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Let's make the wall on the left hand side of the hall up. There is the name "Shiraki St. Kannon Bodhisattva" next to the name of main deity. "The appearance of 1712 (1712)" It is exactly the year when the "Meisui Shiraki Well" was created. And it was the year when the Tokyu Department Store Nihonbashi (former Shirakiya) closed in 1999 (1999). In 1999, Kannon of Shirakiya was transferred from the Shirakiya store to Awashimado in Senso-ji Temple and was enshrined. In the center of the temple is the principal god of Awashimado. There is Shirakiya Kannon Bodhisattva on the left. You can see a small figure that fits inside the kitchen. That said, the inside of the hall is dim and the appearance is small, so it may be difficult to see even those with good eyesight.

There is a story that when something was difficult, a statue came out from underground or under the sea, and it went well by worshiping it. In Chuo-ku, Inari Daimyojin of Namishi Inari Shrine is one of them. It is said that when the reclamation work at Tsukiji was extremely difficult due to the waves, the waves worshiped Inari Daimyojin obtained from under the sea, the waves became calm and the construction progressed. It is said that the Kannon Bodhisattva of Shirakiya appeared during the difficult construction of the Shirakiya well.

In the Edo period, the area around Shirakiya, a kimono shop in Nihonbashi, was reclaimed land, so only salt water. There was scarce water that could be eaten, and the second generation Hikotaro Omura Safety decided to dig a well with his private property. Construction started in 1711 (1711). The statue of Kannon Bosatsu was dug out when he was digging but giving up only salt water.

Originally, Shirakiya's family had a strong faith in Kannon Bosatsu, and the first Hikotaro Omura was the first Kannon statue received from Kazuo of Nagahama-mura, Sakata-gun, Oomi-kuni (now Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture), who taught reading and writing during his childhood. After that, even after going to Edo, he worshiped Kannon as a guardian deity. The Kannon statue came out of such a Shirakiya well, so it's not hard to imagine that everyone was excited about this miracle.

In Shirakiya 300 Years History, there is a small glowing Kannon Bosatsu statue at the site of the well digging, and a picture of a large number of people who surrender around it is also published as a figure of excavation of Shiraki Kannon. At Shirakiya, worshiped the statue of Kannon Bosatsu and prayed, and strangely, good water sprang out. This water was also used by generals, various daimyo, and nearby residents, and was known as "Shiraki Meisui".

Forty-six thousand days are read as "Shimanrokusennichi." Every year, July 10th is the day, and it is said that visiting Kannon Bodhisattva will give you merit. It is said that there are various theories, and there are 46,000 grains of rice, so it took a lifetime of one sho, or 46,000 days are about 126 years and can be said to be the limit of the life of humans. It seems that it was said that if you visit, you can earn the merit of a lifetime.

Since main deity in Senso-ji Temple is also in Kannon Bodhisattva, Hozuki City will be opened on July 10, 46,000 days, and it will be very crowded with many people.

The bustle of 46,000 days when the Shirakiya Kannon Bodhisattva was enshrined in the Shirakiya store can be imagined from the memories of the two people who quote next.

First of all, it is "46,000 days" written by Kiichiro Kikuchi in "Edo Prefectural Picture Book Customs Traffic". He is also the fourth generation Hiroshige Utagawa. He was born in Kaei era 2 (1849) and died in Taisho 14 (1925), but the book was published in 1905. More than thirty years have passed since I became Tokyo, and the number of people who know about Edo has decreased, so it is said in the preface that I wrote to blow the Edokko style, so it seems that I described Shiraki Kannon in the Edo period .

In this book, first of all, Kannon, which is famous for 46,000 days, is given. Of course, Senso-ji Temple is also included. Next, I write about Shirakiya Kannon.

"(Omitted) Kannon Bosatsu of Nihonbashi-dori 1-chome Kure clothing store Shirakiya is usually a god of worship at the back of the store and worships the statue of Kannon who can be enshrined in the back of the store from the entrance inside and outside of the Shiraki store.

It was very busy, but only people around Nihonbashi came, so it's interesting to say Edokko Kannon.　　

