Once upon a time, there was a mountain called Mt. Kurokami.

About 800 years ago, there lived a great serpent on Mt. Kurokami. It caused a lot of problems and villagers were worried. Legend says that a mighty man, Chinzei Hachiro Tametomo, slaughtered the Great Serpent of Mt. Kurokami.

At a shop in Kawago-no-Okusu Park, you can watch a mechanical puppet show based on the legend. It is a lot of fun!

“Did Tametomo live in Wakaki?”
“He lived in Gosho in Wakaki”, say the people of Wakaki.
“I see.”
But what happened to the Serpent? Can I find something about it around here?

One day, I went to see the Hydrangea Festival held at Daisho-ji Temple (known as the Hydrangea Temple) in Kitagata-machi. When I was taking pictures, I saw a notice of the summer festival in August, where “the Great Serpent’s tooth” will be exhibited!

Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the Serpent’s tooth yet, but I hope to see it someday.
There remain footprints of many different legends at various places in Japan. Japanese legends are very interesting!

Author name: Noi
Hometown: Bangkok, Thailand
I live in Wakaki-cho, Takeo City, Saga Prefecture, together with my Japanese husband, raising our child.
In Thailand, I used to do art and publication-related work.
I have a Kyushu Special Zone Guide-interpreter’s license (in Thai).