3/20/2015

Yamagata Prefecture

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- KAPPA - 河童 / かっぱ / カッパ - Legends -
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- Yamagata 山形県 -



Its capital is Yamagata city.
During the Heian Period (794–1185), the Fujiwara (藤原) family ruled the area. Yamagata City flourished during the Edo Period (1603–1867) due to its status as a castle town and post station, famous for beni (red safflower dye used in the production of handspun silk). In 1689, the famous haiku poet, Matsuo Bashō visited Yamagata during his five-month trip to the northern regions of Japan.
- more in the wikipedia -

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CLICK for more photos !

Mahoroba Kappa Matsuri まほろば河童まつり
August 4, 2013 - 高畠町 Takahata Machi
As for mikoshi portable shrine and parade, "the naga" is the main event or kappa having fun!
- source : yamagatakanko.com





2014年8月3日 August 2014
「河童神輿行列」Kappa Mikoshi Parade from the school
- source and more photos : 高畠四中 - 学校日誌

. mahoroba まほろば a place of peace and bliss - and Kappa .


Kappatsunao Festival



Kappa legend ... ... which is handed down to Mogami River
「松川の河童伝説」Matsukawa no Kappa Densetsu 

A cucumber roll of 250m in length . . .
- source : yamagatakanko.jp.e.db.hp.

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Legend about the Kappa living in river Mogamigawa 最上川に住む河童

Once upon a time
there lived a village headman at the banks of river Mogamigawa - and he had a very beautiful daughter!
She was his only daughter and he loved her so very much and cared for her lovingly.
But one day all of a sudden her face became all pale green and she got worse every day.
He called a doctor to cure her, but he did not know the reason for her illness. And the girl herself also did not know what had gotten into her all of a sudden.

So the desparate father went to the miko 巫女 Shinto shrine shaman lady to have a look at the girl. The miko knew the answer:
"This is the deed of a Kappa. Seems a Kappa has taken a fancy to your daughter. If you can get hold of a skilfull Buddhist priest, he can perform a ritual of "Cutting off the Road" (michi kiri 道切) to catch the Kappa."

So the village headman went to an old temple and asked the priest to perform the exorcism rites 道切りの呪文.
The priest went to the river Mogamigawa, from where the Kappa made his entry into the village, and began his prayers and chanting.
As he was praying, the waters receeded very fast.

"Let go of the spell you put onto the headman's daughter, old Kappa!
Bring us a written statement 証文 that you will never harm anyone in this village and leave it here until tomorrow morning. If you do not comply, I will take away all the water of this river!"

When the priest called out his request, there was a feeble answer from the river:
"Ok, Ok, please wait until tomorrow morning!"

From the next morning on, the daughter was free of the evil spell and beautiful as ever.
And at the front gate of the temple where the priest lived there was a scroll with the promise of the Kappa.

It seems this scroll is still held in honor at a temple in Takahata.
Just to think that there was a priest who could retract all the water of the river Mogamigawa!

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michikiri, michi-kiri 道切 / 道切り "Cutting off the Road"
tsujigiri 辻切り(つじぎり) cutting off a crossroad


- wikipedia -

At the part where the main road enters a village, Dososhin deities are enshrined, sacred 注連縄 shimenawa ropes (or sometimes snakes made of straw) and other amulets are hung and 草履 zori (or waraji) straw sandals are offered to the deities in order to prevent evil spirits and monsters (or Kappa in this story) from entering and drive them away.

勧請縄 Kanjonawa rope

. Dosojin 道祖神 Dososhin - Wayside Deities .

A straw figure at the roadside to ward off evil influence:
. O-Ningyoo Sama お人形様  O-Ningyo Sama .
Figures of "boundary deities" sakaigami 境神 like this were put at the entrance of a village to ward off evil.


. tsujigiri 辻斬り "to kill someone at a crossroad" .

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最上川河童舟下り A Kappa going down the river Mogamigawa


source : kappauv.com/sub3/hakubutu/ - Kappa Museum

In the front of the pottery boat a female Kappa is sitting, enjoying the boat ride.

Mogamigawa - kappa tobikomu mizu no oto

this old river -
the sound of water
as the Kappa jumps in




五月雨を集めてはやし最上川
samidare o atsumete hayashi Mogamigawa

-Oku no Hosomichi - 奥の細道 - おくのほそ道
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉
. - - - Station 28 - Mogamigawa 最上川 - - - .

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- reference -


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. - - - Join my Kappa friends on facebook ! - - - .

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. Kappa densetsu 河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .

. Mingei 民芸 Regional Folk Art from Japan .

- #kappayamagata #yamagata -
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