It’s time to visit this year’s horse theme with an old Japanese folklore. Over the years, I’ve introduced various folklores that correlate with that year’s Zodiac pretty closely, and this time won’t be any different. Today’s article introduces one called “Manzō and the Horses” (万蔵とウマ, Manzō to uma), a story told as so in Fukushima Prefecture, located on the eastern coast of Japan. Fukushima has a pretty extensive history as being one of the places where horses were raised, and were used for daily needs. There’s even an old tradition of horse racing called “sōma nomaoi” (相馬野馬追), which is still kept in practice as a cultural practice today.
Regarding this folklore, it’s actually based on a true story, regarding an individual and his actions that brought forth something significant to neighbors and travelers alike. What sets this folklore apart from its real counterpart is the storytelling aspect and the mythical theme that it centers around. It is categorized as a story of gratitude (恩返しの話, ongaeshi no hanashi), where when a person does something good for another, they will in return receive something back. Usually, the one who does the good deed is a human, while the other who pays back the good deed is a divine being. Along with this, this folklore demonstrates not only the qualities synonymous with the horse zodiac sign, but the significance of actual horses; their role being multifaceted, not just how they parallel some of the key points regarding this year’s Zodiac predictions, but how they fit into Japan’s past society: as a tool, as a commodity, a source for profit, and a means to connect those of different status.
This story comes from “hukumusume.com“, a site that hosts many fables originating from different prefectures in Japan. Below is the original Japanese text (left) and English transliterations by me (right).
| むかしむかし、小坂峠(こさかとうげ→福島県)のふもとの村に、万蔵(まんぞう)という若い男がいました。 万蔵は心のやさしい正直者で、毎日のようにウマの背に荷物をのせて峠(とうげ)をこえていました。 ある日のこと、万蔵はかけごとで大負けをして、大事なウマまでとられてしまいました。 | A long time ago, there was a young man by the name of Manzō, who resided in his home village up in the mountains of Kosaka Pass (modern day Fukushima Prefecture)¹. A straight-lace guy with a kind heart, he climbed up the mountain pass carrying cargo on his horse² everyday. One day, after taking a huge lost in a gambling game, Manzō lost everything, including his beloved horse. |
| 万蔵が夕暮れの峠の道をのぼっていくと、旅姿(たびすがた)の老人がしょんぼり石にすわっています。 「どうした？ じいさん」 万蔵がわけをたずねると、 「実はお金をつかいはたしてしまい、朝から何も食べておらんのじゃ」 と、いうのです。 | As he walks up the mountain pass during sunset, he encounters a traveling elderly man sitting slump on top of a rock “Old man, you okay?” Manzō probed as he approaches the stranger. In turn, the elderly man responds. “Actually, I haven’t had anything to eat all day because I spent all my money.” |
| 「そりゃあ、お気の毒だな。おいらにまかせておきな」 万蔵は自分が無一文なのも忘れて老人を元気づけると、知りあいの茶屋(ちゃや)へつれていきました。 「ここで二、三日、ゆっくり体を休めていくといい。お金はおいらがなんとかするから。なんでもたくさん食ってな。はやく元気になるんだぞ。なにも心配はいらないから」 万蔵は老人を茶屋の主人にたのんで、家に帰っていきました。 | “Ahh, that’s terrible, man. Well, let me help you out.” Forgetting about his own troubles, Manzō cheers up the elderly man and takes him to a teahouse he frequents at. “Hey, you can rest here for the next 2 to 3 days. Don’t worry about money, it’s not an issue. Eat to your fill. Don’t you worry about a thing, and get better soon.” Speaking with an air of reassurance, Manzō left the old man in the care of the teahouse owner, and returned to his own home. |
| そして次の日の朝でかけてみると、またあの老人が、きのうの峠の石にすわっているのです。 でも今日の老人は、黒毛のたくましいウマを五頭もつれています。 「きのうのお礼に、このウマをさしあげよう。町へいって売りなされ」 老人は、にこやかにいいました。 | In the morning of the next day Manzō returned up the path to see how things were, and once again saw the elderly man sitting on top of the stone. However, this time around the old man had 5 black-haired horses with him. “As a form of thanks, I offer you these horses. Please take them to the town and sell them.” The elderly man said with a smile. |
| 「こんなに立派なウマを。・・・あ、あなたさまは、どこのだんなさまで？」 万蔵がたずねると、老人はニッコリわらって、 「この峠の上の、稲荷大明神(いなりだい みょうじん)のつかいの者じゃ」 と、いって、けむりのようにスーッと消えてしまいました。 | “What, these fine horses…me…? …Master, where exactly are you from?³ In response to Manzō’s inquiry, the elderly man chuckles. “Me? I’m just a messenger of Inari Daimyōjin⁴, who resides at the top of this pass.” After stating this, he disappears in a cloud of smoke. |
