The Mystery of the Zenigata Sand Painting - Kanonji City, Kagawa Prefecture
Episode 1221
In Kotohiki Park in Kanonji City, Kagawa Prefecture, there is a sand sculpture of a Kan'ei Tsūhō coin. Until recently, I thought this sand sculpture was something that locals had recently created for tourism purposes. However, it turns out that there is no definitive historical record or conclusive evidence regarding "when, who, and why" this Kan'ei Tsūhō sand sculpture was created, and there is no established theory.
The following is a commonly known legend:
The Lord's Welcome Theory (1633): According to legend, the statue was built overnight by villagers to welcome Lord Ikoma Takatoshi, the lord of the Marugame domain, during his inspection of the territory (the current information boards at the observation deck are mainly based on this theory). However, some point out that the "Kanei Tsuho" coin itself was not yet widely circulated at that time.
Other theories include the idea that it was created in 1814 (Bunka 11) or during the late Edo period (around 1855, Ansei 2), to show to Kyogoku Rōtetsu, the lord of the Marugame domain. However, none of these theories are conclusive, as there are no clear descriptions of the sand painting in official documents or travel diaries from that time .
Because there is no historical record to confirm this, it is considered one of Kagawa's mysteries by locals.
By the way, there are many reservoirs in Kanonji City, where the Zenigata sand painting is located.
Kagawa Prefecture is one of the driest regions in Japan and lacks large rivers and water sources, so it has long suffered from water shortages. Therefore, numerous reservoirs have been built throughout the prefecture to secure the water necessary for agriculture (rice cultivation). Many reservoirs exist within Kanonji City, and they are utilized as important agricultural infrastructure to irrigate the local rice paddies.
The history of reservoirs in Kagawa Prefecture (Sanuki Province) is very old, dating back to the Asuka and Nara periods (around the time of the enactment of the Taihō Code and the era when legends about the so-called high priest Gyōki remain, such as the construction of Mannō Pond). However, the ancient reservoirs of that time were not the countless, intricate networks that exist today, but rather large-scale projects led by the state or powerful local clans.
Gyōki has appeared many, many times on this blog.
Gyōki was a "master of civil engineering," exemplified by his construction of reservoirs in Minami-Kawachi. This blog positions his nationwide flood control and rice cultivation promotion activities as having been modeled after the reign of Toyo, a great empress who once enriched the country.
In Higashikagawa City, Kagawa Prefecture, there is the Minushi Shrine, which enshrines Yamato-Totohi-Momoso-hime. According to shrine tradition, when Yamato-Tomoso-hime was seven years old, she left Kuroda-no-Roto in Yamato Province to escape the Great Rebellion of Wa, and settled in Minushi in Sanuki Province, where she lived until adulthood, contributing to the flourishing of agriculture, waterways, and culture. Yamato-Tomoso-hime is also known as Toyo.
Episode 405: Is Yamato-totohi-momoso-hime the same as Toyo?
It's possible that Utsushiko and Taiyo, a father and son, were the first to create the numerous reservoirs found in Kanonji City.
Kotohiki Hachimangu Shrine is located on the summit of Mt. Kotohiki in Kanonji City, Kagawa Prefecture.
According to the "Shippozan Hachiman Kotohiki Shrine Legend," in March of the third year of Taiho (703), the western sky suddenly rumbled, and black clouds covered the heavens, causing the sun and moon to disappear for three days. At that time, there was a boat on the beach of Umeguchi at the foot of Kotohiki Mountain, and the mysterious sound of a koto was heard from it. When the monk Nichisho approached, the boat said, "I am Hachiman Daibosatsu, and I have come from Usa to protect the imperial court. I cannot bear to leave after seeing the beauty of this place." Furthermore, there was a miraculous event in which the beach transformed into a bamboo grove (present-day Takenokei) overnight. Therefore, several hundred villagers carried the boat, along with the koto, up to the mountaintop as a sacred boat, built a shrine with the koto, and enshrined it, which is said to be the beginning of the shrine.
This founding legend is very similar to the founding legends of the 33 temples on the Saigoku pilgrimage route. I have written before that all 33 temples on the Saigoku pilgrimage route are related to Utsushikoo/Taiyo.
For example, according to the temple records of Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Banshu, it is said that about 1,800 years ago (during the Kofun period), a monk from India named Hodo lived in this area and founded Kiyomizu-dera Temple to pray for the protection of the nation and a bountiful harvest. This area was scarce in water, and when he prayed to the water god, a miraculous spring gushed forth, and in gratitude, the temple was named "Kiyomizu-dera" (meaning "clear water temple").
