Ancient Road to Fujisan
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Fujisan-michi Road ANCIENT ROAD Koshu-dochu road was one of the highways starting from Onuma (Milestone / Wade-miya) Koasumi (Lake Asumiko) Shimoyoshida / Omuro Sengen-jinja Oshi-machi (the base town for Nihonbashi in Edo (present-day Tokyo). People living in the Kanto It was around the present-day Onuma area in Nishikatsura Lake Asumiko is a small lake, but it is one of eight lakes called Shrine worship-ascent) plains walked along Koshu-dochu road to the west, heading for TO FUJISAN Town that people coming along Fujisan-michi could get a chance “Uchihakkai”, which were regarded as the pilgrimage destinations. Silk fabrics have been one of the major industries in Fujisan. e road forked at Otsuki post-town and they walked up for the rst time to see the whole mountain of Fujisan trailing It was drawn as “Fuji seen from Asumi Village” in “Fugaku Shimoyoshida since the Edo period. People have reared silkworms Yamura-ji road along the Katsura River to come to Yoshida. e — Pilgrimage Routes of Fujisan — gently in a conic shape. e old road at Onuma was called Hyakkei”, or one hundred landscapes of Fujisan, by Katsushika to reel silk o cocoons and made silk fabrics. e industry has been Fujisan worshipers named the whole road from Edo “Shuku-dori”, which ourished as a post-town for Hokusai. Lake Asumiko was part of Koasumi Village in the Edo supported by the abundant subsoil water from Fujisan. It has “Fujisan-michi”. worship-ascenders to the summer mountain during the period period, and the people aiming for Fujisan would perform water grown in auence, making the best use of the natural condition, from the Edo era through the present days. rituals here. ey puried themselves with abundant water sprung for example, the water from dierent sources was used for dyeing as Walk on Fujisan-michi Road ! It is said that Onuma Sengen-jinja Shrine was founded in 721. out at the foot of the surrounding mountains, and then set out to necessary. e wholesale stores of silk fabrics used to stand in a row e deities enshrined are Konohana-Sakuya Hime, the goddess of ascend Fujisan. Mitsutoge Station on the east side of the main street, which were called Fujisan, and her husband, Amatsuhikohikohononinigi no Mikoto. “Kinuya-machi”, or the town of silk fabrics stores. 1.9km At Omuro Sengen-jinja Shrine in Shimoyoshida, a Shinto ritual called “Tsutsu-gayu” is conducted from the midnight of January Onuma Sengen-jinja Shrine 14th through the dawn of the following 15th. It is a divine fortune-telling, in which how much porridge and how many grains 4.8km of rice come in the 24 pipes of reed tell us how the crop will be in Lake Asumiko the year. is Shinto ritual also tells us whether the number of climbers to Fujisan is large or small. It was a matter of concern for 2.8km Oshi because their lives were inuenced by it. “Oshi-machi” map Omuro Sengen-jinja Shrine In the Edo period, there were so many Fuji-ko (Fuji pilgrimage 2.0km associations) that it was said there were 808 Fuji-ko groups in Edo. Arakura Sengen-jinja Shrine Lake Asumiko ey came to Yoshida walking through the Fujisan-michi from 0.9km “Chureito” pagoda various places. When the Fuji-ko were at the height of popularity Arakura Sengen-jinja Shrine among the commoners, nearly 100 Oshi-lodgings and related Kana-dorii Sengen-jinja Shrine on the hill houses lined the road. Yoshida developed into the base town for of Arakura is located at the point worship-ascent to Fujisan. 0.4km where it overlooks the Fuji-ko which were popular in Edo and the surrounding areas Onuma Sengen-jinja Shrine “Oshi” Lodging House Ken-marubi lava. It can be made worship-ascent in a group. Oshi accommodated the Fuji-ko (Former House of the Togawa Family) inferred that a ritual would be in their private houses, while they preached the Fujisan belief. Kamikurechi (Ken-marubi Lava) held, praying to quell the lava ow During the mountain climbing seaseon, Oshi took care of Fuji-ko 1.3km e volcanic alluvial fan spreads out on the northern side of and to protect people from “Yabusame” ritual at Omuro Sengen-jinja Shrine groups who stayed in their lodging houses, serving the meals, Kitaguchi Hongu Fujisan, on which there are many streams of lava ow. is area disaster. Today it is getting praying for purication, and guiding the climbing. Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine had big volcanic activities repeatedly. e new lava of the Shin-Fuji popular as a viewpoint of Fujisan Kana-dorii Kazan (Young Fuji Volcano) are called “___ marubi”. which is known for “Chureito”, “Chureito” pagoda Torii gates usually signify the Ken-marubi lava that owed out near the summit about 1000 ve-storied pagoda. boundaries between the common years ago went down around the Komitake Kazan (Komitake e tablet which reads world and the sacred area. Volcano) along the present Fuji Subaru Line Toll Road, which “Sangoku-Daiichi-zan” is put up Kana-dorii standing at the formed Yoshida and Funatsu lava tree molds, and nally reached on the torii at Arakura gateway of Yoshida Town is around Shiraito in Kamikurechi. It is said that it was named Sengen-jinja Shrine. Sangoku, regarded as the rst torii, and the “Ken-marubi” because the shape of the lava ow resembled a meaning three countries, indicates town was formed with the sword, which is called “ken” in Japanese. India, China, and Japan, which religious design as if the inner side signied the whole world in the of the torii would be the sacred Medieval period. at is to say area as well. At the important “Sangoku-Daiichi-zan” meant the points along the route to the No. 1 mountain in the world. summit, there are torii gates, and Gazing at Mt. Fuji from Inume Pass in Uenohara City “Sangoku-Daiichi-zan” tablet Kana-dorii is the rst one. “Kana-dorii” gate Oshi Lodging House (former House of the Togawa Family) Mt. Fuji from Fuji Hokuroku Area Kamakura-kaido Road ere is a road called “Kai-ji”, which branches o from the Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine Kawaguchi Asama-jinja Shrine “Tatami-iwa” Lava Rock at Funatsu-hama “Gyoi ”, or a pilgrim’s garb Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine was the starting historical main road in Japan, Tokai-do Road and leads to the It is believed that the shrine was originally built in order to shore of Lake Kawaguchiko capital of “Kai Province” (present-day Yamanashi Prefecture). It The summit of Fujisan was compared to point of worship-ascent for Fuji-ko. It originated in the place for appease the deity and implore protection against eruptions aer It is thought that “Tatami-iwa” lava rock found at Funatsu-hama a Buddhist paradise or the afterworld by was also called “Misaka-ji” because it crosses “Misaka-toge” Pass. worship from afar (“Yohai”) where Asama no Okami was Fujisan erupted in 864. Since the Medieval period, it has shore of Lake Kawaguchiko was the volcanic feature created by the people who climbed the mountain for a In the Kamakura period (1185-1333), it came to be called enshrined. In 1480, the torii gate was built. e most of the shrine supported Fujisan worship as the shrine which is sited in the center lava ow aer Fujisan’s eruptions in the middle of the Jomon religious purpose. Ascending Fujisan Kamakura-kaido Road since samurai warriors used almost the buildings were completed by the middle of the 17th century of the settlement of “Oshi” period, around 4500 years ago. It is presumed that this spot was meant a religious practice and having an same route to pay a courtesy visit to the Kamakura Shogunate. experience of symbolic death. Descending including the main shrine which was built in 1615. is shrine has religious guides’ lodgings, regarded as one of the places for the “Uchihakkai-meguri,” the From the Muromachi period (1333-1568) onward, a lot of the mountain signified a spiritual rebirth. been deeply connected with Fuji-ko, and the buildings were where believers coming to practice of making a circuit of eight lakes at the base of Fujisan, believers of the general population visited Fujisan and the people Therefore, pilgrims wore white “Gyoi” restored with the donation by the leader of Fuji-ko, Murakami Fujisan via Kamakura-kaido which was conducted by Fuji-ko in the Edo period. from the westward and northward areas from Kofu Basin used clothes which were the same religious Kosei, in the 1730’s. us the present landscape was formed. Road stayed. Religious events white clothes used to dress the deceased. Kamakura-kaido Road as a pilgrimage route to Fujisan. At that closely related to Fujisan are Mt. Fuji from Mt. Takazasu Mt. Fuji from Mt. Ishiwari time, “Oshi” lodging houses to accommodate those believers were still conducted today. One of built in the Kawaguchi area which was located along the road and them is Chigomai dance, they had ourished up to the Edo period (1603-1868). which is designated as an important intangible cultural Walk on Kamakura-kaido Road ! property. The approach to Kawaguchi Asama-jinja Shrine “Goshuin”, or a seal stamp given to visitors to Shinto shrines Kawaguchi Asama-jinja Shrine “Goshuin” is testimony of “Omairi,” which means visiting shrines, making a connection with deities and deepening the relationship with Chigomai dance 10min. them. In short, “Goshuin” is testimony of building the connection with Chigomai dance is one of the Shinto ritual performing arts which have deities.