Virtual Aduma 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #31 Saiko-ji Temple

 

     Kasai Kiyoshige (1161-1238) changed his residence into a temple and named it Saiko-ji.

     Toshima Kiyomoto was the lord of Toshima County, Musashi Province, and also owned Kasai Manor in Katsushika County, Shimousa Province.  His third son, Kiyoshige succeeded the Kasai Manor and started calling his family Kasai.

     When Minamoto Yoritomo raised his army against the Taira Clan, he was defeated at first and fled to Awa Province.  When he was going to cross the Sumida River to strike back, Kiyoshige joined the army.  Kiyoshige kept working and fighting for the first 3 generations of the Kamakura Shoguns.  After the Battle of Wada in 1213, he was impacted by Shinran (1173-1263) and became a monk.

     Shinran performed missionary work in the Kanto Region from 1214 to 1234.  One day, he took shelter from the rain in Kiyomoto's residence.  The rain didn't stop for 53 days.  As Kiyomoto listened to Shinran everyday, he was enlightened by Shinran, became a monk, changed his name to Joren, and changed his residence into a temple.  Shinran carved an Amitabha statue and gave it to Kiyomoto, who concealed the statue in the statue of Prince Shotoku (574-622).

Address: 1 Chome-25-8 Yotsugi, Katsushika City, Tokyo 124-0011

Phone: 03-3691-0300