Guardian Gods of Kyoto – Higashiyama and Shogunzuka

Hello. This is Momonga.

I moved by Keihan train to Shichijo (two times before), and Fukakusa (last time).
I plan to move by Keihan train today as well.
Today’s place is Gojo… There is a stone statue of cute Benkei and Ushiwakamaru at the foot of the bridge.

(Cited from Wikipedia)

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“Uh-huh, Ushiwakamaru and Benkei met here for the first time…”

But why was it here?

Gojo Ohashi is a bridge that connects this world and other world around the time when the city is Heian-Kyo and the east side of it is the other world…
Benkei who guarded in this gateway (or to say more exactly, he was probably taking tolls) tried to not to pass Ushiwakamaru who was raised by Tengu and tried to enter the city this bridge, Ushiwakamaru fluttered in the air and played fool of Benkei and Benkei who capitulated in Ushiwakamaru enrolled in his military…

Then what?
I was surprised to know the street lined with pottery stores where I was taken by my mother in the hot summer day was not the “this world” in the past.

Heading east on Gojo-street, you will find Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and there is Shogunzuka in Higashiyama further east.

There is a mound that is said clay dolls in armor were buried when Heiankyo was opened. This mound seems to “ring” when the world is disturbed. (I feel it a little scary.)

(Cited from Wikipedia)

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It’s the protection of the city of Heiankyo. The direction is east.

People chose the city of Kyoto in the place where protection gods are in the four directions and the environment where four gods are deposed ideally is said “suitable for the four gods”.

The name of “general Incorporated Association Shishin” I was looked after taken from this “suitable for the four gods”.

“Blue dragon in the east, white tiger in the west, Genbu in the north, and vermillion bird in the south; this means suitable for four gods, and the protection of the city was made with this.”

It was a scene early in the opening in the movie “Onmyoji” in 2001.
The person who acted Seimei Abe is Mansai Nomura, and Kyoko Koizumi whose nick-name is Kyon-kyon acted the heroine “who was eaten the meat of mermaid and became immortal” when Heiankyo was opened.

Gojo Ohashi is the place where couples who drive gather saying “How about going to see the night view of Kyoto?” when it comes to the summer season, the place is “the other world” in Kyoto locationally, and what are buried in a little spooky “mound” are possibly “samurai clay dolls with a grudge”.

This is the “ancient feeling” called “the protection of the city”, that is “the ancient city of one thousand years.”

As the trips by Keihan train continued, I would like to visit “Seimei Shrine”, the shrine worshipped Seimei Abe by bus next time.

To be continued…

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Author

ももんが(Momonga)
I am an old man who likes movies (mainly foreign movies...) and music (mainly 70'Rock...) I am good at breaking (and sometimes fixing...) computers.