To under stand Japanese culture and its inheritance without the knowledge of Japanese mythology. I’ll write a series of 5 posts on the important myths. In this post, let us see how Okuninushi gave up Izumo to Amaterasu. 合掌

Okuninushi met a bunny

It’s been a long time since Susanoh and Kushinada Hime married (Check out the previous post). Okuninushi is one of his descendant. He had many brothers. They didn’t rule their country because they wanted to marry Yakami Hime. One day, they headed for Inaba (Tottori Pref.) to see her.

On the way to their destination, they found a rabbit without his skin and coat on a beach. They advised him, “Bath in the sea and lie down at the top of a high mountain. And you’d be healed.”

It didn’t work and his skin was damaged. The pain made him cry.

Then Okuninushi passed by. He wasn’t with his brother because he had a big bag with hit brother’s belongings in. They forced him to carry it taking advantage of his generosity.

He asked the rabbit, “Why are you crying? What happened?”

He replied, “I live in Oki island (located near the beach). I wanted to come here and cheated the sharks.  I made them line up from the island to this beach. I stepped on their heads one by one. When I stepped on the last one, I said I cheated them. Hearing that, it bit me and peel my skin and coat off. ” And he told him what his brothers did.

Okuninushi advised, “Wash yourself in the mouth of the river. You’ll find many Gama around there. Spread their pollen over the ground and roll around on them. You’ll regain your skin and coat.

お福さん

Gama is a plant the bunny has in his hands.

It worked well. He looked as used to be. He said to Okuninushi, “You’ll marry Yakami Hime. Your brother don’t.”

Okuninushi gave up Ashihara Kanatsu Kuni to Amaterasu

After the marriage, his brother killed him 2 times but he was reborn each time with the help other Kami. They didn’t stop pursue him and Kami of tree sent him to Ne no Taksu Kuni, the land of deceased, where Susanoh ruled.

Susanoh met Okuninushi, he found he was the best Kami in Ashihara Nakatsu Kuni. He forced many difficulities to him and he overcame all of them. Finally, he admitted he was deserved to rule Izumo, a.k.a., Ashihara Nakatsu Kuni.

Now that Takama no Hara was ruled by Amaterasu and Ne no Katasu Kuni was ruled her brother. Both of them are Amatsukami, the Kami of Takamanohara (Amatsukami).

On the other hand, Ashihara Nakatsu Kuni was ruled by Ohkuninushi, the Kami of Ashihara Nakatsu Kuni (Kunitsu Kami).

Amaterasu wanted Ashihara Nakatsu Kuni ruled by Amatsukami in order to rule the whole universe. She sent delegate to Ohkuninushi four times in vain.

In the end, she sent Take Mikazuchi (Kami of thunder and sword). They asked Okuninushi to give up his Ashihara Nakatsu Kuni to Amaterasu. He replied that he wanted to flow his sons’ decision. One of them accepted the proposal but the other, Take Minakata didn’t. All of a sudden, Take Mikazuchi took him by the hand and threw him away. The son was scared and ran away. Take Mikazuchi pursuit him to the lake Suwa and tried to kill him. Finally, he surrendered and promised he would never leave Suwa.

七里ヶ浜親方

Take Minakata is enshrined in Suwa Taisha shrine in Nagano.

At last, Okuninushi gave up Izumo to Amaterasu but he asked for a condition: He wanted an edifice.

シカさん

The edifice is Izumo Taisha in Shimane.

Next Post

たけちよ

Now that the whole universe is under the control of Amaterasu. She send a ruler of Ashihara Nakatsu Kuni. He is an ancestor of emperor.

Japanese mythology 5: 1st Emperor of Japan acceded the throne

In this post, let us see how the ancestor of Japanese emperor arrived at Japan and the first emperor acceded the throne. 合掌

kyotokankoyagi.com

2024.02.12

Now, the renovation is almost finished and we can see Shariden, a.k.a., Kinkakuji for the first time in 3 months. 合掌。

Overview 概説

As announced before, a renovation of Kinkakuji temple, or the golden pavilion, started on September 1. The video was shot 5 days later. Actually, the temple is not under construction. It is nearly covered with scaffolding.

