| |
 @From
a long time ago, people have worshipped the Konpira Shrine
as a Sea Deity. This place was an entrance to the approach
for the Konpira Shrine. It was used by samurai, and it was
called goshisha-guchi.h It is on the Iyo-Tosa Road, one of
the old and prospering trunk roads to the shrine, and there
are over 60 stone lanterns lining over 100 meters long along
the way. The goshisha-guchih eventually came to be called
gussha-guchi.h The place around gussha-guchih seems to have
been a prosperous area, as there were many shops including
a rice-cake shop, a confectionery, a teahouse, a barbershop,
a spear shop that sold mulberry-poles from Kochi for the Sabumi
Folk Dance, and a restaurant called Shiwaku-ya. |
Chopstick
washing place for Tengu |
@In the middle of the Atago Mountain
in Konpira, there is a place called gchopstick washing place
for Tengu (long-nosed goblin).h A long time ago, it is believed
that a Tengu living in the Hashikura Mountain in Awa (an old
name of Tokushima) often came to the Konpira Mountain to enjoy
delicious foods. He always washed his chopsticks afterwards.
The washing place was a spring surrounded by big rocks, and
fresh water always sprang from it.
@ One day, a gnaughtyh man, who lived at the foot of the Kotohira
Mountain, thought of scooping water out of the gchopstick washing
place.h Since that time, he could not move his neck for three
days, and finally visited a bonesetter. The bonesetter said,
gThe Tengu must have cast a spell on you,h and cured his neck.
The man never went near the chopstick washing place again.
@There is another story regarding Tengu. Several Tengu had a
gathering at Konpira on the 10th of October, when the biggest
annual festival of the Kotohira Shrine was to be held. After
dinner, the Tengus threw their chopsticks away under the veranda
at the Kannon hall. A while later when another big festival
was held at the Kotohira Shrine, a heavy storm blew these chopsticks
away to the Hashikura Mountain. In kanji, the word gHashikurah
means gchopstick storehouse.h |
A
story about gTeppo-manh |
| @A long time ago, a craftsman called gTeppo-manh
lived at the foot of the Kotohira Mountain. Ond day, he was
asked to repair the roof of a shrine, where people worshipped
a guardian god, which was located only 10 meters away from the
Hiruta Shrine in Saita-cho. One night, the Teppo-man visited
the caretaker at the shrine. After chatting for a while, the
Teppo-man started to tell a story. gThere is a very rich lord
in Konpira. He always talks about one thing to his family and
to his servants.h gWhatfs that?h the caretaker asked Teppo-man
curiously. He talked proudly, gDonft spend a small amount of
money in vain! Itfs good to spend a large amount because it
means you can buy something big, which will become your property.h
On his way back to Kotohira, Teppo-man kept singing the phrase
repeatedly. |
Stone
steps climbing up to the Kotohira Shrine |
 A
long time ago, a man called Hyozo went on a trip to Osaka. He
stayed at an inn. A landlord at the inn asked him, gWhere are
you from?h gI am from a place, very close to the Konpira Shrine,h
he answered. The landlord asked him, gDo you know how many stone
steps there are in Konpira?h Since Hyozo could not answer the
question, he felt ashamed of himself and he also felt sad.
@The next morning, when he went to a well to wash his face,
he noticed a well-bucket. After counting the number of the bamboo
joints of the pole to support the bucket, he asked the landlord,
gDo you know how many bamboo joints there are on the pole for
the well-bucket?h gNo,h the landlord answered in shame. This
story says that since that time, people come to count the number
of stone steps when they visit the Kotohira Shrine. |
Carpenter
specialized in Shrines and Dharma |
@A long time ago, a carpenter who
specialized in shrines was asked to conduct a big project. Because
of the huge responsibility of the project, he was at a loss
as to what to do, and thought of it over days and nights.
@One night, he had a dream of a divine message, gCarve statues
of Dharma from a pine tree and meditate, and something good
will happen to you.h Therefore, he started carving Dharma statues
and kept looking at them every day.
@After following the divine message, he eventually was able
to feel at ease, and his work went very well. As a result, he
was able to complete the whole construction project of the Asahi-no-yashiro
Shrine.
@Since then, Dharma statues have been carved to help people
in trouble. Today, they are regarded as a good souvenir of Kotohira.
|
|
