Virtual Tama River 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #17 Joen-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when and by whom Joen-ji Temple was founded.  Priest Ryoken (?-1679) revived it.

     Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, all the domain governments were to register their people.  In 1664, the shogunate further ordered to add the information on people's religions.  The registration system was completed in 1671.

     Tightening the control over people’s religions meant a business chance for authorized Buddhist sects and schools to increase the number of their branch temples.  Joen-ji Temple was revived on one of those days.  Ryoken took the business chance, as Ryoden did in Tama River 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #6 Kannon-ji Temple.

     The Vajrapani statue is enshrined in the precincts.  The statue was brought from Kannonkyo-ji Temple (Address: 298 Shibayama, Sambu District, Chiba 289-1619, Phone: 0479-77-0004), and is said to have been carved by Visvakarman.

     The precincts also has the statue of Monk Tansho (1810-?), who was born in Utsunomiya and advocated Kosho-nenbutsu in the area.  In Kosho-nenbutsu, they loudly chant a prayer to Buddha, striking a Buddhist wooden drum.   When they strike a drum, they raise a stick over their head, and strike the drum with all their might.  They keep chanting for an hour.  Kosho-nenbutsu’s center is Shinsho-ji Temple at Misaki, Isumi County, Chiba Prefecture.  The performance was first propagated to Shindai-ji Temple in Chofu City today.

Address: 1 Chome−52−4 Shimoishiwara, Chofu, Tokyo 182-0034

Phone: 042-482-3611