![](https://www.mitsuke-tenjin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/xlegend-40-1024x699.jpg.pagespeed.ic.5bcaITWbB7.jpg)
This is the folk story about a dog named Shippei-Taro.
About 700 years ago, there was a festival every year on August 10th at Mitsuke Shrine in Shizuoka prefecture.
It was not a happy event. People living in this village cried and cried during this festival. Why? The custom of this festival was to offer a human sacrifice in a coffin to the gods.
![](https://www.mitsuke-tenjin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/legend-23.jpg)
Every year the offering for this festival was chosen by a white feather arrow flying from somewhere. As the arrow fell on one of the villagers’roof, that house must offer their daughter for the festival.
One day a traveling monk came to this shrine and heard the news about this event. The monk thought god wouldn’t wish this kind of awful custom, it must be someone else.
![](https://www.mitsuke-tenjin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/legend-15.jpg)
Then one night, the monk saw big monsters taking the lady in the coffin saying don’t tell this to Shippei-Taro, hope he is not watching us.
![](https://www.mitsuke-tenjin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/legend-14.jpg)
As soon as the monk found out that the monsters were the ones doing this custom and heard their whispering not to tell Shippei-Taro in Shinshu Shinano about this, he went to Shinshu to find Shippei-Taro. Shinshu Shinano is an old name of Nagano prefecture.
![](https://www.mitsuke-tenjin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/legend-21.jpg)
Shippei-Taro was a pet dog at Kozen-ji Temple in Nagano. He was the strong dog and people called him Hayataro. The monk found and borrowed him. He headed to Mitsuke Shrine with Shippei-Taro.
![](https://www.mitsuke-tenjin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/legend-34.jpg)
At the next festival, Shippei-Taro was in the coffin instead of a lady. Shippei-Taro fought with monsters and got rid of them. He got injured during this fight. This awful custom ended after this fighting.
![](https://www.mitsuke-tenjin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/legend-37.jpg)
Shippei-Taro went back to Kozen-ji Temple and barked loudly one time before dying. It was like he was saying I did it. Also, it is said that Shippei-Taro died before reaching home.
![](https://www.mitsuke-tenjin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/legend-38.jpg)
There is Shippei-Taro’s grave at Kozen-ji Temple.
![](https://www.mitsuke-tenjin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/xlegend-40-1024x699.jpg.pagespeed.ic.5bcaITWbB7.jpg)
This story is translated by Aki Tanaka who lives in Mitsuke, Iwata city.
We would be grateful for your cooperation.
Illustration・・・Ninosathes