SHUGENDO OF KYUSHU'S NORTHWESTERN ISLAND : A HISTORIC AND FOLKLORIC STUDY OF HIRADO'S TEMPLES

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The aim of this research has been to bring to light the history and folklore of Shugendo in the Hirado Islands. The research has focused mainly on the historic documents and inscriptions, oral traditions and rites connected to the two sacred mountains. Yasumandake in the North and Shishikizan in the South. In the mid-16th century, Christianity swept away former Buddhist beliefs and records. Also, Lord Matsuura introduced new Buddhist beliefs for the samurai class. Thus, early Buddhist records and forms are difficult to recover. Yasumandake's believers' names are mostly samurai and closely related to the Matsuura family. According to the temple's written history (engi), Taicho was the founder and Hakusanmyorigongen was the central kami which is described in both Shinto and Zen Buddhist terms. Such an interpretation is characteristic of the Edo Period. Furthermore, the main temple of Yasumandake, Saizenji, and its branch temples are all Shingon-shu's Chuin sect, not Shugendo. One of the … More branch temples is dedicated to Shichirogongen, an old folkloric deity. As for Shishikizan, it is comprised of four shrines, Jougu, Chugu, Jinomiya and Okinomiya, all of which are dedicated to the Imperial Prince Tokiwake. Shichirogongen and Kamishimagongen. Enmanji, the main temple of Shishikizan, was supported totally by the village communities of Noko and Miyanoura, which were responsible also for carrying out the rites associated with the four shrines. Even now, vestiges of the fisherman's beliefs of the Middle Ages are found in the Yamado festival, the Miyameguri and the ancient sumo style. However, like Yasumandake, Shishikizan is also Shingonshu. On the other hand, Kaiji of Tabira was the center of the Shugen temples of the Matsuura district, but still the relation between this Shugen temple to those on Hirado remains unclear despite all of them being deeply connected to the Matsuura family. Finally, Hirado's Shugendo history can only be documented from Middle Edo and later. Still, even now such rites as harugito (spring prayrs) and Jichinsai (ground-breaking ceremony) are performed. Less