991030ippaku

Japanese

October 30-31: Historical tour　　　　by Mie

　　

A municipal paper reported the other day that 350 anniversary of Tadanao Matsudaira was to be held in a community hall in Magari district of Oita city. I visited there for the first time.

Tadanao Matsudaira was a grandson of Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder of Tokugawa shogunate. Tadanao was the feudal lord of Echizen - today's Fukui prefecture facing Japan Sea - governing 680,000 Koku of rice territory. He incurred the rage of Ieyasu and moved to Oita at the age of 29. He become a priest and gave his name as Ippaku. He lived his happy life and was loved by the residents here in Oita and died at 56. His residence was here, just close to Tsumori community center.

In the hall was a display of picture scroll called "Ten set of Kumano Gongen Story", which was dedicated by Ippaku to a local branch shrine of Kumano. The richly colored scroll was opened to public for the first time in 50 years. Among the articles left by Ippaku were harnesses and mirrors. In the lobby were many books on Ippaku. Reading a famous novel - The Record of Tadanao - written by Kan Kikuchi, moved me.

In commemoration with Ippaku's 350 anniversary, many calligraphy and paintings by local elementary schools were displayed on the wall as well, reading "Ippaku", "Magari", and "Ikariyama", the name of local villages (last two names.)

In front of the community center was a signboard like this, guiding me to a remnant of Stone Buddha in Magari district.

　　　

The Buddha statues were located in a cave- the size of 6 by 7 meters in height and depth - on a steep precipice. On the left is a sitting statue of Shakyamuni, whose head, chest, wrist, and knees are made from different kind of stones. The statue was sculptured in middle Kamakura era - some 700 years ago. On the right is another sitting statue of Shakyamuni engraved in a dent of the precipice. It was the oldest statue in this area, made in late Heian era, some 1,000 years ago. There are many stone Buddhas here in Oita. I could see many interesting things today.

October 31: A festival of Ikarijima shrine

Tadanao Matsudaira was moved to Oita and lived at Tsumori village. Totally different from his raging days in Echizen, he turned to a religious lord in here and lived a peaceful days. He built a branch of Kumano shrine here and visited it enthusiastically. Today is the festival of the shrine. Many ornaments are here and there on the streets.

　　　　
Kumano branch shrine is on the top of a small hill called Ikarijima just across a local railroad station Takio (left.) The entrance of the shrine was also decorated with ornaments and banners.

Ikarijima literally means "Anchor Island." This comes from an old legend, in old days; Empress Kougou anchored her ship to this hill when she was waiting wind to sail across Japan Sea. The hill stands 56 meters above sea level, sits on the sand ground suggesting the hill was an island. Ikarijima hill has Kumano branch shrine on the top.

On the way to the top is a small hexagonal mausoleum of Tadanao Matsudaira. The inscription on a tombstone reads the original tomb was built in 1656, the sixth anniversary of the lord's death. The mausoleum was rebuilt last year.

　　　

The roof of the shrine was covered with tiles of "Three hollyhock leaves", the symbol of Tokugawa shogunate. The shrine was first built by feudal lord Ohtomo in 1196, moved to Kasuga Main shrine after the fall of him, then rebuilt by Tadanao under the name of his second son Matsuchiyo. Many local people still worship the shrine.

　　　　　　

On the annexed stage, Kagura dance was playing by the local dancers (left.) A clown called Hyottoko suddenly sprang up from behind the shrine and caught a small kid to take him up on the stage with a comical gesture. They danced vividly and got the stormy applause from the audience. It is said any kid who was picked up onto the stage would grow healthy.

Viewing north from the top of the hill tells me that Oita City stretches to the Beppu Bay. I imagined in an old day, the hill was floating on the sea.

We then visited the remains of Tadanao's residence on a street of Tsumori district. Only stone monument tells the old days. I suddenly felt familiar with Tadanao and read back a famous novel "The Record of Tadanao" written by Kan Kikuchi.

　　　

In this district, we have another interesting point of view. You can't miss it; a group of ancient tombs called "One Hundred caves of Takio." The tombs date back to early sixth century. The actual number of the cave is 84. They are old graves, corps was laid in and the entrances were sealed with large stones. As time went on, almost all graves were repeatedly robbed and destroyed, leaving nothing inside. The precipice today is a part of ground of Takio junior high school. School kids were playing a soccer game on the ground. It was strange enough for me to think back over more than 1,300 years. I have experienced a local history in two days this time.

