Torigo - Torigo

A child (kokata) in a temporary parent-child relationship between a person involved in the birth and the newborn. It corresponds to the term "toriageoya" (to take parents) and "torioya" (to take parents), and there are some examples of its usage in ancient documents. However, today it remains mainly as a special term in the Tohoku region, and is presented to a "kami no toriko (child of gods and Buddhas)" as a kind of "charm" to cut off bad conditions such as the parents' "annual cycle" and irregularities in the upbringing of the infant. It is limited to being made into a "kokata" (child of gods and Buddhas) by a Shinto priest or a monk ascetic, and a small prayer fee is paid until the child is born. Sometimes an itako (shrine maiden) or a blind person is asked to become the toriko. This was also called the "kami no miko" (child of the gods). This custom is similar to the "found-parent/found-child" custom of the magical practice of "abandoning children," and is nothing more than a kind of magical act in which the child is made into a "child of a god or Buddha" and the adverse conditions of birth are sever'd; however, it seems that this custom often had a considerable influence on the subsequent development of the newborn child.

[Toshimi Takeuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

出産に関与した人と生児との間に取り結ばれる仮の親子関係における子（子方）。取上げ親、取親に対応する語で、古文献にもその用例はいくつか残っている。しかし現在はおもに東北地方に特殊用語として残るだけで、しかも親の「年回り」や幼児の生育事情の不順などの悪条件を断ち切る一種の「まじない」として、「神の取子（神仏の子）」に差し上げる意味で、神官や僧侶修験(そうりょしゅげん)の「コカタ（子方）」にしてもらって、若干の祈祷(きとう)料を生育するまで納める形に限っている。ときにはイタコ（巫女(みこ)）や盲人に頼んで取子になる場合もあった。そしてこれを「神の申し子」ともよんでいた。呪術(じゅじゅつ)的な「捨て子」の風習における「拾い親・拾い子」に近い風習であって、神仏の「申し子」の形にして、出生の悪条件を断ち切る一種の呪術的行為にほかならないが、事実上その後の生児の成育にかなりの影響を与えることも少なくはなかったようである。

［竹内利美］

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