| 万蔵は老人にいわれたとおり、五頭のウマをひいて町へいきました。 すると、「なんともすばらしいウマを、五頭もつれ歩いている男がいる」と、いう話がお城へ届いて、すぐに殿さまが五頭とも買いあげてくれたのです。 | Manzō followed the elderly man’s instructions, and brought the 5 horses to town. Conversations about “a guy leading 5 horses, all in magnificent condition” spread around town, which eventually reached the castle there. When the castle lord caught word of this, he immediately had all 5 horses bought. |
| 万蔵は思いがけない大金を手にしましたが、もうかけごとはしようと思いませんでした。 その大金で峠に稲荷大明神をまつるお堂(どう)をつくってそこにすみ、雪の日や雨の日などに、峠越えで苦しむ人たちを助けはじめたのです。 | Receiving a great sum of money much more than he could ever dream of, Manzō no longer saw any need to go gambling. With the newly earned money, he had a prayer hall built on the pass where people could worship Inari Daimyōjin⁵. Through this, people suffering could begin to find salvation at the top of the pass⁶. |
Present-day Manzō Inari Jinja in Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture, featuring numerous torii (鳥居, Shintō gates) (left) and the worship hall (right). Interestingly, this shrine aligns with the folklore both in the founder, reasoning behind its construction, and location. From Photo-AC.
| ところがある日のこと、お城からたくさんのさむらいがやってきて、 「お殿さまが買いあげたウマが、五頭とも消えてしまった。お前がぬすんで、ほかに売ったのではないのか？」 と、いうではありませんか。 | However, things did not remain quiet. One day, many samurai from the castle came to Kosaka pass and sought out Manzō. “The 5 horse you sold to our lord have vanished. Did you steal them, and sell them to someone else?” They asked him something he least expected. |
| 万蔵は、どうしてよいかわからなくなりました。 こまった万蔵は、お城にでむいてふしぎな老人と出会ってからの事をぜんぶ話しました。 すると、万蔵の話をきいた殿さまは、 「お前をうたがってすまぬ。これはきっと、正直でやさしいお前に神がやどったのじゃろう」 と、万蔵をほめたたえという事です。 おしまい | At this point, he didn’t know what to do regarding the missing horses. The stumped Manzō made his way to the castle, and before the castle lord explained the whole matter concerning the mysterious old man. After listening to Manzō’s explanation, the castle lord understood completely, “This is a matter where the god (Inari Daimyōjin) was favoring you due to your kindness. I’m sorry that I doubted you.” He praised Manzō for his honesty. The end |
A FOLKLORE’S LESSONS
“Manzō and the Horses” features lessons ready to teach readers, especially younger ones. As with all old tales, it is not necessarily a perfect mirror of the real events they are based on, as details vary due to some being added or removed. Focusing solely on the folklore, these lessons are pretty simple to catch, especially when compared with the traits of the horse zodiac. Here are the following lessons we can take from this folklore.
#1 To help those in need
This one is straight forward. The main topic of this story was how Manzō helped a complete stranger, being the old man. This is more than a simple act, for he himself was broke and down on his luck. He could’ve just ignored the old man, go to his friend’s tea shop, and ask for food for himself. Fortunately, Manzō was very selfless and put another person’s needs before his.
#2 Your sincerity will be repaid (greatly)
Here’s the following lesson that’s baked in to the theme of the story. Manzō is genuinely a nice guy, and his efforts to help the old man was in no way superficial. Due to his kindness, he was in turn repaid by the old man (divine messenger) in a way that resolved his own issues completely. In other words, be nice to others and you will naturally build good karma and be repaid.
#3 Always be honest
This last lesson comes toward the end of the story, when Manzō speaks to the castle lord. Honesty is painted as an essential virtue, as he was able to resolve a misunderstanding by explaining the full story, no matter how absurd it sounds. In a sense, the main protagonist is a representation of the standard positive qualities attached to the horse zodiac: hard work, kindness, and dedication. Not only that, but we can identify a few of the negatives as well, which includes Manzō’s addiction to gambling and his stubbornness to stop, which led him to hitting rock bottom and even losing his beloved horse.
