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Azumi no Isora 阿曇磯良
and
the Azumi Clan 安曇族
Azumi no Isora Maru 阿曇磯良丸 Isoramaru
Azumi-no-Isora-Maru
安曇の磯良
Adobe no Isora 阿度部（あどべ）の磯良
阿曇磯良神
He is also venerated at Kasuga Taisha in Kyoto under the name of
Ame no Koyane no mikoto 天児屋根命 Amenokoyane
He is a legendary figure, revered as a Shinto deity.
The Azumi clan keeps him as their ancestor.
They are a tribe of water deities, turned human.
The name MARU for a ship in Japan is said to be taken from his name, since he is a protector deity of the sea.
He was a sea admiral 海上指揮 in the time of Jingu Kogo during her Korean wars.
. Empress Jingu Kogo 神功皇后 .
He was the first Shinto priest at the Furo shrine.
The present priest at the Furo shrine, Azumi Fumihisa 阿曇史久, is the 67th generation.
The statue at the entrance is new and an imposing 2 meters high.
It has seeweed hanging, a turtle and a bowl to catch octopus.
This reminds us that he lived in a palace at the bottom of the sea for many years.
His ancestor is the deity Wadatsumi no Kami 少童命.
. kanju manju 干珠満珠 tide jewels .
During her conquest of Korea, Empress Jingu Kogo stopped at 筑前国香椎 Chikuzen, Kashii to pray at the shrine to Sumiyoshi Myojin 住吉大明神. The Deity told her to get the Tide Jewels from the Dragon King Palace. When she asked how that could best be done, the Deity told her to sent Azumi Isora and have him dance for the Dragon King.
So she send her sister 豊姫 Toyohime and Azumi to the Dragon Palace and they returned with the Tide Jewels.
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The deity from Hakata / Fukuoka is also venerated in the mountains of Nagano !
There is also some eafood shared in both regions.
Hotaka Jinja 穂高神社
Hotaka Shrine is a wonderful place to get a sense of Azumino 安曇野 and even greater Japanese culture. Shrines are scattered throughout Japan, but Hotaka shrine is unique for its adjacent historical museum and founding sense of Azumino.
Hotaka-no-mikoto, the tutelary deity of the region and Japan Alps, is worshipped here as well as in Kamikochi and at the summit of Mt. Oku-Hotaka.
Obisha Matsuri (Shinto ritual) - March
This exciting shinto ritual started 500 years ago.
Twelve shinto priests shoot twelve arrows to a target, then see whether this year reaps a rich harvest or not by their hitting ratio. Visitors can take broken pieces of holy arrows and the target home, and pray for well being of their family.
Ofune Matsuri お船祭り (Craft boats parade) - September
Two large boats, Obara 男腹（おばら）and Mebara 女腹（めばら）
People in each block of Hotaka area decorate their craft boats with vivid traditional kimono dolls signifying tales from history. They start pulling craft boats around noon and come back to Hotaka shrine by 2 PM. The ceremony ends with crashing craft boats as it's high light.
- source : www.azumino-e-tabi.net
One speciality of the people of Kyushu and in Azumino, Nagano, is a preparation of seaweed, called ego エゴ or igo (エゴ草) .
In Hakata it is called o-kyuuto 博多のオキュート.
長野県安曇野市穂高6079
6079 Hotaka, Azumino, Nagano
- Homepage of Hotaka Shrine
- source : www.hotakajinja.com/
. Azumino 安曇野, Nagano .
and the 道祖神 Dosojin deities
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
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Ofune matsuri - Boat Festivals.
A festival on May fourth and fifth held at Susuki Miya in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture. Participants from the nine villages of the former Satoyama area bring out nine ofune made of boat-shaped wooden frames from which cloth is draped. Pulling the boats decorated with warrior figures, they process to the accompaniment of cheerers (ohayashi). Within the precincts of the shrine (keidai), the nine ofune boats receive oharai (see shubatsu) purification from the priests (shinshoku).
