Yamanaka Yakushi Gifu

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Yamanaka Yakushi 山中薬師, Gifu
瑠璃山医王寺　Rurisan Io-Ji
岐阜県中津川市落合山中 1423-2 / Gifu, Nakatsu, Ochiai, Yamanaka



It is also known as
mushifuuji no Yakushi 虫封じの薬師 "Yakushi warding off the three worms".

The old buildings were lost in fire and it was reconstructed by the Jodo sect in 1544.

Visitors and pilgrims come from all parts of Japan.
The main statue of Yakushi was carved by 行基 Gyoki.

It is also known for its medicine to heal wounds, the 狐膏薬 Fox Medicine.

The main lodging of Ochiai village is run by the 本陣井口家 Iguchi family.
It is said a traveller was told the secret of the medicine by the deity 秋葉大明神 Akiba Daimyojin.



. mushifuuji 虫封じ amulets to ward off the "Three Worms" .

. Akiba Gongen 秋葉権現 the Akiba Deity .


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There is also a memorial stone with a haiku by Matsuo Basho in the back garden:

ume ga ka ni notto hi no deru yamaji kana
. 梅が香にのっと日の出る山路かな .

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- reference -

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One of the three great Yakushi temples of Japan 日本三薬師:

. Hooraiji 鳳来寺 Horai-Ji Yakushi, Mikawa, Aichi .

. Kani Yakushi 蟹薬師 "Crab Yakushi" at 願興寺 Ganko-Ji . - Gifu

. Yamanaka Yakushi 山中薬師 - 瑠璃山医王寺　Rurisan Io-Ji . - Gifu

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- Further Information -

中津川 Nakatsugawa was a postal station along the 中山道 Nakasendo Road. On the road toward Magome was the next station, the small hamlet of 落合 Ochiai.

山中薬師の狐膏薬伝説 Yamanaka Yakushi and the legend of the Fox Medicine

ズイトンさんの狐膏薬 The legend of Zuiton san and the Fox Medicine

Once upon a time
there lived an old monk at the temple, called ズイトンさん Zuiton san.
Once he was working in the garden when a fox appeared who looked rather painful. When he picked him up, he saw a large thorn in the leg of the fox. Zuiton san pulled it out and the fox suddenly seemed to smile at Zuiton san. Then he walked back into the mountain forest.



A few evenings later
he heard a sound at the entrance door and when he opened he saw the fox. The fox wanted to show his gratitude by teaching Zuiton san how to make good medicine cream.

まず、マムシグサの根っこのまあるい奴をすり潰す。そこへオオバコの種とキツネノマゴの葉をすり潰して混ぜる。次はモーチを入れて良く練り合わせる。それと油を布切れに塗り付けて、痛いところに張れば、たちどころに痛みが取れます.

(Other versions talk about the fox appearing in the dream of Zuiton san, teaching him.)
Zuiton san made the cream as told and put some on his back, which always hurt him. And in no time his pain was healed. Zuiton san was overjoyed.

He put up a sign 御夢想狐こうやく (Fox Medicine given in a Dream) and began to sell it. The villagers came and soon buyers from other parts of Japan showed up in a never-ending row.



In a similar legend, a fox in the disguise of a running messenger 飛脚 taught how to make the medicine, then called
Tokusan no kitsune kooyaku 徳さんの狐膏薬


source and more photos : saikoro0438/nakasendo

- reference : jimy1700 -
- reference : ja-higashimino.or.jp/book -

. kitsune densetsu 狐　伝説 fox legends .
- Introduction -

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- quote -
Ochiai-juku (落合宿 Ochiai-juku) was the forty-fourth of the sixty-nine stations of the Nakasendō.



It is located in the present-day city of Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The honjin and the sub-honjin, as well as some old street lights, remain from the Edo period. The Honjin were the main rest areas in old post towns and very few remain today.
There are ten hills that must be traversed to get to Ochiai-juku from the preceding post town of Magome-juku.
- source : wikipedia -


. Nakasendō　中山道 The Nakasendo Road .

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. Yakushipedia - ABC-Index 薬師如来 .

. Yakushi Nyorai - Legends from the provinces .

. Yakushi Nyorai Pilgrimages 薬師霊場巡り - Introduction .


. O-Mamori お守り　Amulets and Talismans .

. Japan - Shrines and Temples - ABC List .


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