, 群馬県 Gunma (Mikuni Kaido).

. Sadogashima 佐渡島 Sado Island - Niigata .
- Introduction -

- Postal stations along the Sado Bugyo Kaido
- - - - - 埼玉県 Saitama
Honjo, Honjō本庄宿 - Saitama, at the 中山道 Nakasendo
金久保村 Kanakubo village - Saitama, departing from the Nakasendo
Fujiki no Watashi 藤木渡し / 藤木の渡し（烏川 Karasugawa River ）
- - - - - 群馬県 Gunma
Tsunobuchi village 角渕村
Tamamura玉村宿 - linking to the Nikko Reiheishi Kaido 日光例幣使街道
Soja 総社宿 (Maebashi city 前橋市)
Okubo大久保宿 - Linking to the Ikaho Kaido伊香保街道 / Ikaho michi 伊香保道
Yagihara 八木原宿
Shibukawa渋川宿 - at the 三国街道 Mikuni Kaido

. Nakasendoo　中山道 Nakasendo Highway / Kiso Kaido 木曾街道 .

. Nikko Reiheishi Kaido　日光例幣使街道 for Imperial Messengers .

. Mikuni Kaidō 三国街道 / 三國街道 Mikuni Highway .

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Honjo - by Keisai Eisen

- quote -
Honjō-shuku (本庄宿, Honjō-shuku)
It was the largest of the stations in terms of population and number of buildings.
- History
Honjō was the site of Honjō Castle, the stronghold of the Honjō clan since the Kamakura period. The Honjō were destroyed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590, and the territory came under the control of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who established in 10,000 koku Honjō Domain, which was ruled by the Ogasawara clan from 1698 to 1612. A honjin was built near the site of the old castle in the northern part of the castle town, which quickly redeveloped itself into a shukuba. Due to the number of travelers, a second honjin was built at the opposite end of town in 1792.
Per an 1843 guidebook issued by the Inspector of Highways (道中奉行, Dōchu-būgyō), the town stretched for about 1.9 kilometers along the highway, with a population of 4554, with 1212 shops. The town boasted two very large scale honjin, two waki-honjin, 475 hatago, as well as 54 establishments whose attraction was primarily meshimori onna.
Honjō-shuku was approximately 22 ri from the starting point of the Nakasendō at Nihonbashi, and was the last stop in Musashi Province.
Very little evidence of the shukuba remains in the modern city of Honjō, but the gate of the first honjin, the Tamura Honjin, remains. On the site of the honjin itself, a police station was built in 1883 in the western-style of architecture of the Meiji period. This too has been preserved as a local history museum.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Shibukawa city 渋川市
- quote -
Shibukawa is in the northern extremity of the Kantō plains of central Gunma Prefecture, encompassing the juncture of the Tone River and Agatsuma River...
Shibukawa is at a central point (36°29′N, 139°00′E) of the Japanese archipelago and is thus known as the Bellybutton of Japan (日本のおへそ, nihon no oheso).
- History
During the Edo period, the area of present-day Shibukawa prospered from its location on the Mikuni Kaidō highway connecting Takasaki with Niigata.
Post stations within the borders of modern Shibukawa were Shibukawa-shuku, Kanai-shuku, Kitamoku-shuku and Yokobori-shuku.
Modern Shibukawa town was created in Nishigunma District, Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889 ...
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Shibukawa Kaido 渋川街道 Shibukawa Highway

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Ikaho Kaido 伊香保街道 Ikaho Highway
and the Ikaho sekisho 伊香保関所 Ikaho checkpoint, barrier
Mizusawa水沢伊香保街道 Ikaho Kaido

From 高崎 Takasaki to 伊香保 Ikaho

- Postal stations along the Ikaho Kaido
Okubo 大久保宿
Noda 野田宿
Kashiwagi 柏木宿

. Takasaki City and Daruma 高崎達磨 .

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Ikaho Jinja 伊香保神社 Ikaho Shrine

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Ikaho Hot Spring
located near Takasaki in Gunma Prefecture.
The famous Ikaho Stone Steps
in the center of town lead up to the top of the main hill, and are lined with many souvenir shops and restaurants. There is also a free foot bath (ashiyu) hot spring outside Kishigon Ryokan, which is about half way up.
At the top is Ikaho Shrine, a nice little shrine that was founded over 1000 years ago.
Ikaho sekisho 伊香保関所 Ikaho checkpoint, barrier
Ikaho Sekisho at the bottom was a former checkpoint in the Edo Period, and is free to enter. The gate has been recreated and there is a little display inside explaining a bit about Ikaho's history and traditional Japanese uniforms and clothing.
- source : Matthew Baxter -

source and more photos : ikahosekisyo...

