Virtual Shimousa 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #22 Chofuku-ji Temple

 

     Chofuku-ji Temple was priest-less at the end of the Tokugawa Period, and was abolished at the beginning of the Meiji Era.

     Its precincts have been a holy place since far before the foundation of the temple, and, surprisingly enough, are still preserved well enough by the community members.  The precincts have its Bhaisajyaguru and Kukai Halls, and also have Inari and Sakaki-Yawata Shrines as well.

     The oldest itabi the precincts have is dated 1488.  In 1558, Priest Eiraku of Ryusen-ji Temple (Address: 1423 Nakabyo, Abiko, Chiba 270-1121  Phone: 04-7188-1059) lived in retirement in the precincts.

     The temple has a brass Buddhist altar dated 1666.  The precincts have a five-part gravestone with each part representing earth, water, fire, wind and heaven, which is dated 1671, and which is the grave of Priest Chogon of Chofuku-ji Temple.  All in all, the temple seems to have become 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, and also a chance for villagers to gain tax exemption for the precincts.  The villagers took full advantage of the opportunity, hired a priest, and made their holy place a temple.

     The head of a Sakakibara was buried in the precincts.  He was considered to be a visitor.  As Mito Domain had a Sakakibara Family as a vassal, he might have been a member of the family.  Was he a member of the Tenguto Rebellion from May 1864 to January 1865?  Was the incident too modern to be a legend?  The head was concealed in a concrete box in Sakaki-Yawata Shrine, whose small building itself is made of concrete.

Address: 1984 Araki, Abiko, Chiba 270-1112