The next site we stopped by was Tanegashima Akagome Museum and Homan Shrine. "Akagome" means literally red rice. This type of rice, red rice, has long been planted on Tanegashima Island, and is thought to be related to Javanica rice. The traditional rice in Japan is Japonica rice. Taking it into consideration that Javanica rice is widely cultivated from the central part of Java to its eastern islands, red rice is considered as precious evidence to testify the ancient communication between the island and the far southern areas such as present Indonesia. I didn't know at all about this red rice and learnt lots of things about the island's history in this museum.
Homan Shrine was located near the museum and it seemed to have been treasured by local people since long ago, but the time of construction was unknown. The traditional ritual on red rice has been conducted there. The shrine honored Tamayorihime, who was the mother of Jin-mu, the 1st Ten-noh, what you call, Japan's Emperor. FYI, the present Ten-noh is the 126th one.
Homan Pond, adjacent to the shrine, was thought to be a part of the sea in ancient times. An old way of hunting for ducks and some legends concerning the pond were handed down to us. I wondered that such a mysterious place existed on Tanegashima Island as it is called the closest island to space thanks to the Tanegashima Space Center.
P.S. We ate red rice in our inn on this or the next day. Its taste was so-so, but our usual rice was far better.
(Vocabulary)
Japonica rice ジャポニカ米
Javanica rice ジャバニカ米
たねがしま赤米館と宝満神社
日本の基本的な栽培種はジャポニカ米だが、種子島には古来より赤米と呼ばれる米が栽培されていて、これはジャバニカに近いと考えられている。ジャバニカは中部ジャワから東の島嶼域に広く栽培されている米であることから、南方からの文化伝播を考える上で重要な資料だと考えられている。この資料館でそんなことを学んだ。
近くに宝満神社がある。古くから親しまれてきたが、その成立年代は定かではない。祭神は玉依姫命でここでは赤米の神事が執り行われている。神社の隣にある宝満の池、元は海だったと考えられていて、古来からの鴨猟や伝説が伝わっている。日本最大のロケット発射場を持ち、宇宙に一番近い島と言われる種子島だが、意外にもこんな神秘的な場所があったとは。参考までに玉依姫とは初代天皇である神武天皇の母にあたる。ちなみに現天皇は第１２６代である。
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