本文へジャンプ

【素戔嗚尊（スサノオ）主祭神の本宮 皇統神話と熊野の旅-15】




熊野を歩き始めたわたしの動機は、生来の歴史好きが高じて「皇統」について、その起源とされる初代の神武帝の「行軍路」についての身体的体験を得たいということ。また日本の建築文化というものを総合的に理解するためにもこうした知見はきわめて有用だと考えます。
それは日本人の「精神性」が端的に表現されると考えるからでもあります。そういう皇統の精神文化のなかの神話部分で、イザナギ・イザナミは別格としてもっとも著名な祖先神として、アマテラスとスサノオの「姉弟」の説話が非常に影響度が大きい。
太陽神とされ皇祖神として伊勢に祀られるアマテラスはいわば源流になるのだと思いますが、弟の「荒ぶる」神であるスサノオは、皇統神話のなかで特異な存在だと思います。アマテラスはこの弟の天上界での悪行の数々に、最初は鷹揚に対応するように命じていたけれど、それがどんどん増長するに及んで怒りを爆発させて、天の岩戸に隠れてしまって世界から太陽の光が消えてしまったという有名な神話エピソードを生成させた。
この熊野本宮にはじめて詣らせていただいて、その主たる祭神としてスサノオが祀られ、アマテラスもさらにイザナギ・イザナミにも優先するトップ順列で祀られることに内心驚かされた。
３枚目の説明看板「参拝の仕方と順番」であきらかなように、スサノオの別名・家津御子大神（ケツミコノカミ）がトップと位置づけられている。同説明では、アマテラスはスサノオと同列の神格が建築表現され、国生みのイザナギ・イザナミの夫婦神はひとつの建築に仲良く鎮座されている。そして最後に八百万の神々が整列鎮座されている。


わたしは別に神道研究しているわけではありませんが、普通の日本人として習俗習慣としての神社信仰には素直な心理を抱いております。もっと言えば日本人の大きな精神文化としてのリスペクトは持っている。
そういうなかでスサノオさんをこのように正視できたのはここだけ。ケツミコノカミというのは、熊野権現の中心的な神であり平安時代から修験道で崇拝され,熊野信仰の広がりとともに各地に祭られるようになったとされる。ケツミコは「木津御子」で樹木の神の意であって、木の国紀州に植樹していったという神代の伝承に基づくとされている。
いろいろな皇統神話のなかでも異彩を放つスサノオというのはオモシロい。正統と異端というような仕分けで考えればあきらかに異端に属するのに、この熊野本宮では堂々たる主祭神。そして木の神とされるのであれば、日本建築がもっとも敬愛すべき神とも思える。
そんな妄想をたくましくさせられながら、内心、楽しい探索のきっかけを与えられたよろこびを感じさせていただいた次第です。それにしても皇祖神の大スターたちが一同に整列されている様は、さすがに熊野信仰の中心たる雰囲気を醸し出していますね。

English version⬇

The main shrine of Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the main deity of the Imperial lineage Mythology and Kumano Journey-15
Susanoo, who was abhorred in the heavenly realm for his evil deeds and rough behavior, became the main deity as the “God of Trees”. He took precedence over Amaterasu, Izanagi and Izanami. The strangeness of the Kumano faith.

My motivation for walking in Kumano was to gain physical experience of the “marching route” of the first Jinmu Emperor, who is said to have been the origin of the “imperial lineage” due to my innate love of history. I also believe that such knowledge is extremely useful for a comprehensive understanding of Japanese architectural culture.
This is also because I believe it will give a clear expression to the “spirituality” of the Japanese people. Aside from Izanagi and Izanami, the most prominent ancestor deities in the mythological part of the spiritual culture of the imperial lineage are the highly influential “sister and brother” stories of Amaterasu and Susanoo.
Amaterasu, who is considered the sun goddess and is worshipped at Ise as the ancestral god, is, so to speak, the origin of the myth, but her younger brother Susanoo, the “rough” god, is unique in the mythology of the imperial lineage. Amaterasu had initially ordered her brother to deal with his many misdeeds in the heavenly realm in a hawkish manner, but as they grew worse and worse, he exploded in anger and hid in the Iwato of Heaven, causing the famous mythological episode of the disappearance of the sun’s rays from the world.
When I visited the Kumano Hongu Shrine for the first time, I was surprised to see Susanoo enshrined as the principal deity and Amaterasu in the top order of precedence over Izanagi and Izanami.
As the third signboard explains, “How to worship and the order of worship,” Ketsumiko no Kami, another name for Susanoo, is positioned at the top of the list. In the same explanation, Amaterasu is represented as being on the same level of divinity as Susanoo, and the couple Izanagi and Izanami, the birth of the nation, are seated together in a single structure. Finally, the eight million deities are seated in a row.

I am not a Shinto researcher, but as an ordinary Japanese, I have an honest psychological attachment to shrine worship as a customary practice. More specifically, I have respect for Shinto as a major spiritual culture of the Japanese people.
This is the only place where I could look at Susanoo in such a positive way. Ketsumiko-no Kami is the central deity of Kumano Gongen and has been worshipped in Shugendo since the Heian period (794-1185), and as the Kumano faith spread, he came to be worshipped in various places. Ketsumiko means “Kizumiko,” the god of trees, and is said to be based on the legend of the Kami period that trees were planted in Kishu, the land of trees.
Among the various myths of the imperial lineage, Susanoo, who is unique, is interesting. Although he is clearly a heretic in terms of orthodoxy and heresy, he is the main deity at Kumano Hongu, and is regarded as the god of trees. And if he is regarded as the god of trees, he seems to be the most revered deity in Japanese architecture.
While being inspired by such delusions, I was inwardly feeling a sense of joy at having been given the opportunity to enjoy an enjoyable exploration of the area. The presence of all the great stars of the Imperial Ancestral Gods in one place was indeed the center of the Kumano faith.

Posted on 1月 17th, 2024 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究 | No Comments »

【民族の「再生」力の根源思想 皇統神話と熊野の旅-14】



熊野三社という存在はそれを歴史などで学習する機会は現代ではほとんどないのではないだろう。
しかし自然神・山岳信仰の集約者ともいえる役行者。そして紀州の山岳地帯・高野山に本拠を持った空海などの日本精神史の重要人物たちは色濃く熊野を意識していたと思える。中世に於いては、念仏踊りの一遍もこの熊野本宮で回生の機縁を持ったとされるなど類例は無数にある。
そのように日本史の中で重要な「精神史」の基盤を為している存在であるのに、現代教育に於いては一顧だにされていないと思う。現にわたし自身もうっすらとその存在を認識していた程度で、それが日本精神史の重要な部分だとまでは考えが及んでいなかった。
中世以降、多くの皇統が熊野詣を繰り返し、また庶民も「伊勢に七度、熊野に三度」詣らなければよき人生と結縁できないという思いに駆られて大挙して参詣を繰り返していた、民衆のこころを固くグリップし続けてきていたこの重要な部分について触れることを避けてきているのだと思う。
たしかに歴史の正史という部分ではないだろうけれど、しかし人びとの内面を大きく規定したこうした側面について、正しい認識は不可欠ではないだろうか。
最近また増加傾向といわれる中国からの観光客の中国共産党独裁国家による「反日教育」の反映された悲しい言動を見聞きするにつれ、良識ある人間教育というものを考えさせられる。他山の石として、神国思想などではなく、本来の素朴な民族性について日本人はもっと知る必要があるだろう。



