Nagoya City and Ohsu Town

　How is the origin of Nagoya City and Ohsu-kannon Temple connected to the Taishokoto story?  Perhaps a bit of historical information might clarify the relationship.

First Historical Fact: The origin of Nagoya and Ohsu-Kannon temple

General ("Shogun" in Japanese) Ieyasu Tokugawa won a victorious battle called, "Sekigahara Battle of 1600" and conquered the  Toyotomi army.  Tokugawa united Japan by establishing the feudal government called "Tokugawa" in Edo (presently Tokyo) in1603.  Inspite of  the lose of that battle, Toyotomi army still had strong powers in Osaka castle at that time.  General Ieyasu built up a large （#8.）castle　 at Mt. Nakono (presently Nagoya) by making all the people who lived in Kiyosu district move to Mt. Nakono.  Kiyosu district was a very important place of defense against the Toyotomi army.  However that place often suffered from floodwaters.  This was the reason why General Ieyasu decided to build up the new castle at Mt. Nakono.  This was the origin of Nagoya City.

General Ieyasu had made （#9.）Ohsu-kannon　temple move from Ohsu area in Gifu-Hashima district to Hioki village and many temples and shrines were forced to move from Kiyosu district to Hioki village.  Then Ieyasu altered the name of this district from Hioki to Ohsu.  The Ohsu-kannon temple was the people’s patron gods and the center of their culture.　To enhance living in new town, the people needed a spiritual anchor. Ohsu-kannon temple satisfied it. This temple has 720 ancient writings which have been kept approximately 900 years. It is said that the movement of Ohsu-kannon temple was under the pretext of protecting these ancient writings from floodwaters the same as it is in Kiyosu district.

戦前の名古屋城 大須観音と五重塔
#8. Nagoya castle before the World War Ⅱ

#9.Ohsu-kannon temple and
five-storied pagoda
Photograph: May 12, 1881
Photograph #8.＆9.from Nagasaki University Library
http://oldphoto.lb.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/en/index.html

Second Historical Fact:  Nagoya the technical wood working city.

General Ieyasu gave the right to control "Kiso hinoki (Japanese Cypress in Kiso area)" to the owner of Nagoya castle for his revenue.  The canal named Horikawa was dug to carry materials in order to construct castle and commodities.  Timber merchants and their processors were gathered from all over Japan to Nagoya and they lived on both sides of  the canal.  In order to build Ohsu-kannon temple and other temples and shrines in the around Hioki village, many craftsmen for building temples and shrines were also gathered from many places.  Woodworking techniques from that time have been succeeded to goods like Buddhist altar things, furniture, clocks, string musical instruments and have become famous.  There are many Buddhist altar things and furniture shops in Ohsu town and many timber wholesalers and timber mills are located on both sides of Horikawa and Shin-Horikawa（New Horikawa） canals now.  We are sure that taishokoto could not have been born or flourished without these technical and social surroundings.

Facts one and two were extracted from the book, "Ohsu monogatari (Ohsu town’s story)".  Author: Mr. Ichiei Ono. Published on March 10, 1979.

Third Historical Fact: How did Edo and Meiji era influenced Ohsu town?
It is said that Ohsu town symbolized a town of temples and shrines. Ohsu-kannon temple has been located at the center of Ohsu town and it has been the symbol of worship since Edo era. Ohsu(Nagoya) was located just the midpoint between Edo(Tokyo) and Osaka. Thus the midpoint of gathering enabled Ohsu to become the Mecca for entertainment and performance.

The book named "Ohsu Daifukusho", author  Mr. Toyoji Hirano wrote （#10.）the location of Morita-ya inn on page 106 in his book where Mr. Goro Morita, founder of taishokoto, was raised. "There was Hinode town where many brothels lived in.  This town was located at the north side of Ohsu-kannon temple. Kitano-tenmangu shrine was also at the north side of Ohsu-kannon temple and it was on the way to Hinode town.  Morita-ya inn was just around the corner on the way to Kitano-tenmangu shrine."  The street here has not changed since that time.  Thus we have a pretty exact location of the "Morita-ya inn" that Goro Morita was born and raised in.  The map at that time shows that Morita-ya inn was located approximately 100 meters north, away from Ohsu-kannon main temple.
森田屋の予想場所

#10. Location of Morita-ya inn

There were many restaurants and play houses which customers could enjoy eating and singing songs called "Nagauta" accompanied on （#11.）Shamisen (traditional Japanese three stringed banjo-like instrument) and or （※11.）Taiko (Japanese drum) and or a （#11.）Fue (Japanese or Chinese flute called Min-teki) and or （#11.）Gekkin (Chinese traditional guitar like) (#12.) around Ohsu-kannon temple.  Mr. Goro Morita lived in this environment.  He might have heard these sounds everyday since his young days and might have been affected by these musical instruments.  Goro Morita could play Ichigen-Kin (one stringed Japanese traditional harp) and Gekkin and he became an excellent player of Min-teki (Chinese Flute). We have another view that he was a master of Gekkin too. Professional performers who have been performing in the precincts of Ohsu-kannon temple or halls for entertainments around Ohsu-kannon temple might have stayed at Morita-ya inn, if it was a fact he might have been effected by them.


#11.Include photographs of the above instruments
Shamisen, taiko, Min-teki, Gekkin


大正初期の仁王門通

#12.  Nioumon Stree at the beginning of Taisho era.Center: Ohsu-Kannon Nioumon gate. Nioumon gate facing east was reconstructed facing south after the World War Ⅱ

The musical influences around Mr. Morita surely helped his invention of the taishokoto.  He developed a less expensive instrument for the common people who could not afford the expensive instruments like the piano, organ or violin. Thus we can conclude that "Ohsu was the birth place of the Taishokoto".