Virtual Quasi-Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #9 Daijo-in Temple

     Daijo-in Temple was founded in 1625 by a daughter of Yamauchi Tadayoshi (1592-1665), inviting Priest Donkyo from #18 Hosen-ji Temple.  The daughter’s posthumous Buddhist name was Genmu (literally Illusion Dream).

     Tadayoshi was the second lord of the Tosa Domain under the Tokugawa Shogunate and had 4 daughters.  The eldest, whose mother wasn’t recorded, became the second wife of Kurushima Michikiyo (1629-1700), the second lord of the Mori Domain in Buzen Province.  The second was recorded as Princess Sayohime, who was given birth by Jushoin (?-1661), who was Michikiyo's concubine. Sayohime got married to Inui Nobukatsu, the highest dignitary of the Tosa Domain. The third, named Princess Umehime, was married to Omiya Toshimitsu (1603-1684), an aristocrat in Kyoto.  Her mother wasn’t recorded, and whether she shared the same mother with the eldest daughter is unknown.  The fourth, Kiyohime, who was given birth by Tadayoshi’s lawful wife, Kumahime, got married to Matsushita Nagatsuna (1610-1658), who was the lord of the Nihonmatsu Domain (600 thousand goku).  But Nagatsuna was demoted to the Miharu domain (30 thousand goku) in 1628.  In 1640, Kiyohime gave birth to Toyotsuna (1640-1657).  Nagatsuna had another boy and a girl whose mother(s) is/are unrecorded.  But Nagatsuna was further dismissed and confined under Tadayoshi at Kuma village in Tosa Province in 1644 for the reason that he had deranged.  It is impossible to relate the incident with the foundation of the temple in 1625.   Then who was Genmu?  In 1623, Kumahime, the lawful wife of Tadayoshi, moved from Tosa to Edo.  She had given birth to Tadatoyo (1609-1669), to Tadanao (1611-1667), and Kiyohime (1613-?).  2 years after Kumahime’s arrival at Edo, Daijo-in Temple was founded, and Genmu stayed there until her death.  In 1632, Kumahime died at the age of 38.  If the posthumous Buddhist name, Genmu, embodied her personality, she might have been always seeing illusions and dreams.  Did Kumahime have the 2nd girl that was always seeing illusions and dreams?

     What if Genmu was Kiyohime?  Tadatoyo and Kiyohime caught smallpox on their way from Tosa to Edo.  Did she have too bad sequela to get married?  And became Genmu?  If so, who made the wife of Nagatsuna?  A dummy?

     Nagatsuna wasn’t the only one that was dismissed around Kiyohime.  After Nagatsuna left Nihonmatsu, Kato Akitoshi (1599-1641) moved in in 1628.  He died of a disease in 1641, but the Tokugawa Shogunate doubted the cause of death and dismissed Akitoshi although he had already died.  His brother, Akinari (1592-1661) was ruling the Aizu Domain.  He came into a conflict with the chief retainer, Hori Mondo.  Mondo ran away from the domain with 300 of his family members and followers, shooting guns against the castle.  He escaped into Mt. Koya, but was arrested and executed with his younger brothers.  His wife escaped into Tokei-ji Temple, #11 of Kamakura 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  Nun Tensho, the then chief priestess of the temple, refused her extradition resolutely.  Anyway, due to the incident, Akinari was dismissed in 1643.  Something or someone twisted their fates.  I wish someone would write a story over the twists.

Address: 2 Imaiminamichō, Nakahara Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 211-0064

Phone: 044-722-2768