Drive to Mori-machi (3) - Amulet for gambling luck

Mori-machi is called Little Kyoto and has some quaint shrines and temples. After we visited Acty Mori, we went to Daitoin, an old temple famous for the grave of Mori-no-Ishimatsu.

Mori-no-Ishimatsu (? – 1860) is a legendary yakuza or gangster who appears in storytelling arts such as kodan and rokyoku. He was one of the 28 henchmen of Shimizu Jirocho, who was a famous gangster boss in the port town Shimizu in central Shizuoka Prefecture. According to legends, Mori-no-Ishimatsu was simple but had a lovable personality. He loved sake and had a deep sense of loyalty and was compassionate.

His grave is placed near the entrance of Daitoin, not on the premise of the temple. As Mori-no-Ishimatsu was good at gambling, there has been many visitors who cut the gravestone to keep a fragment as an amulet for gambling luck. So, they had to rebuild it. I heard that the whole second gravestone was stolen, and now they had the third one. There was also a monument of his boss Shimizu Jirocho on the right. When I visited there before, I found a little bottle of sake put in front of the gravestone. Maybe someone had won in gambling and come to thank him.

Apart from the grave of Mori-no-Ishimatsu, Daitoin had its own charm. First, we went over this red bridge.

Then, we climbed stairs.

At the end of the stairs, there was a statue of a little monk with a message “Let’s dust our mind and clean off the dirt.” He was so cute.

On the left, there was a building for trainee monks to sit in zen meditation.

This is the main hall of the temple. It was quiet as there weren’t any other visitors than us.

In front of the belfry, you can sit on a bench and take pictures

with Mori-no-Ishimatsu and Shimizu Jirocho.

Fortunately, you don’t have to cut the gravestone these days, because you can buy an amulet that contains a fracture of it in the building on the right of the main hall. In addition to a gambling luck, the amulet may bring about success in business and examinations. I had bought one before, and it really worked!

We went down the stairs to go back to the parking lot. Near the red bridge, I saw clear water and green maple leaves. In autumn, they will turn red, presenting a beautiful scenery that is worthy of the name Little Kyoto.