In Japan, there are many strange creatures in the tale of history, in the old books, and sometimes it’s still visible as statue in temples or shrines. Tengu ( see photo) is one of the strange creatures living in the legend of Japan.
Tengu is believed to live in the steep mountains and he is strong with much knowledge for life.
Please see the little box in his head. This is what we Japanese don’t know why he wears it. But as a cusotm from old time, Tengu has it on his head in the legend. This little box is often seen on the head of Japanese priests called Yamabushi, too. He blows big horns with this box on his head for rituals. But again, the reason for this box on his head is not sure.
Next, Tengu has a scroll in his hand ( see photo). This scroll is called TORANOMAKI in Japan. It’s said that Toranomaki has much wisdom for life and it’s given to the people who trained much. But again, we Japanese don’t know why Tengu has it in his hand.
Above all of these, we don’t know who Tengu really is. He is living in the legend of our life, but why did he appear in Japanese historic tale ?
But recently, Tengu is suspected that he could have been Jewish people. People with Judaism in the old time often went to the mountain for pray. That could be a reason why Tengu was often found in the steep mountain of Japan.
If he was a Jewish, some strange things can be explained.
Tengu is bigger than usual Japanese persons. Also the nose of Tengu is bigger than us Japanese. Jewish people could be bigger than the Japanese. They mayb have imagined big people in their mind when the Tengu image was completed in their mind.
The box on the Tengu’s head is also used among the people with Judaism. And the scroll in his hand, Toranomaki, could be the Torah Scroll. Torah seems TORA in Japanese pronounciation and the Scroll is called MAKI by translation into Japanese. Of is replaced by Japanese, No. Then, it becomes perfectly… Scroll of Torah, or Torah’s scroll.
