A specific bird or animal that is considered to be a messenger of the deity enshrined at a shrine. It is also called the messenger of the gods or the misaki of the gods. In terms of the luck of the shrine, animals that have a deep connection with the deity are considered particularly sacred. The chickens of Ise, the monkeys of Hiyoshi, the foxes of Inari, the deer of Kasuga, Kashima and Itsukushima, the cows of Kitano, the snakes of Okami and the pigeons of Hachiman have been well known since ancient times. These animals are considered to be attendants or messengers of the deity, and are believed to be able to convey the will of the gods and tell good and bad fortune. The idea that animals are messengers of the gods has existed since ancient times, as can be seen in the legend of the white boar of Ibuki in the middle volume of the Kojiki and the legend of the giant snake in the Keikō period of the Nihon Shoki. However, apart from being messengers of a specific deity, foxes, monkeys, snakes and crows have long been regarded as sacred animals and birds, and even today faith and popular beliefs based on this can be found in a wide range of regions. [Masaru Sasaki] Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend |
神社に祀(まつ)られている祭神の使者と考えられている特定の鳥獣のこと。神のつかわしめ、神のみさきなどともよばれる。神社の縁起で祭神と深いかかわりをもつ動物がとくに神聖とされる。伊勢(いせ)のニワトリ、日吉(ひえ)のサル、稲荷(いなり)のキツネ、春日(かすが)や鹿島(かしま)・厳島(いつくしま)のシカ、北野のウシ、大神(みわ)のヘビ、八幡(はちまん)のハトなどは古来よく知られている。これらの動物は、祭神の眷属(けんぞく)や使いとされ、神意を伝えたり吉凶を告げることがあると信じられている。動物を神の使いとする思想は『古事記』中巻の伊服岐(いぶき)の白猪(しろい)伝説や、『日本書紀』景行(けいこう)紀の大蛇(おろち)伝説などにうかがわれるように、かなり古い時代から存した。ただし、キツネやサルやヘビそしてカラスなどは、特定の祭神の使いということとは別に、霊獣、霊鳥として古くから神聖視されてきた動物であり、今日でも広い地域で、それに基づいた信仰や俗信をみることができる。 [佐々木勝] 出典 小学館 日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について 情報 | 凡例 |
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