Trees In the Town

Virtual Yashima Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #5 Wakamiya-Hachiman-gu Shrine

 

     It is unknown when Wakamiya-Hachiman-gu Shrine was founded in Aratokoro Village, Yuri County, Dewa Province.  It enshrined Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses.  The village wasn't mentioned in 1646 and was first documented in 1698.  The Ikoma Family moved to Yashima in 1640.  As Aratokoro means New Place, the village might have been developed after 1646.

     It is unknown when the shrine disappeared.  As Shinmachi Hachiman-sha Shrine is located nearby and its nickname is Inari-sha Shrine, Wakamiya-Hachiman-gu Shrine could have been merged with Inari Shrine and they became Shinmachi Hachiman-sha Shrine after the Meiji Restoration Government employed the Shrine Consolidation Policy in 1900.

     The Arya Avalokitesvara statue is said to be kept in the site of Wakamiya-Hachiman-gu Shrine.

The Site of Wakamiya-Hachiman-gu Shrine

Address: Aratokoro-162 Yashimamachi Motomachi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0417

Shinmachi Hachiman-sha Shrine

address: Aramachi-73 Yashimamachi Motomachi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0417

Phone: 0184553249

Trees In the Town

Kaniman-ji Temple

 

     Long ago, a kind and compassionate girl and her parents lived along the Kizu River.  One day, the girl came across some villagers who had caught a lot of crabs to eat.  She bought the crabs from them and let the crabs go into the grass.

     Later, while the father was plowing the rice field, he encountered a frog that was about to be swallowed by a snake.  Feeling sorry for the frog, the father saved the frog from the snake in exchange for marrying his daughter to the snake, but soon regretted it.  After hearing the story, the daughter comforted her father and asked Avalokitesvara for help.

     As the sun set, the snake disguised itself as a nobleman dressed in formal attire and came to pick up the girl.  At first, the parents refused, citing her wedding preparations, but later, the nobleman returned.  Angry at the parents and daughter for not welcoming him, he turned into a giant snake and went on a rampage.

     Trembling with fear, the parents and daughter chanted part of Saddharma Pundarika Sutra with all their hearts.  Then Avalokitesvara appeared and said, "There is no need to be afraid.  Your daughter has a compassionate heart and does good deeds.  Your faith and willpower will save you from this crisis," and then disappeared.

     Then, the sound of the snake's rampage soon stopped, and it became quiet outside. When the parents and daughter opened the door at dawn, they found the snake cut into pieces and the carcasses of countless crabs.

     The parents and daughter were deeply grateful to Avalokitesvara, and built a hall to enshrine Avalokitesvara and to mourn the crab that had taken the place of the daughter and the poor snake.  From this, the hall was named Kaniman-ji Temple, namely Crab-Filled Temple.

Address: Hama-36 Yamashirocho Kabata, Kizugawa, Kyoto 619-0201

Phone: 0774-86-2577

Trees In the Town

Virtual Yashima Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #4 Sen'ju-in Temple

 

     It is unknown when Sen'ju-in Temple was founded in Maego, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0341.  The temple's name suggests that it enshrined the Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja statue, but, according to tradition, it enshrined Horse-Headed Hayagriva.  The temple could have been abolished after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, as the temple belonged to the Shugen-do Mountain asceticism, which was prohibited by the government.

     It is unknown where the statue has gone.

Trees In the Town

Virtual Yashima Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #3 Fukuo-ji Temple

 

     Fukuo-ji Temple was founded in 712 in Yashima.  Yashima had a reverse route to Mount Chokai and had 18 temples which organized and supported the Mount Chokai Pilgrimage.  Fukuo-ji Temple was the leader of the temples. 

     In 709, Ideha County was established at the northern end of Koshi Province.  Ideha Fortress was supposedly built around that time at the estuary of Mogami River.  Ideha County was separated from Koshi Province and was promoted to province, which was changed to Dewa Province by the end of the 12th century, in 712.  In 733, Ideha Fortress was relocated north, or advanced, to Akita at the estuary of Omono River at about 100 kilometers from its original place.

