Sunday, December 8, 2024

Japanese Horse Riding History

 A book about Japanese Horse Riding History HERE


Yasaki Inari Shrine (矢先稲荷神社) is located at 2-14-1. Matasugaya, Taitou-ku, Tokyo,111-0036. 

On November 23, 1642 (Kanei 19), Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Tokugawa family in the Edo period built the Asakusa Sanjursangendo Temple (浅草三十三間堂) in this location, as an archery shooting practice range and competition known as the “Toshi-ya” was held here. The target bullseye was said to have been located right at the site where Inari Daimyojin, the guardian god of the shrine was to be constructed, hence the name “Yasaki” or arrowhead, target. 

The temple was built imitating the Sanjusangendo Temple in Kyoto became the beginning of Yasaki-inari. The name Yasaki also came from “yumi” a bow and “ya” (an arrow).

The Sanjusangendo was burned down in 1698 and was ordered to relocate to Fukagawa, but the shrine was left behind. In an air raid on March 1945 (Showa 20), the shrine was destroyed and burned down. Reconstruction was conducted at the temporary shrine after the war, and the current shrine was rebuilt in 1960.

In 1960, upon the completion of the current shrine, Ebine Shundo (海老根駿堂 Meiji 38-1989) was commissioned to paint 100 paintings on the entire ceiling of the worship hall which dedicated to the "Japanese Horse Riding History (a painting depicting the art of bows and horses)" from the reign of Emperor Jinmu to Lieutenant Nishi. It was finished in five years.  You can go to the worship hall for worship and see the ceiling paintings.

For this monograph only 60 of the 100 horses and riders paintings are presented in detail. 


Thank you for looking!



No comments:

Post a Comment