What is Genbu?
Genbu is one of the “Four Symbols” born in ancient China, a sacred beast that guards the north. It is characterized by its unique form of a tortoise with a snake coiled around it, and represents winter among the seasons, water among the five elements and black among the colors. It stands alongside Seiryu (east), Byakko (west) and Suzaku (south).
The Four Symbols and Genbu
In the “shijin soo” idea of capital planning, mountains to the north were considered fitting for Genbu. In the Heian capital, Mount Funaoka to the north is said to have represented Genbu. The pairing of tortoise and snake has been thought to symbolize long life and strong protection.
Where the word “basalt” comes from
Genbudo, a cave in Toyooka, Hyogo Prefecture, lined with hexagonal columns of rock, is said to have been named for its resemblance to the shell of Genbu’s tortoise. In the Meiji era, the rock type was named genbugan (basalt) after the rocks of this cave.
