Associated with: General historical macabre; Japan's 1592-1598 invasion of Korea
Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a great man: a leader, a unifier, a builder and a restorer, and a bloke who liked to cart around a gold room to conduct his tea ceremony in. Had he lived out his later years being the go-to samurai for an expertly brewed cuppa, we'd have remembered him only for his achievements and for his prowess with the tea cup. Instead, he doubled down on his glory and ended his days on a bit of a mean streak.
So what is the Mimizuka? Well mimi is Japanese for ear and tsuka (becomes zuka as the second part of the word here) means mound. The original name for it is Hanazuka, and unfortunately hana in this case does not mean flower (which would be delightful) but nose, as in, the noses of approximately 38,000 Koreans. Mimizuka, what was once known as the "Nose Mound," is in fact a big mound of noses.
Following the logic, the noses were once attached to Koreans, who had them lopped off by the Japanese as war trophies during Japan's invasion of Korea in the late 16th century. It's not that the Japanese had a fetish for noses, but that a method was required by which the number of dead could be tallied and the dispensers compensated. The traditional way was to bring back the heads for counting, but this became impractical with the high number of casualties. Not all were soldiers. Hideyoshi was specific in his instruction: mow down anyone regardless of age, gender, status or rank.
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, 1866 (Source: Hara Shobo, http://www.harashobo.com/ via http://ukiyo-e.org)
It's not clear what frame of mind he was in when he had the noses entombed with Buddhist priests on hand to pray for the repose of the souls of the people to whom the noses were once attached. The following year Hideyoshi himself died, and in the subsequent decades the crass-sounding "Nose Mound" was changed to the (supposedly) less cruel-sounding "Ear Mound."
Suggested Route: For the entry in the Master List (Kyoto) post I included simple directions from Toyokuni Shrine. Mimizuka is actually closer to Shichijo Stn., so I'll include maps with both a direct route and the original route via Toyokuni Shrine.
Toyokuni Shrine? Is that worth visiting? Well, it is in fact the official tomb and shrine of the nose-mounding Hideyoshi himself! You can decide whether its worth paying your respects. As I may not get around to a dedicated entry on him, I'll list up his crueler exploits here:
- Hideyoshi expelled 26 Christians from Kyoto, sending them on their way by first having their ears cut off (What is it with this guy?) before marching them to Nagasaki, where they were crucified. Amongst the now famous martyrs were three young boys aged 12, 13 and 14.
- He had tea ceremony master Sen no Rikyu commit ritual suicide, then displayed his head on a bridge.
- After both his young son and his brother died in 1591, he appointed his nephew as heir the following year. But in 1593 when his second son was born, he exiled his nephew to Mt. Koya and ordered him to commit suicide. When those of his nephew's family did not follow him into the afterlife, they were murdered in Kyoto. This included 31 women and several children.
- He executed Ishikawa Goemon, sometimes referred to as Japan's Robin Hood, by boiling him and his young son alive in oil.
- He had two thumbs on his right hand and apparently decided to keep the extra instead of cutting it off. You're welcome. (Not a cruel exploit, just FYI.)
Comments: This stretch along the Higashiyama Mountain Range is a must-see for anybody who has even one day in Kyoto. If you make your way north from Shichijo, you will encounter sites that you will remember for the rest of your life. However, you are going to run out of time if you linger too long at Toyokuni Shrine, so I recommend going if you are interested and not already "shrined out," but get a move on if you have a big day ahead of you.
Getting There
The starting point on the Midosuji subway line is Yodoyabashi Stn. Our destination is Shichijo Stn. on the Keihan Line.
Subway Yodoyabashi Stn. Is one stop south of Umeda. Godzilla flooded it in the not well-remembered scene from the not well-remembered Godzilla sequel Godzilla Raids Again. At the north end of subway Yodoyabashi Stn. is a new train line for us: the Keihan Line. From Yodoyabashi, the Keihan Main Line runs all the way into Kyoto. Though JR Kyoto Stn. is a large hub for buses and other lines, shooting into Kyoto from Yodoyabashi can be convenient as the last stretch of the Main Line is along the Higashiyama district. To get to Shichijo, you can jump on the Limited Express, which is the fastest service Keihan operates. Despite its exclusiveness, it will stop at every station until you get to Kyobashi, but after that you're good to go. If your hotel is in the Kyobashi area or anywhere near Osaka Castle Park, then I recommend you make your way to Kyobashi and commence your journey from there.
I haven't really travelled to Higashiyama from JR Kyoto Stn., but Shichijo Stn. is close enough to walk to in about 15 minutes. If you're with a group, a taxi from JR Kyoto Stn. also wouldn't be a terrible way to get there. It's detouring slightly, but you can also take the JR Nara line and go one stop to Tofukuji, where there is an adjacent Keihan station that will take you one stop north to Shichijo.
Getting Your Bearings at Shichijo Station
At Shichijo, come out at Exit 4. You should find yourself on the northeast corner of a large intersection. To your right will be a bridge and the Kamo River. In front of you and across the street you should see a McDonald's. Keep in mind that stores close down, including McDonald's, but this one has been there in the 15 or so years I've been coming to Kyoto. Anyway, as you come out of Exit 4 you'll be facing south. Turn left (to the east) at the intersection and follow the map below. This route will take you to Mimizuka via Toyokuni Shrine as per the directions in the Master List (Kyoto) entry.
Map courtesy of Google Maps
To go straight to Mimizuka as quickly as possible, instead of Exit 4 go out Exit 6. This will have you exiting north. Walk along in the same direction and turn right at the first set of lights. Mimizuka will be a ways down the street on your right. If you find the road has ended in a t-junction (at Toyokuni Shrine in fact) it means you've walked passed Mimizuka and need to backtrack.
Map courtesy of Google Maps
Image courtesy of Google Maps
The shrine is open from 9:00 until 16:00 or 16:30. (I've seen both times quoted, so perhaps go earlier if you can.) Apparently there are no toilets, which is a bit sad.
Driver Gragma (yokaitourbus "at" mail "dot" com)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yokaitourbus/
The Master List (Kyoto)
http://yokaitourbus.blogspot.jp/2015/08/6-c-master-list-kyoto.html
(historical) Japanese Invasion of Korea (1592-98)
Site: The Ear Mound, or "Mimizuka" (耳塚); originally known as The Nose Mound, or "Hanazuka" (鼻塚)
Nearest Station: (Keihan Line) Shichijo Stn. (七条駅)
Google Map Search: "Toyokuni Shrine Kyoto" <-- Not where the mound is exactly.
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