Next, Kozaburo Omura's Shiraki Kannon 46,000, was born as the third son of Ohisa, a fish wholesaler in Hashimoto Odawara-cho, Japan, in 1910, and ran "Otora" as a wholesaler of Tsukiji Central Wholesale Market without leaving the fish for a lifetime. Excerpts from his book, "Nihonbashi Fish Bank Story". He is a talented person who enjoys tanka poetry and Haiku, so he writes the memories of four-six thousand days in emotion as follows:

"What I can't forget about 46,000 days was the smart lyrical taste of Shiraki Kannon and the bustle of the night. (Omitted) Crossing Nihonbashi, all the left corners of 1-chome were Shirakiya, but Shiraki Kannon and Shiraki Meisui were located under the basement at the back of the entrance at the first corner, turning left at that corner. When I descended a little, the sound of cool water and the mystery of Kannon gave a solemn atmosphere to all visitors.

And the pleasure of the return was a line of "oriental lamp" lined up on the upper side of Shirakiya's show window, and in the oriental lamp there was a mixture of Haiku, writing, and haiku paintings, as well as Shoo Inoue and Yoho Iitaro, who personally knew himHaiku.

Parents and siblings in yukata, of course, who visited Shiraki Kannon under the line of "oriental lamp," may have been accompanied by a mother, but I can't forget it because it is a beautiful scene of the Nihonbashi Fish Bank tradition."

I wrote about 46,000 days from the Taisho era to the early Showa era, focusing not only on the solemn atmosphere of Kannondo but also on the oriental lamp displayed in the show window. At that time, the lanterns were written by handwriting and even Haiku. I wanted to stop and read it slowly.

Shotaro Hanayagi, who Omura praised the wonderful Haiku, was born in Nihonbashi. I'm a new female actor. In the premiere of Kyoka Izumi's "Nihonbashi", he was appointed as the role of Osensei and became a success. We dedicated the "colored millennium figure" drawn by Komura Yukidai to Nihonbashi Jizoji Church. You have a deep connection with Chuo-ku.

In fact, there is another god besides Senso-ji Temple, Kannon Shiraki.

It is Ryosokuin, a subordinate Zen Temple of Kenninji Temple in Kyoto, famous for its folding screens. This is the Bodaiji Temple of the village family.

The Omura family of Shirakiya worshiped Shiraki Kannon for generations, but among them, it was the sixth generation Shozen who did not neglect to recit the Kannon Sutra in the morning and evening. It is noted in Shirakiya's Three Hundred Years History that he made the same thing as Shiraki Kannon and delivered it to Ryosoin in Bodaiji Temple.

In 2019, a special opening of Shiraki Kannon was held at Ryosoin. In the explanation of this article, it is donated Yatsushiro. It's different from the sixth generation of the donated "Shirakiya 300 Years History". What do you mean?

This difference is also mentioned in Shirakiya's Three Hundred Years History. "In the furniture book of Ryososhiin, it is written that Yatsushiro Keizen donated Kannon statue. At present, the kitchen where this Kannon statue is enshrined is locked and the name of the donor cannot be confirmed. However, in the early Showa era, he rented this Kannon statue at the Osaka Shirakiya branch and worshiped it. At that time, there was a senior Shirakiya executive who saw the name of the sixth generation written on the door of the kitchen. "

Sixth generations donated Shirakiya officials. Yatsushiro donated to the furniture book of Ryosokuin. What's the truth?

It seems that there was no desire to clarify the truth in "Shirakiya 300 Years History".

"In any case, Shirakiya worshiped the statue of Shiraki Kannon for generations and prayed for the prosperity of business and the longevity of family luck." I am.

Is it the sixth generation or Yatsushiro? It's like a wildfire.

Monument of well of famous water Shirakiya

Address:　Nihonbashi 1-4-1 COREDO Nihonbashi

The times have changed, Shirakiya has become Tokyu Department Store, and now it is COREDO Nihonbashi. On the premises of COREDO Nihonbashi, there is a "monument of the well of Meisui Shirakiya" alongside "monument of the stage of Soseki masterpieces".

It was a pleasant season for walking around the city. I think some people will go to Senso-ji Temple. In that case, please also visit Shirakiya Kannon Bodhisattva of Awashimado.

[References]

"Shirakiya Three Hundred Years History" Shirakiya

"Edo Prefectural Picture Book Customs Traffic" Kiichiro Kikuchi Blue Frog Selection Book

"Nihonbashi Fish Bank Story" Kozaburo Omura Blue Frog Selection Book