Hachioji Shrine and Komainu statues made of pottery

Many Komainu (the guardian-dog) statues are dedicated to Hachioji Shrine in Okawa, Sue-cho, Mizunami City, Gifu Prefecture. In them, the huge Komainu statues watching over the nearest intersection are said to be the biggest in the Komainu statues made of pottery in the world.

the entrance of the road approaching Hachioji Shrine : 八王子神社参道入口

worship hall of Hachioji Shrine : 八王子神社拝殿

hall for dedicating sacred music and dance to Hachioji Shrine : 八王子神社神楽殿

A small mountain is a grove of the shrine as it is. Going through Torii gate and climbing the stairs, we can reach to the precinct where Kagura-den (a hall for dedicating sacred music and dance) is at. The worship hall is further up the stairs from there, from there, we worship the main shrine that is in higher place.

The grove and the precinct like these are the evidence that the shrine was erected in old times and that it has histories of traditions that it has been protected by Ujiko-shu (local believers) since then.

close-mouthed Komainu statue in front of Torii gate : 鳥居前の吽形狛犬

open-mouthed Komainu statue in front of Torii gate : 鳥居前の阿形狛犬

Komainu statues made of pottery by local people are lined belong another road approaching the shrine : もう１つの参道には地元の人々が製作した陶製狛犬たちが並びます

all of them are handmade and rich in individuality : どれも手作りで個性豊か

one size larger Komainu statues : 一回り大きな狛犬たちもいます

In Sue-cho, the production of pottery has been thriving since ancient times, there are still many companies of producing or wholesaling ceramics. Also, people in Sue-cho now built a climbing kiln and named Sue-Yozaemon Gama, and are spicing up the pottery industry. Symbolic of that is a lot of Komainu statues made of pottery dedicated to this shrine. The scenery that they are lining along another slope-road approaching to the shrine is great.

even bigger Komainu statues! : さらに大きな狛犬たち！

powerful appearances viewing from their front : 正面からの迫力満点な姿

also view from another angle...oh? : 反対側からも…あら？

aren't there anything at feet of the biggest Komainu? : 最大の狛犬の足元に何か…？

little Komainu statues are wearing face masks! so cute! : 小さな狛犬たちがマスクしてる！ 可愛い！

introducing the manufacturing process of the biggest Komainu statues by photos : 製造過程も写真で紹介されています

they are sitting on the foundation of the firing kiln : 焼成窯の土台の上に鎮座しています

some parts of firing kiln have been left and look like the throne : 焼成窯の一部は残されていて玉座のようです

Komainu statues and the shrine are watching over the town : 狛犬たちは神社とともに街を見守っています

More powerful than that is the biggest Komainu statues made of pottery in the world.

People in Sue-cho built the firing kiln dedicated to them in cooperation and completed Komainu statues. Since their completed, Komainu statues got part of the broken firing kiln as their foundation and are sitting on it in a corner of the intersection of Okawa as guardians of not only Hachioji Shrine but also whole Sue-cho. We will be able to locate them easily on the way from Toki City to Ena City on Route 363, or when we go north on Route 419 from Obara-cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture.

The shrine in quiet mountainable area and unique Komainu statues are still watching over this township today.

Click here for the introducing page of Komainu statues in Hachioji Shrine
Click here for the introducing page of the biggest Komainu statues made of pottery in the world.
(Both are pages in the site of Mizunami City Tourism Association.)

＊＊＊ in Japanese ＊＊＊

八王子神社と陶製狛犬像

　岐阜県瑞浪市陶町大川にある八王子神社には、陶器の狛犬像が複数奉納されています。それらの中でも、最寄りの交差点を見守る巨大な狛犬像は、陶製狛犬の中では世界最大と言われています。

　小高い山がそのまま社叢となっており、鳥居を潜って階段を上りますと、神楽殿のある境内に着きます。そこからまた階段を上ったところに拝殿があり、さらに高いところにある御神殿を仰ぐようにして拝します。
　こうした社叢・境内は、神社の創建が古く、以来地元の氏子衆に大切に守り伝えられてきた伝統がある証拠です。

　陶町では昔から陶磁器の生産が盛んで、複数の陶磁器メーカーや卸売業の会社が現存します。また、街をあげて登り窯を築き、陶与左衛門窯として陶芸活動を盛り立てています。その象徴的なものが、この神社に多数奉納されている陶製狛犬像です。坂になっているもう１つの参道に狛犬たちが並ぶ光景は、圧巻です。

　それ以上に迫力があるのが、世界最大の陶製狛犬像です。
　陶町の人たちが協力し合って専用の焼成窯を築き、完成した像です。完成後は崩した窯の一部を残して土台とし、八王子神社だけでなく陶町全体の守護として、大川の交差点の一角に鎮座しています。国道363号を土岐市から恵那市のほうへと通過する途中、あるいは国道419号を愛知県豊田市小原町から北上してきますと、容易に見つけられるでしょう。
　閑静な山間の神社と個性豊かな狛犬たちは、今日も地域を守ってくれています。

八王子神社の狛犬群の紹介ページはこちらからどうぞ。
世界一の陶製狛犬像の紹介ページはこちらからどうぞ。
（どちらも瑞浪市観光協会のサイト内です）