野神さん　～池田川～ Statue

Deep within the heart of Neyagawa, a tale unfolds. Before us stands the Nogami-san ~Ikeda River~ Statue, a monument not to a person, but to a divine bovine. This statue whispers of a time when rice paddies stretched as far as the eye could see, painting the landscape gold. The Nogami-san ~Ikeda River~ Statue embodies the spirit of the land, a protector of the harvest. In ancient times, the people of Ikeda River village, along with Ikeda-Naka and Ikeda-Shimo villages, revered Nogami-san. They believed this deity ensured bountiful crops. Let’s journey back to the Edo period. The lord of Ikeda, Nagai Shinano-no-kami, held a deep reverence for the deity Sumiyoshi Daigongen. He encouraged the villages under his rule to honor this god. He believed doing so would bring prosperity. An idea sparked in his mind. He would ride through his domain on a magnificent bull, a symbol of Sumiyoshi Daigongen. The villagers prepared diligently, washing and grooming a prized black bull. The lord mounted the bull, ready for his procession. The bull, however, had other plans. It bucked and thrashed, throwing the lord into a nearby pond. The bull, seemingly unfazed, continued its rampage. No one could control it. It finally met its end when it stumbled into a ditch, injuring its leg. The villagers, now without a bull for their lord’s procession, were in a predicament. They couldn’t find a replacement. A clever villager offered his own ox. The lord, surprisingly, agreed. The procession went ahead, though not with the intended grandeur. Upon returning, the lord praised the ox. He ordered the villagers to care for it well. The lord then had the Nogami-san ~Ikeda River~ Statue erected to honor the event. The statue is a reminder of the villagers’ ingenuity and the ox’s unexpected role in their history. The tradition of honoring Nogami-san continued. Every year, villagers would dress in colorful robes and offer prayers to Nogami-san. They believed this ritual ensured a good harvest. This practice spread to neighboring villages. They too began to honor their own versions of Nogami-san. The Nogami-san ~Ikeda River~ Statue is more than just a statue. It represents a shared belief, a connection to the land. It stands as a testament to a time when farmers relied on the land and the goodwill of deities like Nogami-san for their survival. Though times have changed, the spirit of Nogami-san endures, reminding us of the importance of respecting nature and honoring traditions.