Virtual Buso 48 Kannon Pilgrimage #46 Kichijo-in Temple

     Kichijo-in Temple was founded by Monk Raigen with the religious support of Priest Kensei sometime between 1394 and 1427, when either Ashikaga Mitsukane (1378-1409) or Mochiuji (1398-1439) was the Kanto Deputy Shogun.  The phantom menace of the Warring States Period was approaching.

     Priest Seiho revived the temple in 1602, when the Kanto Region was ruled by Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) stably and steadily.

     Kichijo-in Temple, which used to be located in 28 Hiyoshicho, Hachioji, burned down in the Hachioji Air Raid.  After 00:00 on August 2, 169 Boeing B-29 Superfortresses raided Hachioji City, dropping 1600 tons of incendiary bombs for about 2 hours.  2.9 out of 3.5 square kilometers of urban area was burned, including Kichijo-in Temple, which was moved to its present place in 1955.

     The temple must have witnessed humanlives full of ups and downs.

Address: 58-3 Nagabusamachi, Hachioji, Tokyo 193-0824

Phone: 042-661-5448