There are several traditions of ofune festivals in the Azumi region of Nagano Prefecture. At Hotaka Jinja in Hotaka Township, Azumi-gun, the reisai (main annual festival) is also commonly referred to as an ofune festival. Participants pull five large and small roof-covered dashi (carts, floats), boat-shaped and decorated with human figures and plaited leaves and branches of Cryptomeria trees.
There are festivals for the transference of kami at Harumiya (spring shrine) and Akimiya (autumn shrine) of the lower shrine (shimosha) of Suwa Taisha in Lower Suwa Township, Suwa–gun, Nagano Prefecture. On August first, the kami is transferred from Harumiya to Akimiya, while the transference from Akimiya to Harumiya is on February first. The August festival, which is called the ofune matsuri, is the grander of the two. A boat-shaped structure woven with brushwood, wrapped in cloth and carrying two life-sized human figures of an old man and woman is pulled by several thousand Suwa ujiko (parishioners) from Harumiya to Akimiya. A procession of the kami object proceeds to Akimiya along a separate sacred path. When the ofune reaches Akimiya, the brushwood boat is broken up, the figures of the old man and woman are placed upright next to a Sumō wrestling ring, and several bouts of Sumō are dedicated to the kami.
- source : Mogi Sakae, Kokugakuin 2006
- quote
Busha sai
Sacred Archery Festival or Foot Archery Festival (depending on the Chinese characters used to write the name). An archery rite held on March 17 at Hotaka Shrine (Hotaka jinja) in Hotaka Town, Azumi County, Nagano Prefecture. Three bows strung with hemp are used. Fourteen arrows are used: two with written prayers attached, one called the Arrow of the kami, the other called the Arrow of the Lord. The target is of wood bound into a circle and covered with paper, with three circles drawn on it. After the ceremonies, the Arrow of the kami is shot into the northeast and then the Arrow of the Lord is shot towards the southeast. Twelve arrows are then shot at the target. The prospects for a good or bad agricultural season are divined from the success or failure to hit the target.
There is a foot archers festival (busha sai) on January 15 at Shika-no-Umi Shrine (Shikanoumi jinja) at Shika Island in Higashi Ward, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Eight men called the Assembly of Archers (iteshi) put on the formal robes of the classical period and in order each perform a fan (ōgi) dance at the Ceremonial Hall (haiden). It is said to be a dance in the seinō (thin man) style. Afterwards, in unison they offer up small cloths with both hands, stand and chant. This is called ōgibome (the appreciation by fan) . Next there is a ceremony where they circle the shrine precincts (keidai) three times, with the leader carrying the target. The eight men of the Assembly of Archers each shoot two arrows three times at the target. When they are finished, they say "tear up the target" And it is pulled apart with the onlookers scrambling for the pieces as talismans for warding off demons. In many houses a rite called ya-barai (purification by arrow) is also carried out.
There is a religious archery event called Hōsha shiki on January 10 and 12 at Matsu-no-o Great Shrine (Matsu-no-o taisha) in Ukyō ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture. Nusa (ritual paper streamers) are placed in front of the Nō stage and archery targets are hung up. On the back of these targets is written the Chinese character Oni or demon. Food offerings (shinsen) in the old style are offered. The archers take up the bows and arrows. First they shoot the bows in the ushi-tora (northeast) direction, then to the four quarters, then heavenwards. After they have shot at the target, the shrine officials (shinshoku) shoot arrows.
There is a bushasai (Warrior Archery Festival) on January 4 at the Chūgūshi of Mt. Futara Shrine (Futara-san jinja) in Nikkō City, Tochigi Prefecture. Based on the legend that holds that the deities of Mt. Futara and Mt. Akagi fought, shrine officials shoot arrows in the direction of Mt. Akagi.
There is a religious event on January 8 at Samukawa Shrine (Samukawa jinja) in Samukawa City, Kōza County, Kanagawa Prefecture. It is called the Musayumi Festival. Red and white curtains are hung in one corner of the shrine grounds with an ancient-style target placed there. The shrine officials chant divine songs, and three arrows are shot to divine the prospects for the coming year.
