Visitors to the Pit (Yama) in the Meiji Era (1868-1912): The Mountain Ascetic Purifying Himself with Water (Mizugori/Kiyome) on a Very Cold Day
January 1966

Meiji Yama no Homonsha: Yamabushi no Mizugori/Kiyome
[Visitors to the Pit (Yama) in the Meiji Era (1868-1912): The Mountain Ascetic Purifying Himself with Water (Mizugori/Kiyome) on a Very Cold Day]
38.0 x 53.9 cm Painting in Watercolors and Ink

It was said that he was one of the yamabushis (mountain ascetics or priests) from Mt. Hiko in Buzen province. On one of the coldest days during shokan (a period of lesser cold) or daikan (the coldest season) in the middle of winter when pit workers shivered, he visited each family from house to house, blowing a trumpet shell, to ask people to give him a bucket of water. After a while, many buckets were lined in front of the entrance of one of the densely built row houses. The yamabushi or yanbushi put off his clothes except his fundoshi (loincloth), and skillfully pour water from the buckets on his shoulder one after another. The pit workers shivering in front of their fireplaces in heavy clothes were thrown into total shock at the sight of him.

Text in Blue Ink at the Bottom
In farm villages, people gathered buckets for the yamabushi at one place. He poured cold water over himself in a half-seated position. Half of the water spattered around without falling on him. It was natural, because I guess it was too hard for him to pour all the 18 liters of water from each bucket over himself.

[Translator's Notes: Buzen was the old name of the province composed mainly of the eastern part of Fukuoka Prefecture and partly of the northern part of Oita Prefecture. The Tagawa area of the Chikuho coal field was included in this province.]


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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