Bakemono Yashiki (The Haunted House) - Part 16
Library

Part 16

[Footnote 16: There was great opposition to the introduction of _Kuge_ (court n.o.ble) influence into the Sho[u]gun's household at this time. The same reasons of course did not apply to marriage of Tokugawa women into the Kyo[u]to circle. The Sho[u]gunal Court was to be ruled by _samurai_ code and influence.]

[Footnote 17: Marriages at that date were performed in daytime. Note in the original.]

[Footnote 18: _Ume ka ka wo sakura no hana ni motase tsutsu; Yanagi no eda ni sakas.h.i.te zo min._]

[Footnote 19: Momogawa Jo[u]en: _ko[u]danshi_ differ in their treatment of such detail. Some emphasize it, after the manner of the chronicle; others do not.]

[Footnote 20: The _Daikwan_ was the chief representative of the feudal lord in the particular circ.u.mscribed district. His authority rarely pa.s.sed beyond a few miles. Note the Daikwanzaka and the site of his _yashiki_ in Yokohama (_Motomachi_).]

[Footnote 21: Momokawa Jo[u]en.]

[Footnote 22: Shukke, one who has left the world--turned priest--"Honoured Mr. Recluse."]

[Footnote 23: The Nipponese "watches" covered two hours. Hence he had been aroused between 3-5 A.M., not 5-7 A.M. as expected.]

[Footnote 24: _Dentatsu_--"Jimbei, mata 'f.u.keru' to itta na. Nan no kotta (kotoba) sono 'f.u.keru' to iu no wa." _Jimbei_--"Yai! Yai! Bo[u]zu"

etc. To the erudite is left closer approximation to _f.u.keru_ (in _kana_). This story is told, following the details of Koganei Koshu[u]

("Yui Sho[u]setsu"). Gion, equally known for its _hetairai_.]

[Footnote 25: In the vernacular.]

[Footnote 26: The first--Yamaguchi etc.--are place names, from Kyu[u]shu[u] to O[u]shu[u]; widely scattered. Otherwise--"b.l.o.o.d.y Spear"

(Chiyari), "Iron Chin," "Wolf," "Fox-heart," "Iron head," "Monkey hand."]

[Footnote 27: He has played on the ideographs--[kyoku-sui no en] and [kyoku-sui no en], _kyoku-sui no en_; the last meaning--"Winding water entertainment," cf. "Benkei" Vol. II. p. 195.]

[Footnote 28: The _yoriki_ is hard to place--"commanding officer." He was not of the office, yet as of rank was chosen to lead these more dangerous and trying expeditions, or to act in more important arrests.]

[Footnote 29: In the conspiracy of Sho[u]setsu such did exist, directed to the house of one of his followers, placed not far off in another street. [But recently such a tunnel was discovered under the garden of Baron Sakatani at Haramachi, Koishikawa, To[u]kyo[u]; believed to belong to the Hakusan Goten, and dating 250 years back. 20th May, 1917].]

[Footnote 30: Brinkley's Dictionary gives it--_Ichiju no kage ni yadori, ichiga no nagare wo k.u.mu mo, mina kore tasho[u] no en narubeshi_.]

[Footnote 31: Sho[u]ho[u] 3rd year the New Year fell on 16th February (1646) of the modern calendar.]

[Footnote 32: _Rangiku ya: kitsune ni no se yo[u] kono sugata. Rangiku_ = Caryopteris mastachantus.]

[Footnote 33: In Buddhist theology the seventh day is one of the important dates of the _hotokes_ (deceased spirit) sojourn upon Earth.]

[Footnote 34: Pradjna--"highest of the six paramita, princ.i.p.al means of attaining Nirvana, knowledge of the illusory character of all existence." Eitel--p. 119.]

[Footnote 35: The quotation and what follows is from Ho[u]gyu[u]sha To[u]ko[u]--"Bancho[u] Sarayashiki." The exactness of these old temple registers in essential dates is worth noting.]

[Footnote 36: Tsunayoshi 1646-1709. A va.s.sal of Akita Danjo[u] killed a swallow. He was executed; his children were executed; and he and his are but one case out of many.]

[Footnote 37: Or son, by the more respectful account. Yanagizawa Yoshiyasu took the name of Matsudaira. His son Yoshishige, said really to be the son of Tsunayoshi by the wife of Yoshiyasu, was to be adopted by Echizen no Kami Tadanao, brother and heir to the Sho[u]gun. Tadanao "removed," left the field open to the success (and succession) of the powerful premier. Yanagizawa as _tairo[u]_ (premier) was an irregularity in itself.]