What is Dragon Hole? 龍穴とは？
Dragon hole is a place where Ki (Qi) stays temporary. Qi is a source of power and energy. Taking advantage of it, Fen shui find a balance between individuals and nature.
Kamehameha in Dragon Ball is an energy attack and the source of it is Ki.
Fen sui is based on Inyo Gogyo. In Inyo (Yin-Yang), everything comprises Yin and Yan, the half-complement, half-opposing forces.
Gogyo explains what the universe is with five elements (wood, sun, earth, gold, and water) .
Inyo and Gogyo are harmonized in a place where Ki stays, i.e., a Dragon hall.
Heian Kyo is a good example. Heian Kyo is a name of former Kyoto and emperor Kanmu moved the capital there in 794.
The city is a basin surrounded by mountains. Ki flows like water and its stream is called “Ki-myaku (気脈)” and a place it stays is called “Myo-do (明堂).” Ki-myaku stream to the basin, i.e., Myogo, by way of the mountains. Thanks to this, Inyo and Gogyo are harmonized to make Heian Kyo (Kyoto) an ideal place to live in.
I guess Dragon hole means small Myo-do where Ryujin lives in.
Ryujin is a dragon as deity of water, river, and sea. Shenron in dragon ball is a Ryujin. Shenron is written as “神龍” in Kanji and “神” is deity and “龍” is dragon.
The Dragon Hole of Yasaka shrine 八坂神社の龍穴伝説
Under the Nai-nai Jin, the most important place of Shinto Shrine and Buddhist temple, there is a hall covered with a lid. This is the Ryuketsu of Yasaka shrine. It is filled with water and believed that a Dragon lives in there.
Shoku Koji Dan (『続故事談』), the compilation of stories about Buddhistm in the 13th century, describes: In 1070, Gion Sha (the former name of Yasaka shrine in Shinbutsu Shugo) caught fire. And the hole was too deep to measure the depth. (At least over 500 ft.)
And a carpenter said that he saw the hole filled with water in 1905 when the main hall was renovated.
Gion sha was established in the 10th century at the latest. Check the website of Yasaka shrine. You’ll find a picture painted in 1331. It was a copy and authentic one was painted in 986. The main hall is located in the same place. I guess the main hall was constructed over the hall originally.
In Japan, we believe water get rid of evilness. This belief is based on a story in Japanese mythology. According to it, one of the three Mikoshis of Gion Matusri used to stay over a well during the Matsuri. Check out the post below.
Special visit 2024 御本殿特別拝観
The main hall of Yasaka shrine is not open to public except special occasion.
- Dates・・・8/3～9/30
- Open hours・・・10:00～16:00（Gate closes at 15:30）8/7・15, 9/1・15・22 12：00～16:00
- Entrance fee・・・Adult 800 JPY Elementary school children 400 JPY
8/9～8/25, a bamboo dragon is exhibited.
How to get to Yasaka shrine?
Buses are usually crowded. It would be better to take Trains. Keihan Shijo sta. and Hakyu Kyoto Kawaramachi sta. are convenient.
