Virtual Kanesawa 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #34 Konzo-in Temple

 

     Minamoto Yoritomo invited God Oyamatsumi of Mishima-taisha Shrine in Izu Province to Seto in 1180.  The place name Seto means a strait.  In the north of the strait there used to lie an inland sea.  The place had been regarded as a holy place since earlier times.  The local people believed the strait could wash away sins and uncleanness.

     In 1473, Itami Sakyonosuke re-invited the god from Seto to Kamariya and built Teko Shrine, which was located at the depth of the inland sea. 

According to an old document, Konzo-in Temple might have been founded by the time about 1 kilometer upstream from Teko Shrine.

     Who was the Itami Family?  Nothing else is known about Sakyonosuke, but Itami Nagachika (?-1563) worked and fought for the Later Hojo Clan.  After Nagachika’s death, Masatomi was still working for the Later Hojo Clan when it was destroyed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) in 1590.  His son was taken care of by his maternal uncle. They became Buddhist monks; Chugo and Chuson.  Chugo made the head priest of Senso-ji Temple, whose position Chuson succeeded.  Priest Chuun (1630-1686) succeeded his uncle Chuson in 1648.  It was Chuun who rebuilt Teko Shrine in 1679.

Address: 5 Chome−3−22 Kamariyahigashi, Kanesawa Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0042

Phone: 045-781-9330