Stone god

Japanese: 石神 - いしがみ

Belief in divine spirits that reside in certain natural stones and man-made stone poles and boulders. Also called shakujin. A type of primitive folk religion, it is found all over the world.

Japan's ancient custom of worshipping stones as gods is in part attributed to the spiritual power of the sea and water, and strange rocks that wash up on the beach from the depths of the waves are believed to be the result of the magical power of powerful spirits. In Okinawa Prefecture, people worship and serve divine stones (called Senjin) that flew across the sky long ago (enshrined to Tarama-no-Kami) or drifted ashore from Tokoyo-no-Kuni (Land of Eternity) on the wind, as well as stones that emerge from the earth or sand (enshrined to Ari-no-Kami), believing in their spiritual and magical powers as gods that protect the country, ward off evil, and bestow good fortune. There are also many gods that have taken the form of stones, such as horses and seabirds. The stone gods enshrined on the sides of wells are always oddly shaped stalactites, and the gods of fire and thunder, who are also the household deities, are symbolized by three stones, placed in a row or in the shape of a tripod.

[Ken Ishigami]

Stone God's Spiritual Power

The Izumo no Kuni Fudoki, in the section on Kannabiyama in Tatenui County, states that there are over 100 stone gods and small stone gods to the west of the mountain, and according to a legend from the elders, "Ame-no-Mikajihime-no-Mikoto came to the village of Taku and gave birth to Takitsuhiko-no-Mikoto. At that time, she gave him instruction and commanded, "I wish for your shrine to face this way, it is fine." The so-called stone god is the spirit of Takitsuhiko. Whenever people pray for rain in times of drought, it always rains." In the Suinin Chronicles of the Nihon Shoki, the god worshipped in the village of Mimana is Shiraishi (called Akadama in the Kojiki), who becomes a beautiful young girl and cooks delicious food. She comes to Japan and becomes the deity of Himekoso Shrine.

The stones that are said to be the result of the deity's fate and that descend to this world are called "footprint stones," "rest stones," "descending stones," "going stones," "god-facing stones," and "god-statue stones," and are worshipped. The "tama picked up on the shore," which has many similar poems in ancient poetry, also refers to pebbles and shells that are symbols of the soul that resides in the body as the tokoyotama grows. There is a custom of welcoming black and white stones from rivers, seas, and wells to the bottom of a bucket when drawing fresh water on New Year's Day, and of welcoming them as the divine body of the toshigami (the toshigami stone), and then of welcoming them on top of the rice or on the tray at the time of birth. This is a belief in stone birth, that is, in each individual stone, and in addition to this, beliefs in stone growth and stone splitting also emerged in various places, and were actively promoted by believers in Kumano and Ise. People sensed mysticism in the individual shapes, colors, patterns, etc., saw gods through stones, and believed that spiritual powers resided within stones.

Tamayorihime is a goddess of sorcery who stands on stones and stomps her feet to call forth souls, but in the Tale of Izushi, Mioya-gami is treated as having the qualifications of Tamayorihime. Mioya-gami (mother goddess) mixes stones from the Izushi River with salt, wraps them in bamboo skin and curses them, believing that if she casts a curse on stones that she regards as spirits, the target spirit or body will be affected by the curse.

For example, the foundation stones of a house are called Fuseishi or Jibukuishi, those under the foundation are called paving stones, and those under the pillars are called Tsukuishi, but blue stone is not used for these because it is not expected to have any mystical powers. Also, stones placed on the roof to weigh it down are called Oseishi or Yaomo, and are treated as sacred stones. The reason why it is said that if this stone falls, it is an omen of bad luck, originating from the taboo of fire, and if this happens, the curse of the fire can be avoided by immediately pouring water on it or wrapping it in a woman's loincloth and carrying it up the stairs. The horizontal beams that support these stones are called Ishimochi or Yaara.

