SHINTO - shinshi messenger unagi eel

https://japanshrinestemples.blogspot.com/2020/03/shinshi-otsukai-messenger.html
https://heianperiodjapan.blogspot.com/2017/08/unagi-eel-legends.html

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. kami no o-tsukai 神のお使い the messenger of a Deity .

. Mishima Taisha 三島大社 Great Shrine at Mishima . - Shizuoka
Unagi is the messenger of the Deity.

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Ibaraki 茨城県 / 龍ヶ崎市 Ryugasaki city

There are many places which venerate the relationship between 虚空蔵 Kokuzo Bosatsu and the eel.
(See Gifu below.)
Eels in special ponds are seen as the messengers and never eaten.
. Kokūzō 虚空蔵菩薩 Akashagarbha Bosatsu and Unagi .

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Kagoshima 鹿児島県 / 大島郡 Oshima district 瀬戸内町 Setouchi town

At 勝浦 Kachiura there is a spring and many eels live there. The villagers see them as 神のお使い messengers of the deity and never catch and eat them. They have a special divine marking on the head.

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Shizuoka 静岡県 / 浜松市 Hamamatsu city
In 引佐郡 the Inasa district at 奥山村 Okuyama village there is unagi no ido うなぎ井戸 a well where very large eels live. It is one of the seven wonders of 遠江 the Totomi area. The eel live there all year round and are seen as the messengers of the deity.
Some say this well has a connection to the waters of 長野の諏訪湖 Lake Suwako in Nagano.


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