[Shinto Shrine] Onabake Jinja (女化神社)
 |
| Onabake Jinja (女化神社) |
Onabake Jinja (女化神社) is an Inari shrine located in the Nareumamachi District of Ryugasaki, Ibaraki Prefecture, where it enshrines the kami Ukemochinokami (保食神). The shrine stands within an enclave of Ryugasaki, surrounded by the Onabakecho (女化町) District of Ushiku. According to shrine legend, it was founded in 1505, although the website of Ibaraki Jinjacho, the local office of Jinja Honcho in Ibaraki Prefecture, states the shrine was founded in 1509. Additionally, Ryugasaki's website explains that the shrine was founded during the Kenkyu era (1190 ~ 1198). Previously, it was known as Inari Daimyojin (稲荷大明神) and Onabake Inari (女化稲荷). It is also commonly referred to as Onabake Inari Jinja (女化稲荷神社), as indicated by a stone marker along the sando.
 |
| Stone marker engraved "女化稲荷神社" |
女 means female and one of the meaning of 化 is transform.
Ryugasaki's website explains the following legend that has been past down at the shrine:
One day, a farmer named Chushichi (忠七)* saw a hunter trying to capture a white fox. He coughed to help the fox and also handed over the money he had on hand to the hunter before returning home.
That evening, a man around 50 years old with a woman around 20 appeared at his doorstep and asked whether they could stay for a night. Feeling sorry for them, Chushichi and his parents let them stay.
The next morning, the woman, crying, said she was from Iwaki of Oshu (currently, a part of Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture) and was on her way, with her retainer, to visit her uncle in Kamakura. However, the retainer ran away with her money while she was asleep last night. She asked if she could stay for a while and Chushichi's family agreed.
She proved to be diligent, doing all the chores from farming to sewing, as well as being very beautiful. Chushichi's family grew fond of her and, eventually, Chushichi married her.
Eight years passed and they were living happily surrounded by their three children; 7-year-old Tsuru, 5-year-old Kunimatsu, and 3-year-old Takematsu. One day, while putting her children down for a nap, she also fell asleep, accidentally exposing her tail. It turned out she was the fox Chushichi had saved. Now that her children had seen her tail, she made up her mind to leave. She expressed the pain of leaving her children behind in a waka:
Translation: When asked about the infant's mother, answer she tearfully disappeared into the fields of Onabakenohara (女化の原).
After writing this on a piece of paper and tying it onto Takematsu's obi, she returned to the fields of Nemotogahara (根本が原).
Saddened by her absence, Chushichi and the children went to Nemotogahara several times hoping she would return or at least show her face. Just once, she peeked out of her hole, but quickly went back. Shown her strong will, Chushichi and the children gave up and returned home.
All the children later became successful in life.
From this legend, Nemotogahara came to be known as "Onabakenohara."
* According to the sign standing next to the shrine office, the farmer's name is Chugoro (忠五郎).
 |
| Shrine office |
