Virtual Shimousa 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #21 Komyo-in Temple

 

     Komyo-in Temple was a shrine temple of Akagi Shrine, and was authorized as a temple at the beginning of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

     Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604-1651), the third shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, dissolved many clans to strengthen the power of the shogunate.  This increased the number of masterless and jobless samurai and destabilized society.  To restabilize the society, he strengthened the danka system.  Every citizen was supposed to belong to a Buddhist temple.  That was a business opportunity for Buddhist priests.  Akagi Shrine took full advantage of the opportunity and founded a certified public temple.

     The precincts have a grave of Akimoto Sanzaemon (1757-1812), who was said to have developed sweet sake for seasoning.  He was also known as a haiku poet, Akimoto Soju.

     After the defeat in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in January 1868, the Shinsengumi or the New Select Brigade retreated to Edo.  They were treated roughly there, and finally arrived at Nagareyama.  Some of them stayed at Komyo-in Temple.

     Mt. Akagi erupted on May 11, 1251.  About the same time, according to tradition, a flood broke out and a part of the mountain flowed down and arrived at Nagareyama to form a hill which has an altitude of 15 meters and is 350 meters in circumference.  On top of the hill, locals built Akagi Shrine, and the area came to be called Nagareyama, namely Flow Mountain.

Address: 6 Chome-651 Nagareyama, Chiba 270-0164

Phone: 04-7158-0176