とくに熊野信仰のコア部分に「蘇り」というハートがあるということは、日本民族にとって非常に重要だと思える。火山列島であり、有史以来、大地震とかカルデラ級大噴火、大津波などの自然災害を繰り返し経験してきた日本。現に今、能登半島では地域の崩壊レベルの大災害に見舞われている。そのときに、粘り強く再生の努力を傾ける精神性は、こうした先人たちの知恵に大きく与っていると強く思う。悲しいことだけれど、135年前に十津川の地から北海道までの移住を決断して、みごとに民族の命の再生を見せてくれた先人たちの深い叡智に打たれていた。1889年当時は北海道の開拓という事柄はそれこそ民族の未来にとって土地の開発、ひいては殖民を通しての国防上の観点からも最重要であり、被災に際して国家的な「誘導策」もあっただろうことは想像できる。
しかし人びとにとって、母村を2,000kmも離れて原野を切り開こうと決意させた心底に、こうした熊野信仰が大きな心理的動因の一端にはなっていたと思える。
ながく日本人のこころに大きな存在であった熊野信仰のコアである、本宮旧社殿があった大斎原にわたし自身はこころを掴まれてしまった。まぁ、空間の磁力とでもいえるようなものでしょうか。
あした以降、そもそもの熊野信仰の祭神について触れていきたい。

English version⬇

The Root Idea of the “Rebirth” Power of the People Imperial Mythology and the Kumano Journey-14
Disaster-stricken islands repeatedly force their people to face difficulties. However, our ancestors have also bequeathed to us the faith to confront them. Passing on wisdom to the next generation. The wisdom of the past is passed on to the next generation.

The existence of the three Kumano shrines is something that few people today have the opportunity to learn about through history or other means.
However, the three Kumano shrines are the focus of the Kumano Sansha, or Kumano Gyoja, who can be said to be the central figure of nature gods and mountain worship. Kukai, who had his headquarters on Mt. Koya in the mountains of Kishu, and other important figures in the history of Japanese spirituality seem to have been deeply aware of Kumano. In the Middle Ages, the Nenbutsu (Buddhist prayer) dancer Ippen is said to have had a chance of rebirth at Kumano Hongu, and there are countless other similar examples.
As such, it is an important part of Japanese history that serves as the foundation of “spiritual history,” yet it is not given a second thought in modern education. In fact, I myself was only vaguely aware of its existence, but I had no idea that it was an important part of Japanese spiritual history.
Since the Middle Ages, many imperial families have made repeated pilgrimages to Kumano, and the common people, driven by the belief that they could not have a good life without making a pilgrimage to Ise seven times and Kumano three times, have also made repeated pilgrimages to Kumano in large numbers. It is true that this is not an authentic part of history.
Although it may not be an authentic part of history, I think it is essential to have a correct understanding of this aspect that has largely defined the inner life of the people.
As I see and hear the sad words and actions of the increasing number of Chinese tourists reflecting the “anti-Japanese education” of the Chinese Communist dictatorship, I am reminded of the importance of educating people with common sense. As a stone from the other side of the mountain, Japanese people need to learn more about their true, simple ethnicity, not about the idea of a divine nation.

In particular, the fact that the core of the Kumano faith has the heart of “resurrection” seems very important for the Japanese people. Being a volcanic island chain, Japan has repeatedly experienced natural disasters such as major earthquakes, caldera-level eruptions, and large tsunamis since the dawn of history. In fact, the Noto Peninsula is currently experiencing a catastrophe of the level of regional collapse. I strongly believe that Japan owes a great deal to the wisdom of its predecessors for its persistent efforts to rebuild at such times. It is sad to say, but I was struck by the deep wisdom of our ancestors who made the decision to migrate from Totsukawa to Hokkaido 135 years ago and showed us the revival of our people’s lives. It is imaginable that there must have been some national “guidance” in the aftermath of the disaster.
However, it is likely that the Kumano beliefs were a major psychological motivating factor in the people’s decision to move 2,000 kilometers away from their home village to clear the wilderness.
I myself was gripped by Osaibara, the core of the Kumano faith, which has been a major presence in the hearts of Japanese people for a long time, and where the old Hongu shrine was located. Well, I guess you could call it the magnetism of space.
From tomorrow onward, I would like to talk about the deities of Kumano faith.

Posted on 1月 16th, 2024 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究 | No Comments »

【熊野本宮・大斎原と「蘇〜よみがえり」 皇統神話と熊野の旅-13】



熊野地域は三千六百峰という嶺嶺のさざめきが生み出す空気感が自然のベーシックトーン。奈良・京都からみて聖なる方角・南にあたる紀伊半島。熊野はさらにその南の先端部分を占めている。そういう自然の中を熊野川が貫流している。
この本宮から太平洋への河口にあたる新宮までの熊野川の流域をクルマで走ると、古代の人びとがこの地をかむなび（神奈備）〜神霊が鎮座する山や森〜と捉える心理になったことは、直感的に理解できる。河口に向かって徐々に河川流域左右には柱状節理の赤い壁面が大展開していく光景がとくにこころに迫ってくる。
そして京の都からはるばると険しい山道を踏破してきてその末にこのひろやかな「大斎原」に到達したとき、歴代の皇統たちが深いカタルシスを覚えただろうことも共感できる。
熊野本宮の旧社殿は、この大斎原に展開していた。日本的な縄文由来の自然そのものを神体と考える在来信仰の聖地としてふさわしい。
現在堤防状の領域敷地境界から熊野川までの平面には広大な砂利の空間が広がっている。


熊野川流域に面した山岳からつねに山塊の破片が石砂利となって供給され続けているのだろう。たぶん往古の人びともこの川原の光景に深くこころを癒されたのではないか。仏教思想では、三途の川、賽の河原という空間思想がある。そういう川原が新宮に向かって、ずっとつながっている。まさにこの世とあの世の結界というように捉えることは想起しやすい。
1889年この神殿を大洪水が襲い、神殿建築群は大きな打撃を受けた。
しかしそもそも「蘇り〜よみがえり」を根源的な思想とした熊野では、１年半ほどで近隣の小山に神社建築群を移転させて自ら熊野信仰をよみがえらせた。
しかし本宮社殿の縁起譚解説文などを読み下していたわたしとしては、きのう書いたように奈良県十津川と北海道新十津川のストーリーにこころが満たされて、この大斎原の光景に万感の思いが募ってきていた次第なのです。新十津川町ではいまでも奈良県十津川のことを肉親のように慕って「母村」と呼び続けている。自治体同士でこうした交流は代々受け継がれてきている。
母村からは地元産の木材を利用しての組立て家具椅子を、子村で生まれた子どもたちへの誕生祝いとして送り続けている。子村の親たちはその椅子を組み立てて子どもたちに坐らせ続けている。
災害列島日本社会は、このように数限りなく「蘇り続けた」のだろう。そしてそのなかには万感を込めて「別の地に移る」という選択もあったことは深い叡慮だと思う。
この賽の河原は、大水害で犠牲になった多くの先人たちの鎮魂のようでもある。しかしそこから2,000kmの北海道の地に出発した子孫たちは、みごとに再生を果たしている。本来の熊野信仰とは別のストーリーだけれど、しかし北海道人として、あらたな熊野信仰をいま、わたしたちは生み出し続けているのかも知れないと思い至っているのです。

English version⬇

Kumano Hongu Shrine, Osaibara and “Su – Revival”: A Journey to Kumano and the Myth of the Imperial Family – 13
The “Sai-no-gawara” stretches along the outer edge of Osaibara. It is the boundary of life, but in Kumano, there is a rebirth from there. This is the wisdom of a society in a disaster-stricken archipelago. Wisdom for a society in an archipelago of disasters.

