Z Notes Blog by Jim Zumwalt
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Suwa Shrine's Koma-inu

Feb. 22 - Nagasaki's Suwa Shrine lies at the very top of a long series of 277 steep stone steps leading up the Mount Tamazono slope. Finally arriving huffing and puffing at the Shrine gate, I stopped for a minute to enjoy my view of the graceful main hall.

Few people visited the shrine that day. In fact, it was so quiet that I could hear the trickling of water to the left and behind this beautiful wooden building. Needing a place to rest, I wandered over to find the source of this pleasant sound.

A very small amount of water was tumbling down the steep rock hillside behind the main hall. I noticed two stone lion-dogs, called koma-inu in Japanese, who were facing inward, appearing to guard the approach to this waterfall. I noticed that both front legs of each koma-inu were covered completely in something white, almost as if their legs had been placed in a cast. Knowing that stone lion-dogs do not break their legs, I approached closer to see for myself what this was about.

I finally realized that people had wrapped fine white strings around the legs of these koma-inu. A very nice man who was working in the garden told me that people vowing to give up bad habits visit the Suwa Shrine and tie a paper string around one of the legs of these lion-dogs as a tangible sign of their promise. People had tied such a large number of strings around these lion-dogs' legs that they were completely covered with string.

Judging from the number of friendly and helpful people I met in Nagasaki, I think that that the vast majority managed to keep their vows.

Until next time,

Jim

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