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Shimamori · (This post was last modified: 12-05-2020, 10:25 AM by Shimamori.)

All Honshu Network:
News and Entertainment from the Eastern Jewel of Kusari

Konnichiwa! Ishikawa Ayumi desu. You are watching "Ikiru michi" (//"Way of life") on All Honshu Network. Today in our programme we will embark to one of the most popular yet most obscure at the same time shrines on all of Honshu. How is it possible? Let us find out together!

Located on a small island of Heiwajima 1 hour of flight away from Minamimito and 2 hours flight from Shimada, the shrine of Yamanaka-kitsune-Inari is not a popular tourist destination nowadays. A small island where it is located has almost no infrastructure and no permanent settlements to attract visitors for staying, while harsh weather of constant rains in summer and snow in winter can drive away used to convenience inhabitants of large Kusarian metropolices. However, it is not the natural conditions and the lack of comfortable hotels that keeps this place largely unknown to the general public but the history of this place.

History of Heiwajima

Heiwajima in summer

The island of Heiwajima was scouted in the first years of the colonisation of Honshu similarly to most of the landmass on the planet but was not settled due to its insignificance and distance from the primary landfall. It did not even have a name at the time and went under a code-toponym S-149 until the first inhabitants arrived in 589 A.S. with a line of expansion in the area of neighbouring Haneda island. Due to the lack of useful mineable resources and distance to the nearest supply base nobody objected when the island was given over to biologists from Haneda Gakuin University to study and cultivate wildlife. Unknowingly, this decision that was to foster primarily science would eventually boost tourism on the island considerably.

Hewajima’s climatic conditions were very suitable for creating and studying an ecosystem of moderately-cold areas with smaller mammals as the primary species. Populations of mice, rabbits, and seabirds were introduced to the island after the initial coverage with cold-resistant vegetation. To control the population of the rodents and to study the ecosystems with predators, foxes were settled on the island following the growth of the rodents’ population. Not familiar with poachers and exposed to constant peaceful observation and sporadic care from humans, the local foxes grew to be quite friendly with humans and would gladly go for contact to get treats or be petted by anyone. Soon enough the visiting relatives of the scientists dwelling on the island made the foxes viral and the tourist industry followed the booming interest in a local kawaii phenomenon. A few hotels were built on Heiwajima to accommodate the influx of people, and multiple mini contact zoos were created for everyone to enjoy the local cute wildlife. However, such interest came at a cost: more and more people would go as far as stealing foxes from the island to avoid tedious bureaucratic process of buying one, poachers came as the fishing industry on Honshu was getting even more exhausted as it had been, and the impact of humanity’s presence on the island became as noticeable as it was harmful.

The local authorities stood idle, trying to balance between preservation of the attraction and reaping the benefits of taxes that were contributing greatly while the fisheries were over-scrutinised with regulations aimed at preservation of salmon on Honshu. The media worked with the companies benefiting from the tourism and thus the population was in general oblivious to how Heiwajima’s fragile ecological balance was disrupted at an alarming pace. Amid this crisis, however, rose a prominent protector and apologist for preservation of natural beauty and scientific value of the island - Yamanaka Saika. Her contribution to the resolution of the ecological crisis on the island would be so significant that the shrine we are originally discussing today was dedicated to her, symbolically making her the “kami” (//goddess) of Heiwajima. Therefore, to continue our venture on the island it would be improper to omit the story of life and deeds of Yamanaka Saika.

