Gion

The area around Kamiya, Yasu City, in the central-southern part of Shiga Prefecture. Formerly known as Giou Village. It is said to be the birthplace of the Shirabyōshi (traditional Japanese dancers) Gion and Gione, who were the favorites of Taira no Kiyomori. This area originally had poor water supply, but legend has it that Gione asked Kiyomori to dig an irrigation canal. In memory of her virtue, the place name Ebe was changed to Gione, and the canal was named Gionigawa. There is Giō-ji Temple, which has a wooden statue of Gione and two old stone towers, the Gione and Gione Towers.

[Seiichi Takahashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

滋賀県中南部、野洲市(やすし)上屋(かみや)周辺の地域。旧義王村。平清盛(きよもり)の寵愛(ちょうあい)を集めた白拍子(しらびょうし)祇王、祇女の生地と伝えられる。この地はもと水利が悪かったが、祇王が清盛に願って用水路が掘削されたという伝説がある。その遺徳をしのんで江部という地名を祇王と改め、水路も祇王井川と称したという。祇王の木像と祇王、祇女の塔という2基の古石塔のある妓王寺がある。

［高橋誠一］

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