Arukigami

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Fudo Myo-O Gallery

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Arukigami, Aruki-gami 歩行神
God of Wandering
あるき神 / 歩き神

sozorogami そぞろ神 / そヾろ神 / 漫ろ神
suzurugami すずろがみ / 漫神
sowasowa no kami　そわそわの神

人にとりついてそぞろ歩きを誘う神



. Doosojin 道祖神　Dosojin, the Wayside Gods


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quote
Matsuo Basho, the Narrow Road to the North

Basho speaks paradoxically about how the gods have motivated his decision to travel. He refers to two types of gods.
The first is Sozorogami.
There is some uncertainty about this word which appears to be one Basho invented for appears nowhere else in Japanese literature. It seems to indicate a deity who bewitches one to aimless travel, a god who causes him to feel restless.

On the other hand are the Dosojin, deities who protect travellers.
Dosojin are customarily placed at the entrances to villages, at mountain passes, crossroads, or bridges to prevent evil influences or evil spirits from passing. They also guard the boundary between the land of the living and the land of the dead. Thus he presents one deity (Sozorogami) who infects people with the urge to travel despite the dangers involved, and another (Dosojin) who protects people who do travel.
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~kohl/basho/1-prologue/discussion.html


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quote
Vom Kofferpacken und dem Gott des Fernwehs.

Basho spricht von zwei Göttern, die sich bei einem Reisenden befinden: Sozorogami und Dosojin. Der erste ruft das Fernweh bei einem Menschen hervor, und der zweite schützt den Reisenden vor bösen Erscheinungen. Man kann diese Götter nicht in den Koffer hineintun. Entweder sind sie da oder nicht.
source : Yoko Tawada


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奥の細道　Oku no Hosomichi
Basho is taking off


source : juppo/archives

I added a red spot where the God of Wandering is painted.



Shinto deities and hokku by
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .


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There is a poetry collection called Arukigami
by Ishi Kanta (1943 - )

句集　あるき神　
石寒太著　花神社


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陽炎の猫にもたかる歩行神
kageroo no neko ni mo takaru aruki-gami


cats in heat shimmers
also follow
the God of Wandering

Kobayashi Issa

The God of Wandering, Aruki-gami, entices people to leave their homes and walk about. Issa, like the cats, feels drawn to the road--as if stirred by a divine force.

Tr. David Lanoue


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Kobayashi Issa
(June 15, 1763 - January 5, 1828)

Daruma Pilgrims in Japan

O-Fudo Sama Gallery

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