Virtual Ika 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #26 Hosho-ji Temple

     Hosho-ji Temple keeps the grave of a legendary founder of the Higashino Family.  The family became powerful in 1330's.  When the Imperial Court broke up into the Northern Imperial Court and the Southern Imperial Court.  Not only the courts but the whole country was divided, and fought violently against each other.  Who belonged to which side?  Everybody chose their side arbitrarily for the purpose of self-justification.  They just wanted to fight for more estates.  The Higashino Family built their fortress half way up Mt. Gyoichi, at the depth of the Higashino Valley.  Later they moved their stronghold to the hill, Mt. Doki, at the exit of the valley.  And they expanded their territory to the Yogo Valley.  When the Warring States Period started after 1467, they built a castel on Mt. Higashino, the eastern side of the Higashino Valley.

Together with the other powerful families in the northern part of Omi Province, the Higashino Family fought for the Kyogoku Clan with a lot of lives of the family members sacrificed.  When Azai Sukemasa (1491-1542), one of those powerful families, overpowered the Kyogoku Clan, the Higashino Family followed Sukemasa and his successors.  Even when Sukemasa’s grandchild, Nagamasa (1545-1573), was defeated by his brother-in-law, Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), the family members fought hard for the purpose of stalling for time to let Nagamasa commit suicide.

After the battle, the family survivors withdrew into the Higashino Valley.  But one of the descendants, Yukinobu, became a samurai again and was hired by Yamauchi Kazutoyo (1545-1605).  When Kazutoyo made the lord of the Tosa Domain,  Yukinobu followed him and another Higashino Family started in Tosa Province.

     It is unknown when the legendary grave was erected, it might have shown the family’s pride and self-respect.