Myoken Shrine (Yamagata Prefecture) - home to the legend of Benbeko Taro, a fierce battle between a dog and a raccoon dog

In Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture, there is a legend called "Benbeko Taro Legend," which can be described as the Yamagata version of the famous folktale "Hayataro Legend (Shippei Taro Legend)" that is passed down in Nagano and Shizuoka Prefectures .

To summarize, it's a story about a brave dog that defeats a monster that torments villagers by demanding sacrifices , and there is actually a grave for Benbeko Taro at Myoken Shrine in Tendo City

The legend of Benbeko Taro passed down in Tendo

Once upon a time, a traveling monk visited this place

There is no lodging in the village, so the monk decides to stay at the home of a villager

After dinner, the family member occasionally looked sad, so the monk asked him why. The monk was told that there was a monster living in the mountains behind the village shrine, and that once every three years a young girl had to be sacrificed to it. The family member's daughter had been chosen as a human sacrifice two years earlier, and so she would sometimes remember this and become sad

Upon hearing this, the monk hid in the shrine in the middle of the night to investigate. After a while, a warm breeze suddenly blew, and he smelled a fishy odor. Suddenly,a large group of tanuki (raccoon dogs) gathered and began to drink.

After a while, a drunk big raccoon

The song begins with, "Don't tell Benbeko Taro of Shinano Province about this and that."

Hearing this, the monk promised the villagers, "I will avenge your daughter as a token of my gratitude for your kindness," and set off on another journey

About a year later, the monk returned to Shinano ProvinceBenbeko Taro, and waited until nightfall before heading to the shrine in question.

From the shrine, the sounds of dogs barking, raccoons growling, and animals fighting could be heard, and this continued all night

When the villagers went to the shrine in the morning, they found many dead raccoon dogs lying around. Benbeko Taro, who had fought bravely, was wounded and weakened, and after a while he ran out of strength and died

The villagers were grateful to Benbekotaro and built a grave for him to mourn him

Is it related to the Hayataro legend (Shippeitaro legend)?

The Hayataro legend (Shippei Taro legend) is famous throughout Japan and is passed down at Kōzenji Temple in Shinano (Nagano Prefecture). In this version, the setting is Enshū Fuchū (Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture), where a large monkey lives in a shrine and causes trouble by demanding sacrifices .

The general outline of the story is very similar, with Hayataro having successfully defeated the giant monkey returning to Kozenji Temple on foot, where he dies

Because of his achievements, the legend of Hayataro is passed down at Kōzenji Temple in Nagano Prefecture, and the legend of Shippei Taro is passed down at Mitsuke Tenjin Shrine in Shizuoka Prefecture

• Link:Kōzenji Temple and the Legend of the Spirit Dog Hayataro
• Link:Mitsuke Tenjin Shrine and the Legend of the Spirit Dog Shippei Taro

As an aside, a very similar story exists at "Inu no Miya" in Takahata Town, Higashiokitama District, in the southern part of Yamagata Prefecture. The plot, in which a dog brought from afar defeats a mischievous raccoon dog, is strikingly similar, but the connection between them remains a mystery.

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Dog Shrine and Cat Shrine - A shrine dedicated to dogs and cats, located in the birthplace of the legendary Japanese dog, the Takayasu dog [Yamagata Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/31147

In the Takayasu district of Takahata Town in southern Yamagata Prefecture, there are shrines dedicated to dogs and cats, which are rare nationwide. This time, we investigated the "Dog Shrine" and "Cat Shrine" in the Takayasu district of Takahata Town, which is also the birthplace of the now-extinct Japanese dog "Takayasu Inu." The Takayasu Inu (Takayasu Dog) was a type of Japanese dog once kept in the Takayasu district of Takahata Town. It was an excellent hunting companion and excellent matagi dog, but is said to have become extinct in the early Showa period. There is extremely little documentation about the Takayasu Inu, and its characteristics are passed down orally, including the following...

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Are Yamadera and Risshakuji Temples involved?

These are very similar stories, and there is a theory that this may be related to Risshaku-ji Temple, a mountain temple located very close to Tendo

Risshaku-ji Temple is an ancient temple of the Tendai sect founded by Jikaku Daishi Ennin . And as mentioned earlier, Kōzen-ji Temple in Nagano Prefecture was founded by Honshō Shōnin , a disciple of Ennin . This suggests that there may have been some kind of exchange between Risshaku-ji and Kōzen-ji Temples.

Perhaps through this exchange, the story of Hayataro reached Risshakuji Temple, and the rumor unknowingly took root in the local area...or perhaps a monk from Risshakuji Temple heard the rumor and prayed to the spirit dog of Kozenji Temple for help...We don't know the truth, but it certainly gets the imagination going!

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Risshakuji Temple, part of the Four Temples Corridor, along with Chusonji Temple, Motsuji Temple, and Zuiganji Temple (Yamagata Prefecture)

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Mount Hoju Risshakuji Temple in Yamagata Prefecture, commonly known as Yamadera, is a Tendai Buddhist temple said to have been founded by Jikaku Daishi Ennin in 860 at the request of Emperor Seiwa. The principal image of the temple is Yakushi Nyorai, and as the entire mountain is said to be a temple, visitors must climb 1,050 steps from the trailhead to the final hall known as Nyohodo (Okunoin). While the mere sight of these steps would normally leave you breathless, the climb at Yamadera somehow inspires the strength to climb. It was designated a National Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty on March 25, 1932. Jikaku Daishi...

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Myoken Shrine, where Benbeko Taro's grave is located

Benbeko Taro's grave is located at Myoken Shrine in Tendo City .

There are two theories about this: one is that the shrine was founded along with Benbeko Taro's grave, and the other is that the raccoon dog was having a drinking party in the grounds of Myoken Shrine

Myoken Shrine is located on a small hill. The entire hill appears to be the shrine grounds

The stone pillar of Myoken Shrine stands just past the torii gate

There are many shrines within the shrine grounds

It is not a large shrine, but it is well maintained and you can tell that it is well cared for by the locals

I couldn't find it easily so I turned back along the approach, and then I saw an interesting shrine in the distance. It was located on top of a mountain overlooking the surrounding area

I found it. The name is written on it so that it's easy to find. Perhaps it was intended to be in a position overlooking the surrounding area from the mountain, with the hope that it would watch over the village for many years to come

Myoken Shrine <Information>

• Name: Myoken Shrine
• Address: Yamaguchi, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture, 994-0101

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Aoiwa

Traveling around the Tohoku region, I enjoy drinking delicious sake and exploring the local history, traditions, and customs. I write articles based on my interests. I'm currently interested in folk performing arts, local toys, and folk beliefs