NIKKI-28

神山や　大田の澤の　かきつはた
　　　　ふかきたのみは　色にみゆらむ
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　藤原俊成

この頃、京都の上賀茂神社周辺をよく訪れた。私は、京都で学生生活を送ったときに、最後の一年間、この地に下宿していたが、清冽な気に包まれたふしぎな場所だった。大田神社は、上賀茂神社のすぐそばにあり、今は上賀茂神社の摂社となっているが、実はその歴史は上賀茂神社より古く、この土地の古くからの精霊を祀る社であったといわれる。今は、芸能の神様として知られる天鈿女命（アメノウズメノミコト）をお祀りしており、境内には国の天然記念物に指定されている「太田の澤のかきつばた」があって、毎年晩春に深い青紫の花を一杯に咲かせる。このかきつばた群落は古代から有名であったらしく、平安末期の歌人藤原の俊成によって恋の歌に詠まれている。

この歌に出てくる「神山（こうやま）」というのは、上賀茂神社の神体山で、上賀茂神社の北の方に、お椀を伏せたような形で見える。この山に登った人の話によると、頂上付近に「UFOの着陸跡」があるそうで、十数メートルにわたって木々がなぎ倒され、黒こげになっているそうな。確かめてやろうとしたが、森が深くてどこから登るのかわからなかった。

私がこの地で暮らしたのは、ほぼ一年という短い期間だったが、「神の領域に住む」ということがどういうことであるか、深く味わうことになった希有の機会となった。私は、毎朝起きると、すぐ近くの大田神社に散歩にいった。足を伸ばして上賀茂神社の境内を散策。すべてが「裂くような」鋭い気に満ちた空間。「神の気」とはこういうものか……子供の頃、暮らしていたのは下鴨神社のすぐ近くだったが、その「気」は、上賀茂の「気」とはまったくちがう、穏やかな優しいものだった。下鴨は水平。これに対して上賀茂は垂直。ここまで明確に幾何学的に異なる「気」の構造が２つの神社に分散されて、なおかつ一体となっている。京都盆地の基本骨格は、これによって成立しているように感じられる。

I look up Mt. Kohyama and go to Ohta swamp where are full of irises which color is deep enough to know your love of sincerity.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Toshinari Fujiwara

I visited the outskirts of Kamigamo Shrine of Kyoto well these days. I sent student life in Kyoto, and spent last one year in this area where was a mysterious place surrounded in cool and clear spirit. Ohta Shrine is located near by Kamigamo Shrine, and now, this Shrine is one of sub Shrines of Kamigamo Shrine, but in fact, the history of Ohta Shrine is older than that of Kamigamo Shrine. This Shrine maybe enshrines the deity which was the oldest Genius Lochi (the spirit of Land) of this area. But now, this Shrine enshrines Ame-no-Uzume-no-mikoto (the deity of art), and there are many irises in the precincts of this Shrine. This stock of irises which are known as "irises of the swamp of Ohta", is appointed to the natural monument of the country. In every spring, there are full of flowers of irises, and these deep violet of this flower were well known from ancient time. So, Shunzei Fujiwara (a famous poet at later Heian are) made a Japanese poem which was a sense of deep love in the deep color of this flower.

"Kouyama" (mountain of God) in this song is seen like the form of a upside down bowl at north of the Kamigamo Shrine, and is the worship mountain of that Shrine. According to the story of the person who climbed this mountain, there seems to be "the landing trace of the UFO" near top, trees would be blown down for ten several meters and be charred. I was going to climb this mountain to check that phenomenon, but it was covered in huge forest and couldn't know a starting point.

It was a short period as only one year that I lived on this area, but it was a rare opportunity to know the meaning that " live in the domain of God" deeply. I got up every morning and went for a walk to Ota Shrine. I increased distance and took a walk through the precincts of Kamigamo Shrine if I had time. In the space around me, all was full of sharp energy like a tearing thunder. I had experienced "the real mind and energy of God" from this everyday walk. I lived in a childhood in a side of Shimogamo Shrine. And the mother and grandfather of the deity of Kamigamo Shrine are enshrined at this Shrine. "The mind and energy" of this Shinto shrine is totally different from that of Kamigamo Shrine; was calm, and was tender. The energy of Shimogamo Shrine is level, but that of Kamigamo Shrine is perpendicular in contrast. Level and perpendicular. These two direction are completely opposed each other at view of geometry. However, these two directions are assigned to one Shrine having one each and let big holy domain establish as in one in land called this Kyoto. To me, the generation of the framework of the land of the Kyoto Basin is felt by these two energy.