The Kumano area has a basic tone of nature with the air created by the rustling of the 3600 peaks of the mountain range. The Kii Peninsula is in the south, the sacred direction from Nara and Kyoto. Kumano occupies the southern tip of the peninsula. The Kumano River runs through this natural environment.
Driving along the Kumano River from Hongu to Shingu, the mouth of the river to the Pacific Ocean, one can intuitively understand how the ancient people came to regard this land as kamunabi, the mountains and forests where the divine spirits reside. The sight of the red walls of columnar joints gradually unfolding on either side of the river basin toward the mouth of the river is particularly moving.
We can also empathize with the deep catharsis that must have been felt by successive imperial lineages when they arrived at this spacious “Osaibara” after having traversed the steep mountain path all the way from the capital of Kyoto.
The old shrine pavilions of Kumano Hongu were developed in this Osaibara. The site is appropriate as a sacred place for a native religion that considers nature itself, which is of Japanese Jomon origin, to be the deity.
A vast gravel space extends on the plane from the present levee-like area site boundary to the Kumano River.

The mountains facing the Kumano River basin must have been constantly supplying stone gravel from the mountain massifs. Perhaps the people of the past were deeply comforted by the sight of this riverbank. In Buddhist thought, there is the spatial concept of the Sanzu River and the Sai no Kawara. Such a riverbank leads all the way to Shingu. It is easy to imagine it as a boundary between this world and the next.
In 1889, a great flood hit this temple, and the temple buildings were severely damaged.
However, Kumano, whose fundamental philosophy is “revival,” relocated the shrine buildings to a neighboring small mountain within a year and a half to revive the Kumano faith.
However, as I was reading down the commentary on the tale of the origin of the Kumano shrine, I was filled with the story of Totsukawa, Nara Prefecture and Shin Totsukawa, Hokkaido, as I wrote yesterday, and the sight of the Osaibara filled my heart with a deep feeling of compassion. The town of Shintotsukawa still calls Totsukawa, Nara Prefecture “Mother Village,” as if it were a close relative. This kind of exchange between municipalities has been passed down from generation to generation.
The mother village continues to send chairs made of locally produced wood as birthday gifts to the children born in the child villages. Parents in the child villages continue to assemble the chairs for their children to sit on.
The Japanese society of the disaster-stricken archipelago must have continued to “revive” in this way countless times. And I think it is deeply wise that some of them made the choice to “move to another place” with all their hearts.
This Sai no Kawara is like the repose of the souls of many of our ancestors who were killed in the flood. However, the descendants who departed from there to Hokkaido, 200 km away, are making a remarkable comeback. It is a different story from the original Kumano faith, but as Hokkaido people, we have come to realize that we may be continuing to create a new Kumano faith today.

Posted on 1月 15th, 2024 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究 | No Comments »

【熊野本宮大社と北海道「新十津川」 皇統神話と熊野の旅-12】




熊野と言えば日本史の精神的背景としての「熊野信仰」が基層であり、その象徴は「熊野三山」と言われる熊野本宮大社、熊野速玉大社、熊野那智大社。現代の「熊野詣」を北海道人として志したワケだけれど、当然のこととしてまずはこの三社に詣ることとして、その最初にこの本宮に向かった。
その程度の予備知識で現地を訪れてはじめて、この現在の本宮社殿は1889年（明治22年）に再建されたものだと言うことを知った。そしてそこではじめて、「それって？」とふと気付いたことがあった。
この熊野本宮とほぼ隣接し同じ河川域である奈良県吉野の十津川を1888年に襲った大水害。連動した土砂崩れによって「土砂ダム」が自然形成されたが、その自然堤防が決壊してそれが下流域にあたる熊野本宮旧社殿を潰滅させたのだ。この熊野本宮大社の旧社殿は現在の熊野川（十津川）川原の「大斎原」にあった。
その起点となった大水害を契機として地域の存続自体が危殆に瀕した奈良県十津川の集落から、多くの被災者が北海道の「新十津川」に集団移住した故実がピッタリつき合わさってしまったのです。
知らなかった。
そうであると知ってからは、この現代の「熊野詣」に一種の熱が発生してしまった。熊野と北海道人に太いいのちの糸が見えてしまったのですね。現在の熊野本宮大社社殿の説明看板類を読み下しながら、一気にこころは現在の「大斎原」、熊野本宮旧社殿所在地の方に向かってしまっていた。135年の歳月を経て、北海道人としてのはるかな「巡礼」という心理が沸き起こってしまった。

この図集は北海道樺戸郡新十津川町のHPからで町の草創起源を示したもの。大水害によって集落が水没して発生した土砂ダムの様子から始まる、壊滅状態の十津川村落からの「再生」を夢見て2,000kmの距離を集団移住してきた北海道先人たちの記録。奈良県十津川と北海道・新十津川を結ぶいのちの絆の説話は、北海道人として広く知られている。わたしは小学校の時に「社会科」授業でその事実を知った記憶がある。
「そんな苦労があったんだ・・・」と子ども心に痛切な感情を持って受け止めていた。
熊野本宮大社は「よみがえりの地」とされている。まさに再生の神。北海道人のはるかな先人の記憶がわたし自身の内側からも「蘇って」きたように思われてならなかった。まさに再生の地。
熊野本宮大社の社殿は、水害からほぼ１年半程度で高台になる隣接の現在地に再建された。一方の「新」十津川地域では現地近くの監獄囚人労働によって建てられていた住宅（１戸に４世帯同居だったという）に移住後、長くキビシイ冬を越えて、翌春からは原野を開拓して行った。・・・
こうした激甚な災害は日本列島で繰り返されてきたし、まさに現在も能登半島を襲っている。そういうなかから日本人はつねに「蘇って」きた。わたしの中でも熊野信仰が芽生えたのかも知れない。

English version⬇

Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine and Hokkaido “Shin Totsukawa” Imperial Mythology and Kumano Trip-12
A mess with the fact of Hokkaido mass migration and the great disaster of 135 years ago, which we learned by visiting the site. Revival of the shared memory of the people of the disaster archipelago. …

Kumano is the spiritual backdrop of Japanese history, and is based on the Kumano faith, symbolized by the “Kumano Sanzan” (Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha, and Kumano Nachi Taisha). As a Hokkaido resident, I decided to make a modern-day “Kumano Pilgrimage” to these three shrines, and I headed to Hongu as the first stop.
It was only after visiting the site with that level of prior knowledge that I learned that the current main shrine pavilion was rebuilt in 1889 (Meiji 22). Then, for the first time, I suddenly realized, “What does that mean? I suddenly realized something.
In 1888, a major flood hit the Totsukawa River in Yoshino, Nara Prefecture, which is almost adjacent to Kumano Hongu Shrine and in the same river area. The landslides that resulted in the natural formation of a lagoon, which burst its natural levee and destroyed the former shrine of Kumano Hongu, which was located downstream of the river. The former shrine of Kumano Hongu Taisha was located at “Osaibara” on the banks of the present-day Kumano River (Totsukawa River).
The origin of the shrine was the mass migration of many victims from the community of Totsukawa, Nara Prefecture, to “Shin Totsukawa” in Hokkaido, Japan, where the very survival of the community was threatened by a major flood.
I had no idea.
After I learned that this was the case, I felt a kind of fever for this modern-day “Kumano Pilgrimage. I could see a thick thread of life between Kumano and the people of Hokkaido. After 135 years, I felt the urge to make a pilgrimage to the Kumano area as a Hokkaido native.