There is a Sacred Archery Festival on January 17 at Mishima Shrine (Mishima taisha) in Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Also called the Rite of the Great Target. Six archers shoot arrows at the target. It is said that in the Kamakura period yabusame, or mounted archery was performed.
There is a Sacred Archery Festival at Tsushima Shrine (Tsushima jinja) in Tsushima City, Aichi Prefecture. It is held on the sixteenth day of the first month of the old lunar calendar. Gohei (ritual paper streamers) are placed on top of the targets and the shrine's administrative head (gūji) looses arrows at the heavens and earth. Six archers shoot in pairs, with each loosing a pair of arrows. The bows are made of willow with strings of hemp. The religious food offerings (shinsen) of this festival are called Flower Mountain Food Offerings because of their uniqueness: there are many types of mochi, potatoes, Japanese radishes, fruit, marine foodstuffs, dried shark, dried octopus, flakes of dry bonito, small carp and other types of fish, all piled up on a special standing tray (sanbō) with a tree branch stuck in it and special skewers (shibe-gushi) inserted.
There is a Sacred Archery Festival on January 7 at Mononobe Shrine (Mononobe jinja) in Ōda City, Shimane Prefecture. Near the torii (ceremonial shrine gate) the archery target stand is set up, and on this is placed a red ritual baton (heisoku) with a white baton to the right and a blue baton to the left. The target, large bow, and arrows are placed as offerings before the kami and fourteen archers seat themselves at the Ceremonial Hall (haiden). The chief priest (gūji) performs the harae (purifications) and the shrine officials write in large letters on the back of the target the Chinese character for demon (oni). The shrine officials and archers line up before the target, making offerings and scattering rice, chanting rituals prayers (norito), and then split into two groups of seven, standing on the left and right. In the beginning, there is an opening ceremony where there is ritual chanting of agotsu (miss) and atari (hit). The archers then test their skill. Two archers, one from the right and one from the left, shoot two arrows each, repeating this action twice.
There is a Foot Archers Festival on January 7 at Nitta Shrine (Nitta jinja) in Miyauchi Town, Sendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture. With the target at the head, a procession circles the shrine thrice counterclockwise. The procession then goes down the stone steps of the entrance path, ringing the bells and drums in front of the related shrines (massha) of the Eastern Gate Guard Shrine and Western Gate Guard Shrine that are to the left and right of the path. Here two archers each shoot three arrows at the target. Then archers bearing larger bows cross the divine bridge, go towards the target, and shoot arrows at it.
See also Busha matsuri
- source : Mogi Sakae, Kokugakuin 2007
. Okumiya (Hotaka Shrine) .
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Fuurooguu 風浪宮 Furo Shrine
Isoramaru jinja 磯良丸神社
O-Furoosan, O furoo san おふろうさん
Fukuoka prefecture, Okawa city
福岡県大川市大字酒見726-1
fuuroo literally means "waves caused by the wind"
Ofuroo san matsuri 風浪宮大祭 Furo Shrine Festival
February 8 - 10
People take ablutions in the sea water 裸かん行, hadaka kangyoo.
On the last day, yabusame 流鏑馬 archery on horseback is performed.
Young men from the local shrines come clad only in loincloth, carrying lanterns and torches march through the town and in the compound.
More than 150 thousand visitors come to attend.
source : www.ofurousan.jp
The other great festivals of this kind are at thee shrine Kora Taisha and Suitengu shrine in Kurume.
The camphor tree of Furo Shrine, said to be more than 2000 years old.
shirasagi no kusu 白鷺の楠 camphor tree of the white heron
Legend has it that Empress Jingu after her safe landing in Kyushu had a white heron fly to a sacred place to show her where she could build a shrine to thank the Sea Deity for her safe trip.
The heron landed in this camphor tree.
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Legends about the Azumi clan abound.
Maybe they are seafaring tribe from Egypt?
Maybe the large boats of Azumi came all the way to Nagasaki and the Ariakekai sea?
