Koura

Kodzu Tenman Tenjin

Shikishima no michi o kashikomi Amamitsu

Kami yoshirurashi Miya no ura ha mo

The actual place name of ‘Ko-ura’ doesn’t appear in the Fudoki, instead it is included in the description of ‘Etomo’. We can see, however that most of the article on Etomo is actually about Ko-ura.  The Fudoki states, " Etomo Beach, 3740 feet wide. There are houses on the eastern and southern sides. There are fields in the west, and to the north is the sea."

In the past, people here general though that north was were the  Sea of Japan was . In actuality, however you look at it, the Etomo sea is in the west. Using their train of thought , in modern directional terms, the houses  will be in the north and east , and the fields will be in the south. It is worth bearing this concept of direction in mind when walking around Etomo.  

For a more historical, concrete, and detailed description of the Ko-ura sand hills and  their relation to the Fudoki, along with other aspects of shrine and village life in ancient times please see the book 'Fudoki to Kodai Shakai', by Seki Kazuhiko.

The Tenmangu shrine is located on top of the sand hill that was spoken about in the Fudoki. The origin of Sugawara Michizane  as the enshrined deity is unknown. However, according to the explanation on the munafuda (wooden stake where shrine details are written) kept in the shrine storage,  he was recorded as being the deity back in 1093, but there’s no way of checking this. The munafada from 1578, however does have mention of  the ‘Ko-ura Tenjin’.

Pilgrims back in the day were known to cry 'Are we still in Onoze?' while on the perilous winding path that went through the forest road along the seashore from Onoze on the way to Ko-ura. However,  as you approach and the bathing area at Ko-ura and the port at Esumi gradually come into view from between  the trees, you're buoyed on and inspired to keep going to your destination.

Upon entering the Ko-ura village area, you'll soon see the Torii gate of the Tenmangu shrine.  Along the little river that flows down the west side of the shrine grounds are fieldstone/distance markers guiding us to 'Izumo Taisha'  and 'Ichibatayakushi'. The route along a mountain path that eventually takes you to Ichibatayakushi is the same direction as that of Onoze.

Like Etomo, Ko-ura enjoyed its peak as a base for salt-making in the Edo Period, but following the opening in 1787 of the Sado-gawa (river) connecting the Sea of Japan and Lake Shinji, the industry went into decline.

Following the digging of  the Sado river , the spot said to be where Izanagi cleansed himself upon his return from the underworld where Izanami died,  Misumi-ike, a pond once home to turtles is now a dried-up, rock-filled patch. The Sado river is cut into two parts with Ko-ura in the west and Etomo in the east.

The small shrine located on the right hand side of the rear of the Prayer Hall in Tenmangu contains the O-Mikoshi (portable shrine) for the god  Toshitoku-gami  and statues of 'Anata-san', as the kami (gods) Okuninushi and Kotoshironushi are nicknamed.  Straw versions of these statues can be visited for prayers on the second and third days of New Year.

During the Tondo, the Toshitoku-gami portable shrine is carried along with a  model of that year's Zodiac/ Animal symbol with the exception of the year of the Snake and the year of the Rooster. In 2013 (the year of the snake) for the first time in  40 years Anata-san was paraded through the town carried by people indistinguishable due to having their faces painted in blue, red and white.

The deity of Tenmangu is also known as 'Tsunabiki tenjin' (Tug of war god). Every April 20th a so-called 'open sea festival' known as "Ryujin Matsuri' (Ryujin is the dragon god, deity of the sea) is held to pray for safety at sea and large fishing hauls. There is a  small shrine in a wooden boat stored in the prayer hall . This boat is used to row out into the open sea to greet the dragon god . Ryujin is met in the afternoon and then sent off at 9 p.m. In recent years, due to frequent stormy days around this time, the event has taken place close to the shoreline.

Until recently, every November,  fifth and sixth grade elementary students have been in charge of performing a  'Hayashi', traditional musical show  and four fourth grade girls have put on a kagura (traditional Shinto theatrical dance) called "Urayasu no Mai", held in the shrine prayer hall. The Urayasu no mai began in 1940 to commemorate the 2600th anniversary of the founding of the imperial household. They perform a piece specifically written by the Showa Emperor and all shrines around Japan that hold this event do so with female leads.

The 'ura' in the Ko-ura name is old language and is related to something 'connected to the heart'. With Urayasu, the heart can achieve tranquility much in the way it can in the 42 'ura' Bay pilgrimage.

This same event was held in neighboring Esumi on November 9th last year.

The Urayasu no mai was also held at Miho jinja in Mihonoseki town on September 16, Respect for the Aged day starting at 10 a.m. were four fourth grade elementary school girls who are part of the shrine's parish, performed the dance.  The dance began once the chief priest of the shrine was seated in the prayer hall. On this occasion, at the start, the performers held a fan, but they also had a two bladed sword which was offered up to the gods. The dancers left a strong impression as they leaned right back, seemingly stopping mid-way through their movement.