Mogura earth dragon

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Mogura モグラ; モグラモチ (土竜; 土龍)
"earth dragon", mole - Maulwurf




quote
Moles
are small cylindrical mammals adapted to a subterranean lifestyle. They have velvety fur; tiny or invisible ears and eyes; and short, powerful limbs with large paws oriented for digging. The term is especially and most properly used for the true moles, those of the Talpidae family in the order Soricomorpha found in most parts of North America, Asia, and Europe.

It also refers to other completely unrelated mammals of Australia and southern Africa which have also evolved the mole body plan; while it is not commonly used for some talpids, such as desmans and shrew-moles, which do not fit the common definition of “mole” as well.

Although the mole can be eaten, the taste is said to be deeply unpleasant.
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kigo for the New Year

mogura-uchi 土龍打 ( もぐらうち) "hitting the moles"
..... mogura oi 土龍追（もぐらおい）
sending the moles away, mogura okuri 土龍送り（もぐらおくり）
urokomochiuchi, uroko mochiuchi うろこもち打（うろこもちうち 望打ち）

On the 15th day of the first lunar month (koshoogatsu), farmers walked around the fields and prayed that the moles would not destroy their fields and bring danger to the good harvest. They sing special songs and hit the ground with freshly cut bamboo poles. The songs are different in each region of Japan.

This is one of the rural

yoshoku girei 予祝儀礼
special rituals to prevent something bad from happening



土龍打つ子どもでありし我らかな
mogura uchi kodomo de arishi warera kana

hitting the moles -
we act
like children

. Hasegawa Kai 長谷川櫂　 .




. "Little New Year" (koshoogatsu) .


SAIJIKI – NEW YEAR OBSERVANCES


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. mole cricket ケラ（螻蛄）kera .


. mogura daikon もぐら大根 "mole radish"　.


. mugura 葎 (むぐら) cleavers .
..... mogura もぐら


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