posted Aug. 2021
ごPlease note that information here includes events and places unopen to public due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Visitors are recommended to check the latest information published by the Kawakami Village office.When visiting, your cooperation in following the infection prevention guidelines will be highly appreciated.
Unsenji Temple and Yumieshiki
In early January, Yumieshiki Ceremony is held in Unsenji Temple, Karasugawa Shrine and Hakusan Shrine in Kawakami. The ceremony is believed to have its origin in Engi Period (901-923).
Kawakami Village then was suffering from threats by evil spirits and of plagues. One villager named Higashi Yasou stood to save the village and started the ceremony. He prayed to Hakusandaigongen God to have the evil spirits expelled and the plagues stopped. His prayers proved successful.
Higashi Yasou gave the following instructions to the villagers in order to keep the village safe for many years to come. “The evils live in the mountains. They may come and give us troubles again. To avoid that you need to shoot houshi arrows with soukyu bows on the ninth day every year to every direction, that is east-west, north-south and heaven-earth.” The soukyu bow is made from mulberry trees and the houshi arrow made of Japanese mugwort.
The Yumieshiki ceremony is held on January 9 every year even now. All the details laid out by Higashi Yasou are strictly followed. Minokasa coverings are woven, Chihami dance is offered, and mugwort arrows are shot using mulberry bows. The ceremony finishes with chanting and prayers by Unsenji priests for the dead evil spirits.
Kongohji Temple
Meaning
There are many distinguished families with reference to “sujime no mono”, the descendants of gohshi who were loyal to the Southern Dynasty. People in the Kashiwagi district to this day conduct a ceremony to worship Nancho-sama in Kongohji Temple on the 5th of February every year. The temple is located in Kohnotani where the dynasty’s palace once stood. On the day ‘sujime no mono’ are allowed to wear imperial chrysanthemum crest kamishimo and occupy higher seats than Acting Governor and County Head.
Tanizaki Jyunichiro, Yoshinokuzu 1930
Tanizaki’s novel Yoshinokuzu contains a five-day itinerary of watashi, the main character. In the book watashi said, “I’m going to explore the Yoshino riverhead area for 5-6 days. I’m hoping to collect materials to help writing a novel”, and started the journey. The itinerary lists Go-Nancho related places, such as Kawakami Village and Kamikitayama Village, showing that watashi and the author Tanizaki himself were strongly interested in the history of Go-Nancho. The detailed descriptions of Chouhaishiki Ceremony and of compassion toward Kawakami’s gohshisuggest that watashi highly respected Nancho’s prince Jitenno and his loyal gohshi people.
Seireinotaki Waterfall
Seireinotakino hotoriwa fumotono hanano sakarinimonizu ipponno hanamoarade harumadaasaki kokochisu.
Saekaeru matsuno shigureya takikeburi
Iseki Sagen, in Takai Kitou’s Yoshino Kikou, March 1789
Meaning
Unlike the blossom seen at the village, in the Seireinotaki Waterfall area nothing is in bloom and spring is only dimly hinted.
‘a serene spring day with fine rain covering pine trees and mist filling the waterfall like smoke’
Iseki Sagen made this haiku when he was accompanying his master Kitou in Yoshino. On and around March 2 there was no cherry blossom in the Seireinotaki waterfall area. It was in good contrast to the colorful bloom in the village. Sagen, finding little hint of spring, simply described the day as ‘a serene spring day with fine rain covering pine trees and mist filling the waterfall like smoke’.
