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Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #14 Saiho-ji Temple

 

     Saiho-ji Temple was founded in 1623 by Shaku Shozen.  As its main hall became too old to use, they built a new one in 1781. 

     The Tsuguma Family ruled Tsuda Village (Today's Tsuda, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0123; Tsuda Kitamachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0121; Tsuda Higashimachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0122; Tsuda Minamimachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0124; Tsuda Nishimachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0126; and Tsuda Motomachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0127) and Fujisaka Village (today's Fujisaka Kitamachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0151; Fujisaka Higashimachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0153; Fujisakatenjincho, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0155; Fujisaka Minamimachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0156; Fujisaka Motomachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0157; and Fujisaka Nishimachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0158).

     Tsuguma Moritake revived Sannomiya Shrine in 1124.  Tsuguma Saburo was subject to Kusunoki Masanori (1333-1390).  Tsuguma Yoshihide, Yoshiyasu, Kaneshige, and Atsuhiro were documented in 1559.  Tsuguma Masaaki was granted his territory by Miyoshi Nagayoshi (1522-1564).  In 1571, Tsuda Fortress and Tsuguma Fort were burned down by Akechi Mitsuhide (1516-1528).  Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, some members of the Tsuguma Family became samurai and other became farmers.  Tsuguma Juro was a supporter of Saiho-ji Temple and handed in a document to Nagao Residence in 1791.

Address: 1 Chome-15-23 Fujisaka Motomachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0157

Phone: 072-856-3443

Sannomiya Shrine

Address: 2 Chome-7-1 Hotani, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0114

Phone: 072-858-0740

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Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #13 Shonen-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Shonen-ji Temple was founded near Nagao Residence of the Kuga Family.  The residence was built in 1689.  Although the family ruled the surrounding areas with the residence as a domestic office, police power and judicature was carried out by the Tokugawa Shogunate’s administrators in Osaka.

Address: 2 Chome-33-28 Nagao Motomachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0163

Phone: 072-857-6416

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Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #12 Shonen-ji Temple

 

     When Ashikaga Yoshiharu (1511-1550) was the 12th Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate from 1521 to 1546, the local samurai, Kataoka Masahisa and Kawabata Tsunahisa, formed a league and organized an autonomous village, Shodai Village, with Keio-ji Temple as their center.  However moderate they were, as the temple belonged to True Pure Land Buddhism, it was a part of Ikko-ikki, or armed military leagues organized around True Pure Land Buddhism.  Renjun (1464-1550), the 6th son of Rennyo (1415-1499), the 8th head of True Pure Land Buddhism, authenticated Keio-ji Temple as one of his branches.  Shodai Village grew and became a minor kind of a holy city.  The village, because of their moderateness, swore allegiance to Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) when he became a national ruler.  When Akechi Mitsuhide (1528-1582) killed Nobunaga on June 2nd, the village showed their obedience to him.  Their moderateness did harm to them.  On the 13th, Mitsuhide was killed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598), who became a national ruler.  Hideyoshi didn’t overlook the village’s “support” for Mitsuhide.  Their autonomy was taken away.

     What was I talking about?  Yes, Shonen-ji Temple should have been founded in the second half of the 16th century, when Shodai Temple was in its heyday.

Address: 1 Chome-13-1 Shodai Motomachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1133

Phone: 072-855-5000

Keio-ji Temple

Address: 3 Chome-16-37 Shodai Motomachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1133

Phone: 072-856-6624

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"Sarashina Diary"

      It is unknown whether the Daughter of Sugawara Takasue actually kept her diary or just had some notes and memos of her tanka poems.  Presumably, she was given over 200 sheets of paper, which was equivalent to the living expenses of an ordinary noble family.  With the paper, she was supposed to provide something interesting for high-ranking nobility.  She compiled her materials and memories into a diary-style story, with her self-deprecating humor, which was suitable for her or her family's position, the middle-ranking aristocrat.  Her story or product couldn't be too refined, elegant, or advanced for high-ranking nobility, but still it should have gained some likes from those who were conceited despite their low-ranking literacy compared with the Daughter of Sugawara Takasue.  She made it.  The story didn't sound high-handed or arrogant.  It didn't sound too servile or obsequious either.  Her mother and father could have been depicted too silly or ridiculous.  I’d rather not be a parent of a novelist.

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Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #11 Akeo-dera Temple

 

     Deogwon came from Goguryeo in 612 and presented an Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha image to Prince Shotoku (574-622).  Shotoku passed the image to his younger brother, Prince Taima, who founded a Buddhist temple in the northeast of Yamada Pond.  The temple became Akeo-ji Temple.

Address: 3-1 Yamadaike Minamimachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0168

Phone: 072-856-4574

Yamadaike Park

Address: 1-1 Yamadaikekoen, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0167

Phone: 072-851-4761

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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

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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

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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