Good Luck Charms of Himeji Castle Against Unlucky Directions
By Akira Matsuda, Shinto Priest of Himeji Shrine and
Member of Himeji Rojyo Lions Club
In building our house, we call a Shinto priest to have the land purified.
In doing this we wish for the success for the construction and the prosperity of the family over generations.
This ceremony is performed to ward off evils.
In the ceremony 4 corners of the land are purified clockwise from the northeast,
which is said to be the direction from which evils come.
After the house is completed, a fir tree is planted in the front unlucky direction northeast,
and a nandina tree is planted at the rear unlucky direction(Southwest).
In the construction of a house, exposure of this unlucky direction is avoided by a superstitious person.
Changing one's residence in this direction may also be considered unlucky.
This is case with Himeji Castle. As the castle was huge structure,
it was not enough for the protection against the evils to plant a fir tree or to have the warding off ceremony performed.
When Hideyoshi Hashiba built his castle here in 1580,
he built Osakabe Shrine at the front unlucky direction of the castle grounds.
But now the shrine is laid on the top floor of Main Tower.
Only the stone monument is laid on the original site and we are not allowed to get into the site without any permission.
Himeji Shrine sits at the point where the extended distance from the original site of
Osakabe Shrine and Main Bailey of the castle meets.
The rear unlucky direction of Himeji Castle lies around Keifukuji Temple, northwest of the castle.
Himeji Shrine originally used to be in Hon-machi along the present National Route 2.
It was moved to the present site in Himeyama Park in 1927 to avoid the unlucky quarter.
Some corners of the stone walls were built irregularly, not at right angles to avoid evil quarter, too.
During the Showa Restoration (1956-1964) Osakabe Shrine was laid temporarily at the site of Himeji Shrine.
After the restoration was completed, it was laid on the top floor of Main Tower.
Even today there are some people coming from neighboring prefectures who ask for sand or spring water on the precincts,
which is supposed to be good luck charms to avoid evils.
