It’s time to revisit the Zodiac theme of this year. We’ll do it again with a snake-related folklore. In Japan, there aren’t many popular folktales that paint snakes in a good light. However, there are plenty of short and obscure ones, along with those that focus on the primal nature of this creature. Fortunately, I managed to find a suitable one, a local tale from Yabasama in Kani City, Gifu Prefecture. Long ago, this place used to be known as “Yabasama village”.
The name of this folklore is generally known as “Kyōgawa-sama”, which is about a snake deity that has a proper shrine, as well as a pond nearby. Below is the original Japanese from the official Kani City webpage. Alongside it is my English transliteration.
| ずっとむかしの話や。 谷週間の山の中なかに「京河さま」とみなが呼よんどった小さな石の神社があった。その横の谷に、京河さまの池があってなあ。 その池は、みかけは小さいがほんとはふかいという話やった。 木の葉で埋まってまったようにみえとったが、むかしからいっべんも水がのうなったことはなかった、というこつちゃ。 | This is a tale from long time ago. Within the mountains of an area known as Yabasama stands a small stone shrine where the deity called “Kyōgawa-sama” resides¹. In the neighboring valley is Kyōgawa-sama’s pond. Based on rumors about it, the pond appears to be small, but is very deep. It’s also said it never lost even a drop of water, although now in its current condition it’s covered up by leaves. |
| ある夏のこと。くる日もくる日も、雨が降らず、田んぼはひびわれするは、飲み水も足らんようになるしで、みなはとほうにくれてまった。 そこで寄り合っては話し合うたが、ちよっともええ考えがないもんやで、とうとう「こまったときの神だのみや。それよりしょうがないのう。」ということになつた。 | During one summer, there was a village where the farmlands and rice fields were whithering, and drinking water had become scarce, due to a lack of rainfall. The villagers were left puzzled. The villagers gathered and discussed about how to handle their situation, but couldn’t come up with any good ideas. In the end, they came up to one agreement. “Guess there’s no other choice, but to plead for help from a god during tough times like this.” |
| そこで、近いところにある神社やお寺をまわつて雨ごいをしたけど、いっこうに ききめがないもんで、京河さまへも、みんなそろっておまいりにいった。 親たちが一心におまいりしとるあいだ、子どもんたは、葉に埋まつた小さな池で遊んどった。 | They went around to all the temples and shrines within the area and requested for rain. However, not once did it rain. Finally, they journeyed to the stone shrine of Kyōgawa-sama. While the adults went to the shrine to appease to the god there, the children played around the pond. |
| 水はちいとしかないと思って、池の水をかえどりして遊びはじめたげなら、池の中がどろどろと動きだし、それはそれほ大きいへビが、にゆうとかまくぴをあげたんやと。 村のしゆうは、びっくりするのなんの。大へんなさわぎとなった。 | Expecting that there was just a tiny bit of water there, they started to push away the clutter covering the water. Suddenly, something started to move below the surface of the pond, then out emerged a giant snake. This scene caused everyone around to get into an uproar. |
| おまけにその大きな へビが、「お前たちは、なにをそんないっしょうけんめいにたのんでおるんじゃ。」と、ことばをしゃべったもんやから、よけいにおそろしなって、動けずにふるえておったが、やっとその中のひとりが、 「この夏、雨がひとつぶも降らず、作物はあかんようになるし、飲み水もおおかたのうなってまい、とほうにくれて、京河さまへ雨を降らせてくださいと、お願いしとりました。」と答えたら、 | “You all there, what is the reason for all this pleading to me with such urgency?” The giant snake spoke in human speech, which caught everyone by surprise. The crowd were speechless with fear, and noone replied immediately. Finally, one person emerged and spoke up. “This summer, we aren’t able to bear any harvest, and many of us are thirsty as there is not enough drinking water due to no rainfall. So, we came to see Kyōgawa-sama and request to make it rain for us.” |
| 「そんならこの池を、もうちょっときれいに、かえどりをしてくれ。必ず雨は降らせてやるからな。」と、また池の中へもどりこんでまった。 みんなで、池の主のいったことばどおりに、池をきれいにかえどりして帰ったと。 その夜おそうなって、ポツリポツリと大つぶの雨が降りはじめたときは、村じゆうの人たちが家から飛び出し、よろこぴあったというこっちゃ。 | “If rain is all that you need, then can you clear the clutter in this pond and make it clean? I will surely make it rain if you do this for me.” The giant snake declared, then returned below the surface of the lake. Doing as the owner of the pond requested, the villagers removed all the clutter, then went back home, and cleaned the lake on that same day. Late the same night, large droplets of rain started to fall, making everyone in the village run out of their homes and cheering happily. |
| それからは、日照りがつづいたり、水にこまるときは、京河さまの池のかえどりをすると、ちゃあんと雨が降ったそうな。 いまでもその石の神社があるが、工業団地の進出によって、年に一度のお参りの伝統のみが残っているそうじゃ。 | From there on, if there are periods of drought or when water is scarce, the villagers received rain whenever they cleaned out Kyōgawa-sama’s pond. The stone shrine was still standing during those times until now. Due to the changes caused by modernization, it seems that all that remains is the tradition of the annual reverance of this deity. |
This is a classical example of the age-old belief of locals giving prayers to deities for the sake of help during troubling times. It’s from tales like this that set the grounds for yearly traditional celebrations. What is the real story behind Kyōgawa-sama? Unfortunately there’s very little info related to the folklore. I’m even having difficulties finding the shrine dedicated to Kyōgawa-sama, along with the pond². The difficulties in uncovering more of the backstory is very strange.
This brings our article to an end. The folklore of Kyōgawa-sama is one of those few in Japan that illustrate snakes of any kind in a way where humans would revere to them for protection or good fortune…making it fitting for this Zodiac year.
1) I suspect that this was also the name of the stone shrine.
2) As hinted in the folklore, there are other strines within the general area. This is true today. From my research, doesn’t seem like any of them have any connections to Kyōgawa-sama.