Brush Mound

The brush mounds are a type of memorial tower built by disciples to honor the achievements of calligraphy masters and writers upon their death. Many of the stone monuments record the achievements, origins, death poems, and names of the disciples of the individual, making them important materials for the educational history of the region.
Within the city, brush mounds established from the late Edo period to the Meiji period can be seen in the precincts of shrines and temples. Next, we will introduce three particularly important mounds.

Myoken Son's Calligraphy Monument (City Designated Cultural Property)

At the Myoken Shrine in Momura, a pen mound inscribed with a monument by the calligrapher Momose Unmoto, who was from Momura during the late Edo period, has been established. Momose Unmoto was born in the 13th year of Hōreki (1763) as the second son (Tomiichirō) of the village head Enomoto Rokuzaburō of Momura, and later moved to Edo, changing his name to Momura Tominoshin and becoming a vassal. It is said that he studied under the calligrapher Momose Kōmoto and took the name Unmoto, nurturing many disciples. In the 2nd year of Tenpō, he retired and moved back to his hometown of Momura. In the 6th year of Bunsei (1823), when Unmoto reached his sixtieth birthday, this pen mound was built with the cooperation of many of his disciples. The inscription on the stone monument records the establishment of the pen mound where discarded brushes were buried, along with a stone shrine dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane.

Fudezuka of Anazawa Tenjin Shrine (City Designated Cultural Property)

In the grounds of Anazawa Tenjin Shrine in Yanokuchi, there is a brush mound established in the 3rd year of Bunkyu (1863). This brush mound was built by 164 disciples from Yanokuchi Village, Nagunuma Village, Oshitate Village, and Gotanda Village to honor the achievements of Kanryo Harada (known as Tenshindō), who practiced brush writing during the late Edo period. Kanryo Harada was a disciple of Genpan Harada (known as Seidō), who opened a brush writing school in present-day Fuchu City during the Edo period. It is said that he lived at Fukusenji Temple in Sugamachi, Kawasaki City (now a ruined temple) and also taught in Yanokuchi. The surface of the brush mound is prominently engraved with the characters "Brush Mound" written by Kanryo Harada himself, while the back features a farewell poem, and the base stone is inscribed with the names of the 164 disciples from Yanokuchi Village, Oshitate Village, Nagunuma Village, and Gotanda Village. This serves as a document indicating the wide range of Kanryo Harada's influence.

Myokaku-ji Calligraphy Mound (City Designated Cultural Property)

There is a brush monument established in the grounds of Myokaku-ji Temple in Yanokuchi, built in the 7th year of the Kaei era (1854). This monument was erected to honor the achievements and virtues of the long-term academic guidance provided by the leader. The surface of the stone tablet is inscribed with the death poem of the leader, Suzu Kudo, which reads, "Waiting only for the purple clouds to welcome me, the affairs of this fleeting world are of no concern." Additionally, the names of 49 representative brush women from Yanokuchi Village, Nagunuma Village, Oshitate Village, and Suga Village are engraved on the front and both sides of the pedestal. Like the brush monument at Anazawa Tenjin Shrine, it is evident that the scope of guidance extended not only to the villages within Inagi City but also to the surrounding villages. (Reference: 'Stone Structures of Inagi City - Continued' and 'History of Inagi City' Volume 1, Part 4)