The rabbit you’ll spot all over this site, wearing a woven hat and carrying a big furoshiki (a wrapping cloth) on its back. He (or maybe she) is the guide for this site.
Tottori, the land of rabbits
The myth of the White Hare of Inaba in the Kojiki—the tale of a white hare who wanted to cross from the Oki Islands to the mainland, tricked the “wani” (a shark) to make its way across the sea, had its fur stripped off, and was crying when Ōkuninushi came to its rescue—is set in Tottori. At Hakuto Shrine in Tottori City, a shrine still stands today enshrining the white hare, and stone statues of rabbits line the approach in a long row.
In other words, the rabbits of Tottori have been traveling since the age of myth. A traveler who crossed the sea, came to grief, and yet still pressed onward.
Why a rabbit guides you through Hōki
To be honest, the rabbit doesn’t actually appear in Hōki Town’s Mt. Kizumi (Kizumiyama) ogre legend. The one who defeated the ogres was Emperor Kōrei, and his weapons were dumplings and bamboo leaves.
But that’s exactly why it works. The rabbit isn’t one of the main characters—it’s a traveler. It comes from Tottori, walks the land of the ogre legend, peers over the shoulder of a swordsmith at work, and buys dumplings at a teahouse. It’s a guide who gets caught up in the stories of the land and tells you about what it has seen.
How to explore this site
- Search from the map — spots, scenery, and the settings of legends, all on a single map
- Hōki Strolls — scenery from a walk, in one photo and a few lines
- History stories — tales of ogres, swords, and dumplings
- Model course — if you’re not sure where to start, follow this order
A word from the rabbit: What’s inside the furoshiki? That, you’ll find out in good time.
References:
- The history of Hakuto Shrine (Tottori City), from the white hare myth in the Kojiki
- ※ Myths and legends are matters that are “said to be” so by tradition
