Virtual Shimousa 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #4 Senju-in Temple

     In the first half of the 8th century, Kasuga carved a thousand-armed Sahasrabhuja statue, enshrined it at the foot of a hill in Inba County, Shimousa Province, and founded Rengeo-in Temple.

     Kasuga was a legendary Buddhist sculptor, and was said to have worked in Kawachi Province.  Legend has it that he carved Buddhist images and statues day and night.  One day, the villagers noticed him carving something other than Buddhist images.  It was a big crane statue.  Next morning, the villagers found no one in his house, except a big bird flying to the east in the morning glow, with something or someone on its back.

     Presumably, Kasuga carved the thousand-armed Sahasrabhuja statue after he flew to the Kanto Region on his man-made crane.

     Usui Manor was founded in the 10th century.  The manor included Ishigami Village.  The lord of the manor called themselves the Usui Family.

     When Takaatsu was the head of the family at the end of the 14th century, from 1380 to 1397, Oyama Yoshimasa (?-1382) and his son, Takamasa (?-1397), fought against Ashikaga Ujimitsu (1359-1398), the 2nd Kanto Deputy Shogun.  As the war was fought along the border between Shimotsuke and Shimousa Provinces, Priest Choshu of Rengeo-in Temple was afraid of being engulfed in battle, and asked Takatane to move the temple to the top of the hill, where Inano Castle was located, in 1392.  Choshu renamed the temple Senju-in.

     The 29th head of the Usui Family, Okitane (1958-), is the COO of McDonald's Company (Japan), Ltd.

Address: 152 Ino, Sakura, Chiba 285-0855

Phone: 043-487-2803