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Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #10 Entsu-ji Temple

 

     Tsuda-dera Temple was founded in Hirase Village near Entsu Valley, which used to be pronounced Enzu Valley,  (today's Tsuda Minamimachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0124).  

     One day, Prince Koretaka (844-897) visited the area in the cherry-blossom season, had a rest in Tsuda-dera Temple, and asked for a cup of tea.  A young woman served him.  A year later again in the cherry-blossom season, he visited the temple but was served by an old monk, who told him that the girl had died.  The prince murmured, "Truly fleeting, like the white snow of winter disappearing in spring."

     It was fleeting that the temple declined, but it was revived as Shaka-do Hall in 1669.  The hall was moved to Tsuda-Kasuga Shrine in 1700.  The hall was changed into a Buddhist temple and was named Entsu-ji in 1701.  Entsu-ji Temple was moved to its present place in 1761.  As the Kugai Family ruled the area in the Edo Period, the family presented the gate of their residence to the temple.

Address: 2 Chome-18-1 Tsuda Motomachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0127

Phone: 072-858-1534

Kasuga Shrine

Address: 1 Chome-10-1 Tsuda Motomachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0127

Phone: 072-858-8045

Nagao Residence Site

Address: 2 Chome-13-61 Nagao Motomachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0163

Trees In the Town

Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #9 Seiden-ji Temple

 

     Seiden-ji Temple was founded in 1637 by Priest Kyoen.

 

Address: 1 Chome-5-14 Meguri, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1171

Phone: 072-857-7148

Trees In the Town

Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #8 Myohen-ji Temple

 

     Myohen's father was Fujiwara Michinori (1106?-1159), who was killed by Fujiwara Nobuyori (1133-1159), who was killed by Taira Kiyomori (1118-1181), whose children were killed by Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199).  After his father was killed, Myohen was exiled to Echigo Province.  After he was pardoned, he studied East Asian Madhyamaka in Todai-ji Temple.  As the Madhyamaka students studied the Middle Treatise (Zhong lun in Chinese), the Twelve Gate Treatise (Shiermen lun in Chinese), and the Hundred Treatise (Bai lun in Chinese), the study is often called the Sanlun in Chinese or Sanron in Japanese.  San means 3.  Its main doctrine is that true wisdom is the abandonment of all views.  Through witnessing many deaths, Myohen might have been interested in emptiness.

     Presumably in his 50's, Myohen went back and forth between Kyoto and Mount Koya.  On his way back and forth, he often stayed in Hirakata and built a hermitage there.  Myohen taught meditations focused on Amitabha through nianfo to farmers in Hirakata.  The hermitage became Amida-ji Temple, and was renamed Myohen-ji presumably after Myohen.

Anyway, Myohen-ji Temple’s location is quite impractical and unreasonable.  It could have been relocated after the organization of North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

Address: 1 Chome-52-1 Kozu, Katano, Osaka 576-0053

Phone: 072-892-3721

Trees In the Town

Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #7 Saiho-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Saiho-ji Temple was founded.

     The temple belongs to the Yuzu Nembutsu School of Pure Land Buddhism, which was founded by Ryonin (1072–1132) in 1117.  It does not necessarily mean the temple was founded after 1117.  Its precincts have the image of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, which is said to have been enshrined before the foundation of the temple.  The precincts also have the stone statue of Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six.  As the statue was made in 1738, North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized before the year.  Some argue it was organized before 1654.

Address: 6-16 Nakamiya Higashinocho, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1195

Phone: 072-848-5554

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Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #6 Hakuun-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Hakuun-ji Temple was founded.  At first, it belonged to the Shingon Sect, but Priest Shinshuku transferred it to Pure Land Buddhism in the 1180's, embracing Honen (1133-1212), who advocated chanting Namo Amitabha.  As the Shingon Sect was established in the 9th century in Japan, the temple might have been founded sometime between the 9th and 12th centuries.

Address: 12-1 Nagisahonmachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1181

Phone: 072-840-2933

Trees In the Town

Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #5 Joren-ji Temple

 

     Joren-ji Temple was founded in 1611 by Priest Ton'yo, who was from Daiko-ji Temple.  

     Hyotanbo Rikkyu (?-1778) was Joren-ji stemple’ priest sometime between 1751 and 1778.  He was a popular kyoka tanka poet.  His death tanka poem was:

Namo Amitabha.

The string of this world is cut.

I roll into the other world.

Address: 1 Chome-6-12 Kinyahonmachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1197

Phone: 072-840-2891

Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #6 Daiko-ji Temple

Address: 1-1 Hokicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-8055

Phone: 075-601-4282

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Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #4 Shoko-ji Temple

 

     Shoko-ji Temple was founded in 1484.

     In the Onin War (1467-1477), the Muromachi Shogunate power was divided into 2; the East Force and the West Force.  They fought against each other in Kyoto.  That weakened the shogunate power.  After the war, however, in 1487 and 1491, the shogunate attacked Rokkaku Takayori (?-1520), who tried to be a war lord in Omi Province.  The transformation to the Warring States Period was in progress, but it is unknown what transformation was taking place, or wasn't taking place, in Kawachi Province in the second half of the 15th century.  Someone obviously needed a Buddhist temple in Ozato Village, Nose County, Settsu Province.

Address: 8-13 Isoshima Motomachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1187

Phone: 072-840-3464