The head of a demon enshrined in Gifu Prefecture [Part 1]

Hello, this is Kamishiro. After a 10-day holiday, I still haven't fully reintegrated into society. Today I'm not going to talk about the Hokuriku region, but I'd like to introduce some interesting places I found during my trip.

During the second half of Golden Week, I was driving from Fukui to Gero Onsen in Gifu Prefecture. I was climbing, passing, descending, climbing, descending, turning... I was annoyed that I would have to go through the same road on my way back, but when I finally got off the mountain,UnbelievableI found the sign.

I parked my car and walked around the area looking at signs and other things. It seemed like this was a temple called Nenkoji Temple.[Demon's Head]It seems that they are displayed as exhibits. It's like the occult exhibits that were popular a while back, like mummified kappa or the corpse of a giant snake.

Intrigued, I went with the flow and was taken by the guide to see the demon's head... However, even after entering the building, I couldn't find anything that looked like a demon's head.

Just as I was beginning to get worried that the punchline was something like, "The demon is lurking in the heart of each and every one of you who come to see the demon's head for fun!", the guide pointed to what looked like an old shrine in the corner of the room and said.

"The head of the ogre is inside there. But before we see it, let me tell you a story of a legend that is passed down around Mount Fukubegadake."

It is said that since ancient times, deep within Mt. Hyōgadake, there lived an evil demon that attacked people and livestock and destroyed fields. However, in a certain year of the Tenryaku era, the demon was defeated by Fujiwara no Takamitsu, who received an imperial decree from the Emperor.

Then, in the Genroku period, a man named Kayukawa Tarouemon, a descendant of Takamitsu, brought the demon's head to Nenkoji Temple and entrusted it to the temple, saying, "Even though the demon caused evil, it was originally the life of the mountain. Please hold a memorial service for it at this temple at the foot of the mountain."

At first glance, it seemed like a typical tale of slaying demons, but I felt something was off. However, my thoughts were forgotten as the guide immediately put his hands on the double doors.

to be continued…

Next time, we will find out what the strange feeling was from Kamiyo and what the demon's head really is. Please look forward to the second half!

Part 2 URL:http://youkaiya.jp/youkai-ch/?p=1034

Study URL:http://youkaiya.jp/youkai-ch/?p=1072

postscript: When Lord Takamitsu was trying to exterminate the demon, it was an eel from a stream called Kayudanigawa that told him where the demon was. After that, the people living near Mt. Hyōgatake stopped eating eels altogether, as they were considered messengers of the gods. There are many regions where dogs, cats, and foxes are considered sacred, but there are also regions where eels are considered sacred. Do they use conger eels instead on the Day of the Ox during the Doyo period?