Regarding the hermit Hōdō, in episode 1016: Hōdō the Hermit and the Navy , Utsushikoo (内色許男命) = Susanoo (Tsuda no Ō ) = Nashime.
There are absolutely no contemporary (early 8th century) historical sources that directly prove the existence of the monk Nichishō (Nichishō Shōnin), who is said to have built Kotohiki Hachimangu Shrine. These sources include the Shoku Nihongi, Nihon Shoki, Shōsōin documents, and official historical records of the time.
We cannot find any mention of the name of Nichishō Shōnin appearing in such texts.
In other words, it is possible to consider that Nichishō Shōnin is also Utsushikoo.
At Kotohiki Hachimangu Shrine, Kukai, who returned from Tang China, stayed in the area and became the 7th chief priest of Jinkei-in Temple. Kukai abolished the Hossō sect, enshrined a statue of the Holy Kannon Bodhisattva that he had carved himself, and converted to the Shingon sect. He built a temple complex with three main halls—the East Golden Hall, the Central Golden Hall, and the West Golden Hall—following the example of Kōfuku-ji Temple in Nara, and constructed a seven-hall temple complex. It is said that he called it Shippōzan Kannon-ji Temple. This is the origin of the place name Kannon-ji.
Episode 318: Kukai's roots are in Utsushikoo-no-Mikoto! In that episode, I wrote that Kukai was a descendant of Susanoo (King of Tsuda ) = Utsushikoo (Utsushikoo-no-Mikoto) .
I'm not saying that the Zenigata sand painting is related to Utsushikoo and Taiyo, but it's possible that the person who created it was a descendant of the people who built the reservoir in Kanonji City.
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<Additional note>
About playing the koto
In the section on Emperor Chuai in the Kojiki, there is a passage where Takenouchi no Sukune "trembled with fear and pleaded to continue playing the koto." This scene is very insightful for understanding Takenouchi no Sukune's character and role. We asked AI to explain the meaning of this scene.
① Takenouchi no Sukune is depicted as a "mediator of divine oracles."
The sequence of events—Empress Jingu's divine possession → Takenouchi no Sukune receiving the message → conveying it to the Emperor—is remarkably similar to the structure in the Taiyo regime where Himiko was the oracle and Nashime was the interpreter.
② The storyline of Emperor Chūai's "rejection of the divine oracle → death"
This is a typical pattern in East Asian myths of kingship: the death of a king who defies divine will.
③ Takenouchi no Sukune's "fear and trembling" was the reaction of a politician who sensed a crisis in the royal power.
This depiction symbolizes the multifaceted roles of Takenouchi no Sukune, who served as a political official, diplomat, and coordinator of Shinto rituals.
This aligns well with the theories you previously presented: that Takenouchi no Sukune is Tanba no Michinushi no Mikoto, and that Takenouchi no Sukune is Nashimei and Utsushikoo .
You can find the previous articles here .
*This blog is written on the premise that Mimaki Province was Yamatai-koku .
The Mimaki region consists of Moriguchi, Neyagawa, Ibaraki, Suita, Takatsuki, Hirakata, and Katano.
*This blog only includes three characters from the Wei Zhi Woren Zhuan (Records of the Three Kingdoms, Account of the Wa People), Kojiki, and Nihon Shoki .
The authors (not compilers) of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki also had no source other than the Wei Zhi Woren Zhuan (Records of the Three Kingdoms, Account of the Wa People).
I am working on assigning the characters from the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki to Susanoo (King of Tsuda ) = Utsushikoo (Uchishikoo no Mikoto) = Nashime , Himiko = Amaterasu Omikami, and Toyo (Toyo).
*The combination of Taiyo and Utsushikoo is as follows: The former is Taiyo.
Emperor Jimmu and the Yatagarasu, Futsunushi and Takemikazuchi, Empress Jingu and Takenouchi no Sukune, Emperor Ojin and Takenouchi no Sukune,
Amenouzume and Sarutahiko, Nigihayahi and Nagasunehiko
Prince Shōtoku and Soga no Umako and Hata no Kawakatsu, Itakeru and Susanoo
*Toyo (Toyo) refers to the person who, according to the Records of Wei, ascended to the throne as the Great King (Emperor) of Yamatai at the age of 13.
*Utsushikoo refers to Nanshomei, as described in the Records of Wei: Account of the Wa People.
So far, I've been writing without any contradictions. If there are any inconsistencies, I'll use those inconsistencies as hints for the next article.
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