Virtual Buso 48 Kannon Pilgrimage #24 Oto-Kannon-do Temple

 

     When Hojo Ujiteru (1542-1590) constructed Hachioji Castle in 1571, he built the first gate at the upper side of Aihara Village.  Since then, the place came to be called Oto, namely Big Gate.  Beside the guardhouse, there was a hermitage, called Ryoshin-an.  

     When Ujiteru selected the Eight Views of Hachioji, he picked Oto out.   Choosing 8 most beautiful scenes in a certain area originated from the Eight Views of Xiaoxiang during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) in China.  Xiaoxiang was in Hunan Province.  That is to say, Ujiteru was highly cultured, or well-educated in Chinese classics.  The Eight Views of Hachioji were as follows:

The Autumn Moon in Hachioji Castle

The Spring Storm in Hachioji Village

The Mist in Mt. Takao

The Landing Wild Geese in Koon-ji Temple

The Night Rain in Ryusen-ji Temple

The Returning Fishers in Asa River

The Twilight Snow in Todori Village

The Night Bell in Oto Kannon-do Temple

     Ujiteru composed a tanka poem for each of the eighth views, and the one for Oto Kannon-do is as follows:

The Big Gate stands in the dusk

In the sound waves of the temple bell

Villagers go home with firewood on their backs.

     The hermitage later came to be called Yusho-an, and a hall for the Arya Avalokitesvara statue was rebuilt in its precincts in 1596, 6 years after the collapse of the Later Hojo Clan and the death of Ujiteru.

     Oto-Kannon-do Temple is also the #20 of the Hachioji 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

Address: 4643 Aiharamachi, Machida, Tokyo 194-0211