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There is also the
Mizusawa Udon Kaido 水沢うどん街道 Mizusawa Road to eat Udon noodles

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Mizusawa Udon
Gunma Prefecture is a major production area for quality wheat.
Tasty udon noodles can be enjoyed anywhere in Gunma. Mizusawa udon is famous as one of the three most delicious udon in Japan. Made only from pure water, quality flour, and specially selected salt, it is firm, somewhat thick, and semi-transparent, providing it a unique character. It is generally served cold with dipping soup.
- reference source : visitgunma.jp/en... -

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Sado bugyō (佐渡奉行) Sado Governor
were officials of the Tokugawa shogunate responsible for administration of the mining operations at Sado.
Sado island is the sixth largest in the Japanese archipelago. It is located in the Sea of Japan off the west coast of Echigo Province in northwest Honshu. For much of its pre-modern history, exiles were banished to the island. The island was noted for its deposits of gold and silver since at least the 12th century; however, intensive mining operations did not begin until the opening of the Aikawa Mine in 1601.
This same year,
Sado was placed during the direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate, and in 1603 Ōkubo Nagayasu was appointed the first "commissioner". The title was officially Sado daikan until 1618, and bugyō afterwards. The post was occupied by hatamoto assisted by a staff of up to a hundred yoriki and dōshin constables.
The mines at Sado
were worked vigorously; and were a major source of revenue for the early Tokugawa shogunate, producing approximately 100 tons of gold and silver from 1616 to 1627; however, by the 1730s the deposits were largely exhausted and production was less than a ton of silver until the mid-18th century. The post of Sado bugyō was abolished with the Meiji restoration.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Residence of the Sado Bugyo 佐渡奉行所跡

When farmers walk along a road while drunk with sake, the Tonchibo とんちぼ / 頓智坊 likes to surprize them and make them fall into water puddles.
He likes to play his tricks on people, so they take a radio and matches to make fire when entering the forest to work there.
Lately this animal does not find enough food in the forest and comes out to check the fields of farmers too. It is quite a nuisance.
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In 1601 the Sago Bugyo 大久保石見守 Okubo Iwami no Kami built an office in 相川 Aikawa.
He had brought some Tanuki with him from his former domain, 石見の国Iwami no Kuni.
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Around 1660, there was an man named 中沢 Nakazawa at the Sado Governor's office.
In the evening he was very drunk and passed a rock where Dansaburo used to lurk. It was dark and Nakazawa lost his way near 二ツ岩 Futatsuiwa. So he asked Dansaburo to bring him a lantern. A lantern on a stick appeared and it became light as day. A strange person appeared and asked to be venerated like a boss. So Nakazawa stopped working at the Government office.
He built a Shrine for Dansaburo and venerated him there, becoming a Shinto priest himself.
Futatsuiwa Daimyojin 二ツ岩大明神

Dankuro the Fox and Sankichi the Tanuki 団九郎，三吉 from Sado 佐渡
. Sankin Kotai 参勤交代 Daimyo attendance in Edo .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

. Edo, Tokyo　江戸 - 東京 - 伝説 Legends Index .

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. Jomo karuta game 上毛かるた .

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

佐渡奉行所あとの広場のクローバー
Sado bugyoosho ato no hiroba no kurooba

clover grows
at the open space at the former
Sado Governor's office

富田直治 Tomita Naoji

. kuroobaa クローバー clover, Klee .
- - kigo for late spring - -

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- Postal stations along the Nakatsu Kaido
Nakatsu 中津
Hachiya 八屋
Matsue 松江
Karita 雁田　
Ohashi 大橋
Kanda 苅田
Kokura 小倉

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source : amanaimages.com/info...
中津街道石坂

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. Hyuga Kaido 日向街道 .
Yamakunibashi 山国橋（福岡県吉富町－大分県中津市）
from Fukuoka, Yoshitomi town to Oita, Nakatsu city

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- quotes from wikipedia -

Nakatsu (中津市, Nakatsu-shi)
a castle town centered on Nakatsu Castle
1587: Kuroda Yoshitaka (Josui) built Nakatsu Castle as a flatland castle near the Yamaguni River.

Hachiya (八屋町, Hachiya-machi)
10 April 1955 - The town of Hachiya and the surrounding 8 villages merged to form the city of Unoshima. The town of Hachiya dissolves.
14 April 1955 - The city's name was renamed to the city of Buzen.

Kanda (苅田町, Kanda-machi)
The town is located approximately 5 miles (8 kilometers) west of Kitakyūshū
The Kanda Float Festival is held annually in mid-September[6]. The festival is famous for its 14 "fighting floats", and has been categorized as an "Intengible Folk Cultural Asset" by the Fukuoka prefecture.

Kokura Prefecture
was founded separately from Fukuoka Prefecture in 1871 when the clan system was abolished. The old wooden-built Kokura Prefectural Office is still standing and is being restored. It is opposite Riverwalk Kitakyūshū. In 1876, Kokura Prefecture was absorbed by Fukuoka Prefecture. The city of Kokura was founded in 1900.

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source : chikujo-rekishi.jp
中津街道と築上町の近代 Present-day Chikujo town and the Nakatsu Highway
Exhibition

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. Japanese Legends - 伝説　民話　昔話 – ABC-List .