This collection of illustrations is from the website of the town of Shintotsukawa, Sakabato-gun, Hokkaido, and shows the pioneer origins of the town. Beginning with the lagoons created by the submergence of the village by the heavy flooding, it records the ancestors of Hokkaido who migrated as a group 2,000 km away from the devastated Totsukawa village, dreaming of “rebirth” from the devastating situation. The story of the bond of life that connects Totsukawa, Nara Prefecture, and Shin-Totsukawa, Hokkaido, is widely known as the story of the Hokkaido people. I remember learning about this fact in my elementary school “social studies” class.
I remember learning about it in social studies class when I was in elementary school, and I remember thinking with painful emotion, “I didn’t know such hardships existed….
Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine is considered the “place of revival. The very god of rebirth. I could not help but feel that the memories of my distant predecessors in Hokkaido were “coming back” to me from within. It is truly a place of rebirth.
The shrine pavilions of Kumano Hongu Taisha were rebuilt on the adjacent hillside about a year and a half after the flood. In the “new” Totsukawa area, on the other hand, after moving into a house that had been built by prison labor near the site (it is said that four families lived together in one house), the people overcame a long and hard winter and cleared the wilderness from the following spring. The following spring, they began to clear the wilderness.
Such severe disasters have been repeated in the Japanese archipelago, and are currently hitting the Noto Peninsula. Japanese people have always been “reviving” from such disasters. Perhaps it is through this that the Kumano faith has sprouted in me.

Posted on 1月 14th, 2024 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究 | No Comments »

【季節は真冬本番へ。洞爺湖冬景色】



昨日で今年度の実質第１週が終了。夜には新年会もあって、本日は連載テーマは一時休止。
今週はいろいろなスタートもあったのですが、わたしは取材で伊達方面に行っておりました。久しぶりの北海道内での「遠出」。それも積雪もほぼ例年並み以上になってきた段階。朝早く札幌を出発して、昼過ぎに取材先を退出。そこで、ちょっと寄り道的に、っていうか高速道路を使わずに一般道・国道230号線を利用。
そうすると真冬の洞爺湖の風景がなつかしく、冬の詩情をたたえた表情を見せてくれた。
冬期も氷結しない湖面からは、大気の冷気に向かって水蒸気があがって「霧の風情」。周辺の山々はみんな白く冠雪してくれていて、さまざまな樹木に陰影を描き出してくれている。
札幌の人間にとって、小学校の「修学旅行」の定番はこの洞爺湖。道内でも有数の温泉街は、なんども訪れさせてもらってきた。なので、風景のすべてに余韻があって、時間を復元させてくれる。
しばらく逢っていなかった肉親のようなぬくもり感が伝わってきた。やっぱり北海道は冬の雪景色があらゆる美感で迫ってくる。雪というお化粧は、やはりすごい効果を持っているのだと再認識。女性たちの日々の努力に深く頭が下がってくる思い（笑）。
修学旅行で友だちたちと温泉に浸かってのワイワイガヤガヤの様子が遠雷のように記憶の奥底から湧き上がってくる。ふだんは見たこともないようなお膳料理にキャッキャと大騒ぎ。寝ていたのかどうか、枕投げとかの大騒ぎで、「やべ、先生が来た〜」と布団を大急ぎでかぶる。青春の手前、あどけない少年少女たちの夢舞台。
そこからの帰路。案の定、中山峠までの１時間ほどの行程はときどき視界も定かでなくなるようなブリザードっぷり。なるべく先頭を譲って２〜３番目の走行位置で先行車のテイルランプを案内にしながら慎重に運転してきた。その甲斐あって、中山峠を過ぎたら降雪は終わってくれて、冬道の安定走行。こういったキビシイ条件下では、いっしょに峠を走破した「仲間意識」を一団のクルマ同士ではなんとなく持つ。こういうのも北国人のなにかの共通感情なのだろうか。

走り抜けてきて、札幌の日常的な風景に戻ってくるけれど、そういう中でも普段はやり過ごすような風景美が発見されたりする。「札幌もやっぱり北海道の中の地域なんだ」と今更ながら、気付かせられる。
なんということはない雪中移動なのですが、走馬灯のなかを巡ったような気分。ちょっと元気をもらったような小さな旅でした。

English version⬇

The season is heading into midwinter. Lake Toya Winter Scenery]
Usually, snowfall is a big problem for shoveling, but the raging blizzard is also a background device that restores various memories. A small trip on a public road in winter, no rush, no fuss. A small trip on a public road in winter.

Yesterday marked the end of the first real week of this fiscal year. There was a New Year’s party in the evening, so today’s series theme is on pause.
This week has been a busy one for me, but I was in the Date area for an interview. It was my first “long-distance trip” in Hokkaido in a long time. It was also at a stage when the snowfall was almost equal to or greater than usual. I left Sapporo early in the morning and left the interview site in the afternoon. We left Sapporo early in the morning and left the site a little after noon, so we took a short detour, or rather, we took the national highway Route 230 instead of using the expressway.
The scenery of Lake Toya in the middle of winter was nostalgic and showed us the poetic expression of winter.
The surface of the lake, which is not frozen over even in winter, gives off a “foggy look” as water vapor rises toward the cool air. The surrounding mountains were all crowned with white snow, casting shadows on the various trees.
For Sapporo residents, Lake Toya is a staple of elementary school excursions. I have visited one of the most famous hot spring resorts in Hokkaido many times. So all of the scenery has a lingering quality that restores time to its original state.
I could feel the warmth of the people I had not seen for a while, as if they were my relatives. Hokkaido’s snowy winter landscapes are beautiful in every sense of the word. I was reminded once again that the makeup of snow has an amazing effect. I was deeply bowled over by the daily efforts of the women (laugh).
The sight of my friends and I soaking in a hot spring on a school excursion, laughing and having a good time, rises up from the depths of my memory like a distant thunderstorm. I was so excited to see the dishes that I had never seen in my life. I don’t know if I was sleeping or not, but there was such a fuss about throwing pillows and such, that I would rush to cover myself with the futon and say, “Oh no, the teacher’s here! The dream stage for young, innocent boys and girls on the cusp of youth.
The return trip home. As expected, the one-hour ride to the Nakayama Pass was filled with blizzards that sometimes obscured our vision. We drove cautiously, giving up the lead as much as possible and staying in the second or third position, using the backlight of the car ahead as a guide. Thanks to my efforts, the snowfall ended when we passed the Nakayama Pass, and we were able to drive steadily on the winter roads. Under these difficult conditions, we felt a sense of “camaraderie” as we drove through the mountain pass together. I wondered if this was a common feeling among people from northern Japan.

After driving through the pass, one comes back to the everyday scenery of Sapporo, but even in such a scenic environment, one often finds scenic beauty that one would normally overlook. I was reminded, even after all this time, that Sapporo is still a part of Hokkaido.
It was a simple trip through the snow, but I felt as if I was touring through a running horse. It was a small trip that cheered me up a little.