     That means Fukuo-ji Temple could have been founded by northern foreigners.

Address: Tayanoshita-54, Yashimamachi Jonai, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0411

Phone: 0184-56-2393

Trees In the Town

Virtual Yashima Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #2 Ryugen-ji Temple

 

     In 712, Ideha Province was separated from Koshi Province.  In 780, however, the Ideha Provincial Government Office retreated from today's Akita to today's Sakata.  The Imperial Court sent farmer-soldiers to the surrounding area around the provincial government office to support the frontline.  As Akumi County was documented in Engishiki, a book about laws and customs, whose major part was completed in 927, the county might have been organized in Ideha Province in the 9th century.  In the Wamyo Ruijusho, namely Japanese Names for Things Classified and Annotated,  which was a Japanese dictionary compiled in 938, and which lists Japanese place names from south to north, Yuri County wasn't listed yet.  The county was first documented in the entry of May 3rd, 1213, in Azumakagami, which was a chronology compiled after 1266 under the directive of the Regent of the Kamakura Shogunate.

     As Yuri County was mountainous, many powerful families were based in small valleys: the Yashima Family, the Nikaho Family, the Akozu Family, the Kataho Family, the Uteichi Family, the Koyoshi Family, the Shimomura Family, the Tomai Family, the Ayukawa Family, the Ishizawa Family, the Takizawa Family, the Iwaya Family, the Hanegawa Family, the Serita Family, the Kutsuzawa Family, and the Ne'nei Family.

     The Uteichi Family was based in Utetsu Village (Utetsu, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0024).  The family founded Ryugen-ji Temple in 1623.  When the Ikoma Family moved from Sanuki Province to Yashima, it became their family temple.

Address: Tayanoshita-26 Yashimamachi Jonai, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0411

Phone: 0184-55-2233

Trees In the Town

Virtual Yashima Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #1 Nanko-in Temple

 

     It is unknown when Nanko-in Temple was founded to organize Mount Chokai Pilgrimage in Jonai Village.  As the temple belonged to the Shugen-do Mountain asceticism, which was prohibited by the government, it could have been abolished after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868.

     Omonoimi Shrine is a Shinto shrine on Mount Chokai, an active volcano, in Yamagata Prefecture.  The shrine has three parts on different places of the mountain: Fukura-Kuchinomiya and Warabioka-Kuchinomiya at the foot of the mountain, and Sancho-Gohonsha, the main shrine on the mountain's summit.  Warabioka is located where the Nikko River runs out of mountains.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku, literally the True Record of Three Reigns of Japan, is a history text officially mandated by Emperor Uda (867-931) to compile. It was compiled by Fujiwara Tokihira (871-909), Sugawara Michizane (845-903), Okura Yoshiyuki (832-921), and Mimune Masahira (853-926), and covers the years from August 27th, 858, to August 26th, 887, corresponding to three imperial reigns: Seiwa (850-881), Yozei (869-949), and Koko (830-887). The compilation was completed in 901.

     According to the Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article dated May 16th, 871, the Governor of Ideha Province reported that there was an Omonoimi Shrine on the top of a mountain in Akuumi County.  In the mountain, rocks soar, people rarely tread, snow covers its peak even in summer, and no trees or weeds grow.  On April 8th, it erupted.  Regarding the eruption of Mt. Chokai, he said, "We prayed to the god of Ideha, but we neglected to make an annual prayer afterwards.  Skeletons polluted the mountains and waters.  That caused the god's anger and caused the mountain to erupt, resulting in this disaster."  He stated that the eruption of Mt. Chokai was the result of military actions.

     The Imperial Court, however, gradually came to believe, for their convenience, that the mountain explosions were caused by the mountain god who abhorred the barbarians' military actions and gave notices beforehand.