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October 30-31: Historical tour　　　　by Mie
A municipal paper reported the other day that 350 anniversary of Tadanao Matsudaira was to be held in a community hall in Magari district of Oita city. I visited there for the first time.
Tadanao Matsudaira was a grandson of Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder of Tokugawa shogunate. Tadanao was the feudal lord of Echizen - today's Fukui prefecture facing Japan Sea - governing 680,000 Koku of rice territory. He incurred the rage of Ieyasu and moved to Oita at the age of 29. He become a priest and gave his name as Ippaku. He lived his happy life and was loved by the residents here in Oita and died at 56. His residence was here, just close to Tsumori community center.
	In the hall was a display of picture scroll called "Ten set of Kumano Gongen Story", which was dedicated by Ippaku to a local branch shrine of Kumano. The richly colored scroll was opened to public for the first time in 50 years. Among the articles left by Ippaku were harnesses and mirrors. In the lobby were many books on Ippaku. Reading a famous novel - The Record of Tadanao - written by Kan Kikuchi, moved me.
	In commemoration with Ippaku's 350 anniversary, many calligraphy and paintings by local elementary schools were displayed on the wall as well, reading "Ippaku", "Magari", and "Ikariyama", the name of local villages (last two names.)
	In front of the community center was a signboard like this, guiding me to a remnant of Stone Buddha in Magari district.
The Buddha statues were located in a cave- the size of 6 by 7 meters in height and depth - on a steep precipice. On the left is a sitting statue of Shakyamuni, whose head, chest, wrist, and knees are made from different kind of stones. The statue was sculptured in middle Kamakura era - some 700 years ago. On the right is another sitting statue of Shakyamuni engraved in a dent of the precipice. It was the oldest statue in this area, made in late Heian era, some 1,000 years ago. There are many stone Buddhas here in Oita. I could see many interesting things today.
October 31: A festival of Ikarijima shrine
	Tadanao Matsudaira was moved to Oita and lived at Tsumori village. Totally different from his raging days in Echizen, he turned to a religious lord in here and lived a peaceful days. He built a branch of Kumano shrine here and visited it enthusiastically. Today is the festival of the shrine. Many ornaments are here and there on the streets.
Kumano branch shrine is on the top of a small hill called Ikarijima just across a local railroad station Takio (left.) The entrance of the shrine was also decorated with ornaments and banners.
	Ikarijima literally means "Anchor Island." This comes from an old legend, in old days; Empress Kougou anchored her ship to this hill when she was waiting wind to sail across Japan Sea. The hill stands 56 meters above sea level, sits on the sand ground suggesting the hill was an island. Ikarijima hill has Kumano branch shrine on the top.
	On the way to the top is a small hexagonal mausoleum of Tadanao Matsudaira. The inscription on a tombstone reads the original tomb was built in 1656, the sixth anniversary of the lord's death. The mausoleum was rebuilt last year.
The roof of the shrine was covered with tiles of "Three hollyhock leaves", the symbol of Tokugawa shogunate. The shrine was first built by feudal lord Ohtomo in 1196, moved to Kasuga Main shrine after the fall of him, then rebuilt by Tadanao under the name of his second son Matsuchiyo. Many local people still worship the shrine.
On the annexed stage, Kagura dance was playing by the local dancers (left.) A clown called Hyottoko suddenly sprang up from behind the shrine and caught a small kid to take him up on the stage with a comical gesture. They danced vividly and got the stormy applause from the audience. It is said any kid who was picked up onto the stage would grow healthy.
	Viewing north from the top of the hill tells me that Oita City stretches to the Beppu Bay. I imagined in an old day, the hill was floating on the sea.
	We then visited the remains of Tadanao's residence on a street of Tsumori district. Only stone monument tells the old days. I suddenly felt familiar with Tadanao and read back a famous novel "The Record of Tadanao" written by Kan Kikuchi.
In this district, we have another interesting point of view. You can't miss it; a group of ancient tombs called "One Hundred caves of Takio." The tombs date back to early sixth century. The actual number of the cave is 84. They are old graves, corps was laid in and the entrances were sealed with large stones. As time went on, almost all graves were repeatedly robbed and destroyed, leaving nothing inside. The precipice today is a part of ground of Takio junior high school. School kids were playing a soccer game on the ground. It was strange enough for me to think back over more than 1,300 years. I have experienced a local history in two days this time.