This is the “Nishinomiya Quiz” section, where knowing the answer proves you’re a true Nishinomiya expert.
Here’s today’s quiz↓
Q. How do you read this town name? “神呪町”
Correct answer rate within Nishitsu: 40%
This area is in the school district of Nishinomiya Municipal Koto Elementary School. The elementary school’s address is also Kannocho.
The answer is “Kannocho.”
That “呪” character!
It does feel kind of scary…, doesn’t it?
By the way, there’s a small shrine (?) on the corner of the elementary school.
The Origin of Kannocho
When we looked into the origin of Kannocho,
it seems to indicate that, during the medieval period, Kannoji Temple at the foot of Mt. Kabuto had been relocated here.
There also seems to be a theory that it doesn’t mean a “curse from a god,” but rather a sacred spell bestowed by the gods.
Incidentally, 神呪 is apparently originally read as “jinju,” and is said to mean a mantra, or the words of Buddha.
Kannocho is here on the map↓
The address is Kannocho, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture.