     The eruption of Mt. Chokai was considered to be a manifestation of the divine power of God Omonoimi, and each time the eruption occurred, the Imperial Court promoted its divine rank.  In the article of May 11th, 838, in Shoku Nihon Koki, one of the 6 National Histories in ancient Japan, Omonoimi, which had been awarded an aristocratic rank of Upper Junior Fifth Rank, was promoted to Lower Senior Fifth Rank, being promoted by one grade.  There is no written record of when the first title was conferred.

     In Ancient Japan, 6 National Histories were compiled: Nihon Shoki, which covered the mythological period through 697, and whose compilation was completed in 720; Shoku Nihongi, which covered the years 697-791, and whose compilation was completed in 797; Nihon Koki, which covered the years 792-833, and whose compilation was completed in 840; Shoku Nihon Koki, whose compilation was finished in 869, and which covered the years 833–850; Nihon Montoku Tenno Jitsuroku, which covered the years 850-858, and whose compilation was completed in 879; and Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku, which covered the years 858-887, and whose compilation was completed in 901.

     Omonoimi's divine rank was promoted as follows:

     Shoku Nihon Koki's article dated May 11th, 838: Omonoimi was promoted from Upper Junior Fifth Rank to Lower Senior Fifth Rank.

     Shoku Nihon Koki's Article dated July 26th, 840: Omonoimi was promoted from Lower Senior Fifth Rank to Lower Junior Fourth Rank, a double promotion.  When the shipwrecked envoy to Tang China was attacked by pirates the previous year, the pirates were repelled by a small number of soldiers, but this was attributed to the divine protection of Omonoimi, which erupted around the same time and expressed its divine power.  2 families were donated to the god.  The letter of appreciation of Emperor Ninmyo (810-850) was attached.  Donation of 2 families actually meant that 2 families who served Omonoimi were exempted from paying taxes.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article dated November 1st, 862: Omonoimi was promoted to Lower Senior Fourth Rank.  Its shrine was also designated as a government-owned shrine.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article dated February 5th, 864: Omonoimi was promoted from Lower Senior Fourth Rank to Upper Senior Fourth Rank.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article dated November 5th, 864: Omonoimi was promoted from Upper Senior Fourth Rank to Junior Third Rank.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article dated April 5th, 873: Omonoimi was promoted from Junior Third Rank to Senior Third Rank, celebrating rebuilding of the shrine at the top of the mountain and performing a memorial service after the great eruption in 871 subsided.

     Nihon Sandai Jirroku's article dated July 10th, 878, 2 more families were donated to Omonoimi, making the total number four.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article dated August 4th, 878:  Omonoimi was given the Third Class within the same grade.

     Due to the years of harsh administration by Yoshimine Chikashi, the officer of the Akita Castle, the dissatisfaction of subordinate foreigners reached its peak.  In March, 878, they rose up and raided Akita Fortress, and Chikashi was unable to defend the fortress and fled.  The subordinate foreigners set fire to the surrounding area, and the Governor of Ideha Province, Fujiwara Okiyo (817-891) also fled.

     In April, the Imperial Court received a courier from Chikashi and ordered Kozuke and Shimotsuke Provinces to conscript 1,000 soldiers each.  On the 19th, Tomo Sadamichi, the officer of Mogami County, was killed in battle.

     In May, the Imperial Court appointed Fujiwara Kajinaga as commandant and dispatched 1,000 cavalry and 2,000 infantry from Mutsu Province to suppress the rebel forces.  Fujiwara Noritsuna, Fun'ya Arifusa, and Ono Haruizumi also led 2,000 Ideha soldiers to join Kajinaga.  In June, the rebel forces attacked Akita Fortress again in large numbers, and the central army suffered a crushing defeat.  Kajinaga fled back to Mutsu Province.  The fortress was robbed of 300 pieces of armor, 700 koku of rice, 100 bedding, and 1,500 horses.  The rebellion expanded and 12 villages around Akita Fortress,Kamitsuno, Hinai, Sugibuchi, Noshiro, Kahoku, Wakimoto, Hoguchi, Okawa, Tsutsumi, Aneto, Katagami, and Yakioka, came under the rebell's control.  In the northern part of Ideha Province, only the foreigners of 3 villages, Soekawa, Habetsu, and Sukegawa, belonged to the province.  Furthermore, the northern foreigners of Tsugaru and Toshima supported the uprising.