お福さん

The temple covered with gold is called Sahriden.

The renovation is not a complete overhaul like the one in 1987. This time, the roofs of it will be replaced. As you see, the roofs of the 2nd and 3rd floor are not plated gold. (The 1st floor has no roof.)

The temple tells us that the renovation is to be end in December.

京都金閣寺の見所、内部、歴史を画像付きで詳細かつ簡単に説明【2026年2月雪ビデオあり〼】

京都にある世界遺産金閣寺の歴史、内部の様子、紅葉、雪、金箔などの見所、アクセスなどを詳細かつ簡潔に説明する総合ガイドです。雪のビデオ追加しました。2020年9月から12月まで杮葺（こけらぶき）の屋根の葺き替え工事は終了し、三か月振りに舎利殿の姿を目にすることができます。

kyotokankoyagi.com

2018.01.25

Kinkakuji, the Golden Temple/Pavilion 金閣寺英語で説明

 Kinkakuji temple a.k.a. as the golden pavilion in Kyoto is one of the best place to see in Kyoto. Let us learn about what to see like the golden, dry garden, and its history.

kyotokankoyagi.com

2017.10.09

シカさん

Want to know Kinkakuji temple? Check the links above!

金閣寺の改修工事2020は終了。12月19日現在の様子【いつからいつまで？】

2020年12月19日現在、金閣寺では杮葺（こけらぶき）の屋根の葺き替え改修工事自体は終了し、足場の撤去作業もほぼ終了し、三か月振りに舎利殿を見ることができます。本投稿では、現在の様子、内部の様子や杮葺きの構造を檜皮葺との違いにふれつつ、詳細にご紹介します。合掌。

kyotokankoyagi.com

2020.09.05

七里ヶ浜親方

Want to read in Japanese?

December 12月

12th 12月12日

The renovation of the roof has completed. Now the scaffolds are taking away. We will see Kinkakuji without tyem by the end of December.

November 11月

18th　11月18日

Now, we can enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves in Kinkakuji temple. With shariden, it looks like this.

Now Koyo (Autumn leaves) started. We are not able to admire it with Shariden. Enjoy the video instead.

1st　11月1日

Shariden is covered with nets completely. Around it, there are the bamboo fences. You can see the photos on them. They show you how the renovation goes on.

October　10月

13th　10月13日

Shariden has the same appearance as 10 days ago. There is a model of Hiwadabuki roof.

12nd　10月12日

We still can see the 1st floor. Catch the glimpse of a statue of Crowned Buddha and Ashikaga Yoshimitsu( The 3rd Shogun of Ashikaga Shogunate and the founder of Kinkakuji temple.) in the 1st floor.

Now the roof was removed. New roof will be put on the boards on the picture.

September　9月

25th　9月25日

Now we can see only some part of Shariden.

20th　9月25日

The construction of scaffold is finished. I think it is covered with net by the end of the next week. The next time we can see Shariden will be 3 months ago.

シカさん

Enjoy Shariden in snow? Click here.(Sorry, written in Japanse language only)

13th　9月13日

Sharide is covered with scaffolding.

These photo show the main hall of Kiyomizu-dera temple under renovation. It also has scaffolding with net. I suppose Shariden of Kinkakuji will be covered with the same kind of net.

Near Shariden, there is an enlarged photo of it. Don’t worry.

七里ヶ浜親方

We can have a post card for free.

シカさん

I suppose Shariden is covered completely with net by the end of October.

 “Kokera-buki ” method. 杮葺とは？

Introduction　はじめに

The roofs of Kinkakuji are built in “Kokera-buki ” method. “Kokera-buki” means “roof constructed with pieces of wood.” This is one of 2 popular method to make roofs of shrines and temples.

