Virtual Hachioji 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #6 Kenshin-ji Temple

     Kenshin-ji Temple was founded in 1468, and was revived by Priest Rinhai in 1548.

     In 1455, the Kyotoku War broke out.

The Kyotoku War lasted for 28 years from 1454 to 1482.  During the war, Ashikaga Shigeuji (1438-1497), the Kanto Deputy Shogun in Kamakura, relinquished Kamakura and moved to Koga in 1457.  In 1458, the Muromachi Shogunate sent out another deputy shogun, Ashikaga Masatomo (1435-1491), from Kyoto for Kamakura, but he couldn’t enter Kamakura and stayed in Horikoshi, Izu Province.  From then on, there were Koga Kanto Deputy Shogun and Horikoshi Kanto Deputy Shogun in the Kanto Region.  On October 14, 1459, the 2 camps had a big battle in Ota Manor, Musashi Province. That was the start of the Warring States Period in the region.

     In 1467, the Onin War broke out in Kyoto.  The war lasted for 11 years, and the whole nation was thrown into the Warring States Period.  Although Shiba Yoshikado (1445-?), the Regent of the Ashikaga Shogunate in Kyoto, sent a letter to Shigeuji in 1468 to make peace, nobody would listen to him, and he was just dismissed by Ahikaga Yoshimasa (1436-1490), the 8th shogun.  Kenshin-ji Temple was founded when no samurai listen to the voice of the peace.

     In 1546, Hojo Ujiyasu defeated Ashikaga Haruuji (1508-1560), the 8th Kanto Deputy Shogun, Uesugi Norimasa (1523-1579), who was the Regent of the Kanto Deputy Shogunate and was the last head of the Yamauchi-Uesugi Clan, and even killed Uesugi Tomosada (1525-1546), the last head of the Ogigaya-Uesugi Clan in the Siege of Kawagoe.  The victory, however, cost Ujiyasu a lot.  His territory was exhausted, and many farmers abandoned their villages and farms, and ran away.  To get the situation under control, Ujiyasu standardized the taxation system in his territory and reduced taxes in 1550.

     Did Rinhai revive the temple to pray for the comfort of those who had been killed in the battles over Kawagoe Castle?  Or to religiously and psychologically relieve farmers?  Or to dodge taxes for locals, taking advantage of tax exemption for temples?

Address: 1491 Miyamacho, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0152

Phone: 042-651-3542