Virtual Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #17 Joshin-ji Temple

     When Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) was defeated by Takeda Shingen (1521-1573) in the Battle of Mikatagahara in 1573, Kuroyanagi Takeshige (?-1603), who was a foot soldier, guarded Ieyasu and helped him retreat to Hamamatsu Castle.  After the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Takeshige became one of the 5 chiefs of its foot soldiers.  When Ieyasu retired and moved to Suruga Province, Takeshige followed him.  In 1612, Takeshige went back to Edo and moved his family temple, Joshin-ji, to Yushima.  After the 1657 Great Fire of Edo, the temple was moved to its present place.  After World War II, it merged Shonen-ji Temple and became the #17 member temple of the Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

     Shonen-ji Temple was founded by Priest San'yo at Hakusan, Teshima County, Musashi Province, in 1598.  It had a thousand-armed Sahasrabhuja statue which had been carved by Prince Shotoku (574-622).  The temple burned down in World War II, and was merged by Joshin-ji Temple.

     Kuya (903-972) built a thousand-armed Sahasrabhuja statue in 951 and enshrined it in Saiko-ji Temple.  In 977, Priest Chushin revived the temple and renamed it Rokuharamitsu-ji after 6 paramita or perfections: Dana, Sila, Ksanti, Virya, Dhyana, and Panna; or generosity, virtue, patience, diligence, contemplation, and wisdom.

     Anyway, both the Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #17 Shonen-ji Temple and the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #17 Rokuharamitsu-ji Temple had a thousand-armed Sahasrabhuja statue which had been passed down from ancient times.

Address: 2 Chome-17-4 Mukogaoka, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0023

Phone: 03-3821-0951