{"id":208091,"date":"2018-12-22T06:00:37","date_gmt":"2018-12-21T21:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visitmatsumoto.com\/?p=208091"},"modified":"2018-12-19T23:56:28","modified_gmt":"2018-12-19T14:56:28","slug":"dosojin-the-rock-hard-protectors-of-matsumoto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/miscellaneous-en\/dosojin-the-rock-hard-protectors-of-matsumoto\/","title":{"rendered":"D\u014dsojin: the Rock-Hard Protectors of Matsumoto"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"As you wander the streets of Matsumoto you might come across something peculiar. Okay, yes, this is Japan, there\u2019s something peculiar on every street in every city, town and village on the map. Here in Matsumoto, and all over the Shinshu Region, that peculiarity consists of figures, carved into stone, of men and women getting cuddly with each other. They look quite content. They are usually elderly. They are called D\u014dsojin (\u9053\u7956\u795e), and they are worth getting to know.<\/p>\n

\u2018D\u014dsojin\u2019 is a catch-all name for the deities (kami) originally placed at village borders, along country roads and near mountain passes. Those standing at the outskirts of a community were meant to protect the locals from any beings who might wish to bring pestilence and disaster in from the outside, like bad spirits, evil gods and, in recent years, foreign English teachers. The D\u014dsojin stationed along country roads are meant to watch over travelers, pilgrims and, in a broader sense, people in transition.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

These kami are sometimes represented by stones carved into human male and female genitalia. Others are simply rounded rocks. But the most common (and, for the unofficial majority, the most endearing) D\u014dsojin are represented by an elderly couple standing arm-in-arm, with the woman\u2019s head often resting on the man\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard for everyone who is not a postman to know where neighborhoods and communities begin and end in Japan. Thus D\u014dsojin can appear in seemingly random places. And though their existence dates back over a thousand years they are still placed at intersections and at the ends of bridges.<\/p>\n

As protectors, D\u014dsojin have also been referred to as Sai no kami<\/em> (\u585e\u306e\u795e \u2013 the god of the fort or stronghold, which makes a lot of sense); Sae no kami<\/em> (\u969c\u306e\u795e \u2013 the god of failure or breakdown, which might make sense for those tasked with watching over travelers);  D\u014drokujin<\/em> (\u9053\u9678\u795e \u2013 god of the road, which makes perfect sense); or Shakujin<\/em> (\u77f3\u795e \u2013 stone god, also completely sensible but not entirely informative). As they are so often depicted as an elderly couple, they have long been seen by some as a symbol of a long and happy life. In some areas they are considered gods of easy childbirth and healthy upbringing (which might explain why they are sometimes depicted as male and female naughty bits).<\/p>\n\"\"\n

\"\"Though they represent divine protection against nefarious forces desiring to bring disaster upon a community, D\u014dsojin are not infallible. It was believed by some that a damaged D\u014dsojin was a harbinger of danger. Nothing seems to be said, however, about the consequences of the aging of D\u014dsojin over time and from the elements.<\/p>\n

Keep an eye out as you walk around Matsumoto and further afield, for an up close look at an ancient godly custom. While you are taking their picture you can thank these D\u014dsojin for keeping you extra safe in this decidedly non-dangerous country.<\/p>\n

\"\"And if you want a little extra protection, go down to your local stone cutter and pick up your own D\u014dsojin to take home.<\/p>\n

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