The life of Yamanaka Saika

Yamanaka Saika was born in 556 A.S. on Kyushu in a family of farmers. Since childhood she was fond of nature and loved spending time with animals of the farm. It was not surprise to her parents when despite their pleas to stay and continue the family's business ventured to New Tokyo to get education in Shin Todai University. Coming from a poor family, young Saika could not hope to get the money for the best University in all of Kusari from her parents, and so she started doing menial baitos (//part-time jobs) to feed herself while collecting money, and spending all of her free time to study hard for the exams that were no easier to pass than collect the enormous sum of money for tuition. In three years, in 541 she passed the exams and enrolled on the faculty of biology. Her 3-years savings were enough only to pay for the first semester of the University and only by taking an additional student loan. Her intelligence and diligence, however, allowed her to receive three scholarships simultaneously, allowing her finally to quit part-time jobs and delve into studying completely. In three years she would finish her bachelor’s programme early, in two more get a Master’s degree, and in three more obtain Ph.D.’s diploma with specialty in ecological revitalisation. A young brilliant scientist soon went to imperial Haneda Gakuin university, where she was offered a tenure and a position of assistant professor. In Minamimito where the university was located she met Hanzo Yoshimura, a mid-rank police officer and in two years they would get married.

Heiwajima Foxes

The life was going well for her: her student’s loan was covered by the University support policy, she got promoted to being a professor, her husband became the chief of Minamimito’s police, and they got two children who seemed to be as smart as their mother. As a professor with speciality in ecological revitalisation Saika Yoshikawa (who during marriage wore the surname of her husband) was invited to take part in revitalisation of Heiwajima. She was among the first scientists who arrived on the island to establish the colonies of plants and rodents in 589. By 593 when the first foxes were introduced she was already second scientist in charge on the island after Professor Satou Shun, and in 595 when the first records of the foxes started to go viral professor Satou retired, leaving Saika, then 39, in charge of the research project. Initially, she cooperated with the tourism industry with enthusiasm, believing it can attract more funds, attention, and interest to the issues of ecology on Honshu. However, by 597 she started to go into direct conflict with the local tourism companies over their patronisation of fox sales. The things escalated on 23rd February, 598 when Yoshikawa Saika leading a militia team of local scientists captured a group of poachers from the neighbouring island of Haneda. The issue would have been easily solved and trespassers arrested if one of them was not a son to the governor Tanaka of Haneda and others were his friends. Tanaka’s son denied all allegations and claimed it was actually Yoshikawa Saika who “inspired by Gaian eco-terrorists decided to take justice in her hands and assault anyone visiting the island” and that “she took them into custody illegally while they were just peacefully chilling on the beach”. Tanaka hired the best lawyers and filed a lawsuit against Saika on the grounds of assault. The legal process was marked by disgraceful methods on the side of Tanaka. The fact that it was February and that a few dead foxes were found with Tanaka were dismissed as “any citizen of Kusari is free and can enjoy natural scenery anytime and anywhere unless it is restricted by law” while dead foxes magically disappeared from the evidence storage. The process was also accompanied by smear campaigns from the media, bribed by the local tourist agencies and Tanaka himself. In wake of the hearings, the husband of Saika requested a divorce to avoid reputational losses being a police chief in Minamimito. Whether under pressure from governor Tanaka or out of his own motives, Yoshikawa Hanzo requested custody over their two children and denied her the rights to their apartment in Minamimito under the argument that she spent most of her time on Heiwajima and did not take care of the children and did not need apartment anyway.

