In 1995, the villages of Shirakawa-go were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for the beautiful scenery they create and their historically significant structures.
The Gassho-style houses are a marvel to look at, and the wooden buildings built with steep-angled thatched roofs are the everyday residences of the people in the village, even today after 300 years have passed. Some of the buildings are open to the public, and you can also make arrangements to stay overnight, so these spots are highly recommended.
Wada-ke House is the largest of the many homes, so you should definitely take the opportunity to check it out. In the southern area of Shirakawa-go, you can find the Hirase Onsen (hot spring) area, where you can enjoy a steamy bath amidst an untouched expanse of vivid green nature.
“Located in a mountainous region that was cut off from the rest of the world for a long period of time, these villages with their gassho style houses subsisted on the cultivation of mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms. The large houses with their steeply pitched thatched roofs are the only examples of their kind in Japan. Despite economic upheavals, the villages of Ogimachi, Ainokura and Suganuma are outstanding examples of a traditional way of life perfectly adapted to the environment and people’s social and economic circumstances.”
National Historic Relic : The Takayama Local Agency of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
“Jinya” refers to a venue where political proceedings were conducted during the Edo period (1603-1868), and the term collectively refers to the administrative headquarters, as well as the residence of the local magistrate. Takayama Jinya was built by the shogunate as an administrative base to enforce its rule over the Hida Province. You’ll also find the rice storehouse, where rice collected as land taxes was stored. Takayama Jinya is also famous as the lone remaining magistrate’s office in Japan, and offers a vivid, firsthand glimpse of life in feudal Japan.
Although there were 64 regional headquarters and sub-headquarters during the Edo period, the Takayama Jinya is the only one existing today.
In 1692, Shogun Tokugawa took direct rule over Hida, and for the next 176 years until the Meiji restoration, 25 generations were sent from Edo to work as Administrators, Accountants and Police in the Takayama Jinya.
The present main building was constructed in 1816, and consists of the Public Administration Office, Grand Hall and Messengers Hall, all in their original condition. The Rice Storehouse that was used to store the rice collected as a tax was built in the 1600’s, and is presently used as an exhibition space, displaying items from the time of direct rule to the Meiji period. There are over 250 separate historical displays including documents, maps and artifacts.
Takayama Jinya received two stars in the 2015 Michelin Green Guide Japan. ★★ Two stars … “worth a detour”.
Hours:
March to October (except August) —> 8:45 – 17:00 (last admission)
August —> 8:45 – 18:00 (last admission)
November to February —> 8:45 – 16:30 (last admission)
National Historical Site and Important Cultural Treasure.
There is a huge ginko tree over 1200 years old and a ‘Triple Pagoda’ in the precincts, as well as Bell Tower Gates, said to have been moved from Takayama Castle and the cornerstone of the pagoda built over 1200 years ago. The main temple building is the oldest structure in the city, constructed in the Muromachi era (about 500 years ago). It has a style worthy of its reputation as Hida’s greatest ancient temple.
Kokubunji is the oldest temple in Takayama, possibly founded during the Nara Period. A Shingon sect temple, it preserves a seated image of Yakushi (the Buddha of medicine) and a standing image of Kannon )the Goddess of Mercy). There is also a wooden image of Hida-no-Takumi, a sculptor from the Edo Period of Japanese history. The main gate was originally part of Takayama Castle. The fine 7-story pagoda dates from the Muromachi Period.
300 yen per adult, 250 yen per elementary or junior high school student. Group (30 or more people): 250 yen per adult, 150 yen per elementary or junior high school student
First built as a fortress on the top of Mt. Kinka in 1201, Gifu Castle has a history of about 800 years. ODA Nobunaga, a famous general in Sengoku period, occupied the castle and became its master in 1567. At this time, ODA changed the name of this area from “Inokuchi” to “Gifu” and of the castle itself from “Inabayama Castle” to “Gifu Castle”. As ODA expanded his empire and unified the nation with his fresh ideas and unique politics, Gifu Castle became a bustling center of activity.