White stones, which are symbols of the spirits of the land of eternity, of longevity, fertility, and love, are called Oshiroi stones or Komeishi stones and are avoided. It is said that if white stones are used as roof stones, children will cry at night, and if you return after picking up a red stone (Kaji stone), you will encounter disasters such as fire, thunder, red demons, and Tengu, and mothers' breasts will swell (Kochi Prefecture). These stones are usually considered to be divine stones, and are avoided because of their purity. It is said that white stones are transformed into white horses, white dragons, white snakes, and swans, and their whiteness is emphasized by combining them with white flags and white rice.

[Ken Ishigami]

Stone god ritual

When the nuns and shrine maidens who served the stone gods, named Tora, Touro, Torani, Tooru, Saya, Sayo, Komachi, Shikibu, etc., turned into stones, they are called Itako stones, Mamori stones, Miko stones, Uba stones, Kewai stones, Kanetsuke stones, and Benitsuke stones. The names Tora and others refer to shrine maidens and ascetics who do not belong to either Taoism or Buddhism, and are variations of Tarashi and Taru, which are also found in the name of Okinagatarashihime (Empress Jingu) in the Kojiki and Nihonshoki. The fact that these stones are altars is clearly shown by the legend that if you place something on them, it will disappear.

In the so-called oral literature "Kachikachi Yamagatatan," people smear rice cakes and paste on stones to capture monkeys, raccoon dogs, and wolves that badmouthed them, and it is assumed that this was a ritual performed on flat stones in the fields to prevent harmful animals from harming people's lives. Furthermore, the stories and beliefs about stones that house water and fire spirits were passed down by so-called craftsmen such as blacksmiths and casters, and these stones were made into the deities of shrines and small shrines, and the spiritual power of the stones themselves was also preached and believed in.

As the deity is a stone, it is written as "stone god" and called Shakujin, Shamoji, Shaguji, Zouzu, etc. These gods are collectively written as "Shrine Priest" and the act of worshiping the newly arrived (imaki) gods still retains traces of the belief in the indigenous gods of the land, the representative gods. Also, assimilated with the belief in stone clubs and rice ladles used for crushing and poking things, stone gods became the object of prayers for children suffering from coughs, women finding love, and pregnancy.

There are also cases where gate deities (Toyoishimado-no-kami and Kushiishimado-no-kami), who are Amanoiwatowake-no-kami, are enshrined in small shrines as the spirit deities of the land. In the Engishiki Shinmeicho, Ishigami-jinja Shrine is also called Iwagami-sha, Ishigami-sha, or Saku-no-kami, but these are transformed into roadside deities, hearth deities, old women deities, children deities, wild deities (koshin), mountain deities (tamuke, pass, road, clan deities - ancestor deities), and later into Nakayama deities (Amaichi-no-kami). However, Ishigami is also a barrier deity (Shoji, Sukuji, Sokoji - guardian deities in the Engishiki), and is also a so-called boundary deity. In the section on Kaga-no-kamizaki in the Izumo no Kuni Fudoki, there is a tale of the birth of Misaki no Kami and Sada no Kami (the pioneering god, Sakae-no-yoshi). Kisakahime chose an arrow that was floating in the water, offered it to the god of Misaki, and placed it against her body to remove the impurities from within her body. She then stamped her feet to subdue the earth spirit and cried out her wish. Eventually her prayer was answered, and she gave birth to a male god in a cave. For this reason, it is said that if one does not pray to the god when traveling by boat around the cave and the strait, strong winds will blow and the boat will surely sink. In other words, she is a god of the land boundary. They came to be called various things, and became gods of ground-breaking, landlords, and disaster prevention, and came to be revered as stone gods in piles of earth and groups of trees called mori, muro, or furo, or in areas densely populated with isolated stones or small pebbles such as kawago or gorin stones. Ame-no-iwakura, the temporary lodgings of gods on the boundary between the world of the gods and the world of humans, were stones, rocks, and trees, as well as stone gods.

