Field Guard - Nomori

Japanese: 野守 - のもり

[1] 〘 noun 〙① A person who keeps watch over a field where entry is prohibited. A field watchman. ※Man'yoshu (late 8th century) 1/20 “As the scarlet-shine Murasaki fields approach, as the signboard fields approach, does the field watchman not see you waving your sleeves?” ※Kokin (905-914) Spring 1/19 “As the flying cypress of Kasugano comes out, I see where you are now, I wonder if you are going somewhere” (unknown author) ② A farmer. ※Joruri (c. 1711) Meido no Hikyaku (a messenger from the underworld) Part 2 “In the morning, the silence of the field, the eyes of the fire-breathing field watchers are shameful.” [2] Noh play. Fifth piece. Various schools. Written by Zeami. Old name: Nomori no Kagami (Mirror of the Field Watcher) . A mountain priest from Mt. Haguro finds water that seems to have a story in Kasugano, Yamato Province, and an old man from the field guardian tells him that it is the Field Guardian's Mirror, and that long ago, when a hunting party was held in this field, a hawk fled, but its image was reflected in the water, and its whereabouts were discovered. He then explains that he is in possession of the true Field Guardian's Mirror, possessed by a demon, and disappears into a mound. As the mountain priest prays in front of the mound, the demon appears with the mirror, reflecting the heavens and the earth in all four directions, and even the tortures of hell.

Nu-mori [Field Guardian]

〘Noun〙 (→nu（field）) ⇒nomori（field guardian）

Source: The Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary About the Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary Information

Japanese:

[1] 〘名〙① 立入りを禁じられている野原の見張りをする人。野の番人。※万葉（８Ｃ後）一・二〇「あかねさす紫野行き標野(しめの)行き野守(のもり)は見ずや君が袖振る」※古今（905‐914）春上・一九「春日野のとぶひののもりいでてみよ今いくかありてわかなつみてん〈よみ人しらず〉」② 農夫。※浄瑠璃・冥途の飛脚（1711頃）下「あさでのしづや火をもらふ野もりが見るめはづかしと」[2] 謡曲。五番目物。各流。世阿彌作。古名「野守鏡(のもりのかがみ)」。羽黒山の山伏が大和国春日野でいわれのありそうな水を見つけ、野守の老人からそれを野守の鏡ということや、昔この野で御狩が行なわれた時、鷹が逃げたがこの水にその姿が映ったことからゆくえがわかったことなどを語り、さらに自分は鬼神の持つ真の野守の鏡を持っていることをつげて塚の中に姿を消す。山伏が塚の前で祈っていると鬼神が鏡を持って現われ、天地四方八方を映し、地獄の呵責の有様までも映して見せる。