ごんちゃん：「弘法大師の犬」
この像は、ごんという町石道で十年以上も過ごした野良犬を偲んで建てられました。人懐っこい犬だったごんは、慈尊院から参詣道を歩く参詣者やハイカーに同伴し、彼らが高野山の入口である大門に続く坂道を登るのを励ましました。大門に着くとごんは向きを変え、夜は慈尊院に戻りました。ごんは毎日往復50キロ近くを歩きました。
伝説によると、高野御子（狩場明神）の伴っていた白い犬と黒い犬の2匹が空海（諡号 弘法大師、774-835）を案内し、仏教の中心地を開く高野山の場所へと導いたそうです。毛が白かったごんの毎日のお参りに深く心を動かされた人々は、ごんを神の白い犬の生まれ変わり、または「弘法大師の犬」と呼びました。
ごんは長年にわたって参詣道を歩いた後2002年に死んだものの、町石道を一緒に歩いた参詣者たちの思い出の中で生き続け、多くの人がごんを悼むこの碑を建てるために寄付しました。
Gon: “Kobo Daishi’s Dog”
This statue was raised in memory of Gon, a stray dog who spent over a decade of his life walking the Choishi Michi (Stone Marker Trail). The friendly pup began accompanying pilgrims and hikers along the trail from Jisonin Temple, encouraging them up the slopes to the Daimon Gate, the official entrance to Koyasan. There he would turn around, returning to the temple in the evening. Gon made the almost 50-kilometer round trip every day.
According to legend, two canine companions of the god Takanomiko (Kariba Myojin), one white and one black, led the priest Kukai (known posthumously as Kobo Daishi; 774–835) to the location at Koyasan where he would establish his center for Buddhism. Because Gon was white, many people who were deeply touched by his daily journeys referred to him as the reincarnation of the god’s white dog, or as “Kukai’s dog.”
Although Gon passed away in 2002 after many years walking the trail, he remained in the hearts of the pilgrims he accompanied along the Choishi Michi, many of whom donated funds for this memorial in his honor.
