Virtual Quasi-Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #20 Sosan-ji Temple

 

     Sasaki Takatsuna (1160-1214) founded Shofuku-ji Temple.  Sasaki Yasutsuna (1213-1276) presented the temple bell in 1263.  Yet, it declined.  Mamiya Nobumori made use of the precincts and built Sosan-ji Temple.

     The precincts still has the grave of Nobumori.  We have found the names of Mamiya Nobuhuyu and his great grandson, Yasutoshi.  Then, who was Nobumori?  As Nobuhuyu worked and fought for Ise Shinkuro, Nobumori could have been his son.

     Surprisingly, Sakato Shrine in Narawa Village, Moda County, Kazusa Province, had a temple bell whose inscription said that it used to belong to Shofuku-ji Temple in Kawasaki Manor, and had the name Sasaki Yasutsuna.

     Mamiya Nobumori, who was working and fighting for Ise Shinkuro (1456-1519) and his son, Hojo Ujitsuna (1487-1541), presented about 8 hectors of fields to the temple, proclaiming himself the descendant of Takatsuna, presumably to tie his family to the historic brand name.

     Then, who were Nobumori, Yasunobu, and Morimasa?

     East Asia, especially China, Vietnam, and Korea, had the custom of generation name.  The generation name is one of the 2 Chinese characters in a traditional Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean given name.  The custom is called "generation name" because members of one generation share that character.  Japan didn't import that custom as it was, but an aristocratic stock or a samurai stock shared one Chinese Character for generations.  Let me call the custom hereditary or descended name.

     Japan, in other words, imported the generation name custom in rather crooked way, as is often the case when Japan imported a custom from China.  A lord of samurai often gave the other character of his name than his hereditary or descended name to his vassals, as if to make them his sworn brothers.  The vassals put the given character at the beginning of his name to show their respect to their lord.

     Then, Nobumori and Moriyori sound more like having master-and-servant relationship rather than father-and-son relationship.

     Not necessarily so.  For example, Hojo Masamura (1205-1273), the 7th Regent of the Kamakura Shogunate, succeeded Masa from his grandfather Tokimasa (1138-1215), the first Regent.  Masamura was the 5th son of the second son of Tokimasa.

     So, Moriyoshi just wasn’t Nobumori’s first son.

     Then, who was Mamiya Yasutoshi?  He might have been named Nobu-something first if he was the son of Nobuhuyu’s first son.  Or, if he was the son of Moriyoshi, he might have been called Yori-something first.  He was so competent that Hojo Ujiyasu gave him a part of his name, Yasu, as Uji was his hereditary or descended name.  And that Nobu-something or Yori-something started calling himself Yasutoshi.  Had he called himself Nobutoshi or Yoritoshi?  Not necessarily.

     The grave yard has also the tomb of Hatano Den’emon and his family.  He was said to have participated in the Siege of Osaka in 1615 for the Toyotomi Clan against the Tokugawa Clan.  His side lost, he became a masterless samurai, and  settled in Kawasaki.  It is unknown why he chose near Edo, the Tokugawa Clan’s capital.

Address: 1 Chome-4-3 Isago, Kawasaki Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-0006

Phone: 044-222-5051