The story of Bunbuku tea kettle

Dragonflies have started to come down from the mountains, and the footsteps of autumn are beginning to sound close by.
Good evening, thank you for seeing me for the second time. This is Tanukimori Doroshu.
It's been hot lately, but yesterday and today were much cooler and more comfortable.
As the weather gets cooler, the tea we serve to guests changes from cold to hot, and we start boiling water more often.
Well, in my home, we mainly use earthenware teapots to boil water, but it seems that at a certain temple they boiled water in a very unusual tea kettle, and today I would like to tell you about that tea kettle.
When you hear the name "Bunbuku Chagama," you may have a name in mind, but what story is currently on your mind?
Perhaps many of you imagined a monster raccoon dog that had "become" a mysterious tea kettle?
However, this time it's a story about a monster raccoon that "possessed" a mysterious tea kettle.

In the 33rd year of the Oei era during the Muromachi period, Zen Master Daibayashi Shotsu Zenji established a small hermitage in Tatebayashi accompanied by Shukaku whom he met at the foot of Mt. Ikaho. Later, with a donation from Akai Masamitsu, lord of Aoyagi Castle, they founded Seiryu Morinji Temple.
Afterwards, Shukaku remained in his prime at Morinji Temple and did not age any further, serving the chief priest for generations.
In the first year of the Genki era, when a 1,000-person memorial service was being held at Morinji Temple, Shukaku brought a tea kettle from somewhere and prepared it in the tea hall.
Miraculously, the tea kettle never ran out of water, no matter how much was poured into it, and just one kettle was enough to feed a large number of guests.
Shukaku named this tea kettle the "Shikindo Bunpuku Chagama" (Purple Gold Copper Tea Kettle), which means "to share good fortune," and said that anyone who drank water from it would be granted eight virtues, including good fortune, success in life, and a long life.
Years passed, and in the 15th year of Tensho, the 10th head priest peeked in on Shukaku as he was dozing off, and noticed that he was no longer human, as he had hair on his limbs and a tail peeking out from under the hem of his priest's robes. The tail was that of a raccoon dog.
Shukaku literally showed his tail and revealed his true identity: he was in fact a raccoon dog that had lived for several thousand years, that had once received a sermon from Buddha in India, and that he had come across the continent to Japan.
With his true identity revealed, Shukaku decided that he must leave the temple himself, but before leaving, he used illusion magic to show people the Genpei War and the death of Shakyamuni.
As the people were overcome with tears, Shukaku transformed back into a raccoon dog and flew away.

What do you think? It is probably quite different from the stories about the Bunbuku Chagama that you heard when you were young.
This Shukaku was also depicted in a painting by the famous Katsushika Hokusai. The one in the AiKatchi image is exactly that.

It is a very interesting thing.

Still, the story ended with a very sad farewell.
Personally, I would not hesitate to stay put even if my true identity were revealed, but perhaps Shukaku-sama had something within himself that he would not give up.
Oops, once again, those words that sounded like tanuki slipped out of my mouth. I'm sorry.
Well, I've been telling you about the Bunbuku tea kettle handed down at Morinji Temple, but it seems that the story of someone who transforms into a tea kettle, which is often heard in fairy tales, has also spread overseas.
Furthermore, it seems that there are even things that have changed in shape recently.
Changing shape is a specialty of raccoon dogs, so this is not surprising.
Furthermore, stories will change shape to suit the times and the people.
We too intend to change our appearance and our way of being to accommodate such people and go together with them.
Please, in the corner of your heart, let us always be there...
Hehehe... Now that I think about it, apparently some of the raccoons disguised as tea kettles these days are following the trend and transforming into induction cookers...
……
Whether they knew it or not, it seems that there were some enthusiasts who painted pictures of this.

Well, that's all for now.
I look forward to seeing you again.