🎐August "Watermark" Goshuin🎐
The midsummer heat has arrived, hasn't it?🌞
At our shrine, we have hung wind chimes in the precincts to help you stay as cool as possible even in this heat...🎐
The hot days continue, so please take care to avoid heatstroke.
◆ "Tenjin Engi" Special Goshuin
Sugawara no Michizane, the deity enshrined at our shrine, was posthumously granted the divine title of "Tenman Daijizai Tenjin" and came to be worshipped by many as "Tenjin-sama," the god of learning.
The motif for the "Tenjin Engi" special Goshuin is the "Lightning Strike at the Seiryoden (Tokihira Drawn Sword)" scene from the "Kitano Tenjin Engi Emaki" (Illustrated Scroll of the Legends of Kitano Tenjin).
It depicts the scene where Michizane, having become a thunder god, punishes Fujiwara no Tokihira, who had falsely accused him.
Chasing the drifting lonely clouds in my heart,
I meet the capital again as the full moon rises.
Though there is nothing here to bind my body,
Why would I even take a single step out the gate?
[Translation] In my heart, my longing for the capital grows, and I feel as if I am chasing the drifting clouds away, but toward the world outside myself, I shall act with a heart as full and peaceful as the rising full moon (so as not to harbor resentment). Although I am not being held here and interrogated, in my state of exile, how could I possibly step even one foot outside the gate? (No, I cannot.)
"Fushumon" is a poem written by Michizane, who, having been defeated by political rivals and exiled to Dazaifu in a manner close to banishment, expressed his longing for the capital and his lonely state of mind. It is said that he expressed his sincere intention to remain in seclusion and did not step a single foot outside his residence.
The faith that reveres Michizane is called "Tenjin Shinko" (Tenjin Faith), and it became linked with Hon-ikazuchi-no-kami, the god of thunder and rain, and by the end of the Heian period, it came to be worshipped as a god of bountiful harvests.
While thunder is feared for its intensity, it is also a presence that brings the blessing of rain.
In the "Tenjin Emaki" special Goshuin, Michizane in his thunder god mode and the divine messenger, the ox, appear.
Michizane usually has a gentle expression, but on this day, he appears as a powerful figure bringing abundant rain and thunder. Nevertheless, the depiction is somewhat humorous and approachable.
The shrine animals working hard to protect safety and the guys who give off a downtown vibe also appear. Our enshrined deity, Lord Takamura, is in the middle of an evacuation drill in preparation for the future.
A warm, lively, and somewhat heartwarming world unfolds.
◆ "Meikan Ono no Takamura" Special Goshuin
Our shrine's deity, Lord Ono no Takamura, is said to haveworked diligently in government affairs by day and served as an adjutant to King Enma, passing judgment in the underworld by night…🖊
Lord Takamura rushes to the side of King Enma, who sits firmly in place to pass judgment in the underworld. Having served as a Sangi (Councilor), the highest organ of the Imperial Court, and being well-versed in law, it is said that Lord Takamura
also excelled as an adjutant to King Enma with his outstanding administrative abilities✨
For example, when his good friendFujiwara no Yoshimi passed away from illness, Lord Takamura, as a judge of the underworld, saved Yoshimi and brought him back to life, and when Fujiwara no Takafuji was on the verge of death, he alsoremarked that "Ono no Takamura was next to King Enma"as recorded in the "Godansho".
The fact that special treatment was granted based on Lord Takamura's petition shows just how highly he was regarded by King Enma…🎵
In recent years, Lord Takamura is often highlighted for his aspect as a "god of arts and entertainment," but his figure, working energetically in both government affairs at the Imperial Court and in the underworld day and night with his outstanding talents, could truly be called a "god of work.""god of work".
◆ "Marine Day & Mountain Day" Special Goshuin
August 11th is"Mountain Day," a national holiday with the purpose of "having opportunities to get close to the mountains and appreciating the blessings of the mountains.""Mountain Day". On the Goshuin, our deity, Lord Ono no Takamura, is enjoying hiking. The shrine animals are also enjoying nature by mountain climbing and catching insects♪
In the mountains, you can see torii gates indicating shrines and small altars. Just as there are Sengen Shrine, Ontake Shrine, and Mitsumine Shrine altars within our shrine grounds, this conveys to the present day the history of how mountain worship from the Kanto region flourished in the town of Edo.
