Kurume History Walks
No.27 History of Kitano Town * 北野の歴史*Kitano Town, which had been an independent municipality, merged with Kurume City in 2005.

Main Gate of Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine ①1.

*Figure in a circle indicates that of the map on the fourth page.

Children sing the local history.

which is the origin of the town’s name. It is said to beestablished in 1054 and enshrines Sugawara noMichizane, who is today known as a god of learning.
Michizane, a scholar, poet, and politician, wasdemoted from his aristocratic rank to a much lowerposition. It is said that in the middle of going from
Kyoto, the capital of that time, to Dazaifu, he went
down the Chikugo River to escape from pursuers, andarrived at Kitano Town.
Episodes during his stay seem to give the name toseveral areas of the town as follows:

Is local history what specialized institutions study,
or what old people transmit? Are only researchers orgrown-ups who know it?
It could be also children who know it well. Schoolsongs always deal with local treasures. When we hearthem singing a school song, we can know the local
history.
Then, what kind of things do children sing at eachelementary school in Kitano area?

2.

Kitano Elementary School

They sing about the Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine,
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Kurume History Walks / No.27 History of Kitano Town

- Ishomaru (Literally clothing place): He disguised
himself as a woman to evade the pursuers there.
- Haizuka (Literally ash mound): He burnt his clothes
there.
- Ushizuka (Literally cow mound): He hitched a cow
for taking a rest.

Korean conquest.
Then, from ancient times, the villagers haverespectfully treated it because they believed that if anewborn had first bath, he/she would become wiseand beautiful, and live for a long time. It is closedtoday.

Tokoshima Irrigation Channel ②

Masukagenoi ③

3.

5.

Kaneshima Elementary School

Kumashiro no Watashi is a term that appears intheir school song. It is one of several quays for theboats that used to cross the Chikugo River in ancienttimes. And, it was an important transport hub inKyushu, because it was a crossing point of a majorroad running north-south through Kyushu, and theChikugo River flowing east-west when water was
one of the primary means of transportation.

Goshoya, five village headmen, is a particularterm that appears in their school song.
They devoted themselves to building theTokoshima Weir, which was built on the Chikugo
River in 1712, and the Tokoshima Irrigation Channel.
Although villages were located along the large
river, they didn’t have enough water for rice-field.
Then, the source was an earnest wish for villagers.
As a result, these water supply facilities fertilize
three thousand hectares of rice-field.
Recently, the channel has been changing for bankprotection work. But it always blesses the town.

4.

Yuge Elementary School

A lore about the Kumashiro Pontoon has been
handed down. About seven hundred years ago, thewarriors of Southern Kyushu went to Hakata Bay innorthern Kyushu for Mongol invasion attempts
against Japan. The Chikugo River rose and blocked
their way. But a pontoon was made across the riverby local people so that they could pass it. The
warriors beat the Mongol army back.

Oki Elementary School

There is a well in a corner of the schoolyard. Thisis the Masukagenoi which appears in their school
song.
Empress Consort Jingu (169-269) is said to havereceived the water from this well for her newborn
infant’s first bath, following her return from the2Kurume History Walks / No.27 History of Kitano Town

Camphor Tree ⑥

The former site of Kumashiro Pontoon ④

6.

Cultural Properties in Kitano Town

The Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine has five culturalproperties, all designated by the prefecture.
- Stone Torii gate is in the Hizen style (Hizen is theprovince equivalent to roughly the present-day Sagaand Nagasaki Prefecture).
- Camphor tree
- Illustrated Legends of Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine
in Chikugo Province (Chikugo-no-kuni Kitano
Tenjin Engi) shows the origin and the benefits of thedeity.
- Bronze gong was inscribed with the creation year
(1531).
- Jinko Festival is held on the third Sunday ofOctober.

Illustrated Legends of Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine in Chikugo
Province ⑦

Bronze gong ⑧

Stone Torii gate of Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine ⑤

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Kurume History Walks / No.27 History of Kitano Town

Jinko Festival ⑨

Illustrated history of the Tokoshima Irrigation Channel ⑪
Yoshizumi Stone Monument ⑩

Besides, there are three municipal cultural properties
in the town.
- Yoshizumi Stone Monument is the oldest in Kitano
Town, which was inscribed with the fifth year ofJowa (1349).
- Illustrated history of the Tokoshima Irrigation
Channel construction depicts in detail the villagers
working on the river, the process of the construction,and the general instructions.
- Kurogane holly of the Kuroiwa family is about
400 years old, has a height of over 17 meters, and atrunk circumference of 3.16 meters.

Mochi Tree ⑫Kitano Town

Kaneshima
Elementary
SchoolKitano Elementary School
Oki Elementary
SchoolYuge Elementary
SchoolCultural Properties Protection Department of Kurume
Address: 15-3 Jonan Kurume Fukuoka Japan 830-8520 / Tel: 0942-30-9225
4 March 20th, 2007 / Translated in August 2020
Date of publication:
Kurume History Walks / No.27 History of Kitano Town