Yagura (tombs)

"This article is about the "yagura", caves used as tombs in and around Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan during the 13th, 14th and 15th century. For the towers called "yagura", see Yagura."

nihongo|Yagura|やぐら・窟・岩倉・矢倉・矢蔵・谷倉・屋倉, etc. are artificial caves used during the Middle Ages in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, as tombs and cenotaphsKamakura Shōkō Kaigijo, (2008, 35-38)] Kawano (2005: 171)] . It is likely that they were used only as tombs in the beginning, and that later they started being used as cenotaphs too. The dead are usually samurai, but priests and even artisans have also been found (for example in the Hyakuhachi Yagura, see below)Kawano (2005: 173)] . These tombs are extremely numerous in the hills surrounding Kamakura, and estimates of their number are in the thousands [Estimates vary with the source between 1500 and over 5000 thousand.] . Their real number must remain unknown, because many have already been destroyed and others surely haven't been found. "Yagura" can be found either isolated, as in the case of the "Harakiri Yagura" (see below), or in groups of almost 200 hundred caves, as in the case of the Nihongo|Hyakuhachi Yagura Group|百八やぐら群 group near nihongo|Kakuon-ji|覚園寺, which includes 177 separate hand-made cavesA Guide to Kamakura, "Terminology"] . Groups of yagura are called nihongo|-gun|群 as in the case of the Hyakuhachi "Yagura" Group mentioned above. The easiest way to see a "yagura" is to visit Jufuku-ji near Kamakura station: its cemetery has many (see photo), among them Hōjō Masako's and Minamoto no Sanetomo's cenotaphs.

True "yagura" can be found also in the Miura Peninsula, in the Izu Peninsula, and even in distant Awa Province (Chiba).

History

Because of lack of solid documentary or archeological evidence, in spite of their recent origin not much is known about Kamakura's "yagura", and some of what is known is contradictory. For example, the exact time and reason for the adoption of the "yagura" system are unknown. It is however generally believed that tombs were dug in the soft rock of the hills around the city because of lack of space in the valley belowKusumoto (2002: 148-149)] .

The only way to date a "yagura" is through the dates carved on a gorintō or stele it may containKawano (2005: 172)] . On this basis, the oldest was one found near the Asahina Pass and dated to between 1260 and 1270. It used to be thought that a particular law with an ambiguous name which forbids cemeteries in towns (the nihongo|Fuchū Bochi Kinshirei|府中墓地禁止令) referred to Kamakura, and therefore was the origin of the custom, but now it is believed to have been written by Bungo's Ōtomo clan in Kyushu for its city of Fuchū. However, some historians think the Ōtomo must have used a Kamakura shogunate law as a model. The custom continued after the demise of the shogunate and well into the Ashikaga period until the middle of the 15th century, after which it declined. The "yagura" of the time give some indication of the decline of the custom: some have been converted to storehouses, others were filled with soil to bury in them a corpse.

Structure of a "yagura"

A "yagura" is usually just a hole dug into the side of a hill and begins with a short corridor called nihongo|"sendō"|羨道 leading to a main room called nihongo|"genshitsu"|玄室. The main room is usually one to five meters wide and roughly rectangular.

In many cases the "sendō" of a "yagura" had at its mouth (nihongo|"senmon"|羨門) a wooden door, whose remains can sometimes still be seen. The bones are in some cases collected in an opening in the floor, but in other tombs there is instead a funerary urn. In either case, "yagura" floors are made of rock, so by nature aren't suitable to burials, therefore the remains must have have been cremated before inumationKawano (2005: 168-170)] . In fact, pulverized bones bearing traces of a cremation are still occasionally found.

Inside a yagura can usually be found some non-personal objects. Often present are for example stone gorintō (see photo), steles or hōkyōintō (Buddhist towers), all of which which are always later additions. There can also be Buddha images and "jizō". On the ceiling of the nihongo|Shutarugi Yagura|朱垂木やぐら are visible red painted rafters.

Etymology and writing of the name

As many other aspects of "yagura" and their history, the etymology of the name is unclear. According to a theory, the name derives from nihongo|"yakura"|矢倉, or watchtower, but it seems more likely that it is just a local corruption of nihongo|"iwakura"|岩倉, that is, a stone storehouse.Kawano (2005: 167)] .

The word "yagura" over the centuries has been written in several ways, among them Nihongo2|やぐら・窟・岩倉・矢倉・矢蔵・谷倉・屋倉, etc. . We do know that in the Edo period the character Nihongo2|窟 was pronounced "yagura". In any case, now the term is usually written in "hiragana" without using Chinese characters.