The white wolf is also known as the divine messenger of Mitsumine Shrine. On the Goshuin, a parent and child wolf are also stationed at the summit as guardians of the mountain.
The "Mountain Day" special Goshuin was produced with a special design that connects to the July "Marine Day" special Goshuin. Please feel the summer with the Goshuin that connects across 4 panels, from the sea to the mountains♪
◆ "Summer Maple" Special Goshuin
In the "Summer Maple" special Goshuin, our associate deity, Lord Sugawara no Michizane, and the shrine animals are avoiding the heat and enjoying cooling off by the water…🎵
This is aspecial 3-panel Goshuin, but including the characters and scenery, please pay attention to thetransition between "Seiso" (clear and refreshing) and "Soryo" (cool and refreshing) centered on the middle panel, and I hope you can feel a moment of coolness.
The Chinese poem inscribed is a passage from "Summer Day Occasional Joy" in Lord Michizane's "Kanke Bunsō".
Lying down, I watch the screen of the new painting of the waterside; walking, I chant the poems of cooling off from ancient collections. My mind is at ease, with no annoying heat.
"Summer Day Occasional Joy"
Lying down, I gaze at the folding screen newly painted by an artist depicting the waterside.
Walking about, I recite the poems of cooling off from ancient times recorded in old collections.
Though my mind is somewhat restless, (because I am in such a blessed situation) I do not feel the annoying, intense heat.
The greenery in our shrine's grove is lush, and I think you will find it especially cool in the shade of the trees. We look forward to your visit♪
◆ "Mitama Matsuri" Special Goshuin
August is the season of "Obon," when we welcome the spirits of our ancestors and spend time with our families.the season of "Obon"🎐
Whether it is welcoming the spirits or the bonfire of the five mountains, it is considered most important in this season to welcome the spirits of our ancestors, entertain them in various ways, andspend time together as a family.
The theme of this Goshuin, "Mitama Matsuri," is written in kanji as"Mitama Matsuri"."Festival of Spirits".It refers to remembering the virtues of the deceased and comforting their souls.
It is difficult to reproduce in photos, but when you actually hold it in your hands, thespecial glitter finish sparkles…✨
Our enshrined deity, Lord Ono no Takamura, rides on a cloud of the Tenjin-sama (Lord Sugawara no Michizane) and dashes through the night sky with style💨 to watch the fireworks♪
Fireworks are strongly associated with cooling off, but the "Sumida River Fireworks Festival," which is considered the origin of fireworks festivals, wasoriginally held to ward off plagues and console the spirits.
Also, besides the motifs of "Mitama Matsuri" and "Fireworks🎆," this Goshuin has a "hidden secondary motif"!
Nimbus cloudWhile watching the fireworks on a cloud, the monkey on the mountain has amysterious ring…aturtle…hermitwearing sunglasses!? The cat is also holding amysterious ballcarefully and searching for theDivine Dragon🐉…✨
What on earth could it be…😁 Please try to guess🎵
◆ Guide to Monthly Visits
"Monthly visit" refers to visiting a specific shrine once or twice a month.
Calming your breath in front of the deity, straightening your back, and joining your hands to express your daily gratitude. Also, reflecting on yourself, clearing your mind, and making vows for the future. -- The accumulation of such "prayers" gradually brings the distance between the hearts of the gods and us closer.
At our shrine, as a monthly "mark of worship," we offer not only special Goshuin featuring designs that evoke the beauty of Japan's seasons and culture, but also a special leaflet containing columns on monthly festivals, the calendar, and Japanese culture, which we distribute free of charge.
As a shrine dedicated to the deity of learning and the arts, we put our hearts into creating content that you can look forward to every month.
Please take a look.
Every month, in addition to two types of "Special Goshuin" that change monthly,you can also download two types of "wallpaper" (free of charge).
We hope that through these seasonal travels with our enshrined deity, you will feel closer to the shrine and enjoy the colors of the four seasons in your daily life.
◆Ono Terusaki Shrine
This is a shrine located in Iriya, a downtown area of Tokyo, dedicated to the deity of learning, the arts, and work.
The enshrined deity is Lord Ono no Takamura, one of the leading multi-talented artists of the Heian period. He is a deity of painting who loves Java sparrows, appears in the Hyakunin Isshu, and is a busy deity who works for the Imperial Court by day and the underworld by night. Founded in 852⛩, the shrine grounds also feature a Fujizuka mound, which is an Important Cultural Property🗻