     The Imperial Court had fortune-tellers judge the military situation.  "Since ancient times, God Omonoimi has shown its divine power in our conquering wars.  However, its divine power now belongs to northern foreigners.  If we promote the god, it may answer to the promotion."

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article on February 27th, 880: Omonoimi was promoted to Junior Second Rank from Senior Third Rank.  After the Akita Rebellion was quelled, it returned to peacetime.

     These promotions were given to God Omonoimi through the Imperial messengers or the Governors of Ideha Province.  They couldn't have visited Mount Chokai without presents.  How and to whom were those presents and the exemptions of taxes distributed?  There was no records on the distribution.  Anyway, they might have brought about local conflicts.  The conflicts between Fukura and Warabioka locals were serious.  They even claimed their "guchinomiya" shrines to be a main shrine and what at the top of the mountain to be just an inner shrine.  Under Pax Tokugawana, their conflicts continued or even grew.  In peacetime, the number of Mount Chokai pilgrims increased.  It mattered which shrine was the originator.  That directly linked with the number of pilgrims they could mobilize.  Finally, after the Meiji Restoration, which pursued the centralized government, Prince Arisugawa Taruhito (1835-1895), designated Gongen-do on the mountaintop as the main shrine of Omonoimi Shrine, and designated Omonoimi Shrines in Fukura and Warabioka as Satomiya Shrines (later Kuchinomiya Shrines) on August 7th, 1880.

     While Warabioka and Fukura argued over the legitimate route from the Shonai Domain, there was a dispute between the Shonai Domain and the Yashima Domain over which side is an obverse route and which side is a reverse route to Mount Chokai.  The dispute was more serious as it was directly linked with the domains' finances.  The dispute was settled in 1678.

     The Yashima Route had 18 temples which organized the Mount Chokai Pilgrimage.  Nanko-in Temple was one of them and was located in Jonai Village.  

     

Chokaisanomonoimi Shrine Fukuraguchinomiya 

Address: Nunokura-1 Fukura, Yuza, Akumi District, Yamagata 999-8521

Phone: 0234-77-2301

Chokaisan-Omonoimi Shrine Warabioka-guchinomiya Shrine

Address: Matsugaoka−51, Kamiwarabioka, Akumi District, Yamagata 999-8314

Phone: 0234-72-2552

Trees In the Town

Yashima Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

 

     It is unknown when Yashima Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized in Yashima Domai, Yuri County, Dewa Province.  The pilgrimage, however, is supposed to have been organized in the Edo Period (1603-1867).  The domain was ruled by the Ikoma Family.  In 1679, large peasant revolts broke out there.  As we check its surviving member temples, we might be able to find out whether it was organized before the revolts or after.

     The Ikoma Family's income was reduced to one 17th in 1640.  When Takakiyo (1643-1694) succeeded to the headship of the family in 1659, he gave one 5th of the reduced income to his brother, Toshiaki.  The family or the domain might have failed in downsizing, and they had a severe financial or budget crisis.

     In 1677, Takakiyo, who was in Edo, asked his senior retainer Miura Iemon and other local vassals for a policy to alleviate the domain's financial crisis.  They proposed a plan to increase the annual tax through "land surveys," which the lord adopted.

     Iemon and others carried out a land survey of the domain's territory, increasing the domain's income by 4.3 times.  The farmers were shocked and petitioned the senior vassals in the name of all the farmers, but there was no reply.  When it came time to pay the taxes, the domain demanded so severely that the farmers could not bear it.  Eventually, some of them left the villages and fled one after another.

     Daishoin, the father of Wakoin, presented the Amitabha Statue to Gassan Shrine in the year.

