鉄の神 - The "God of Iron"

The “God of Iron” has a shrine in Yasugi, called KANAYAKO Shrine which is located near the WAKO museum. To those people who don’t know their history, or their legends, the first God of iron and steel was Susanoo and the second, Okuninushi’s son, Ajisuki.

安来市の和鋼記念館の側に、金屋子神社という名の鉄の神を奉った神社があります。歴史や伝承について多くを御存じない方のために申し上げておきますと、最初の鉄と鋼の神は須佐之男命、次が大国主命の息子、アジスキです。

He had over 44 shrines dedicated to him in this area as far back as the early 8th century. He is the God of the Hoe and the Plow and is often called the “God of the Golden Plow.” He is mainly of importance in the Izumo no Kuni Fudoki. The name Ajisuki is often shortened to “Azuki.” This god is thought to have been the son of Okuninushi no Mikoto. There is however, the idea that he was the son of the ruler of Japan and sent to Izumo as the representative of the Emperor. Okuninushi adopted him to further good relations with the Yamato people.

八世紀初頭、この地方でアジスキを奉る神社の数は四十四にも上りました。鍬と鋤の神様であるアジスキはしばしば「黄金の鋤の神様」と呼ばれます。主として出雲の国風土記の中で重要な位置を占めています。アジスキはしばしば「アズキ」と縮めて呼ばれます。 アジスキは大国主命の息子であると考えられてきました。しかしその一方で、彼は天皇の息子であり、その使いとして出雲に遣わされ、が大和の人々とのより良い関係を目指す大国主命養子に迎えられたのだいう考察も成されています。

The legends say that Ajisuki could not speak and only cried. This went on for some time until he was cured by the kind treatment of Okuninushi. His condition was probably due to his not understanding the language of the people of Izumo (as we all know, the Izumo dialect is rather difficult for other people to understand).

伝承によると、アジスキは言葉を喋ることが出来ず、泣いてばかりいましたが、大国主の甲斐々々しい世話により、暫くして治まったということです。話せなかったという背景には、彼が出雲の人々の話す言葉が分からなかったという事情があったと思われます(御存じの様に、出雲の方言を他の地方の人達が理解するのは大変難しいのです)

Ajisuki was very good at farming and when we think about this, we must suppose that he was from some country which was noted for that. Korea was such a coutry and many of those people came to the Izumo Area and became loyal followers of Okuninushi. Their ideas were very good and were accepted by the Izumo people, even though the new comers were not liked very much. The study of the history of the gods of Japan has really increased my interest in the entire culture of this area! I am one of the most ardent fans of Izumo no Kuni and its wonderful culture and people!

アジスキは農耕に長けた神様でした。このことから、彼は農耕民族の住む、朝鮮半島の様な所から渡って来たと考えるのが妥当な様です。そうした国から多くの人々が出雲に移住し、大国主に忠実に仕えたことと思われます。この地方では、よそ者はあまり歓迎されないといいますが、その思想故、彼らは出雲の人々に受け入れられたのです。日本の神々の遍歴を知れば知るほど、この地方の文化に興味が湧いて来ます。私は出雲の国とその素晴らしい文化、人の熱烈なファンの一人なのです!。