What is "Danburi Choja"? A detailed explanation of the folk tales that became the name of sweet potato shochu [Akita Prefecture]

In May 2021, Danburi Choja, a sweet potato shochu produced and sold by Akita Prefecture Fermentation Industry Co., Ltd., won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition (TWSC) 2021, a distilled spirits tasting event

We will explain in detail what kind of folktale "Danburi Choja" is, which is so familiar that it is the name of a sweet potato shochu and is also included in the Akita Hometown Quiz as basic knowledge about Akita

Reference: Japan Food Newspaper "Akita Prefecture Fermentation Industry, 'Komekura' wins TWSC Gold Award, 'Danburi Choja' wins Bronze Award"

Reference: Akita Hometown Examination "Basic knowledge of Akita: The Legend of the Danburi Millionaire"

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Summary of Danburi Choja

The Danburi Millionaire, a folk tale from Akita, is about a dragonfly called a danburi that brings happiness to a married couple. Let's review the story

A young girl living in Tokko, Hinai (present-day Odate City), was grieving the death of her parents when she had a dream in which she was told by a white-haired old man to go upstream and marry a young man she met there

As predicted, the daughter married a young man she met in Azusawa (now Kakunodate City), and although they worked hard, they were poor and could not even buy sake to offer to the gods at New Year's

Then, a white-haired old man named Dainichi appeared in the couple's dream and told them that they would become wealthy if they moved upstream, so they opened up fields in Tayama (now Tayama, Ashiro-cho, Iwate Prefecture)

One day, while the husband was sleeping between farm work, Danburi flew up and repeatedly touched his tail to his lips, which puzzled the wife

When the husband woke up, he felt as if he had drunk some very delicious sake in his dream, so he went in the direction the bowl had flown and found a spring from which sake gushed forth

Because alcohol had the effect of curing any illness and prolonging life, the couple became the richest people in the country

Many people gathered in the large mansion, and the rice water flowed out and into the river, turning the water white, so people began to call the river the Komeshiro (Yoneshiro) River

However, the couple was still unable to have children even after they turned 40, so they prayed to Dainichi-no-kami and a baby girl was born

Since one needed permission from the emperor to call oneself a wealthy man, the couple went to the capital with their daughter, where they caught the eye of Emperor Keitai and were appointed to serve in the imperial court

The daughter was named Kisshohime and married Emperor Keitai, but the rich couple eventually died and the sake spring turned into water

Princess Kissho was saddened by this and requested to build Ohirumemuchi Shrine in her hometown, which was granted

For this reason, Dainichiryouki Shrine in what is now Azusawa was built in 523 (the 17th year of Emperor Keitai's reign)

When Princess Kissho passed away, she was buried next to Dainichiryouki Shrine according to her will, so a ginkgo tree was planted nearby and a temple called Kisshoin was built

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Masumi Sugae and "Danburi Millionaire"

The folktale of Danburi Choja was originally told in the Edo period as Oku Joruri, a form of Japanese folklore told in the Oshu region, and a story similar to this one is included in Sugae Masumi's book "Kenno Sebanono" as "The Tale of Danburi Choja."

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In the story of the Danbiru Choja, it is written that what flew to the husband was an akitsu mushi (dragonfly), and that the people of the village called it danbi, so the couple was called Danbiru Choja, which is one difference from the folk tales that are handed down in Akita today

Another major difference is that after the couple passed away, a temple called Yorosan Kitoku-ji was built by imperial order, rather than Dainichireiki Shrine

"Kefu no Seba Nono" is included in the second special collection of the Akita Collection, so if you're interested, be sure to read them both and compare them

Reference: National Diet Library Digital Collection "Akita Series Volume 2: Kefunosebanono"

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summary

The Danburi Choja is an old folktale about a dragonfly called danburi that brings happiness to a married couple, but it has also been discovered to be linked to the origin of the name of the Yoneshiro River and the story of the founding of Dainichireiki Shrine

The "Akita Folktales, Legends, and Gossip Oral Literature Search System" allows you to compare various folktales about Danburi Choja that have been passed down in Akita Prefecture, so if you're interested, be sure to take a look

Reference: Akita folk tales, legends, and gossip oral literature search system "Danburi Choja"

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