Virtual Koma 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #13 Nonin-ji Temple

     Nonin-ji Temple was founded by Nakayama Iekatsu as a hermitage to practice Chan Buddhism.  Iekatsu’s son, Ienori (1548-1590), changed it to a temple in 1573.

     Hojo Ujiteru (1542-1590) was the lord of Hachioji Castle.  When Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) seized Odawara Castle, Ujiteru held it.

     It was Nakayama Ienori (1548-1590) who held Hachioji Castle, which was seized by Maeda Toshiie (1539-1599) and Uesugi Kagekatsu (1556-1623).  Toshiie proposed the barter between the surrender of the castle and sparing Ienori’s life.  Ienori refused and was killed in a battle.  His principle and bravery paid.  His sons, Terumori (1570-1634) and Nobuyoshi (1577-1642), were employed by Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616).  When Hachioji Castle fell, however, nearly 3,000 people, including women and children, committed mass suicide.  Were their offsprings or descendants, if any, rewarded?  Or was the success of a general just built on the sacrifice of countless soldiers?

     The Nakayama Family was a branch family of the Kaji Family, which belonged to the Tan Corps.

     The most part of Musashi Province was plateaus deeply covered with volcanic-ash soil, which was suitable for stock farming, not for rice growing.  In ancient times, many of the naturalized Silla people then were sent to Musashi Province, and engaged in the stock farming.  That stimulated people there, and many stock farms were set up, including 6 imperial stock farms.  The custodians of those farms later formed small-scale samurai families.  By marriage, those samurai families composed 7 corps on the plateaus in the province: the Musashi Seven Corps.  The Tan Corps was one of the 7.

     At the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Nonin-ji Temple was used as the headquarters of Shinbutai Army.  On May 23, 1868, the Hanno Battle broke out as a part of the Boshin War (186801869), the civil war at the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate.  Shibusawa Seiichiro (1838-1912) organized the Shinbu Army 1,500 strong.  He based the army in Nonin-ji Temple (Koma 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #13), Kodo-ji Temple (Koma 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #15), and Chikan-ji Temple.  The army fought against the Meiji Revolutionary Army 3,500 strong, and lost within a couple of hours.  The temples burned down. 

Address: 1329 Hanno, Saitama 357-0063

Phone: 042-973-4128