Category Archives: Translations

Anecdotes of the Honseki Izo Iburi 26

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26. “I Returned Your Contribution Ten-Thousandfold”

In August 1886, a Nobu Nakai from Kobe returned to Jiba and was staying at the Tofuya Inn, owned by Chobei Murata. Izo, who at the time was managing the Nakayamas’ household matters, came by and mentioned to Chobei: “Without 5 yen, we won’t be able to make ends meet this season. But no matter who I go see, no one of them is willing to lend us the money.”

Nobu, who remembered how she had been miraculously saved from a rare case of stomach spasms and a toothache in 1883, overheard this and thought to herself it was an honor to have such an opportunity to help out the Residence. She took out 5 yen (about 47,000 yen in 1995 currency) and said to Izo, “Though this isn’t much, I happened to have it on me.”

Izo was overjoyed, and replied, “I’ll return it to you later.”

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Anecdotes of the Honseki Izo Iburi 25

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25. Inquiry Posed at the Workplace by the Meishin-gumi Confraternity

Beginning in 1880, Oyasama began to send followers asking for Her advice on worldly matters to Izo, saying,

Of matters concerning dust, go to the workplace.

In 1883, the Kyoto Meisei-sha Confraternity gathered followers under the legal pretense that they would be holding Shingaku sermons (a type of life philosophy developed by Ishida Baigan and others that became popular among townsfolk and peasants in late 19th-century Japan). Disciples in Jiba felt this was a good method to quickly establish legal status for the path.

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Anecdotes of the Honseki Izo Iburi 24

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24. Oyasama’s Protection After the Service for Rain

Masanosuke Iburi once asked his grandmother Yoshie Nagao, daughter of Izo, the following question, “Please tell me about the time when the Service for Rain was conducted during Oyasama’s physical lifetime.”

And Yoshie explained the event as follows:

“It was in the summer of 1883, when I was 18. There was a great drought, so great that the wells of every household completely dried up and both humans and farm animals were being affected by it. The farmers were particularly in a desperate situation. Even though they usually never gave us the time of day, they sent the village head as their representative to ask if a prayer for rain could be conducted as a final resort.

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Anecdotes of the Honseki Izo Iburi 23

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23. A Command to Stop Working in the Fields

It is written that between 1882 and 1887 Izo did farming and forestry work and for these five years, he never had the luxury to sit and relax at a meal but ate his meals standing near the oven. But according to Yosaburo Miyamori (1857–1936):

“The Residence was not a busy place as it is now. So when Izo first moved to Jiba, it was not like he had a set schedule of tasks to do each day. He would help out when we went out into the fields. He also helped to dig ditches and plow the rice fields.

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Anecdotes of the Honseki Izo Iburi 21

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21. Izo’s Perseverance Working in the Fields

After Izo stopped working as a carpenter, he began to work in the fields. Despite the fact that he was unaccustomed to using a hoe, he worked alongside Shinnosuke Nakayama, the first Shinbashira, in doing physical labor and polishing rice grains. Although he was aware he was not good at farm work, he resolved to work at least half the amount of a typical farmer and worked no matter how hot or cold it was.
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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 10

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The following is a translation of Part 10 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the October 2003 (No. 418) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is tentative and may require further revision.

Part 10: “I Accept One Day as A Thousand Days”

In 1883, plasterer and head of Meishin-gumi Confraternity, Shirobei Umetani, stayed several days at the Residence and poured his heart and soul into the final touchups during the construction of Oyasama’s Resting House. The Resting House was completed in mid-November.

Oyasama waited for the proper time before making Her move from the South Gatehouse into the newly built Resting House that still emitted the fragrance of fresh timber. At midnight on November 25 (or 10/26 according to the lunar calendar), followers of confraternities such as Meishin-gumi and Shinmei-gumi held paper lanterns bearing the names of their confraternities and welcomed Her when She made Her move. Shirobei received a set of Oyasama’s red clothes the following day.

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