Along with these 3 lessons, we can see the different roles the horse plays: from an essential resource in everyday tasks, to a bargaining chip, and finally a commodity with enough potential to earn one’s fortune. The value of a horse is made apparent in this story, and was key throughout almost every interaction.
ENDING
We’ve reached the end of this folklore related to the horse zodiac. As simple as it is, I personally feel that readers can take something positive from stories like this. Hope everyone is also benefiting off of the good fortunes of the fire horse. Look forward to at least one more story about the horse zodiac to close out the year.
1) It needs to be clarified that Kosaka Pass was one of 7 paths in the mountainous area between Miyagi Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture. Thus, the folklore has a connection to both sides. On a related note, Kosaka Pass historical records as being an important and widely used path, even by lords during processions.
2) This is a depiction of an umakata, or a transporter of goods by horse. It is very likely Manzō held this occupation, as it has a connection to the history of the actual shrine named after him.
3) This change of speech is a form of cultural custom of showing respect to someone who is either one’s benefactor, or wielder of magnificent resources an/ or influence. In this context, Manzō may have believed that the elderly man was either a wealthy noble or lord from another area.
4) Inari Daimyōjin is a standard name for the Shintō deity revered for bringing prosperous harvests for rice and grains, tea, and agriculture, along with success in the business world in modern times. This deity is also associated with foxes, as they are often depicted as messengers. Statistically, there are thousands of shrines dedicated in its honor around Japan. In real life, the name of the deity Manzō built the hall for was “Garamiki Inari” (賀良明貴稲荷).
5) Upon constructing this, Manzō most likely became the owner of the shrine…and possibly the shrine priest managing it…although this is not stated in the story. This tends to be the case in stories with similar events. In real life, Manzō did convert to a mountain ascetic after building the shrine, and managed it.
6) Manzō became a devoted follower of this deity due to the fortune he received from his selfless actions, and wanted others to receive the same blessings. This point in the story mirros the real life story. In present day, there is a shrine called, surprisingly, “Manzō Inari Jinja” (万蔵稲荷神社). Its current location is Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture, but this is after the original shrine was moved from Kosaka Pass. There are many parallels between the folklore and the real life story that’s associated with this shrine, along some very slight creative changes. To get a clearer picture, let’s review a quick summary about the Manzō Inari Jinja:
Manzō Inari Jinja was founded by a man named Kumatani Manzō (熊谷万蔵). Born sometime in the 1700s, he had the occupation of a transporter during his adulthood, nicknamed “Manzō the transporter” (馬方の萬蔵, umakata no Manzō). Rumors have it that on one night, he encountered an old man stranded on Kosaka Pass, whom he helped by providing this stranger a place with food and boarding. The next day, he met the old man once again, who thanked Manzō, claimed he was servant of the deity Inari Daimyōjin, and gave him 3 horses to sell. Believing this event was of divine intervention, he sold the horses, and in full faith used the money to built a small shrine with a hall of worship at the top of Kosaka Pass, where the deity “Garamiki Inari” (賀良明貴稲荷) would reside in for the purpose of providing protection to the locals and travelers alike.
This event sparked a change in his personal journey, for Manzō converted into a mountain ascetic (修験者, shugenja) after studying at a few temples within the 3 mountains of Dewa Sanzan (出羽三山) in Yamagata Prefecture, known as the mecca for mountain-related worship & belief practices. He became the 15th head of the Haguro mountain ascetic group (羽黒修験道), received the Buddhist name “Daiajari Kongōin Yuukan” (大阿闍梨金剛院祐観), and established “Kongōin Shugendō” (金剛院修験道) method.
In 1785, Manzō made the decision to have the shrine on Kosaka Pass moved to Yamagata Prefecture and had it rebuilt. In the end, he dedicated himself to his Buddhist practices to the point where he committed self-mummification (即身仏, sokushinbutsu) at the age around 80 to 81. After his death, the shrine was renamed “Manzō Inari Jinja” in honor of his life.
This information about the real Manzō and his life can be found on sites related to Manzō Inari Jinja, such as miyatabi.net, and miyagi jinjacho.com.