Virtual Quasi-Saigoku Inage 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #9 Anryu-ji Temple

 

     Hogen-zan Anryu-ji Temple was founded by Saiki Umanosuke, inviting Priest Nitto (?-1583), commemorating the late Saiki Hayato (?-1562), employing Hayato’s posthumous Buddhist name, Hogen, as the temple’s sango.

     A villager named Zenzo came out and claimed to be Umanosuke’s descendant.  According to him, Umanosuke used to be a local administrator.  Whose?

     In 1560, Uesugi Kenshin (1530-1578) started invading the Kanto Region from Echigo Province, while Hojo Ujiyasu (1515-1571) had an ambition to win the hegemony over the region.  The seesaw battles between the two continued till 1569, when the two formed an alliance against Takeda Shingen (1521-1573), who had been allying with Ujiyasu to meet Kenshin, and who started invading Suruga Province.  Really, today’s ally is tomorrow’s enemy.

     Hayato might have been killed in one of the battles, presumably fighting for Ujiyasu.  And Umanosuke might have been a local administrator of Ujiyasu.  After 1590, when the Later Hojo Clan collapsed, his offsprings could have returned to farming, with Zenzo as one of their descendants.

     We can find another Saiki Umanosuke.  Sakon Takashi (1925- ) wrote a novel about him, who lived when Matsudaira Sadanobu (1759-1829) was controlling the Tokugawa Shogunate.  So, the time is different and this Umanosuke isn’t the one.  They just shared the same family name and given name.

     The temple enshrines the statue of Nichiren (1222-1282).

Address: 1 Chome-27-1 Higashiikuta, Tama Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 214-0031

Phone: 044-932-4835