Shooing away the Hitotsume-kozō; Yōkazō reappears during a tradition of Yamato city/Kanagawa

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1212020010/

December 3, 2012

A bamboo cage placed at the building's entrance and Yōkazō, the Hitotsume-kozō (one-eyed boy) doll=The Yamato Furusato Museum (Japanese site) of Shimotsuruma, Yamato City

At Shimotsuruma, Yamato City's Furusato Museum, "Yōkazō" the one-eyed boy reappears in a traditional evil cleansing ceremony, a custom of the city since the Edo Period.

Yōkazō's name is derived from the words 八日　(Youka, the eighth day) and 小僧 (Kōzō, young boy). Twice a year, on February and December 8, people search their homes for forgotten, stowed away footwear. They place the footwear at the front door and garden areas of their home, where it's said that any evil energy within the house has been transferred. An evil-warding bamboo basket or colander is also placed near the home's door. The (visiting) one-eyed boy becomes startled by all the holes in the basket, which appear to be many eyes. He flees, taking along the house's evil energy contained in the nearby sandals with him.

During the late-Edo period, merchants placed bamboo poles under the eaves of the museum, more recently using baskets. A figure of the one eyed boy is also displayed at the museum.

Admission to the museum is free until December 9th (Closed on December 3-4). For questions, the Shimotsuruma Furusato Museum can be reached at 046(272)6556.


Original text:
一つ目小僧追い払おう、大和に伝わる「ヨーカゾー」再現／神奈川
2012年12月3日

玄関先に置かれた籠と一つ目小僧の人形＝大和市下鶴間ふるさと館

大和市下鶴間の「市下鶴間ふるさと館」で江戸時代から市内に伝わる厄払いの風習「ヨーカゾー」が再現されている。

ヨーカゾーの名は「ようか」と「こぞう」に由来する。毎年、一つ目小僧が１２月と２月の８日、玄関や庭先に履物を片付け忘れた家を探して、その家に災厄をもたらすという伝承がある。編み目の多さで驚かせ追い払おうと、玄関先に厄よけの籠やざるを置いた。

江戸後期の商家を利用した資料館の軒下に竹ざおを置き、その先に籠を掛けた。一つ目小僧の人形も展示している。

入場無料。９日まで（３、４日は休館）。問い合わせは下鶴間ふるさと館電話０４６（２７２）６５５６。