The ODA family lost the castle after Hidenobu, Nobunaga’s grandson, allied his clan with the losing side of the decisive Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 that resulted in over 250 years of Edo Shogunate rule of Japan.
The present three-story and four-floor castle was rebuilt in 1956 and has been a popular symbol of Gifu City ever since. You can enjoy displays in the castle’s exhibition hall and the observation gallery on its top floor.
From the observation gallery, you can enjoy the magnificent landscape of the area, including the clear waters of the Nagara River below against a backdrop of mountain ranges, and Ise Bay to the south.
Gifu Castle is dramatically illuminated every night from sunset to 10 p.m. For a limited period during summer, the castle’s opening hours are extended to nighttime. Providing a dynamic 360-degree panoramic view of the region, this castle is one of Gifu’s most popular night spots.
For most of the year, the wisteria tunnel at Kawachi Fuji Gardens is a latticed canopy overlaid with barren, twisting vines. But for a few weeks every spring, the tunnel is in magnificent bloom, its dangling flowers and sweet scent enveloping all those who walk its path. The private garden is home to around 150 wisteria plants in shades of purple, pink, and white. Visit between late April and mid-May to see the wisteria in bloom—the exact dates vary each year.
A member of the pea family, wisteria is an ornamental vine, wildly popular in both Eastern and Western gardens for its graceful hanging flowers and its ornate, winding branches. Easily trained, the woody vines tend to reach maturity within a few years, at which point they bloom in cascades of long, lavender flowers of varying pastel shades.
Translation: mountain geezer Alternatenames: yamanji, yamachichi (“mountain father”) Habitat: deep in the mountains of Shikoku Diet: omnivorous
A: Yamajijii look like eldery men about 3-4 feet tall, with only one leg and one eye. In actuality, they have two eyes, but one of them is so huge and the other so tiny that they appear to have only one eye. Their bodies are covered in fine gray hair, and they can be found wearing old clothes, tattered rags, or nothing at all. Their teeth are sharp and very powerful — a yamajijii’s bite is said to be strong enough to crush the bones of wild boars or monkeys.
Behavior: Yamajijii live in the mountains far from human settlements. They rarely appear before humans, but their tracks are easily recognizable. They leave deep, sunken footprints about 12 inches long every 6 to 7 feet (from their hopping about on one leg). Because their bite is so strong, hunters would sometimes tame yamajijii and use them to drive away wolves. They also have the uncanny ability to read peoples’ thoughts as they think of them. They are most well known, however, for their powerful voices. The cry of a yamajijii is so powerful it blows the leaves off of branches, splits trees and moves rocks, reverberates through the mountains, and shakes the heavens and the earth. They enjoy shouting contests, and will occasionally allow a human to challenge them; however, humans who are close to a yamajijii when it shouts sometimes have their eardrums burst, or even die.
Legends: A legend from Shikoku tells of a brave hunter who challenged a yamajijii to a shouting contest. On the hunter’s turn, he fired his rifle when he shouted, winning the contest. Later, the yamajijii realized he had been tricked, shape-shifted into a spider, and sneaked into the hunter’s bed to attack him in his sleep. In some versions of the tale, the clever hunter prepares for the shouting contest by praying to the gods of Ise and crafting a special holy bullet inscribed with their names. This bullet had a very special power: when fired it would never miss its target. Because of its magic, whenever the hunter carried it with him it would invariably attract the attention of yokai; however, any time a yamajijii came near enough to threaten him, the hunter would display the bullet, and the yamajijii would flee in terror.
A tale from Tokushima tells of a group of woodcutters warming themselves by a fire in a cabin when yamajijii suddenly appeared to them. The woodcutters were terrified and all thought of the same idea: kill the yokai! The yamajijii read each one of their minds one by one and learned of their thoughts, when suddenly one of the logs in the fire split with a loud snap! The yamajijii thought that there must be a mind he could not read among the hunters, and he quickly fled the cabin in terror.