Or did they use smaller boats for this access?
There is a large kusunoki 楠木 camphor tree in the temple-shrine complex Daizenji Tamadare no Miya 大善寺玉垂宮 in Kurume city, which might relate to this story.
source : lunabura.exblog.jp
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mihashira torii, mitsubashira torii
三柱鳥居 three-pillar torii
This kind of torii has three top lintels.
The three pillars symbolise heavens, earth and mankind 天地人.
The stone piles under the two three-pillar Torii at Wadatsumi Jinja are believed as the graves of deities - one is
Azumi-no-Isora (安曇磯良, probably same deity as
Ugayafukiaezu-no-mikoto (鵜茅葺不合命)) and the other one is
Toyotamahiko-no-mikoto (豊玉彦尊 =
Wadatsumi-no-kami (綿津見神 or 海神)).
It seems only male deities who have Wadatsumi's blood in their veins are enshrined in this style to be immersed into water.
. The Hata Clan 秦氏 Hata Uji .
and the Korean Connection
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There are other shrines in his honor, for example
Koora taisha 高良大社 Kora Shrine in Fukuoka
He appears in a scroll, standing on a turtle catching fish.
Mekari jinja 和布刈神社 Mekari Shrine in Kitakyushu
Shigaumi jinja 志賀海神社 Shiga Shrine in Fukuoka
His face is covered by a white cloth.
Shishiki Jinja 志式神社 Shishiki Shrine in Fukuoka
In a kagura dance of the shrine he appears as an old man, Ogina 翁.
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A legend from Miyagi 宮城県 - Isoragami 磯良神
大崎左京大夫義兼が志田郡松山城に松山治部大輔治次を攻めるとき、長雨で鳴瀬川が増水、逆巻く波で渡れない。そのとき、軍奉行中里豊後の船に12，3の子供が現れ、水棹をとって対岸に渡し、後続の船に綱を結び、全軍川を渡って松山城を攻めおとした。子供は姿をかくしたが18日の夕方豊後の家に現れて、船を渡したのは上一ノ関の磯良明神であると告げて行方知れずになった。義兼は社殿を造営、神田を寄進して奉斎した。
. Shiro - Japanese Castle Legends お城と伝説 .
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Amenokoyane
[Ame no koyane no mikoto] (Kojiki)
Called an ancestor of the Nakatomi clan, this kami is described in various traditions as the child of Kogotomusuhi (Nihongi) or Kamimusuhi no kami (Kogo shūi), or a third generation descendant of Tsuhayamusuhi no mikoto (Shinsen shōjiroku).
At the time of Amaterasu's retreat into the rock cave of heaven, Koyane performed incantations by reciting norito litany, and at the time of the Descent of the Heavenly Grandchild (tenson kōrin), he acted as one of the "chiefs of the five clans" who accompanied Ninigi. According to Nihongi, he was "the first in charge of divine affairs, for which reason he was made to serve by performing the Greater Divination."
Within the imperial palace, he was known as the one who had been commanded by Amaterasu ōmikami to guard the divine mirror, with the result that he held the status of "Imperial Aide" (Tennō hohitsu no kami) with responsibility for presiding over divine affairs within the palace.
Based on his status as ancestral kami (sojin) to the Fujiwara (Nakatomi) clan, he is worshiped at the clan's shrines, including the Hiraoka Jinja and Kasuga Taisha.
source : Mori Mizue, 2005
Amenokoyane no mikoto 天児屋根命(あめのこやねのみこと)
天兒屋命 -天之子八根命 - 天子屋根命
CLICK for more images !
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H A I K U
At the shrine Mekari Jinja 和布刈神社 at Moji, Kitakyushu, seaweed is cut in the night from December 31 to January 1.
. 美保神社の和布刈神事 mekari shinji
Cuttind kelp ritual at Miho Shrine .
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. WKD : Ships, boats (fune 船) .
. Festivals, Ceremonies, Rituals - SAIJIKI .
. Amulets and Talismans from Japan .
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
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