[Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture] If you are a cat lover, you can't miss Nyan! History of regional development traced back to “Shinbuyama Neko Inari”

Do you like cats?

Goods and motifs in the shape of cats, cat spots such as cat cafes...the world is full of people's love for cats everywhere. No matter how tough they usually look, some people's faces soften when they see a cat.

there is a shrine called Neko Inari in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture You may be thinking, "Are Fukushima people a fan of cats since ancient times?" However, there was a practical reason for the establishment of Neko Inari.

This time, I would like to trace the history of industry that flourished in Fukushima Prefecture, starting with Neko Inari.

A sacred place for cat lovers? What is “Neko Inari” in Fukushima City?

Shinobuyama Neko Inari , a shrine that prays for the happiness of cats . What kind of place is Shinoyama Neko Inari located and what kind of spot is it?

There is a "Neko Inari" on Mt. Shinobu in Fukushima City.

Shinobu is located in the center of Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture . It is located close to Fukushima Station, 3 km from Fukushima Prefectural Office, and just over 2 km from Fukushima City Hall. Surrounded by the city, it looks like a small island. The park and multiple observation decks offer a panoramic view of the city, and in spring, the area is crowded with cherry blossom viewing visitors.

It is also known as a power spot, and has been the object of mountain worship since ancient times. There are three peaks: Mt. Haguro, Mt. Hayama, Mt. Kumano, and Mt. Tateishi, and each mountaintop is enshrined with a deity or Buddha. There is a quiet building located halfway up the old approach road to Haguro Shrine, `` Okamizaka " Old folk house Nishizaka family ".

The Nishizaka family home is said to be a house used by vassals who accompanied the imperial family when they fled after losing the battle for supremacy. Currently, the building has been renovated and is used as a rest area. And beyond the torii gate on the same premises as the old folk house Nishizakaya is Nishizaka Inari, also known as Shinbuyama Neko Inari

You can also pray for the happiness of your beloved cat at “Shinbu Yamaneko Inari (Nishizaka Inari)”

When you pass through the vermilion torii gate located on the same premises as the old folk house Nishizakaya... you will see a small shrine and a bulletin board-like board beyond that.

When I looked at the board, I saw pictures of cats...

Actually, this board was set up for people who want to pray for the health and happiness of their beloved cats. Since it is a power spot named after a cat, it is a smart idea. If you would like to display it, please bring a large-sized photo of your cat and purchase a special photo case/clip at Kominka Nishizakaya. In principle, photos will be posted for one year, and once the posting period has ended, the photos will be filed and stored separately. We also recommend a goshuin stamp with a cat on it to commemorate your visit.

<Information>Shinobu Mountain Cat Inari

• Facility name Shinoyama Neko Inari (Nishizaka Inari Shrine)
• Location: Miyamaiwasaka, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture
• Official URL: https://www.shinobuyama.com/

Google MAP

Why is it called “cat” even though it is Inari?

When we think of Inari, fox to be enshrined. This is said to be because Inari Okami, the god of agriculture, has foxes as his messengers.

On the other hand, why does Shinobuyama Neko Inari bear the name "Neko"? In fact, the fox that is enshrined at Shinoyama Neko Inari is a fox, and there is a legend that it is called `Gonbo fox

The three foxes of Mt. Shinobu, Gobo Fox , Chojiro Ichikamori , Kamozaemon of Ishigamori , are all foxes who love mischief. Among them, the gobo fox was good at disguising people and did nothing but bad things. One day, Kamozaemon lied to Gobo Fox and said, ``If you catch fish with your tail, you'll catch a lot of interesting fish.'' When the tricked gobo fox was fishing with his tail hanging down in the swamp, the swamp froze solidly in the cold midwinter, and he couldn't get his tail out. When he tried to pull out the tail with all his might, the tail snapped off from the base, and the fox lost its ability to transform. The priest of Mt. Shinobusa, unable to see Gobokitsune's disappointment, offered some words of comfort. Gobo Fox, who had reformed his mind, wanted to give back to the people and decided to exterminate the rats that were a pest to the sericulture industry that was thriving in the area. The grateful people came to worship the gobo fox as a ``neko Inari'' who exterminated rats, and over time, it is said that the shrine became a place where cats pray for happiness.

The reason Shinoyama Neko Inari has the word ``cat'' in its name is because once upon a time in this area, cats were important because they exterminated rats. Furthermore, it became clear that the reason they wanted to get rid of rats was because the sericulture industry was flourishing.

Sericulture culture flourished in Fukushima Prefecture

Fukushima Prefecture, including Fukushima City, has been a thriving area for the sericulture industry since the Edo period. It is famous not only for producing raw silk, but also for producing high-quality silkworm eggs (silkworm species). Through trial and error, we selected excellent breeds of silkworms, crossed them, and fed them the best mulberries to feed on. As a result, the silkworm breeding industry, which shipped silkworm eggs, flourished during the Meiji period.

Sericulture has been a familiar industry in Fukushima for a long time. It is not at all rare to find a family that grew silkworms. When you talk to elderly people in the area, many will say, ``In the old days, we had silkworms in our homes.'' They raise silkworms, spin thread, and ship the finished silk to Tohoku, the whole country, and overseas. It was an important industry that provided local financial resources.

The direction of the trend changed during the Showa era. With the gradual spread of chemical fibers, the demand for sericulture gradually declined. If we no longer raise silkworms, we will no longer need mulberry fields. Therefore, many households planted fruit trees to make use of the empty mulberry fields. And there is a history that led to the birth of the current fruit kingdom of Fukushima.

Kawamata Town has a strong silk culture

Even now that the once prosperous sericulture industry has declined, the shadows of the industry of those days still remain.

Kawamata Town, located in the northern part of Fukushima Prefecture, is a town where the silk industry has continued for 1,300 years since the Heian period. calls itself `` Silk Village its symbol is a character based on Legend of Kotehime,

The silk fabric produced in Kawamata Town is called Kawamata Silk It is produced using a special technique of weaving thin silk threads in wide widths. Several manufacturers are still working on producing Kawamata silk, and the inside of the factory is a spectacular sight, with looms lined up side by side and making a sound of pattering in unison.

While preserving traditional techniques, we also develop products that suit the times. Highly fashionable, lightweight and supple, the stole is also popular as a gift for Mother's Day. Fairy feather which boasts the world's thinnest silk fabric , is also attracting attention around the world.

We cannot miss the continued development of Kawamata silk, which is evolving traditional culture to meet modern needs.

summary

This time, we talked about the history of Fukushima's sericulture and silk textile industry, starting with Shinoyama Neko Inari

Nowadays, cats are more commonly seen as pets, but in the past, in Japan, they were companions in life who could get rid of rats. The reasons may be different, but cats have been considered "precious" to people since then. Although the sericulture industry is now in decline, the traces of the culture of that time remain in various parts of the prefecture even today, and the high quality and production techniques of Kawamata silk are attracting attention from around the world.

I hope this story will remind you of it when you travel to Fukushima.