Verdict and Legacy

Yamanaka Saika in 599

Betrayed by everyone, Saika Yamanaka still stood firmly during the hearings and took her loss in the case as an expected outcome. In her speech to the court she used her wits and academic argumentation skills to the maximum, pointing out quite evident inconsistencies in the accuser's points. What she did not know was that one of the researchers who was in the militia with her during the civilian arrest of Tanaka, Uehara Satomi, agreed to collaborate with the prosecutor and confirmed the words of Tanaka regarding Saika’s inspiration with the Gaians. Despite her eloquence, Yamanaka Saika was found guilty as charged and sentenced to prison for 25 years in 600 A.S. Her imprisonment, however, drew attention to the case from many locals who knew her personally as a “Guardian of Heiwajima”, and marked her being peaceful and indifferent to anything going with ecology in Bretonia being too occupied with local matters. When Tanaka paid trolls to tackle the neural net vigilantes and drown them in trolling posts for everyone to forget about the case, it sparked a tide of resentment that drew even more people to the case and in support of Yamanaka. Kusari neural net segment went crazy about the case originally on Honshu, and soon all over the Empire as the story resonated with many who had to deal with corrupt politicians and their relatives in the past. In early 602 A.S. a member of the Hogosha, Fujiwaru Tomoya, using his skills obtained from the Lane Hackers found the footage showing the fact of poaching by governor Tanaka’s son, and the whole incident with the civilian arrest that turned out to be perfectly within law. When this footage was sent to the KSP and to all central media of Kusari, it was obvious that Tanaka played a dirty game. Tanaka resigned five days after the footage became public, and his son fled their house in an unknown direction. Three days later Yamanaka Saika was released from prison. The KSP launched a lengthy investigation of the whole case that exposed the ties of the tourism companies to Tanaka. The companies exposed quickly lost their clientele and suffered substantial financial and reputational losses. Yamanaka’s ex-husband managed to preserve his position but kindly accepted the transfer to Kyushu system, likely to avoid negative publicity. Having learnt of their father’s betrayal, Saika’s two children returned to live with their mother, her daughter taking her surname while her son, Yoshimizu, would later on become a police chief himself to remedy the mistakes of his father and clean his family name of disgrace.

Yamanaka’s never-ending enthusiasm and decisiveness while in prison managed to preserve her case in the tops that eventually allowed kind strangers to find the footage and later on bear the expenses for court motion to force Tanaka to compensate Yamanaka’s moral suffering for having been wrongly sentenced and all the time in prison. After the release Yamanaka continued her research on the island and fostered the balance between the people and the nature on the island. She was given the exclusive right by the local authorities to govern the island as the scientific community thereof saw fit, allowing Yamanaka finally to ban the hotels off the island and prohibit tourism companies from organising tours to Heiwajima. However, she still welcomed individual tourists who could come on their own from Shimada or Haneda and contribute directly to the budget of the island and not some company. Yamanaka became a popular local figurehead in the matter of popularisation of science and responsible treatment of nature in the following years, and also was a beloved professor at Haneda Gakuin University that restored her in position soon after her release.

Unfortunately, in 609 A.S. Yamanaka Saika was tragically murdered in her own house at the hands of Haneda ex-governor’s son who disappeared after his father’s resignation and whose name is intentionally not mentioned throughout this programme for the disgrace of his actions. The motive of the murder was most like revenge as the blood-stained letter found on her said “for my ruined life”. Governor Tanaka’s son again managed to escape justice but later on was found dead on Freeport 10, killed by the Blood Dragons who knew of his disgrace and took his volunteering into their service as offence against their honour.

Death of Yamanaka was a tragedy to the local peaceful community and was mourned by the neighbouring islands of Haneda and Shimada. Many citizens would come to the island and launch a paper lantern with the picture of a fox on it into the night sky to commemorate Yamanaka, “the Guardian of Heiwajima”. Many would donate money to the fund of protection of Heiwajima’s foxes and to the scientists working there. Yamanaka’s children also received significant donations to help them with their adulthood. Haneda Gakuin Imperial University would rename its biology campus after Saika Yamanaka to commemorate her optimist despite all odds and academic dedication to nature.

Yamanaka-Inari Shrine in winter

Saika Yamanaka was cremated on 15.10.609 A.S. on Heiwajima under the wishes of her children. Yamanaka’s parents, despite being of old age, came to Honshu to mourn their daughter and to take their grandchildren to Kyushu. In a funeral speech, Saika’s daughter Yamanaka Fumiko said:

“My mother was dedicated to guarding this island not to protect it from humans, but to share its riches and wisdom with them. And seeing how many people came here today to commemorate her efforts in spirit of peace and respect for nature, I can say with confidence that she succeeded. She has been a true Guardian: she fought in spite of all odds throughout her life and achieved everything by herself because of her abilities and hard working. And she did not stood idle when the fruits of her works were cruelly misused for fun and amusement by the spoiled people consumed with power and sense of impunity. Even when betrayed by everyone, me includingly to my sorrow, she remained civil and optimistic and continued her fight for what is right and true. She has been a good mother, scientists, and a loyal servant of the Emperor. I firmly believe that if she could, she would bear the duty of the Guardian of what is right and this island even in death and thus I suggest we erect a shrine, commemorating her and putting her spirit to rest here while giving her opportunity to inspire and support those women finding themselves at a difficult point in life. May her spirit find peace at this island of peace (//Heiwajima - "island of peace").