In this method, we use thin plate of Japanese cedar, Hinoki cypress usually.

アフロさん

The roof of Kinkakuji is made of Sawara wood.

How to make Kokera-buki roof　杮葺屋根の作り方

1. Cut log 12″ in heigt.
2. The log looks like ◎. Peel off the outer edge because it doesn’t go with water.
3. Cut it as pizza. It is divided into couples of kind of isosceles triangular prisms.
4. Slice off the one of 2 side of the same length to make thin sheets (About 0.08″).
5. Place these sheets on the roof board, overlapping the adjacent ones, and fix them with bamboo nails.

Before the renovation, the roof looked like this.

Now the old Kokera was removed.

They put the new Kokera on it.

The renovation carries on with Ho-oh on the top of the roof.

お福さん

Check the link below to know Ho-oh

BYODO-IN temple in Kyoto: Its history and architecture of phoenix hall

Byodo-in temple has a long history and outstanding artifacts. A goat Kyotoite gives you the most precise information on them.

kyotokankoyagi.com

2018.08.24

It is the model of the roof you can find around the Shariden.

七里ヶ浜親方

Take a look at theses photos. It is a model of the roof made of “Hiwada-buki” method. The difference between “Kokera-buki” and it is material. Tree bark or sheet of wood,

あ

For example, the roofs of Kiyomizu-dera temple is made of Hiwadabuki.

うん

Without close inspection, it looks like the same ones.

Kokera-buki and Hiwada-buki　杮葺と檜皮葺

I said Kokera-buki is one of 2 method previously. The other is Hiwada-buki. They resembles each other. Sheet of wood and bark of tree are easily curved. Thanks to this feature, carpenters make elegant line of roof. (Like Ginkakuji temple in the photo.)

The roofs of both method last about a couples of decades. Kokera-buki needs logging though Hiwadabuki doesn’t. (It needs only barking tree. Tree is still alive.) And it is important to reserve woods.

七里ヶ浜親方

Let me show you an example. The pillars of the stage of Kiyomizu-dera temple are made of Keyaki tree. It doesn’t grow straight as cedar.  They are to be replaced about 400 years later. To prepare for the replacement, Kiyomizu-dera temple planted cedars in 2000.

What is Kinkakuji temple?  金閣寺とは？

History　歴史

Rokuon-in, a.k.a. Kinkakuji temple was built by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the 3rd Shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate. After his death, he was given Buddhist name “Rokuon-in.” The temple was named after it.

It was devastated with Ohnin no Ran, the largest civil war in Japan and other misfortunes.

It added to the list of the World Heritage site in 1994.

Shariden　舎利殿

The golden building is officially called “Shariden.” It means ” a building enshrines the ashes of Gautama Buddha.”

たけちよ

They are enshrined in the 3rd floor.

The 1st floor is called “Hossui-in.” It is built in “Shinden-zukuri.” It is a method found in residences of aristocrats. The statue of Gautama Buddha and Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the founder of the temple are enshrined.

The 2nd floor is called “Cho-on doh.” It is built in “Buke-zukuri.” It is a method found in residences of Samurai warlords. The statue Kannon and her guardians are enshrined.

The 3rd floor is called “Kukkyo-choh.” It is built in “Zenshu-butsuden-zukuri.” It is a method found in Zen temples. The ashes of Gautama Buddha is enshrined.

たけちよ

We are not allowed to enter Shariden.

On the top of the roof, there is a figurine of “Ho-oh” which brings us good fortune.

The plate on the 3rd floor reads Kukkyo-choh. The Kanji were written by Emperor Gokomatsu (1377-1433).

げきすせん

The statue and the plate are original parts of Kinkakuji

About Kinkakuji temple 金閣寺基本情報　

How to get to Kinkakuji? 金閣寺のアクセス

Take Kyoto city bus no.12, 59, 101, 204, 205 and get off at Kinkakuji-michi or Kinkakuji-mae bus stop.