A short distance from the city center of Kitakata, you can see the quiet mountain area of 'Atsushio Onsen'. True to its name, this hot spring town has hot water containing salt bubbling up, and at the end of this town, there is a temple that exudes a majestic atmosphere.
The famous Soto Zen temple 'Gohōzan Jigenji'. In fact, this temple is a place founded by a monk with an incredible legend related to the super famous 'great yokai' known from anime and kabuki.
This time, we will guide you through the deep highlights of Shigenji, where various dramas of Japanese history are condensed within a single temple precinct.
【Mystery ①】The "Gennou (Genno) Priest" who crushed the nine-tailed fox
An essential figure in discussing Shigenji is the "Gennou Shinsyou (Genno Shinshou) Zen Master," who revived this temple in 1375.
Are you familiar with the legend of the "nine-tailed fox"? A terrifying golden-haired nine-tailed fox that transformed into an unparalleled beauty to ingratiate itself with powerful figures in China and Japan, seeking to destroy nations. Discovered by an onmyoji, it fled to Nasuno (Tochigi Prefecture) and became a massive cursed stone (Sesshoseki), continuing to take the lives of any creatures that approached.
The super monk who became the origin of the word "kanzuchi"
For centuries, no one could approach this cursed stone, but the super monk who shattered it with a large hammer and successfully quelled the fox's resentment is none other than this Gennou Priest. (By the way, the term for carpenter's hammer, "genno," derives from him!)
In the Kaizan-do located within the precincts, there is a wooden statue said to have been carved by the priest while looking at his own reflection in the pond, which still quietly watches over this land.
【Mystery ②】The carpenter from Echigo and the shadow of the "Christian" lurking in the precincts
As you walk through the precincts of Shigenji, you will encounter the mysteries of history one after another.
For example, the "Kannon-do," which is the 5th temple of the Aizu Thirty-Three Kannon. The exquisite pine and chrysanthemum carvings here are masterpieces that convey the style of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. They were created by a skilled group of craftsmen known as "Masedaiku" from Niigata, who came to work during the agricultural off-season. At that time in Aizu, they were a kind of "top-tier brand."
Further exploring the precincts, as you step into the burial area, you will encounter a breathtaking sight.
From the freedom and civil rights movement to the mother of welfare, and then to nostalgic flavors
The depth of Shigenji's embrace does not end there.
Within the precincts, there quietly stands a memorial tomb for the patriots who lost their lives during the radical anti-government movement known as the "Kabasan Incident" in the Meiji era.
Above that, there is the grave of Iwako Uryu, a pioneer of social welfare in Japan, known as the "Nightingale of the Meiji Era." She cared for the wounded during the Boshin War, regardless of their side, and helped the mother of Hideyo Noguchi obtain her midwife qualification. She is a great woman that Aizu is proud of.
Yokai extermination, hidden Christians, the turbulent Bakumatsu and Meiji Restoration. After feeling such dense historical energy, you might want to take a break with something a little sweet.
Aizu's gentle and nostalgic flavors
For me, "Netsu-shio Onsen (Jigen-ji)" brings back memories of the famous confectionery "Kokonoé" that my grandmother often brought back as a souvenir. When you float the small yellow grains in hot water, they dissolve with a cute sound, and the aroma of yuzu spreads gently. It is a gentle and nostalgic taste of the region, still carefully made by the hands of women at "Naraya" in Aizu Shiozawa Town.
At "Tabinoito," we offer a tour in the Academic style that unravels the vast historical drama packed into this one shrine, along with the storytelling of our guide.
"I want to have an intellectual experience connecting the scattered traces of history with lines." "I want to savor the deep echoes of history along with local famous sweets."
If you feel this way, why not walk with us through the grounds of Netsu-shio Onsen and Jigen-ji?