According to the Kojiki and Nihonshoki, the commonly known roadside gods are the walking sticks placed between the gods Izanagi and Izanami when they separated. They are the phallus of the wagtail (Niwakunaburi) that Kuna taught the gods Dakuzen the ways of harmony, and to this stone god Kuna (the symbolic stone statue, or the so-called Unagakeru deity, in which a male and female deity stand shoulder to shoulder and hold a sake bottle or cup in their free hand), Izanagi prayed for an increase in productivity and labor force, mainly in agriculture. In order to stop Izanagi and his female army from chasing him from the land of the dead, Izanagi placed Chibikiishi stones all over the road, but these are gods that block the road, and although they are stone gods, they should be considered different from boundary gods.

[Ken Ishigami]

Foreign Stone Gods

In New Guinea, the spiritual power that resides in stones is called valopo, and it is believed that as the stones age, they acquire superhuman magical powers. When the material magical power soimi is added to this, it is said that the stones can freely bring peace, food, success, and health to the group. The village chief protects the stones, performs rituals, offers incense, and purifies them. These stones bring rain, descendants, and the proliferation of plants and animals. In northern central Australia, it is believed that ancestors are large and small blue stones that emerge from the sand.

[Ken Ishigami]

"Ken Ishigami, 'Studies on the New Ancient World', 3 volumes (1978, Sekkeisha) " "Ken Ishigami, 'Folklore of Life and Death' (1981, Ohfusha)" "Ken Ishigami, 'Dictionary of Japanese Folklore' (1984, Ohfusha)"

[Reference] | Rock worship

God of the fields
They are welcomed and sent off at Sanaburi (a festival to send off the rice god after rice planting), at the start of rice planting, and at harvest festivals. ©Shogakukan ">

God of the fields

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

ある種の自然石や人工を加えた石棒・玉石(たまいし)などに宿る神霊に対する信仰。石神(しゃくじん)ともいう。原始土俗宗教の一種であり、世界各地にみられる。

　石を神として尊信するわが国古来の風習は、その一部を海・水の霊威に託し、波濤(はとう)の底から浜辺に打ち寄せる奇石を、威霊の呪力(じゅりょく)によると考えた。沖縄県では、大昔、大空を飛来し（多良間(たらま)神に祀(まつ)る）、風に乗って常世国(とこよのくに)から漂着した神の石（仙神という）や、土中・砂中から現れ出た石（安里(あり)神に祀る）などを、それぞれ護国・厄除(やくよ)け・授福の神として、その霊力・呪力を信じ、祀り仕えている。また、馬・海鳥などの石になった神体も多い。井戸べりに祀られる石神はつねに異形の鍾乳石(しょうにゅうせき)であり、家の神でもある火・雷の神は3個の石で象徴され、一列の状態か鼎(かなえ)足形に据えられている。

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石神の霊力

『出雲国風土記(いずものくにふどき)』楯縫(たてぬい)郡神名樋(かんなび)山の条には、この山の西に石神と小石神が100余もあり、古老の伝えに「天御梶日女命(あめのみかじひめのみこと)、多久(たく)の村に来まして、多伎都比古(たきつひこ)命を産み給(たま)ひき。その時、教(さと)し詔(みことの)り給はく、汝(な)が命の御社の向位(むき)は此処(ここ)に坐(まさ)むと欲(おぼ)すぞ宜(え)き、と詔り給ひき。いはゆる石神はこれ多伎都比古の御魂(みたま)なり。旱(ひでり)に当りて雨を乞(こ)ふ時は、かならず零(ふ)らしめ給ふ」とある。『日本書紀』垂仁(すいにん)紀にも、任那(みまな)の村で祀る神は白石（『古事記』では赤玉）で、美しい童女となり、うまい食事をつくる。日本に渡来して比売語曽(ひめこそ)社の祭神になったと伝える。