Famous "yagura" in Kamakura

* Otō no Kubo - It's one of the "yagura" supposed to be Hōjō Takatoki's grave.
* Karaito Yagura - Close to the Shakadō Pass. Because on it are still visible the remains of a wooden door, legend says it was a prison.
* Jitsugetsu Yagura - Also close to the Shakadō Pass. The names come from the two openings in the wall shaped like the sun and the moon.
* Kubi Yagura - Behind Zuisen-ji, it's another supposed grave of Hōjō Takatoki.
* Shakadō Yagura Group - It's supposed by tradition to be the burial place of those who died at Tōshō-ji at the fall of the Kamakura shogunate in 1333 Kamiya Vol. 1 (2006/08: 71 - 72)] . It has been partly destroyed by urban development.
* Shutarugi Yagura - In the mountains near Nishi Mikado.
* Harakiri Yagura - Near the ruins of Tōshō-ji in Komachi 3-chōme. It's supposed to be the place where Hōjō Takatoki killed himself at the fall of the shogunate.
* Tahō-ji-ato Yagura - In the woods near Ōgigayatsu. Nearby there's a huge "gorintō" called nihongo|"kakukentō"|覚賢塔.
* - At the bottom of the Urigayatsu Valley.
*} - In the Higashi Sensui valley.
* Hyakuhachi Yagura - Located near Kakuon-ji, it contains 177 "yagura". It contains all known types of yagura.
* Jushi Yagura - In the Nishi Urigayatsu Valley. Contains the reliefs of 14 "gorintō".
* Mandaladō Group - Kamakura period yagura group located to the north of the Nagoshi Pass and containing 104 gravesNihon Rekishi Chimei Taikei - Mandaladō] . It used to be called nihongo|Sarubatake Yagura|猿畠 but started to be called nihongo|Mandaladō|まんだらどう to distinguish it from the Sarubatake Yagura, which is behind Hosshō-ji. The name indicates that in the area there used to be a temple dedicated to memorial services for the dead (a Kuyōdo). Divided in three groups, it is built in a flat area carved up from an artificial cliff built to defend the Nagoshi Pass. It contains both Kamakura and Muromachi period graves.

Notes

References

* cite book
last = Kamiya
first = Michinori
coauthors =
title = Fukaku Aruku - Kamakura Shiseki Sansaku Vol. 1
publisher = Kamakura Shunshūsha
date = 2000/08
location = Kamakura
language = Japanese
id = ISBN 4774003409
* cite web
url=http://www.japanknowledge.com
title=Nihon Rekishi Chimei Taikei, online version
work= Mandaladō
publisher=Heibonsha
language=Japanese
accessdate=2008-08-20
* cite book
last = Kusumoto
first = Katsuji
coauthors =
title = Kamakura Naruhodo Jiten
publisher = Jitsugyō no Nihonsha
date = July 2002
location = Tokyo
language = Japanese
id = ISBN 978-4-408-00779-3
* cite book
last = Kamakura Shōkō Kaigijo
first =
coauthors =
title = Kamakura Kankō Bunka Kentei Kōshiki Tekisutobukku
publisher = Kamakura Shunshūsha
date = 2008
location = Kamakura
language = Japanese
id = ISBN 978-4-7740-0386-3
* cite book
last = Kawano
first = Shinjirō
coauthors =
title = Chūsei Toshi Kamakura: Iseki ga Kataru Bushi no Miyako
publisher = Kōdansha Gakujutsu Bunko
date = 2005
location =
language = Japanese
id = ISBN 4-06-159713-2
* [http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~QM9T-KNDU/termlogy.htm A Guide to Kamakura, "Terminology"] accessed on July 31, 2008

External links

Further information and photos of "yagura" are available at the following sites.
* [http://www.castle-japan.com/kamakura/yagura/ Castle Japan - Yagura] ja icon accessed on July 31, 2008
* [http://www.kcn-net.org/e_kama_history/omachi/omachi_2.htm　The Karaito Yagura and the Jitsugetsu Yagura] ja icon accessed on July 31, 2008
* [http://www.castle-japan.com/kamakura/yagura/houjou-kubi/houjou-kubi.html The Hōjōkubi Yagura] ja icon accessed on July 31, 2008
* [http://www.castle-japan.com/kamakura/yagura/takatoki/takatoki.html The Hōjō Takatoki Harakiri Yagura] ja icon accessed on July 31, 2008
* [http://www.castle-japan.com/kamakura/yagura/kouyouyama/kouyouyama.html The Kōyōyama Yagura] ja icon accessed on July 31, 2008
* [http://www.castle-japan.com/kamakura/yagura/juuou/juuou.html The Shutarugi Yagura] ja icon accessed on July 31, 2008
* [http://www.castle-japan.com/kamakura/yagura/hyakuhachi/hyakuhachi.html The Hyakuhachi Yagura] ja icon accessed on July 31, 2008
* [http://www.castle-japan.com/kamakura/yagura/otouno-kubo/otouno-kubo.html The Otō no Kubo Yagura] ja icon accessed on July 31, 2008
* [http://www.castle-japan.com/kamakura/yagura/houjou-kubi/houjou-kubi.html The Hōjō Kubi Yagura] ja icon accessed on July 31, 2008
* [http://www.geocities.jp/hidekihayasijp/yagura/urigayatu/top.html The Urigayatsu Yagura] ja icon accessed on July 31, 2008
* [http://www.geocities.jp/hidekihayasijp/yagura/higasisensui/top.html The Higashi Sensui Yagura] ja icon accessed on July 31, 2008
* [http://www.j-area2.com/area/kamakura/harakiriyagura.html The Hōjō Takatoki Harakiri Yagura] ja icon accessed on July 31, 2008