Kōshin (庚申) or Kōshin-shinkō (庚申信仰) is a folk belief in Japan
with Taoist origins, influenced by Shinto, Buddhism and other local beliefs.
The followers of the 庚申講 (Kōshin-kō) Kōshin faith have a special devotion to the day (sunrise to sunrise)
of the 庚申 metal monkey in the iterative 60 day cycle based on the five elements and the twelve animal zodiac.
On the night defined as Kōshin, 三尸/三虫(蟲) (sanshi/sanchū) three worms [also translated as insects or corpses]
(black, green and white), believed to dwell in a person's body, ascend to heaven while their host sleeps.
The 天帝 Emperor of Heaven, apprised by the worms of the host's transgressions during the previous cycle,
deducts a certain number of days from the person's life for each misdeed.
This belief led to the Japanese custom of staying up all night, 「庚申待」 (kōshin-machi) [hang on]/
「守庚申」 (mori kōshin) [protect], to prevent the worms from leaving the body to report on their hosts.
The Worms
「上尸」 Upper worm - resides in human's head, cause illnesses from the neck up, makes people gluttonous
「中尸」 Middle worm - reside inside a human's stomach, causes illnesses in the organs, makes people avaricious
「下尸」 Lower worm - reside in a human's feet, causes illnesses from the waist down, makes people lustful
The 三蟲 sanshuu [three worms] hate monkeys.
Those worshipped during the all night party are: 天帝 (Tentei), the aforementioned Emperor of Heaven;
猿田彦 (Sarutahiko), the patron of martial arts and bringer of world peace;
馬頭観音 (Batō [horse head] Kannon), principal deity of rituals that subjugate evil people and enemies
(usually three faces and eight arms, crown with horse's head); and
青面金剛 (Shōmen [blue faced] Kongō), one of the 羅刹天 (rasetsuten) rakshasa lords (Rakshasas are a race of malevolent demons or goblins in Hindu mythology that have supernatural powers and often use them for evil).
They also revered the trio of wise monkeys:
🙈 見ざる (mizaru) "See no evil",
🙉 聞かざる (kikazaru) "Hear no evil",
🙊 言わざる (iwazaru) "Speak no evil".
Nakasendō Kōshinzuka Sarutahiko Ōkami Kōshindō (Sugamo)
猿田彦大神 (Sarutahiko Ōkami)/仲仙道 庚申塚 猿田彦大神庚申堂 (Nakasendō Kōshinzuka Sarutahiko Ōkami Kōshindō)
Monkey guardians with three wise monkeys on the bases.
東京都豊島区巣鴨4丁目35 Sugamo (at the bottom of Jizō Dōri)
The white sign displayed on the front of the shrine informs the faithful of the next Kōshin day.
百体庚申社 Hyaku tai kōshin-sha [Shrine of One Hundred Stone Monkeys]
"This one hundred piece Kōshin Shrine was carved by Toro Town resident, Shinmi Kuniichirō, who dedicated one monkey statue as a god of good fortune over seventeen years on the day/night of Kōshin. 庚申塔 Kōshintō are typically erected to celebrate the spiritual achievement of a group of the faithful (after 3 years/18 observations of mori kōshin). Shinmi Kuniichirō's individual enshrinement is thought to be unique in Saitama City. Each monkey has its own facial expression and is full of life." (middle paragraph)
新見國一郎 Shinmi Kuniichirō carved a stone monkey on each Kōshin night, enshrining the statues after about 17 years of devotion.
埼玉県さいたま市北区土呂町 Torochō, Kita Ward, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture
Some photos of the shrine from 1968 from the Saitama City Board of Education Lifeling Learning Department Cultural Properties Protection Division.
小野照崎神社 Ono Terusaki Jinja
庚申塚
東京都台東区下谷2丁目13−14 Shitaya, Taitō Ward
Ono Terusaki Jinja precincts also hosts the Shitaya Sakamoto Fuji (fujizuka).
The tori gate is flanked by a pair of monkey guardians.
猿田彦神社 Sarutahiko Jinja
埼玉県さいたま市大宮区高鼻町1丁目411−3
庚申塔 (roadside shrine)
庚申塚
東京都北区王子1丁目30−12
In the Meiji era, the government (Shinto and Buddhism Separation Order 1872) deemed the Kōshin faith to be a superstition and began removing the towers, especially those placed along roads. Furthermore, most of the remaining kōshin towers were removed or relocated due to road expansion construction carried out after the period of high economic growth.
亀有香取神社 Kameari Katori Jinja
There is a Kōshintō on the ground near the torii gate with the tortoise guardians.
東京都葛飾区亀有3丁目42−24 Kameari
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