The idea was noticed by the local authorities who, using the donations of the citizens and income from the tourism to the island, erected Yamanaka Kitsune-Inari shrine.

The fate of Shrine and Heiwajima Nowadays

Inari, fox-patrons of the shrine

Dedicated to kitsune (//foxes) who traditionally associated with success, prosperity, and virility in Kusarian culture, and to a strong and respected woman, the shrine quickly became a destination especially popular among young women who had anxiety about their life of any sorts: career, becoming a mother, finding a husband, or seeking for greater calling in life. The shrine was believed to be an afterlife home to the spirit of Yamanaka Saika as her daughter wanted, and in light of the life path of Yamanaka, the shrine had a booth with free legal consultation and shelter for those seeking justice or trying to escape abusive relationship. The shrine also offered shelter to local foxes where they were fed by the tourists and protected by the priesthood from any attempts of poachery.

The shrine was a very popular destination due to its significance to the local history and unique opportunity to interact with foxes freely on the premises of the research post or the shrine. However, one of the most popular shrines in this area of Honshu fell into oblivion after 648 A.S. when Matsuda attempted an assassination of the governor of Kyushu .Yamanaka-Kitsune-Inari Jinja being dedicated to a strong woman who suffered at the hands of a powerful and corrupt politician drew some associations in people’s minds and the local authorities in attempt to prevent any possible incidents relocated the researchers and all of the foxes to a different island in an opposite hemisphere under the auspices of development of new territories, and the shrine was made free of priesthood due to logistical difficulties. Despite the opposition from Yamanaka’s relatives, almost 40 years after her death the public was less sensitive about the issue and technically the shrine was still open to visitors without any restrictions, but on their own as companies were secretly discouraged by the governments to provide transportation to Heiwajima. The fears proved to be ill-grounded as no incidents related to radical feminists occured on the island and the unspoken restrictions were lifted in early 8th century A.S. However, the island since then became a desolate place of land with no attractions except for the shrine. The latter, however, was kept in good condition by the visiting priests, Yamanaka’s relatives, and the students and staff of the biology faculty of Haneda Gakuin University. Modern urban legend says that the spirit of Yamanaka became lonely after the relocation of all the foxes and so some spirits of the foxes returned from the land of the dead to stay at the shrine with the Guardian who took care of them in life to take care of her in death.

Despite the lack of infrastructure and difficulties in transportation, Yamanaka-Kitsune-Inari Shrine can still be a worthwhile trip destination. THe snowy forests of Heiwajima and clear night sky not polluted by the light from big cities can offer a unique experience of becoming one with nature. And if you are a woman seeking advice or inspiration - you certainly should pay a visit to Yamanaka-Kitsune-Inari Shrine as many women do every year despite the hardships of travelling. Whether you travel openly or in secret (perhaps you do not want to be misjudged as a supporter of Golden Chrysanthemums), feel free to seek the advice of the locals - they will never judge and still hold respect for Yamanaka Saika. Just don’t forget warm clothes, mobile shelter, and emergency contact device to call for help in case of harsh weather, especially during summer storms. Feel free to turn to Minamimito Tourist Information centre for guidance - the local staff are always willing to help the travellers and having many women in their staff will not judge whether you prefer anonymity during your travel to Yamanaka-Kitsune-Inari.

This concludes our programme for today. We hope this feature will spark interest to the life of Yamanaka Saika’s life and the shrine dedicated to her, unluckily forgotten, among the young Kusarians. We wish you good travels wherever they might lead you. Keep safe and enjoy your life while travelling! This was Ishikawa Ayumi for AHN.

This programme was sponsored by Haneda Department of Tourism of Honshu and Clan Shimamori. Brought you by

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