     The remaining farmers held discussions, and 4 of them, Gon'emon of Jonai Village (Yashimamachi Jonai, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0411), Shozaemon of Koya Village (Kamikoya Chokaimachi Shimokawauchi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0502), Yohei of Sarukura Village (Chokaimachi Sarukura, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0512), and Juroemon of Aratokoro Village (Aratokoro Yashimamachi Motomachi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0417), came up with the idea to turn the situation in their favor by making Kaneko Hisazaemon, who had been dismissed and was a jobless samurai in Senboku County, Dewa Province, at the time, their ally.  They secretly sent Hisazaemon back to Yashima, and following his plan, submitted a petition again in 1679, and appealed directly to Takakiyo in Edo.  As their representatives, Yazoemon of Nakayama Village (Nakayama Takao, Yurihonjo, Akita 018-0844), Hachiroemon of Arasawa Village (Arasawa Yashimamachi Arasawa, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0418), Jin'emon of Kamikawauchi Village (Chokaimachi Kamikawauchi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0504), and Sukesaburo of Shinjo Village went to Edo, accompanied by Hisazaemon and Kosukegawa Jiroemon.  They soon met with Takakiyo and complained about the tyranny of Iemon and others and the suffering of the peasants.  Astonished, Takakiyo ordered to have Iemon and others commit seppuku suicide.  He also appointed Hisazaemon and Jiroemon to be new local retainers and to relieve the suffering of the peasants.

     After achieving their goal, Hisazaemon and Jiroemon returned to Yashima Domain and gathered the peasants around Nenoi Fortress, conveyed Takakiyo's intentions, and encouraged the peasants to kill Iemon and others.  The delighted peasants, following the command of Hisazaemon and Jiroemon, launched a surprise attack on the mansions of Iemon and others.  Surprised, they had no time to fight back, and fled out of the domain in a panic.

     In Edo, Ichihashi Hikobei was appointed as the chief retainer and sent to Yashima, where he was put in charge of the domain's administration together with Hisazaemon and Jiroemon.  They gathered the domain's headmen, group leaders, and peasant representatives and issued an order to pay the increased taxes and other duties by the due date against their expectations.  Everyone was stunned and felt helpless at this statement.  Hisazaemon and Jiroemon made a complete turnaround once they were hired.

     Even though the time for paying the taxes was approaching, the peasants had no idea of how to pay.  The officials severely punished those who did not follow orders, arresting them and imprisoning them.  Unable to bear it, many peasants left their villages, resulting in the number of vacant houses in the domain reaching 326.

     After days of fruitless discussions about this dire situation, Nizaemon of Shimojinego Village (Chokaimachi Shimojinego, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0722) rose up.  He expressed his strong determination to appeal to Takakiyo directly, without regard for his own life, and even to the Tokugawa Shogunate if necessary, and asked for everyone's agreement.  Impressed by Nizaemon's determination, the peasants secretly began preparations to go to Edo.

     First, Nizaemon prepared a petition, had Priest Wakoin make a clean copy of it, and prepared a petition with the joint signatures of 984 peasants in the domain.  Then, Nizaemon and 12 others set off on a journey to Edo to appeal.  In Edo, he met Takakiyo at an opportune time, presented the petition, and reported the facts of the situation in detail.  Surprised, Takakiyo immediately listened to their request, and even reached an agreement with Nizaemon and the other peasants to reduce annual taxes to the half of the increased new one.  Takakiyo gave them the sealed letter of the promise.  Nizaemon and others joyfully returned to their country, gathered the peasants together, and explained that their petitions had been fulfilled.  They attempted to persuade those who had fled from the villages to return, and restore the villages to its original state.

     When Hikobei and others found out about this, they sent Jiroemon to Edo to report that Nizaemon and others were evil people who had conspired with Iemon and others, who had previously been banished from the domain, and were plotting to kill Takakiyo obsolete, depicting Nizaemon and others terrible villains.

