Miyamoto (II)

I finished another book by Miyamoto Kesao called Fukujin shinkō. It is actually a compilation of the most important works of various authors concerning Japanese lucky gods and as it is rather long and detailed it took me quite a while to work through it. Various authors wrote about the Seven Lucky Gods (七福神 shichi fuku-jin) – particularly Ebisu (エビス、夷、恵比須、恵比寿、蛭子、戎、…) received a lot of attention – but the term “Lucky God” was interpreted in a broad sense and deities like the Funa-dama 船霊, Inari 稲荷, Yama no Kami 山の神, Ta no Kami 田の神, Uga-jin 宇賀神 etc. were treated as well.

After an introduction by Miyamoto himself Kita Sadakichi 喜田貞吉 (1871-1939) takes over. Kita, whose work is regarded as slightly controversial because of its influence on Japan’s colonial assimilation policy in Korea, has done a great deal of research on Japanese folklore. Even though the writings used in this compilation do not deal with the contemporary relations within Asia, the  “Zeitgeist” is still reflected by the usage of words like Shina 支那, a word which is nowadays considered to be derogatory, for China (now 中国 Chūgoku).

Kita first deals with some early examples of lucky deities like Sae no Kami (道祖神 1), the Fox Deity (狐神 ko-shin?) who has often been subject to syncretism with Dakini-ten荼吉尼天2, the Snake Deity (蛇神 hebi-kami?) who is often associated with Uga-jin 3.

After this, Kita moves on to the Seven Lucky Gods and their origin. For the most part the explanations he gives, overlaps with what the other authors say.

The next part was written by Miyata Noboru 宮田登 (1936-2000), once the chairman of The Folklore Society of Japan (日本民族学会 Nihon Minzoku Gakkai). He also deals with the Seven Lucky Gods and their origin, but he mainly focusses on Daikoku-ten and Ebisu.

After that the folklorist Ōshima Tatehiko 大島建彦 (1932- ) takes the book in a slightly different direction by comparing lucky deities to deities of pestilence (疫神 ekijin). Ōshima mentions how a poor retainer of the shōgun enshrined an image of the Poverty God (貧乏神 Binbō-gami) in his house.

The contribution of Kamiya Takehiro 紙谷威広 (1944- ) follows Ōshima’s direction as it deals with lucky gods and gods of misfortune (厄神 yaku-jin). An interesting quote from (『近世風俗志』Kinsei fūzokushi, by Kitagawa Morisada 喜田川守貞) explains how people would put an image of the treasure ship (in which the Seven Lucky Gods are often depicted) under their pillow on the second night of the New Year hoping it would bring them fortune. When reading this part I came up with the following:

*The idea of putting something under ones pillow in order to gain money/wealth is reminiscent of the tooth fairy in the English-speaking world.

*Furthermore, the concept of a boat coming from overseas in winter bearing treasures/gifts is rather similar to the traditions surrounding Sinterklaas in the Low Countries (there even is an old man with a long, white beard [Jurō-jin/Fukurokuju] present on both ships, as well as a black-faced character with a hat and a bag [Daikoku-ten]). Either one story was influenced by the other, or – and this seems more likely – the 19^th century was a period in both regions were new products were imported from abroad [the West for Japan and the Dutch East Indies for the Netherlands] creating similar sources of inspiration for folklore.

In the following part, Namihira Emiko 波平恵美子 (1942- ) talks about the remarkable beliefs concerning people who drowned at sea among traditional fishermen. It is believed that there are two kinds of impurity: red impurity (赤不浄 aka fujō: blood, menstruation, birth, pregnancy,…) and black impurity (黒不浄kuro fujō: death). Taking impure things or people on board was considered dangerous and thus taboo. However, when encountered at sea, bodies of drowned people were not only taken aboard, they were even named and enshrined as Ebisu. Namihira also discusses the versatile character of Ebisu and the similarities with Dōso-ko, Ta no Kami and Yama no Kami (the latter two are often believed to be the same).

Namihira states that Yama no Kami is said to ride a wild boar. When I read this it immediately reminded me of the ancient Gaulish goddess Arduinna. This deity, who was also (presumably) depicted riding a wild boar, is said to be the deity of the Ardennes highlands in the Southern regions of Belgium.

Further on, Namihira talks about the boat’s spirit, the Funa-dama, who is believed to be female. Tradition has it that it is unsafe to take women aboard because of this deity’s jealous character.

The focus remains on Ebisu with shintō priest Mayumi Tsuneda 真弓常忠 (1923- ), as he looks at some local examples, Yoshii Sadatoshi 吉井 貞俊 (1930- ), Sakurada Katsunori 桜田勝徳 (1903-1979) and Tanaka Sen’ichi 田中宣一 (1939- ).

The late historian Nagamema Tenkai 長沼賢海 (1883-1980) takes this book to the study of Daikoku-ten, followed by the late folklorist Ono Jūrō 小野重郎 (1911-1995) who gives very interesting details on His veneration in the household.

We learn more about Bishamonten 毘沙門天 with Nishimura Chiho 西村千穂 (?-?) and we have a closer look at the only female member of the Seven Lucky Gods Benzai-ten 弁財天 (弁才天、also : 弁天 Ben-ten) with Miyata Noboru enTamura Fumio 圭室 文雄 (1935- ).

It would take me too long to put all my notes online, but one detail I shall devote a paragraph to is the Daikoku-bashira 大黒柱. I mentioned this remarkable architectural name in a former blog entry (Yamanashi-ken), but at the time I could not work out the link between Daikoku-ten and this pillar. In Ono’s part of Fukujin shinkō (p232) however, he mentions that one can often find a Daikoku-dana  大黒棚, or shelf enshrining Daikoku-ten, on top of the Daikoku-bashira in Minami-Kyūshū 南九州. In some regions people even have as much as ten Daikoku-ten statuettes on the Daikoku-dana and all of them are soot-coloured. Apparently, when a new house is built visitors bring these statuettes to the (often newlywed) residents.

Until the end of the Meiji period, it was common for people, adults and children alike, to render themselves unrecognisable by means of masks and clothes and visit the newlyweds’ houses. After alerting the residents of the house by knocking on the door with a stick, they would enter and present a Daikoku statuette carved out of pumice stone, measuring about 15cm. The present would be enshrined on the Daikoku-dana and in exchange for their presents the New Year’s visitors were offered rice cake.

* This practice is similar to Halloween traditions in the United States and "Nieuwjaarszing" (New Year Singing) in certain parts of the Low Countries.

1. In most instances these kanji are pronounced Dōso-jin 

2. I have seen Japanese images of this originally Hindu deity riding a fox and there seems to be a link with Inari as well.

3. Uga-jin is often represented as a snake with a human head.

Sources:

Miyamoto, Kesao  (宮本袈裟雄). 『福神信仰』 (Fukujin shinkō).  Tokyo:  Yūsankaku (雄山閣), 1987.