A story from Kochi tells of a kind yamajijii who gave a sorghum seed to a poor farmer as a gift. The farmer sowed the seed and that year was blessed with an incredible harvest. That winter, the yamajijii returned and asked for some mochi to eat. The grateful farmer gladly gave the yamajijii as much mochi as it could eat. The next year another great harvest followed, and again the yamajijii came back in the winter to ask for mochi. Each year, the yamajijii was able to eat more and more mochi, until it was able to eat 3 huge barrels-full. The farmer became afraid of losing his fortune, and gave the yamajijii a pile of burned stones, passing them off as yaki-mochi. The yamajijii ate them, but soon began to feel sick and hot. The farmer offered a cup of hot oil, passing it off as tea, but the yamajijii realized the farmer’s trick. Surprised and hurt, it fled into the woods, but died before it could get back to its home. Afterwards, the farmer’s family fell into ruin and was never rich again.
Appearance: The yama oroshi is a metal grater which has been improperly cared for and has grown too dull to grate anything. It sprouts a body, and the dull slicers on the grater stick out like wild spines from its head.
Origin: Yama oroshi’s name contains a double pun. First, the Japanese word for grater is oroshi, which is found in this tsukumogami’s name. Second, its name sounds like yamaarashi, the Japanese word for porcupine. This yōkai resembles a porcupine with its spines.
Translation: little tofu boy Habitat: urban areas Diet: omnivorous; loves tofu
Appearance: Tōfu kozō are small yokai who closely resemble human children except for their large heads and clawed fingers and toes. They wear little boys’ kimonos and wide-brimmed hats — the typical outfit of a tōfu-selling young boy of the Edo period. They are usually depicted with two eyes, but in some illustrations they appear as having only one eye. They are usually found in urban areas in close proximity to people.
Behavior: Tōfu kozō are timid and weak yokai, and are not known to be aggressive towards humans. On rare occasions, a tōfu kozō may follow a human home on a rainy night, but for the most part they shy away from any confrontation.
Interactions: Tōfu kozō are first and foremost servant yokai. Even among other yokai, they are often bullied and teased for their lack of strength. They get no respect from those above them; at most, they act as menial servants to more powerful yokai.
Origin: Prior to the Edo period there are no known stories about tōfu kozō, and so their origin is a mystery. Some say that they are just one of many forms taken by an itachi, a shape-shifting weasel yokai. Others say that they are the offspring of a mikoshi-nyūdō and a rokuro-kubi. Another possibility is that they are an invention of a creative artist looking to sell illustrated storybooks. Stories of tōfu kozō first appeared in the penny-novels and pulp fiction of Edo in the 1770’s, and became incredibly popular among the Edo upper class. These silly stories helped to spawn the explosion of yokai-related fiction that appeared in the later half of the 18th century.
Tōfu kozō bears a very strong resemblance to another yokai called hitotsume kozō — the chief difference being that hitotsume kozō has only one eye and a very large tongue, while tōfu kozō has two eyes and carries a plate of tofu. Both of these yokai are somewhat weak, child-like creatures who act as messengers to more powerful monsters. In some literature the two yokai are used interchangeably for each other, therefore it has been suggested that tōfu kozō may be closely related to, or may even have been copied from hitotsume kozō. However, there is not enough evidence either way to say where this yokai comes from.
Appearance: Shōki (also known by the Chinese rendering of his name, Zhong Kui) is a legendary hero and deity from ancient China. He is ugly, with a large, hulking body, a long, flowing beard, and fearsome, piercing eyes. He is usually shown carrying a sword and wearing a court official’s cap. Shōki is known as “the demon queller” for his ability to vanquish, exorcise, and even control oni and other demons. He is so feared by oni that even his image is said to scare them away. The demons he defeats sometimes become his servants. It is said that he commands 80,000 demons.