     Takakiyo was shocked and enraged, and ordered to take back the sealed letter from Nizaemon.  He also ordered the killing of Nizaemon and others.  On July 25th, 1680, Hisazaemon and over 400 of his subordinates launched a surprise attack on Nizaemon's house in Jinego Village.

     Nizaemon's house was burned down, but he managed to escape, but Wakoin, Jintaro and Jinnosuke, who were the sons of Shigeemon of Kamijinego Village, and Tsunehisa, who was the father of Tarozaemon of Shimojineago Village, were captured.  Another force also stormed into Hitane Village (Chokaimachi Shimohitane, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0513) and Momoyake Village (Chokaimachi Momoyake, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0513), but the peasants all fled, leaving not a single villager left.

     Nizaemon was frustrated by this outrage and wanted to go to Edo again to lodge a complaint. Upon hearing of his decision, those who wanted to accompany him were Shigeemon of Kuzupira Village (Kuzupira Chokaimachi Kamijinego, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0721), Magohachi of Sodeyama Village (Sodeyama Chokaimachi Kamikawauchi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0504), Sankuro of Sainokami Village (Sainokami Tokusawa, Yurihonjo, Akita 018-0732), Kiemon of Uchikoshi Village (Uchikoshi Chokaimachi Shimohitane, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0513), Gorosuke of Ishigami Village (Ishigami Chokaimachi Kamijinego, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0721), Jirouemon of Momoyake Village, Shingoro of Arasawa-Sugayachi Village (Arasawa Yashimamachi Arasawa, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0418), Sato Mondo of Nakayama Village, Genbei of Shimojinego Village, Sakubei of Kamijinego-Tenjin Village, Shigegoro of Sasago-Shimomiya Village, and Jinzaemon of Masago Village, making a total of 14 people.

     In August, 1680, the peasants once again set out on a journey to Edo to lodge a petition, but on the way they encountered Jiroemon and others, who had returned from Edo, at Tendo, Mogami County.  After a fierce battle, Magohachi of Sodeyama Village was captured, and the sealed letter and the petition he was carrying were taken away.  In addition, Genbei of Shimojinego Village, Kiemon and Sankuro of Hitane Village, and Shigeemon of Kuzupira Village were captured and sent back to Yashima.  They were then executed in Hadaka Mori on the 23rd, along with Wakoin, Jintaro,Jinnosuke, and Tsunehisa, who had been captured earlier.

     The punishment was truly horrific.  Wakoin was 32 years old at the time, and was brutally executed by stone-filled siege, Jintaro and Jinnojo were beheaded, and the other six were crucified.

     Afterwards, when the domain learned that Nizaemon was plotting another uprising in the mountains of Fujikura (Fujikura Sannai, Akita, 010-0823), Sendo, they asked the Akita Domain for help to capture him, but failed.

      Nizaemon had a cousin, Kyuhachi, who was blinded with greed.  He informed the domain of Nizaemon's hiding place.

     Nizaemon was finally killed in the mountains of Hiyama  (Hiyama, Noshiro, Akita 016-0151) on Leap August 15th.  He was 43 years old.

     Kyuhachi asked for Nizaemon's wife, Okesa, as a reward.  Okesa agreed and stabbed Kyuhachi to death on the night of their wedding, got back Nizaemon's head, helped Sakubei of Tenjin Village escape from prison, buried her husband's head in the mountains of Makinodaira, Jinego Village, and fled to another territory with her daughter.

     After the Tokugawa Shogunate was destroyed, Aota Shrine was founded where Nizaemon's head was buried, enshrining Nizaemon as the god of agriculture.

Gassan Shrine

Address: Tsukiyama-18, Chokaimachi Kamijinego, Yurishinjo, Akita 015-0721

Phone: 0184-59-2800

Momoyake-Nenoi Fortress

Nakamura-129 Chokaimachi Momoyake, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0516

Aota Shrine

Address: Maginotai Chokaimachi Shimojinego, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0722