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Jizo Bodhisattva & “23rd Night” Stone Tablet
地蔵尊と「二十三夜塔」
Leaving the Toke Trail, I climbed down from the nearby mountain into a small mountain farming village before traversing one more peak to reach the parking lot. It was here that I came across this very typical rural scene.
※ Bodhisattva Seishi (Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto)
On the far left and right are stone engravings of Bodhisattva Seishi, a Buddhist deity believed to be the incarnation of the moon. It is said that the light of wisdom Bodhisattva Seishi possesses illuminates everything, freeing people from suffering and giving them strength.
In the Shinto tradition, this deity is also known as Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto (月読尊) who is the god of the moon in Japanese mythology, and is also revered as the god of agriculture and fishing.
Second from the right is a stone lantern with an engraving I couldn’t decipher.
※ Jizo Bodhisattva (O-Jizō-sama)
In the middle are two Jizo Bodhisattva statues with red hoods. Affectionately known in Japan as O-Jizō-sama (お地蔵様) or Jizō-san, this beloved Japanese divinity is the patron of children, expectant mothers, firemen, travelers, and pilgrims.
O-Jizō-sama represents the Buddhist Bodhisattva who has vowed to delay his own Buddha-hood until all suffering souls are freed from the underworld. He is often depicted as a humble monk.
Throughout Japan, you can see these statues near cemeteries, roadsides, and hiking trails. They are frequently adorned with red caps and bibs, symbolizing prayers for the safety and well-being of children.
※ 23rd Night Monument
The primary object at this site is the stone tablet with the engraving of 「二十三夜塔」 (23rd Night Monument). This phrase references Tsukimachi (月待ち), a folk tradition where local villagers would gather to eat and drink while waiting for the moon to rise on the 23rd day of the lunar month to pray for a bountiful harvest.
Since the location was used for the village gathering of Tsukimachi, it became clear to me why there were two Bodhisattva Seishi and two O-Jizo-sama statues.
Tsukimachi was actively practiced from the Edo period (1603-1868) to the early Showa period (1926-1989), but it has almost completely disappeared in modern times.
In our day and age, smartphones and cameras are used to take commemorative photos when friends and communities gather to record tangible memories. However, during the heyday of Tsukimachi, instead of taking a photo, building a stone tablet was the way to commemorate such gatherings.
23rd Night Stone Tablet・二十三夜塔
- Location: Hikawa Gorge, Tokyo, Japan
- Timestamp: 14:50・2024/11/26
- Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
- ISO 320 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2
- Astia/Soft film simulation
O-Jizō-sama Statue・地蔵尊
- Location: Hikawa Gorge, Tokyo, Japan
- Timestamp: 14:52・2024/11/26
- Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
- ISO 320 for 1/300 sec. at ƒ/2.2
- Astia/Soft film simulation
References
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