Virtual Quasi-Saigoku Inage 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #4 Jufuku-ji Temple

 

     According to oral tradition, there used to live a mountain hermit, a sennin in Japanese, in the ravine west to Suga Villagebe, training himself in mountain asceticism.  And the valley came to be called Sengoku, namely sennin ravine.

     The foundation of Jufuku-ji Temple has 2 stories.

     One story starts with saying that the temple was founded by Prince Shotoku (574-622) in 598.  Since then, many people visited the temple, and, in 1179, they even started copying the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra by hand.  Since then, the project was taken over for generations.  The participants included even historic figures such as Minamoto Yoshitsune (1159-1189) and Benkei (?-1189).  Before it was completed, some volumes got lost, and the rest was finally filled with printed volumes in 1370’s.  Those who contributed the printed volumes included Koide Shigeoki (1663-1696), the 4th lord of the Toki Domain, Izumi Province.

     The other story starts from talking about Minamoto Yoshiie(1039-1106).

     Abe Yoriyoshi (?-1057), the chief of captive norther aliens in Mutsu Province, a part of Northeastern Japan, stalled the taxes to the Imperial Court.  Yoshiie's father, Yoriyoshi (988-1075), started suppressing the Abe Clan, in 1051.  Yoshiie was traveling from Kawachi Province to Mutsu Province.  He found an auditorium in Musashi Province, and stayed there for one night.  That was the predecessor of today’s Kannon-do Hall in Jofuku-ji Temple.

     Both the 2 stories talk about Priest Hokei, who revived the temple in 1380’s, transfering it from Tiantai Sect to Linji School of Chan Buddhism.  In 1382, Ashikaga Ujimitsu (1359-1398), the second Kanto Deputy Shogun, presented 3 grand buildings to the temple.

     Its Avalokitesvara statue is a very unique one, which treads on a green pheasant.  It was in front of the statue that Benkei copied the sutra.

     The gorge and hills once mountain hermits lived have become an amusement park, Yomiuri Land, today.

Address: 1 Chome−14−1  Sugesengoku, Tama Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 214-0006

Phone: 044-944-3212