Posted on 1月 13th, 2024 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 出張＆旅先にて | No Comments »

【徐福伝説を「活かして使う」ニッポン 皇統神話と熊野の旅-11】




さてきのうの続編。徐福伝説という物語自体はあらすじは理解できたのですが、わたし的には、有名な「史記」に記述があるとは言え、なぜそのような中国王朝での説話が日本に根付いたのか？という疑問。歴史書に記載があるとは言え、中国社会ですら永く俗説とされてきたことに、なぜ日本社会は一定の存続根拠を維持し続けたのか、ということですね。
普通に科学的に考えれば、紀元前219年の段階の「航海術」では片道1000kmくらいはある意図的遠洋航海が可能だったとは思われない。はるかに時代を下る唐の時代、日本に仏教を伝えるために「国禁」であった渡航を試みた鑑真の数次にわたる難波例を見てもあきらか。安定的・合理的航海術が存在していたはずがない。仮に渡航事例があったとしてもそれは安定的なものではなく、命からがらの末の偶然であろうし、目的的な結果として渡海が可能だったとは思われない。
ただ、日本は歴史的に東アジアの「フロンティア」的な存在としてたくさんの大陸・半島地域のひとびとにとっての対象地域であっただろうことは事実。現実に日本社会の文化発展はそうした「渡来」によって多くがもたらされること自体は連綿と続いていた。
Wikiで検索すると「徐福伝説」を地域のひとつの継承文化としているのは、この稿で探訪した熊野地域のほかに福岡県八女市、佐賀県佐賀市、京都府伊根町、長野県佐久市、鹿児島県出水市・いちき串木野市、宮崎県延岡市、広島県廿日市市、愛知県一宮市・豊川市、東京都八丈町、秋田県男鹿市、青森県中泊町などに伝承が存在する。多くは「海民」文化が基底にある地域、もしくは関連地域。
上の絵図は歌川国芳画ということで江戸期の浮世絵の題材としてまで登場している。そういう古代浪漫に対して日本人は積極的に受け入れる素地があったということなのでしょう。八百万というきわめて新規受容性の高い地神崇拝が民族的な素地を形成していたというようにも考えられる。
アジア世界の文化中心であった中国王朝の史書にせっかく書き込まれている日本に関連するようなことがらを、ムダにはしないという心理素地なのではと考えられるのですね。活かして使えと。
実際の徐福がどうしたこうしたということよりも、こういった日本人社会の側面、真実性の方がわたし的にはたいへん興味深く考えさせられる。
やはり「旺盛な受容性」の表現であると思えるのですね。
多くの移民者を受け入れ続けてきた社会がその根底に培ってきた柔軟性というようにも言える。四周を海に囲まれた列島社会の基本的な性格として、これをわたしたちは共有しているのではないか。熊野地域では一種の地域特性として歴世、この民族性が色濃く遺り続けたということではないでしょうか？

English version⬇

Nippon “Utilizing” the Xufuku Legend: A Journey to Kumano and the Myth of the Imperial Family – 11
The Japanese people have a mindset of “eight million people” who believe that if such a legend exists, they should make full use of it. Japanese society has cultivated a vigorous receptivity. …

Now, the sequel to yesterday’s article. I understood the outline of the Xu Fu legend, but my question is why such a legend from the Chinese dynasties took root in Japan, even though it is written in the famous “Shiji” (Records of Ancient Matters). I am wondering why such a legend from the Chinese dynasties took root in Japan, even though it is mentioned in the famous “Shiji”. Why did Japanese society continue to maintain a certain basis for its existence when even Chinese society had long regarded it as a myth, even though it was mentioned in the history books?
From a normal scientific point of view, it is unlikely that the “art of navigation” as of 219 B.C. would have been capable of intentional oceanic voyages that were about 1,000 km each way. It is clear from the many cases of Kanjin’s attempts to travel to Japan to introduce Buddhism, which was forbidden by the Japanese government, during the Tang Dynasty, which was a long time later. There is no way that stable and rational navigation techniques could have existed. Even if there had been such a case, it would not have been stable, but would have been a coincidence of a desperate attempt to cross the sea, and it is unlikely that it would have been possible to cross the sea as a purposeful result.
However, it is true that Japan has historically been a “frontier” region in East Asia and a target of many continental and peninsular peoples. In fact, the cultural development of Japanese society has been largely due to the “arrival” of people from other parts of the world.
A Wiki search reveals that, in addition to the Kumano region explored in this article, the legend of Xu Fu is also part of the local cultural heritage in Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture; Saga City, Saga Prefecture; Ine Town, Kyoto Prefecture; Saku City, Nagano Prefecture; Izumi City and Ichiki-Kushikino City, Kagoshima Prefecture; Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture; Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture; Ichinomiya City and Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture; Hachijo Town, Tokyo Prefecture, Oga City, Akita Prefecture, and Nakadomari Town, Aomori Prefecture. Many are areas where the “sea people” culture is based or related to the “sea people” culture.
The above illustration, painted by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, has even appeared as a subject in ukiyoe paintings of the Edo period. The Japanese people were willing to accept this kind of ancient romance. It is also conceivable that the worship of the earth gods, “Ya-million,” which was highly receptive to new ideas, formed the foundation of the Japanese people’s ethnic identity.
It is thought that this is a psychological background that does not want to waste things related to Japan that are written in the history books of the Chinese dynasties, which were the cultural center of the Asian world. Make the best use of it.
This aspect of Japanese society and its truthfulness is more interesting and thought-provoking to me than what Xu Fu actually did.
It seems to me that this is an expression of “vigorous receptivity.
It could be said that it is the flexibility that has been cultivated at the root of a society that has continued to accept many immigrants. We may share this as a basic characteristic of an archipelagic society surrounded by the sea on all sides. In the Kumano region, this ethnicity has remained strong throughout the ages as a kind of regional characteristic.

Posted on 1月 12th, 2024 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究 | No Comments »

【列島各地に遺る中国・秦「徐福伝説」 皇統神話と熊野の旅-10】



能登地震発生後10日を過ぎて実にたくさんの映像情報がもたらされてきている。能登には訪問経験と身体感覚があってまったく言葉もない。震源の珠洲市からはかなり離れた金沢市の北方隣接の「内灘」地域の震災状況には、とくにおどろかされた。道路交通が非常に困難な地域であり未曾有の状況も、わずかずつ徐々に明らかになってくるのだろう。社会の弱いポイントを直撃する震災の恐怖を感じざるを得ない。災害について、住宅建築全体が今後の対応を迫られていくのは間違いない。社会の復元力が試されていくことになるだろう。
さて、きのう書いた「徐福の宮」について、そこに至る道路状況についての体験が強烈で一気に書いたので、肝心の徐福伝説について触れていないことに気付いてしまった（泣）。
ということで遅ればせながら。上の写真のように三重県熊野市波田須の海岸線近くにこの社は特徴的な１本樹木を背景として建てられている。波田須地域全体がまことに狭隘な地形になっているけれど、この御宮はちょっと盛り上がった場所に位置している。
祭神とされているのは中国・秦の時代（紀元前221年に史上初めて中国全土を統一、紀元前206年に滅亡。始皇帝で知られる。）に、始皇帝から「不老不死」の妙薬を探し出す命を受けて、3000人の童男童女による船団を連ねて「東方」に向かったという人物。その荒唐無稽な内容から根拠のない俗説とされてきたけれど、1982年になって中国の江蘇省連雲港市かん楡（かんゆい）県において「徐福」村が発見され徐福が実在の人物として学術研究会で発表された。その後これを契機に秦・漢代の造船所跡などの遺跡も発見されて、当地では徐福生誕の地と情報拡散され観光資源化されてきているという。徐福の出帆、出発は紀元前219年と擬定されているとのこと。



この伝説は不思議なことに日本各地域に徐福伝説として痕跡を残していて、その最たるものが熊野のこの地にあるのだ。今回の探訪の趣旨からは少し外れるけれど、神武帝と同様に「海をわたってきた」説話の骨格は共通するので、興味は持たざるを得ない。歴史作家・安部龍太郎の「半島を行く」には現地で秦代の貨幣も出土した話までも記されている。
熊野地域の中心、新宮市にも「徐福公園」が整備され市のHPにもこの伝承が掲載されている。以下要旨。
〜徐福一行はこの地に自生する「天台烏薬（てんだいうやく）」という薬木を発見しましたが、気候温暖、風光明媚、更には土地の人々の暖かい友情に触れてこの地を永住の地と定め、土地を拓き農耕・漁法・捕鯨・紙すき等の技術をこの地に伝えたと言われます。＜中略＞日本でも徐福渡来の伝承地がいくつかあり、古くから地域伝承を育み、さまざまな文化が形づくられてきました。特に熊野には徐福渡来の地として数々の伝承・史跡が残り鎌倉時代には文献に出てきます。〜
紀元前219年当時と言えば、日本は弥生時代。もちろん文字記録などはない時代。真贋はもちろん定かではないけれど、どうして熊野にはこういった伝承が根付くのか、不思議な符合と言わざるを得ない。

English version⬇

The Legend of Xu Fu” in Qin, China, which remains in various places in the archipelago.
Yesterday, I forgot to write about the important Xu Fu legend. The legend of Xu Fu, which dates back to 219 B.C. in the Qin Dynasty of China, has been preserved as a palace in Kumano. The palace is located in Kumano.

