Jigokudani Hell Valley

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. Japan - Shrines and Temples - Index .
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Jigokudani　地獄谷 ”Hell Valley" -- Jigoku no Tani 地獄の谷

There are quite a few places with this name in Japan, especially in the many regions with volcanic activity and related onsen 温泉 hot springs.

- reference : jigokudani -

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Jigokudani Yaen Koen 地獄谷野猿公苑　Monkey Park
Even the wild monkeys enjoy a hot bath in a hell valley bath tub !



- quote -
The Jigokudani Yaen-koen
(altitude 850 meters) is located in the Valley of Yokoyu River sourced from Shiga-Kogen of the
Joshinetsu-Kogen National Park in northern part of Nagano prefecture.
- source : en.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp -
Nagano Prefecture, Shimotakai District, Yamanouchi, Hirao, ６８４５

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source : MFA Boston

At Hell Valley on Mount Tate in Etchû Province,
Nikushi Dôjin Demonstrates a Battle of Frogs and Teaches Magic to the Two Comrades Yoshikado and Iga Ju
Etchû Tateyama no Jigokudani ni Nikushi Dôjin kawazu kassen no ki o arawashi Yoshikado Iga Ju no ryôyû
「越中立山の地獄谷に肉芝道人蛙合戦の奇をあらはし良門伊賀寿の両雄に妖術を授く」
by Yoshitora 芳虎画



Tateyama Jigokudani 立山の地獄谷


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地獄谷あるとき群るる赤蜻蛉
jigokudani aru toki mururu akatonbo

hell valley -
sometimes red dragonflies
come in great numbers
Tr. Gabi Greve

岡田日郎 Okada Nichio

. akatonbo 赤蜻蛉 red dragonfly .
- kigo for autumn -


地獄谷くらく鴬老いにけり 吉澤卯一
地獄谷ここにもケルン積まれあり 塩川雄三
地獄谷すなわち石楠花谷として 花谷和子
地獄谷小さき日傘の湧いてきし 嶋野國夫
地獄谷老鴬もまた深く聞く 藤浦昭代
地獄谷隣合せの大花野 菅野一狼
ケルン灼け足奪はるる地獄谷 河野南畦

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. Japanese Legends - 伝説　民話　昔話 – ABC-List .



................................................................................. Aichi 愛知県　
豊田市 Toyota

. oni no ido 鬼の井戸 the well of the Demon .
igokudani 地獄谷 "hell valley" at the river 田代川 Tashirogawa

tanuki 狸 badger
A farmer had to pass the Jigokudani every evening, and always had the feeling someone was following him.
At the road crossing with three paths there was a strange sound, ザダーン zadaaaan.
People said this must have been the mischief of a Tanuki.






................................................................................. Gifu 岐阜県　
益田郡 Masuta district 小坂町 Kosaka

天狗 Tengu
A person who did some rain rituals at 御嶽山 Mount Ontakesan went to the Jigokudani to give thanks. There is a rock formation named zoo no hana 象の鼻 nose of an elephant. When he passed there a strange being with a long nose could be seen.
And soon after there was a huge storm.








................................................................................. Hokkaido 北海道　



Meet the Demons (Oni) of Hell Valley in Noboribetsu Onsen Hot Spring - Hokkaido
. Oni 登別の鬼　The Demons of Noboribetsu .




................................................................................. Nagano 長野県　
上伊那郡 Kami-Ina district 中川村 Nakagawa

yama otoko 山男 "Mountain Man Monster"
In the North of 大鹿村 Oshika village is a place called Jigokudani. It is a spooky place with many bones of humans and animals.
Once a brave forest worker went there to cut trees. There were many good さわらの木 Sawara trees (Chamaecyparis pisifera), so he built a small hut and started working.
On a full-moon night there was an ominous rumbling in the mountain and something seemed to come closer and closer. Then a huge Mountain Man appeared in front of the hut, threw him the arm of a woman and said "Eat this!"
The man was so shocked and afraid, he made use of the moonlight and fled out of the forest and into his home in the village.







................................................................................. Niigata 新潟県　
西蒲原郡 Nishi-Kanbara district 赤塚村 Akatsuka mura

daija 大蛇 huge serpent
The master of 明かずの池 Akazu no Ike was a huge serpent.

. Legends about ike no nushi 池の主 と伝説 the Master of the Pond .

Other legends tell of the master of the pond as
. aka-ushi 赤牛 the red bull / red cow .
The red bull had to flee from the pond and escaped to another one, the pond in Jigokudani.





................................................................................. Shizuoka 静岡県　
静岡市 Shizuoka city

At the back of 臨済寺 temple Rinzai-Ji in Shizuoka city there is a dreadful, scary place called Jigokudani.
If you go there unprepared and not careful, you might die.
During 賎機山の合戦 the battle at Shizuhatayama many people died and their souls came to meet and stay here.
The battle was between the forces of Takeda Shingen and Tokugawa Ieyasu.



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- reference : Nichibun Yokai Database -

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