Origin: Shōki originated in ancient China during the 700’s. His story reached Japan by the late Heian period, and his popularity reached its height during the Edo period. Paintings and statues of him are still used as a good luck charms. His image appears on flags, folding screens, and hanging scrolls. Small statues of him can sometimes be seen on the roofs of older houses in Kyoto as well. Shōki is strongly associated with Boys’ Day, a holiday in May. He is revered as a god of protection from demons and sickness (particularly smallpox, which was believed to be spread by evil spirits), and also as a god of scholarship.
Legends: Shōki lived in Shanxi Province in China during the Tang dynasty. His life’s goal was to become a physician in the court of Emperor Xuanzong. Shōki was a smart and diligent student. He trained hard and passed all of the exams to become a physician. He placed first out of all of the applicants and should have easily received the position. However, Shōki was a very ugly man. When the emperor saw his face, he immediately rejected Shōki’s application even though he was the most qualified for the job.
Shōki was devastated. His dreams shattered, he committed suicide on the steps of the imperial palace. The emperor was moved by Shōki’s dedication. He felt great regret for denying the application of such a talented and brilliant man on account of his looks. The emperor ordered that Shōki should receive a state burial of the highest rank—usually only reserved for royalty—and posthumously awarded him the title “Doctor of Zhongnanshan.”
Years later, the emperor became gravely ill. Delirious with fever, he dreamed that he saw two oni. The larger one was wearing the clothing of a court official. It grabbed the smaller oni, killed it, and ate it. Then, it turned to the emperor and introduced itself as Shōki. He vowed to protect the emperor from evil. When the emperor woke up, his fever was gone.
Xuanzong commissioned the court painter to make an painting of Shōki based on his dream. Shōki became a popular deity across China (and later, Japan). He was revered as a god of scholarship for his great devotion to his studies, and as a protector against disease and evil spirits.
Myōbu (命婦 / みょうぶ) Translation: a high ranking title for court ladies Alternate names: byakko (white fox) Habitat: shrines and places sacred to Inari Diet: carnivorous
Appearance: Myōbu are celestial fox spirits with white fur and full, fluffy tails. They are holy creatures, and bring happiness and blessings to those around them.
Myōbu statues are most often found at Inari* shrines, taking the place of the koma inu which adorn other shrines. These foxes act as both guardians and symbols of good luck and blessing. People often leave offerings of holy sake,sekihan(red rice and red beans), inarizushi, and fried tofu at these shrines. These foods are all said to be foxes’ favorites.
Origin: Foxes were considered holy animals since long before recorded history began in Japan. The farmers of ancient Japan revered foxes, which preyed on the mice and rats which destroy crops. Foxes have long been associated with Inari, the god of the harvest. Inari is said to use foxes as servants and messengers, and the majority of the foxes in his employ are the holy, white-furred kind known as myōbu.
Myōbu statues are commonly found at Inari shrines. They often carry sacred objects in their mouths, such as the round jewel often carried by koma inu in other shrines. Myōbu can also be seen carrying spiral keys, sheaves of grain, and scrolls. These all carry special significance in Inari worship. The round jewel represents both the soul of Inari, and its form is a symbol of a grain storehouse. The spiral key is an archaic design of the keys used with traditional farm warehouses. The key represents the desire to unlock the storehouse; i.e. soul of Inari. The sheaves of grain represent the five grains (wheat, rice, beans, awa millet, and kibi millet) which are important in East Asian traditions. Finally, the scroll represents knowledge and wisdom.
* Inari (稲荷) is the Japanese kami of prosperity, rice, and tea, and protector of foxes. A complex deity widely worshiped throughout Japan, Inari is variously portrayed as male, female and androgynous.
Mark Bere Peterson’s Counterculture, Urban Legends, Paganism & Witchcraft 