It has been more than 10 days since the Noto earthquake and a lot of visual information has come in. I have been to Noto before and have no words to describe it. In particular, I was astonished by the earthquake situation in the Uchinada area, which is located in the northern part of Kanazawa City and is quite far from the epicenter of the quake in Suzu City. Road traffic is extremely difficult in this area, and the unprecedented situation will probably become clearer gradually. One can’t help but feel a real sense of fear about the disaster. There is no doubt that housing construction as a whole will be forced to respond to the disaster in the future. The resilience of society will be put to the test.
I wrote about “Xufu’s Palace” yesterday because I had such an intense experience of the road conditions leading to the palace that I realized I had not mentioned the Xufu legend, which is the most important part of the story (tears).
So, I am late to the party. As you can see in the photo above, this shrine is built near the coastline in Hadasu, Kumano, Mie Prefecture, with a distinctive single tree in the background. The entire Hadasu area has a very narrow topography, but this shrine is located on a slightly elevated site.
The shrine is dedicated to the god of worship during the Qin Dynasty in China (known for the first unification of China in 221 B.C., followed by the fall of the Qin Dynasty in 206 B.C., and the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, Shi Huangdi). It was destroyed in 206 B.C., known as the First Emperor of China). In the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C., the first time China was unified in 221 B.C., and it was destroyed in 206 B.C.), a fleet of 3,000 men, women, and children headed for the East in search of a miracle medicine that would make them immortal. Although this wild and ridiculous story has been considered a myth with no basis in reality, in 1982, a village named “Xu Fu” was discovered in Kanyu County, Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, China, and Xu Fu was announced as a real person by an academic research group. This led to the discovery of the ruins of shipyards and other relics from the Qin and Han dynasties, and information about Xu Fu’s birthplace has been spread in the area, making it a tourist resource. It is believed that Xu Fu set sail and departed in 219 B.C.

Curiously, this legend has left traces in various regions of Japan as the legend of Xufuku, the best example of which is found here in Kumano. Although it is a little out of the scope of this visit, it is of interest because, like the legend of Emperor Jinmu, it shares the same framework of the “crossing the sea” legend. In his book “Going to the Peninsula,” history writer Ryutaro Abe mentions that coins of the Qin dynasty were also excavated in the area.
In Shingu City, the center of the Kumano region, a “Xufuku Park” has been established, and the city’s website also carries this legend. The following is the gist of the story.
〜It is said that Xu Fu and his party discovered a medicinal tree called “Tendayaku,” which grew wild in this area, and that the warm climate, scenic beauty, and warm friendship of the local people made this place their permanent home, where they cultivated the land and introduced farming, fishing, whaling, paper making, and other skills to this area. ＜In Japan, there are several places where Xu Fu has been handed down from generation to generation, and local traditions have been nurtured and a variety of cultures have been formed since ancient times. In Kumano, in particular, there are numerous legends and historical sites that can be traced back to the Kamakura period (1185-1333), and the story of Xufuku’s arrival can be found in literature. 〜The first time in 219 B.C.E.
In 219 B.C., Japan was in the Yayoi period. Of course, there were no written records. Although the authenticity of this story is not certain, it is a curious coincidence that this kind of folklore has taken root in Kumano.

Posted on 1月 11th, 2024 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

【三重県熊野市波田須町・徐福の宮 皇統神話と熊野の旅-9】




　きのうから仕事開始で本日はさっそく出張外出日程。ですがブログは絶対に更新するぞ、という意気込みで書き続けたいと思います。最近、認知症の疑いと言われた方のお話しを聞いたのですが、とくに地理的な感覚が衰えて、あたらしい住所・場所に到達することがきわめて困難になるのだと。
　へぇ〜と驚かされた。このブログでご紹介している全国各地の探訪には当然、常にあたらしい目的地を設定してカーナビを操作して向かうというのがわたしの常態。それに伴って当然、地理認識は錬磨されざるを得ない。方向感覚・距離感の複合された認識能力が常に活発に働らかされる。
　わたしの場合、こうした新規探訪欲求が強く「なんでもみてやろう」みたいな好奇心のかたまり（笑）。その方のお話しを聞き、いても立ってもいられず、またあちこち探訪せねば、と意を強くした次第。その動機として日々のブログ記述はたいへん役立っているので、健康維持にも最重要でしょうね。
　で、本日は行き着くまでにまれに見る苦労をした「徐福の宮」探訪篇。
　上の写真はやや高台に位置する熊野市波田須町の国道311号線から「徐福の宮」の目印である一本木を見下ろしたショット。看板も設置してあった。
　ところが、その看板付近にある「道路」らしきものは、国道から急角度で下って、すぐに曲がりくねるという超難路。北海道の常識感覚ではありえないほどの１車線道路で、しかも路側の石もないという、はじめて訪れた人間の進入を拒むような道でありました。何度見返してみても「これはムリ」。

　詳細地図がこちらですが、徐福の宮の左上ポイントになります。一応，道路にはなっているけれど、細い道を急降下してしかも左折する様子がお分かりいただけるでしょうか。
　「これはなにかの間違いだろう、ありえない」と考えたのですが、そういう間違いの標識をわざわざ国道沿いに設置することはないでしょう。途方に暮れ半分は探訪を諦めて、通り過ごそうかと思ってその場所を離れて、地図上で左手方向にクルマを移動させた。そうしたら運良く地元の方と遭遇。はじめての訪問者にとってそれなりにわかりやすい道順をお聞かせいただいた。「まぁ、だいたい道なりに行けばなんとか」みたいなお話しでした。
　で、目的地からはいったん遠く離れ、地図左端のポイントからうねうねと描かれたクルマ１台がやっとの坂道を下っていった。北海道人として本州地域の街路の狭さはイタいほどに知っているので、クルマは軽もしくはコンパクトカー一択。このときも幸い、軽だったのでなんとかハンドルを操作できた次第。
　それにしても先ほどの案内道とは違って急角度ではないけれど、１台やっとでしかも路側石もない坂道・・・。それも曲がりくねっているので、位置感覚はまったく摑みにくい。カーナビもあまりの難路ぶりで案内機能不全に陥っていた。というか、見るゆとりはとてもない。
　引き返すことも困難なこの状況の時に地元の「郵便配達員」の方と遭遇。先ほどの方と同じお答えでしたが、こちらとしてはそこそこ力強いアドバイスと勇気が出ました、感謝。
　最後は「ここにしか駐車できない」と言われた駐車場を発見できてなんとかクルマを停め、目印の一本木をめがけて歩いて、ようやく現地に到達できた。
　自分の地理認識能力が究極的に鍛えられる困難に耐えた、と言えるでしょうか。まだ認知機能低下はなく挑戦心は元気、若い！（笑）。
　ふ〜、疲れた。以降の現認報告はあしたへ。

English version⬇

Xufuku no Miya, Hadano-cho, Kumano City, Mie Prefecture: A Journey to Kumano and the Myth of the Imperial Lineage-9
Aging decreases cognitive function. Geographical recognition is the most prominent factor in dementia. From walking on a mountain road in Tategasaki to a narrow slope that is difficult to drive on. …

