Legend in the Hy.C5.8Dgo prefecture Shibaemon-tanuki

芝右衛門狸の祠

while shibaemon-tanuki @ summit of mt. mikuma (三熊山) behind city of sumoto, awaji island, lived wife omasu (お増), , on moonlight nights weather, drummed belly. performed mischief such disguising himself human , making tree leaves seem gold , sell them, @ same time did kind deeds such guiding along humans stumbled mountain while drunk, nobody hated him. people has been kind made offerings of 1 sho bottles of sake dwelled.

one time, shibaemon heard there popular play called nakaza being performed in naniwa (now osaka city), , disguised himself , omasu both humans osaka. 2 became quite cheerful while sightseeing around osaka, have never been before, , had contest of disguises. omasu disguised herself 1 of daimyo s procession, , passed in front of shibaemon. next shibaemon disguise himself. in front of omasu, there proceeded long procession of feudal lords. omasu praised, re good, re good, , cut down 1 of warriors in procession. procession not shibaemon, real thing.

shibaemon, stricken grief, return awaji, decided @ least watch play omasu wanted see, , used technique change tree leaves gold , went theater. however, @ theater, there tree leaves mixed in admission fees, suspected bake-danuki has slipped in among guests, , guard dog put on alert.

when shibaemon go see theater , return awaji day, when shibaemon came theater, there big dog. shibamon hid fear , passed through entrance, within gap of confidence, dog rushed attack. shibaemon returned appearance tanuki, chased around people brought dog, , hit in head , killed. rumor bake-danuki killed in osaka reached awaji, , since did not hear shibaemon drum belly, understood killed, , people severely hated fact died.

after shibaemon s death, people came see nakaza decreased, , there rumor curse having killed shibaemon, when theater deified shibaemon, number of guests returned. afterwards, shibaemon, popular god, worshipped many actors such nakamura ganjirou, kataoka nizaemon, , fujiyama kanbi. afterwards, in called shibaemon s return home, shrine of shibaemon built in sumoto due nizaemon, kanbi, , others donations. now, shrine of shibaemon near castle ruins of sumoto @ peak of mt. mikuma, , due legend of shibaemon, liked theater, there many performers visit shrine now. shibaemon daimyoujin (柴右衛門大明神) deified in nakaza had return home in year 2000, , deified in sumoto hachiman-jinja.