　神あってこの世に降(くだ)る縁(えにし)の石を、足跡石、休み石、降臨石、神向(こうご)石、神像(かみがた)石などとよび崇(あが)める。古歌に類歌の多い「渚(なぎさ)に拾ふ玉」も、常世魂の成長につれて体内に宿り込む魂の象徴である小石・貝などをいう。正月などの若水汲(く)みの際に、黒石・白石を川・海・井戸などから手桶(ておけ)の底に沈め迎えて、歳神(としがみ)の神体（歳玉石）とし、これを出産時にウブタテ飯(めし)の頂や膳(ぜん)の上に迎える習俗がある。これは、産石(うぶいし)、すなわち一つ一つの石に対する石生誕系統の信仰で、このほか各地に石成長・石分身系統の信仰も生じ、熊野・伊勢(いせ)の信仰者が盛んに喧伝(けんでん)した。人々は個々の形・色・紋様などから神秘を感得し、石を通して神をみ、石の中に霊力が宿ると信じた。

　石の上に立って足踏みをし、「魂よばい」をする魂覓(たまま)ぎ・魂招(たまお)ぎの呪術女神が玉依姫(たまよりひめ)であるが、『出石(いずし)物語』では、御祖(みおや)神が、玉依姫の資格に取り扱われている。御祖神（母神）が伊豆志(いずし)河の石を塩で和(あ)えて、竹皮に包んで呪(のろ)うのは、霊魂とみなした石に呪いをかけると、目的の霊魂・肉体がその影響を受けると信じたのである。

　たとえば、家の礎石をフセ石、ジブク石とよび、土台の下になるものを敷石、柱の下になるものを築石(つくいし)というが、これらに青石を用いないのは、青石には神秘力が期待されないせいである。また、屋根の重しにのせる石をオセイシ、ヤオモなどといい、神石の扱いをし、この石が落ちると不吉の兆しとするのは火事を忌むことに発し、その場合にはすぐに水をかけるか、女の腰巻にくるんで持って上がれば火の祟(たた)りがないという。この石の支えの横木が石持(いしもち)・ヤアラなどである。

　長寿・豊饒(ほうじょう)・情愛の常世国からの霊魂の象徴とする白石を、オシロイ石・米石(こめいし)などと名づけて忌む。白石を屋根石に用いると子が夜泣きすると伝え、赤石（カジ石）を拾って戻ると火事・雷・赤鬼・天狗(てんぐ)などの災いにあい、母親の乳が腫(は)れる（高知県）と戒める。こうした石は、通例、神の石であり、その清浄なるがゆえに忌まれた。白石は白馬、白竜、白蛇、白鳥の変身とも説かれ、あるいは白旗、白米を取り合わせて、その白さが印象づけられる。

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石神の祭祀

トラ、トウロ、トラニ、トオル、サヤ、サヨ、小町、式部などと名づけられた石神奉仕役の比丘尼(びくに)・巫女(みこ)が石になると、イタコ石・守り石・ミコ石・姥(うば)石、または化粧(けわい)石・鉄漿付(かねつけ)石・紅付(べにつけ)石とよばれる。トラなどの名称は道・仏両教に属さぬ一派の巫女・行者を意味した呼称で、記紀の息長帯比売(おきながたらしひめ)（神功(じんぐう)皇后）の名にもあるタラシ、タルの変化したものである。これらの石が祭壇であることは、石の上に物を置くと失(う)せるという伝承が如実に示している。

　いわゆる口承文芸の「カチカチ山型譚(たん)」では、石に餅(もち)・糊(のり)などを塗り付けて、悪口を浴びせる猿・狸(たぬき)・狼(おおかみ)をとらえているが、これは、人々の生活を損なう害獣を防ぐために、田畑の平石(ひらいし)の上で祭祀(さいし)を行ったものと推測される。さらに、水霊・火霊の宿る石の物語・信仰を、鍛冶(かじ)・鋳物師(いもじ)らいわゆる職人が継承し、それらの石は神社・祠(ほこら)の神体とされ、石そのものの霊威も説かれ、信じられた。