I started work yesterday, and today I will be out of town on a business trip. However, I am determined to keep writing this blog. Recently, I heard a story about a person who was suspected to have dementia, especially geographical sense is deteriorated and it becomes extremely difficult to reach a new address or place.
I was surprised. Whenever I visit the various places in Japan that I introduce in this blog, I always set a new destination and use the car navigation system to get there. This naturally requires me to improve my geographical awareness. My combined sense of direction and distance is always actively exercised.
In my case, I have a strong desire to explore new places, and I have a mass of curiosity like “I’ll try anything” (laugh). Hearing this person’s story, I couldn’t stand still, and I felt strongly that I had to explore again. My daily blog entries have been very helpful in motivating me to do so, which is probably the most important thing for me to do to maintain my health.
Today, I would like to introduce you to “Xufu’s Palace,” which was one of the most difficult places I ever visited before I arrived there.
The photo above is a view looking down on Ippongi, the landmark of “Xufuku no Miya,” from Route 311 in Hadasu-cho, Kumano City, which is located on a slightly elevated plateau. A signboard was also in place.
However, what appeared to be a “road” near the sign, however, was an extremely difficult road that descended at a steep angle from the national highway and then quickly curved around. It was a one-lane road, which is impossible in the common sense of Hokkaido, and there were no roadside stones, so it was the kind of road that first-time visitors would refuse to enter. No matter how many times I looked back at it, I thought, “This is impossible.

The detailed map is shown here, at the upper left point of the Xufu Palace. You can see that the road is a road, but it is a narrow road with a sharp drop off and a left turn.
I thought to myself, “This must be some kind of mistake, it can’t be,” but I would not have bothered to place such a wrong sign along the national road. At a loss, I gave up halfway and moved my car to the left on the map, thinking that I would pass by the place. As luck would have it, I ran into a local. He gave me directions that were reasonably easy to follow for a first-time visitor. He said, “Well, if you follow the road, you should be able to make it.
Once far from our destination, we started from the point on the left edge of the map and headed down a winding road that was barely enough to accommodate one car. As a person from Hokkaido, I know how narrow the streets are in the Honshu area, so I had to choose a light or compact car. Fortunately, the car was light, so I was able to maneuver the steering wheel.
Unlike the previous guideway, the slope was not steep, but it could barely accommodate one car, and there were no roadside stones. It was also winding, so it was difficult to get a sense of where we were. The car navigation system was also not functioning properly due to the difficulty of the road. In fact, there was no time to look at it.
It was at this point that we encountered a local “mailman,” who gave us the same answer as the previous person. He gave us the same answer as the previous person, but he was able to give us some powerful advice there.
Finally, we managed to find a parking lot where we were told that we could only park here, parked our car, and walked toward the landmark Ippongi tree to finally reach the site.
I guess you could say that I endured a real-life difficulty that ultimately trained my geographical awareness. I am still young.
I am tired. I’ll report on the next day.

Posted on 1月 10th, 2024 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究 | No Comments »

【楯ヶ崎を目途に神武帝、二木島上陸？ 皇統神話と熊野の旅-8】




途中でシカさんと出会って、ゾッコンにさせられた（笑）この楯ヶ崎行き。どんなイキモノもその動作表情には「神がかった」ものがある。自然の摂理に沿ったイキモノとして当然。その出会いの瞬間のタイミングで「こころに残る」ということがある。たぶん恋情とも通じるものでしょうね。抗いがたい好意が芽生えるような瞬間というものがあるのでしょう。
日本文化ではなぜか奈良のシカたちがその象徴のようになっていく。神鹿。奈良春日大社の祭神、武甕槌命（タケミカヅチノミコト）は鹿島神宮（茨城県）から神鹿に乗ってきたと伝わる。鹿は神の使いとして古くから手厚く保護された。わたしは偶然、楯ヶ崎で自然のシカに出会ってしまった（笑）。だからということではないけれど、事実の背景部分で徐々に神武東征経路への「さもありなん」感プッシュ気味。
タケミカヅチノミコトは神代に国譲りの主役となり、さらに古事記ではこの神武東征上陸時にも高倉下（たかくらじ）という人物に神託を与え神武天皇に霊剣布都御魂をもたらしたとされる。
ともあれ、今次の熊野行は永くナゾと思っていた神武東征という皇統神話への探索旅。きわめて重要な上陸地に関しての実体験を得ることが中心軸です。ひとつの有力説として楯ヶ崎を海路上の目印・目途とした東征船団はその近隣の適地・良港として二木島湊に上陸したとされる。途中、神武帝の兄２人を海難で失いながら、上陸を果たしたとされるのですね。


図は橿原神宮の「神武天皇東遷の奇跡」からで、その下の港湾航空写真は三重県のHPより。図の「荒坂の津」というのが二木島と擬定されている。そこから吉野まで「八咫烏」の先導で山路を踏破していく。そして大和平定の大戦略「日を背に負って敵を制圧する」作戦展開していったという。
この大戦略は、壬申の乱でも関ヶ原でも日本史を貫いている成功戦略のようにも思える。
わたしの興味としては歴史と神話の狭隘部分についての探究心ということ。
まずは、熊野信仰というものの文化的側面を受容しつつ、日本文化のある部分を象徴している皇統神話について身体感覚を持ちたいということになるワケです。
今回までの探索では、熊野という紀伊の狭隘地域が大規模なカルデラを地形根拠にしていることが明確にわかった。そしてその異形な地形と皇統神話が強く結びついていることも体感できた。このことは、大づかみの認識として間違いがないでしょう。楯ヶ崎の柱状節理は雄弁だと思う。
そして異形の地形が日本文化に特徴的な自然崇拝・修験道などの積層があって、やがて神仏習合というように精神文化が形成されていくとき、熊野はこの精神文化の「聖地」化されていったのでしょう。それが歴史事実かどうかは別として、精神文化として色濃く堆積していったことは事実。
そのあたりの日本精神文化とはやや遠い世界標準的歴史時間を刻んできている北海道人としては、ある意味新鮮な感覚を持って体感させられているところです。

English version⬇

The Emperor Jinmu landed on Nigijima with Tategasaki as his goal? The Imperial Mythology and Kumano Journey-8]
A search for the myth surrounding Arasaka-no-tsu, the point of landing in Kumano during the Jinmu expedition to the east. As a Hokkaido resident, I would like to experience the narrow point between faith and truth. …

On the way to Tategasaki, I met Shika-san, who made me fall in love with him (laugh). Every animal has a “godlike” expression in its movement. It is natural for any creature to have a “divine” expression. The timing of the moment of encounter is what makes it “memorable. Perhaps it is the same with love. There must be a moment when an irresistible affection develops.
In Japanese culture, for some reason, the deer of Nara have become a symbol of this. The “sacred deer”. Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto, the deity of the Kasuga Grand Shrine in Nara, is said to have ridden a sacred deer from the Kashima Shrine (Ibaraki Prefecture). Deer, as the messengers of the gods, have long been heavily protected. I happened to meet a natural deer in Tategasaki (laughs). (Laughs.) Not necessarily because of that, but the background of the fact is gradually pushing the “so it goes” feeling toward the route of the Jimbu expedition.
Takemikazuchinomikoto played a leading role in the handing over of the land to the Emperor in the divine era, and according to the Kojiki, he gave an oracle to a man named Takakura-ji when he landed on the eastern coast of Japan to bring the sacred sword Futo-mikoto to Emperor Jinmu.
In any case, this next trip to Kumano is a journey of exploration into the mythology of the imperial lineage of the Jinmu expedition, which has long been a mystery to us. The central axis of this trip is to gain firsthand experience of the most important landing sites. One popular theory is that the expeditionary fleet, which had set its sights on Tategasaki, landed at Futakishima Minato as a suitable location and good port nearby. It is said that they made landfall while losing two of Emperor Jinmu’s elder brothers in maritime accidents along the way?