.................................................................................　Fukuoka 福岡県
中津郡 Nakatsu district

. shiratori 白鳥 a white bird .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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Itoshiro is located at the foot of the sacred mountain 白山 Hakusan and the Highway relates to this old pilgrim road.
Part is along the river 長良川 Nagaragawa, which has many bends and curves.
From 美濃市 Mino city to Gujo Hachiman there is a steep valley to cross over the river. In former times pilgrims had to cross many passes and rivers, so this pilgrims road tried to avoid this as much as possible.

- Postal stations along the Guji Kaido
Gifu city 岐阜市
Seki city 関市
Mino city 美濃市
Gujo city Minami town 郡上市美並町
Gujo city Hachiman town 郡上市八幡町
Gujo city Yamato town 郡上市大和町
Gujo city Shirotori 郡上市白鳥町
Itoshiro 石徹白

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- quote

Visit Gujo Hachiman !
Experience Japan "Off the Beaten Path" in a truly unique way
Visit Gujo Hachiman and you can expect to be immersed in an authentic small town Japanese experience unique to an "off the beaten path" town. Here the traditional way of living is on a very human scale. People passing each other in the street still greet each other with a small bow, and exchange a passing greeting.
- Spring in Gujo Hachiman
Cherry blossoms are the highlight of the season, and make it well worth the journey to Gujo Hachiman. The cherry blossoms here typically bloom one week later than in Nagoya or Kyoto which means you can extend your chances to see and immerse yourself in what many consider to be the most beautiful time of the season.
- Cherry blossoms at Anyo Ji Temple
You can also experience the magic of cherry blossoms at night in Atago Park where the blooms are lit until late evening each night. This is a very unique way to experience the beautiful pink blooms.
- Jion Ji Temple garden
- Gujo Odori - Mid July to Early September
- Ayu Fishing in the Yoshida or Nagara River - summer
- Plastic Food Replica Stores and Workshops - anytime and unique to Gujo Hachiman!
- source : gujohachiman.com/kanko...

- quote
Gujo Hachiman Castle (郡上八幡城, Gujō-Hachimanjō)
was built in 1559 by the local feudal lord on the top of a hill. Although the castle had been destroyed in the early Meiji Period, it was rebuilt in 1933. Unlike most reconstructed castles, Gujo Hachiman's was rebuilt using wood rather than concrete. However, its interior does not follow its original design.
The castle's hilltop location
provides a beautiful view of the town in the valley below. Maple trees surround the castle and make the area particularly attractive during the autumn leaf season in early to mid November. During this time, the colorful leaves are further showcased by a night time light display.
The castle is located on a hill in the northeastern corner of town.
- source : japan-guide.com... -

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大師堂 Daishi Do Temple Hall

Mountain route starting from the Daishido Hall

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Hakusan National Park 白山国立公園
Mt. Hakusan — meaning White Mountain— is considered sacred within the Shinto tradition, and serious climbers in Japan are very fond of it.
Hakusan National Park, where the peak is located, offers natural waterfalls, holy places, onsen hot springs, and a range of flora and fauna.
- A dormant volcano surrounded by seven lakes, the entire area around Mt. Hakusan is a designated national park covering nearly 500 square kilometers and dubbed a "Man and the Biosphere" site by UNESCO.
The park encompasses four mountains over 2,000 meters — Hakusan, 御前峰 Gozengamine, 剣ヶ峰 Kengamine, and 大汝峰 Onanjigamine.
- Hakusan White Road for cars
- source : japan.travel... -

. Hakusan shrines 白山神社 in Japan .
and their annual festivals.

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- quote -
Nagaragawa 長良川

Ukai 鵜飼 (cormorant fishing) is a traditional fishing method using "u" (Japanese Cormorant) to catch river fish.
On the Nagara River, the ukai season starts at the outset of the ayu (sweetfish) fishing season, held every night from May 11th to October 15th except on the day of the harvest moon or when the river swells.
- reference source : nagaragawa.org... -

. ukai 鵜飼 (うかい) cormorant fishing .
- a Haiku kigo for summer -

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. Japanese Legends - 伝説　民話　昔話 – ABC-List .

.................................................................................　Gifu 岐阜県

. Gujo - 妖鬼 Yoki Demon / 鬼人 Kijin Human Demon .

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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

水の鳴る郡上の宿の走り蕎麦
mizu no naru Gujo no yado no hashirisoba

平松公代 Hiramatsu Kimiyo

郡上のなあふくら雀も春駒を
高澤良一 Takazawa Ryoichi

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Nakahara Kaido Highway

Hagi Okan Highway

Koya Kaido pilgrim roads

Boso Okan Kaido Highway

Mino Kaido Minoji Highway

Minobu michi pilgrim road

Mibu Kaido Highway

Ensho Kaido Saltpeter road

Noda Kaido Highway Numakunai

Shiotsu Kaido Highway

Tango Tanba Kaido Highways

Matsumae Fukuyama Kaido

Miyazu Kaido Highway

Kamaishi Kaido Highway

Fushimi Kaido Highway

Naganuma Kaido Chiba Fukushima

Onari Kaido for Shogun

Sado Bugyo Kaido

Nakatsu Kaido

Gujo Kaido Gifu