The image of the guardian dogs standing on the shrine grounds was clearly reflected in the window glass of Nitta Shrine

Guardian dog reflected in the glass of the shrine building — Guardian dog reflected in the window glass of Nitta Shrine

When you see the name "新田," you tend to think of it as a relatively newly cultivated area, but 武蔵新田 in Ota Ward, Tokyo, is a little different. It is not called "Shinden (new rice paddy)" but "Nitta. It is not a newly cultivated land, but is named after a person.

That person was Nitta Yoshioki, a warlord of the Southern Court during the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties. In order to repose the soul of Nitta Yoshioki, who lost his life in a conspiracy, Nitta Shrine was built here in Yaguchi, and the station is named after the Shinto shrine.

The fact that Nitta Yoshioki is enshrined here is an example of what is called goryo faith. It is a belief that the spirits of those who have died in an unfortunate way are enshrined as gods in order to appease them and prevent them from bringing misfortune. Nitta Yoshioki, who had been framed in a conspiracy, was thought to bring misfortune if he was left alone. The conspiracy must have been so dehumanizing that many people thought so. But perhaps it's because I'm a modern person that I feel that anger is not so great as to be dissipated by being worshipped as a god.

Comment via

日本語