The figure is from “The Miracle of Emperor Jinmu’s Eastward Transition” at the Kashihara Jingu Shrine, and the harbor aerial photo below it is from Mie Prefecture’s website. The “Arasaka-no-tsu” in the figure is identified as Futakijima. From there, “Yatagarasu” led the way through the mountains to Yoshino. They then developed a grand strategy to conquer the enemy with the sun on their backs in order to pacify Yamato.
This grand strategy seems to be a successful strategy that has been followed throughout Japanese history, both in the Jinshin Rebellion and in Sekigahara.
My interest is to explore the narrow point between history and mythology.
First of all, I would like to have a physical sense of the mythology of the imperial lineage, which symbolizes a certain part of Japanese culture, while accepting the cultural aspects of the Kumano faith.
In this exploration, it has become clear that Kumano, a narrow region in Kii, is based on a large caldera. We have also experienced the strong connection between the unusual topography and the myth of the imperial lineage. There is no doubt about this as a general understanding. I think the columnar joints of Tategasaki are eloquent.
And when the oddly shaped topography was layered with nature worship, Shugendo, etc., characteristic of Japanese culture, and eventually spiritual culture was formed, as in the Shinto/Buddhist syncretism, Kumano must have been made a “sacred place” for this spiritual culture. Whether this is a historical fact or not, it is a fact that the spiritual culture has been strongly deposited in Kumano.
As a Hokkaido resident who has lived in a world-standard historical time that is somewhat distant from the Japanese spiritual culture, I am experiencing it with a fresh sensation in a certain sense.

Posted on 1月 9th, 2024 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究 | No Comments »

【異形の自然と「ひとりきり」で出会う 皇統神話と熊野の旅-7】



世界遺産“紀伊山地の霊場と参詣道” は2004年の指定と言うこと。道の世界遺産ということではキリスト教世界のスペイン、フランスにまたがる「サンティアゴ・デ・コンポステーラの巡礼路」と2つだけ。この楯ヶ崎は伊勢路の周辺に位置することになる。
自然造形はそれこそ熊野地域一帯にその美感を見せている。そういう美感の中にいると神がそこに宿っているとごく普通に感得するものなのだろうか。北海道の地に産まれ住んでいる身からすると、この近畿地方にこうした自然造形での感動地域が広く存在していることに新鮮なよろこびを感じる。古格をまとったはるかな先人と出会うようなちょっとうれしい感覚と言えるだろうか。
さてはじめて歩く楯ヶ崎への自然林道から、一瞬、木陰越に見えたのが上の写真。「おお、これが楯ヶ崎か、なぁ？」「すこし見え方、違うような？」と思ったけれど、その下の現地「案内図」分岐点からさらに上った尾根の位置からだったのでとっさには楯ヶ崎と思った。だけれども後で確認したら、どうも無名の崖面のよう。地図写真上にわたしが白い矢印を付けた楯ヶ崎のとなりの崖面。うーむ、紛らわしい（笑）。
きのう、途中で出会ったシカのことを書いたけれど、きのうなにげにNHKの奈良に取材した歴史番組中に春日山のシカの画像があって、ついスマホを向けていた。楯ヶ崎への道中で出会ったシカさんの後ろ姿の様子とまったく同じような体勢だった。個人的な体験って少し美化されて印象に残っていくのだなぁと実感。シカさんへの愛情が強くなってきている。背景は奈良の市街地なのでその辺は大違いですが。おっと横道。

ときどき左手にチラチラと上の断崖が見え隠れするのですが、道は角度が振れていってやがて視界からは消えていくほどに林道を進まされる。「あれ、さっきの断崖良かったのに、どうなるのかなぁ」とやや混乱しながら先へ先へと、道はわたしに「引導を渡して」くる。う〜む、しょがない。

そんなわたしの不安な心理を見透かしたように、やがて一気に視界は広々とした太平洋の岸壁上に開放されていく。眼下には押し寄せる波が渦を巻いているような景観。
どうも手前側は地図で書かれている「千畳敷」の一部のようです。「灯台」は右手手前側に確認することができました。


そうするとと視線を左手に向けたら、朝日を逆光に浴びながら、黒々とした「楯」状の岩塊が見えてきました。片道1.9kmと言いながら、アップダウンといろいろな風景景観を目に焼き付けさせられた末の目的地であります。ふ〜、ずいぶんと迷わせられたけれど、見ていた写真通りの外観形状。しかしこの時期の朝にはここまで逆光になってしまうのかと、ここまで来てようやく「誰もいない」理由がわかった（笑）。
でもまぁそんな繰り言は、きれいさっぱり汗がひいていくように消えていった。

English version⬇

Encountering the Unusual Nature “Alone”: Imperial Mythology and Kumano Journey-7
During this early morning visit to Tategasaki, I did not encounter any human beings. The journey where the inner world encounters all the phenomena of nature with its bare skin. …

The World Heritage Site “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range” was designated in 2004. There are only two World Heritage sites along the road: the pilgrimage route of Santiago de Compostela in Spain and France, which straddle the border between the Christian world. Tategasaki is located on the periphery of the Ise Road.
The natural formations show their beauty all over the Kumano area. When you are in the midst of such beauty, it is quite normal to feel that God resides there. As someone who was born and lives in Hokkaido, I feel a fresh sense of joy at the fact that there is such a wide area of inspiring natural formations in the Kinki region. I guess you could say that it is a little like meeting a distant predecessor clad in ancient dignity.
From the natural forest road to Tategasaki, which I walked for the first time, I saw the photo above for a moment over the shade of the trees. “Oh, is this Tategasaki? It looks a little different, doesn’t it? I thought it was Tategasaki, but it was located on the ridge further up from the junction of the local “guide map” below, so I immediately thought it was Tategasaki. However, when I checked later, it seemed to be an unnamed cliff face. The cliff face next to Tategasaki, which I marked with a white arrow on the map. Hmmm, it is confusing (laugh).
Yesterday, I wrote about the deer we met on the way to Tategasaki, but yesterday I saw an image of deer in Kasuga-yama in NHK’s history program on Nara, and I couldn’t help pointing my phone at it. The deer we met on the way to Tategasaki was in the exact same posture as the deer we saw on the road to Tategasaki. I realized that personal experiences are a bit beautified and leave a lasting impression. My affection for the deer is getting stronger. The background is the urban area of Nara, though, so there is a big difference in that area. Oops, a side road.

Sometimes I would glimpse the cliff above me on my left, but the road would swing in an angle and eventually disappear from view as I was forced to continue on through the woods. I was a little confused, wondering what was going to happen to the cliff that was so nice earlier, but the road kept “leading” me onward. I was wondering what was going to happen to me.

As if seeing through my anxious state of mind, my view was soon opened up to the wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Below me, the view is like a whirlpool of surging waves.
Apparently, the foreground is part of the “Senjojiki,” as described on the map. The “lighthouse” could be seen on the front right.

Then I turned my gaze to the left and saw a dark “shield” shaped mass of rock backlit by the morning sun. Although it was only 1.9 km one way, this was our destination after having our eyes burned by the ups and downs and the various landscapes. Well, we got lost for a long time, but the exterior shape was just as I had seen it in the pictures. However, I finally understood the reason why there was no one here, as I wondered if it would be so backlit in the morning at this time of the year (laugh).
But, well, that kind of nonsense disappeared as if I was sweating.

Posted on 1月 8th, 2024 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

« 前ページへ — 次ページへ »