　神体が石であるので「石神」と書き、シャクジン・シャモジ・シャグジ・ゾウズなどとよぶ。これらの神を総括し、「社宮司」と書いて、新来（今来(いまき)）の神を奉ずるような行為には、その土地の先住神―代表神信仰のおもかげも残る。また、物をつぶし、突く用途に用いた石棒・飯杓子(めしじゃくし)信仰と習合して、石神は子供の咳(せき)患い、女の縁結び、子孕(こはらみ)祈願の対象ともなった。

　天石戸別神(あまのいわとわけのかみ)である門神（豊石窓(とよいわまど)神・櫛(くし)石窓神）が、その土地の精霊神として祠に祀られている例もある。『延喜式(えんぎしき)』神名帳では石神社をイワガミシャ、イシガミシャ、または佐久(さく)神ともいうが、これが道祖神・竈(かまど)神・姥(うば)神・子(ね)の神・荒神（庚申(こうしん)）、山神（手向(たむけ)・峠・道・氏の神―祖神）に転じ、のちに中山神（天一神）などになる。しかし石神は、塞神(さえのかみ)（『延喜式』にいう、障神(しょうじ)・スクジ・ソコジ―守公神）であり、いわゆる境界の神でもある。『出雲国風土記』加賀神崎の条に、ミサキの神とサダ神（開拓神、栄田の義）生誕の説話がある。枳佐加比売(きさかひめ)は、水に流れてくるもの（矢）を選び、埼(みさき)の神に矢を捧(ささ)げ、矢を体にあてがい、体内の汚穢(おえ)を去らしめたのちに、足踏みをして地霊を圧し鎮め、願いを叫び上げた。やがて祈りがかない、比売は窟(いわや)の中で男神を生んだ。そのため、この埼・窟のあたりを舟行するときには、神に祈念せねば強風が吹き募り、かならず舟は沈むと伝える。つまり地境の神である。それがさまざまによばれ、地鎮・地主・防圧（災厄を防ぎ止める）の神となり、杜(もり)・ムロ・フロとよぶ盛り土・樹木群、あるいは神向石（カワゴ・ゴーリン石）の孤石や群落する小石の密集地域を、石神として尊崇するに至る。神の世と人の世との境目の、一時的な神の宿り所が天(あめ)の磐座(いわくら)であるが、これは石・岩群・樹群でもあり、石神でもあった。

　俗にいう道祖神は、記紀によると、伊弉諾(いざなぎ)・伊弉冉(いざなみ)の二神が夫婦別れをする際、両者の間に置いた杖(つえ)―岐神(くなどのかみ)であるという。クナが諾冉(だくぜん)両神に和合法を教えた鶺鴒(せきれい)（ニワクナブリ）のクナ（男根）であり、このクナなる石神（その象徴的石像、また男女神が肩を組み、あいた手に徳利・杯などを持ついわゆるウナガケル神）に、主として農耕にかかわる生産力・労働力の向上を念じた。また死の国から追いかけてくる伊弉冉や女軍を防ぎ止めるために、伊弉諾は道いっぱいに千引石(ちびきいし)を据えたが、これは道ふさぎの神であって、石神ながら境神とは別神とすべきである。

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外国の石神

ニューギニアでは、石に宿る霊力をウァロポとよび、石が年を経るにしたがい、超人間的呪力をもつと信じられている。それに物質としての呪力ソイミが加わると、集団の平和・食糧・成功・健康などを自由になしうるとする。村の首長が石を守り、儀礼を行い、香を捧げ、祓(はらえ)をする。この石によって雨と子孫に恵まれ、動植物の繁殖がもたらされる。また、中央オーストラリア北部では、祖先は、砂地から現れる大小の青石であると信じられている。

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『石上堅著『新古代研究』全3巻（1978・雪華社）』▽『石上堅著『生と死の民俗』（1981・桜楓社）』▽『石上堅著『日本民俗語大辞典』（1984・桜楓社）』

[参照項目] | 岩石崇拝

田の神

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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