Okiku Well — Attraction in Himeji

この井戸は、播州皿屋敷の怪談で知られる「お菊井戸」といわれています。

Okiku Ido ( Okiku Well ) is said to be the well that features in the ghost story known as Banshu Sarayashiki.

永正年間 ( 1500年頃 ) 、姫路城主小寺則職の執権青山鉄山は町坪弾四郎と語らい、城を奪おうと企てていました。則職の忠臣衣笠元信は、お菊を青山家に女中として住み込ませ、その企てを探らせました。則職暗殺を探知したお菊が元信に知らせたため、則職は家島 ( 姫路市 ) に逃げて殺されずにすみましたが、城は鉄山に乗っ取られました。お菊の動きを知った弾四郎は、お菊を助ける代わりに結婚を強要しました。元信を慕うお菊はそれを拒みました。弾四郎はそんなお菊を憎み、青山家の家宝の１０枚揃いの皿の１枚を隠し、その罪をお菊にかぶせて責めあげました。それでも弾四郎を拒むお菊は、ついに切り殺されて井戸に投げ込まれました。 その後、毎夜この井戸から「１枚、２枚、３枚、・・・９枚」と９枚目まで何度も数えるお菊の声が聞こえたといいます。やがて元信らが鉄山一味を滅し、お菊は「於菊大明神」として、十二所神社内に祀られました。

Around the year 1500, Aoyama Tetsuzan, the regent to the lord of Himeji Castle, Kodera Norimoto, plotted with Chonotsubo Danshiro to kill Norimoto and take over the castle. Norimoto's loyal retainer, Kinugawa Motonobu, arranged for Okiku to serve as a maid in the Aoyama's house to ascertain his plans. Having learned of the would-be assassins' plot to kill Norimoto, Okiku passed on word to Motonobu. This allowed Norimoto to escape death by fleeing to the island of Ieshima ( Himeji City ) , but Tetsuzan seized control of the castle. After learning of Okiku's actions, Danshiro forced her into marriage in exchange for sparing her life, but yearning for Motonobu, Okiku turned Danshiro down. Unable to bear Okiku's rejection, Danshiro hid one of ten plates that were treasured possessions of the Aoyama family, and framed Okiku for the theft. Nevertheless Okiku still failed to accept his advances, so Danshiro slew her and threw her body down a well. Legend tells that ever since, the voice of Okiku counting the nine remaining plates over and over again could be heard coming from this well. "One plate, two plates, three plates ..." Motonobu and his companions eventually destroyed Tetsuzan and his conspirators, and Okiku was enshrined in Junisho Shrine as...

Well...it's a well.

Seriously though, what's up with all the coins at the bottom? There is no description of it being a wishing well, but there's a boatload of money there ... And YEN TOO?! If you make it here, they castle has already treated you well, this is the last stop...

Okiku Ido is one of the most well-known wells that features in the ghost story called "Banshu Sarayashiki." It is said this was the well where the body of Okiku were thrown out and voice of Okiku to count...