Virtual Shimousa 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #18 Chikuon-ji Temple

 

     Chikuon-ji Temple was founded in Kokubun, Katsushika County, Shimousa Province.  As its place name suggests, there used to be a Kokubun-ji Temple, which was built by Emperor Shomu (701-756) as one of the temples built in all the provinces.  Those temples were called Kokubun-ji.  They were usually built near a provincial government office.  In Shimousa Province, its provincial government office stood in the west of the Kokubun-ji Temple on a height.  The height was called Kono-dai Height.  In the Medieval times, Kono-dai Castle was built on the height.

     In Konodai in 1538, the Oyumi and Koga Kanto Deputy Shoguns clashed against each other. The Oyumi Kanto Deputy Shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiaki (?-1538), was killed in battle, and Koga’s side won.  Yoshiaki's first son, Yoshizumi (?-1538), was also killed in battle, and Yoshiaki's younger children fled to Awa Province, counting on the protection of Satomi Yoshitaka (1507-1574).  However, the mastermind of the Koga Deputy Shogun, the Later Hojo Clan, was too powerful for the Satomi Can to shelter them.  Yoshiaki's second and third sons were sent to Sekido-ji Temple in Kazusa Province and his 3 daughters were sent to Taihei-ji Temple in Kamakura, Sagami Province.  They became under the patronage, or the supervision, of the Later Hojo Clan.

     Konodai had 2 other big battles in 1563 and 1564.  That meant Konodai was a strategic point.

     Far before the 3 battles, in the Northern and Southern Courts Period (1337-1392), there might have been another battle.  Tradition says that the loser sacrificed many casualties.  Their survivors became farmers, built a temple, and invited Priest Kishu from Kamakura.  After the posthumous Buddhist name of the loser, Sekishitsu Sojin, the temple was named Sekijin-san Chikuon-ji.  It is unknown what his secular name was.

Address: 5 Chome-15-2 Kokubun, Ichikawa, Chiba 272-0834

Phone: 047-371-7131