Kani Saizo

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Kani Saizoo, Kani Saizō 可児才蔵 Kani Saizo
Kani Yoshinaga 可児吉長
(1554 - 1613) 慶長18年6月24日（1613年8月10日）

- - - - - 笹の才蔵 Sasa no Saizo / 笹野才蔵 Sasano Saizo



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Kani Saizô was born in the town of Kani in Gifu.
He was originally a vassal of the Saitô in Mino province. When Saitô Tatsuoki was defeated by Oda Nobunaga, Saizô joined the Shibata clan, which he later left to serve Akechi Mitsuhide. After Mitsuhide's defeat at the Battle of Yamazaki, he joined Oda Nobutaka until Nobutaka, too, was killed (1583). Saizô eventually joined Toyotomi Hidetsugu, and then, following Hidetsugu's fall, went to serve Maeda Toshiie. Eventually, he ended up with Fukushima Masanori 福島正則 , under whom he would serve at the Battle of Sekigahara.
He is best remembered for his taking of 16 heads at Sekigahara - probably the most for any one single warrior at that battle. Rather than bring the heads back to camp one by one, Saizô marked them as his own by stuffing their mouths with bamboo grass (sasa).
It is said that upon hearing of his deeds at the post battle gathering, Tokugawa Ieyasu nicknamed him 'Sasasaizô' - Bamboo grass Saizô.
- source : wiki.samurai-archives.com

- - - - - 笹の才蔵 Sasa no Saizo / 笹野才蔵 Sasano Saizo

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可児才蔵 - 志木沢郁 - Shikisawa Kaoru (1955 - )

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

The Bean Paste Jizo of Temple Saizo-Ji, Hiroshima
広島のみそ地蔵（広島県広島市東山）

There is a temple in Hiroshima, Higashiyama, where people bring a flat pack of miso (bean paste), put it on the head of a seated Jizo statue, say a prayer and then put it on their own head, to cure illness or pray for intelligence, to pass the school and university exams.
In the area here in Hiroshima, this Jizo is more popular than Sugawara Michizane, another deity venerated for passing school exams and promotion of learning.

The statue is in the temple Saizo-Ji, in honor of Kani Saizo, retainer of Fukushima Masanori, deeds during the war at the beginning of the Edo period.

miso can be short for noomiso, the brain, and miso jizo is a play of sounds.

Read more about Fukushima Masanori 福島正則 in my library


. Miso Jizo みそ地蔵 the Bean Curd Jizo .

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Saizooji 才蔵寺 Temple Saizo-Ji
1-11 Higashiyamacho, Higashi Ward, Hiroshima, Hiroshima

The statue of Saizo Kani was erected in November 2004.
Saizo was a master of spear fighting with the Naginata, a halberd-like spear, skilled in the "Hozoin-ryu" 宝蔵院流　spearfighting style. The statue shows Saizo with his cross-shaped spear in his right hand.




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- - - - - Fukuoka 福岡県

hoosoogami 疱瘡神 Hosogami - God of Smallpox

Once Saizo saw something strange and threatening trying to come in through his window, so he jumped out of the window and killed it. It was the God of Smallpox.
People started to pray to Saizo and put his figure in their Shelf of the Gods or pasted a painting of him at the door entrance to hinder the God of Smallpox from entering their home.


笹野才蔵 Sasano Saizo (the normal spelling of Fukuoka)

Other dolls of this kind 赤坂人形 Akasaka, 博多人形 Hakata and 津屋崎人形 Tsuyasakiでも笹野才蔵.



Sasano Saizoo, Sasano Saizō 笹野才蔵 Sasano Saizo
with his monkey carrying a gohei　御幣 wand

Most dolls are made by the Nakanoko family 中ノ子家.
中ノ子吉兵衛 Nakanoko Kichibei was also a famous potter and is called the "Father of Hakata Dolls".

He was the son of a rich man in Hakata, warding off the deity of smallpox by jumping out of the window of his home to hit the monster. He is now a helpful amulet to ward off disease. Paintings of Saizo are attached to the entrance door of a home.
Dolls of Saizo are made in many parts of Northern Kyushu.


CLICK for more samples !

. Clay Dolls from Hakata 博多土人形 .

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The story of Saizo is also part of Kabuki and Noh performances.


「今様百花撰之内」「笹野才蔵」Sasano Saizo
歌川国貞 Utagawa Kunisada (1768 - 1864)


. Hosogami, Hososhin 疱瘡神 the God of Smallpox .


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- - - - - Kyoto 京都府

愛宕山奥の院 Atagoyama Oku no In

Kani Saizo was a strong believer in the Atago Deity. He even thought he was an incarnation of Tarobo the Tengu. But others thought he was just out of his mind.
In former times it was known that people who believe strongly in the Atago Deity will die on the special day dedicated to Atago 縁日の日, the 24th of each month. Legend says Saizo felt his death coming, made his preparations on the day before and then died in the evening of the Atago Day.
He died in the sixth lunar month on the 24th day 慶長18年6月24日 (1613).


. Mount Atago Yama 愛宕山 / 阿多古 Atagoyama .

. 太郎坊天狗 Tarobo Tengu .

. Hatsu Atago 初愛宕 (はつあたご) First visit to Atago .
kigo for the New Year

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- Reference - 可児才蔵 -
- Reference - English -


. Introducing Japanese Haiku Poets .

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