Virtual Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #24 Daihofuku-ji Temple

     It is unknown when and why Daihofuku-ji Temple was founded.

     When Kanno-ji Temple was revived as a member of the Tiantai Sect with its new name Tenno-ji, Priest Keiun of Daihofuku-ji Temple became the 1st priest.

     Keiun (1664-1729), who was born in Isumi County, Kazusa Province and who was a nephew of Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu (1659-1714), first became the priest of Daihofuku-ji Temple, then the priest of Kanno-ji Temple, and then the head priest of Zenko-ji Temple in Shinano Province in December, 1700.  Previously in July in the same year, the main hall of Zenko-ji Temple had burned down, and he was burdened with rebuilding it.  From 1701 to 1706, he visited provinces and raised alms from more than ten thousand people.

     Judging from the Hongo Yushima Ezu (the Map of Hongo and Yushima), Daihofuku-ji Temple was located just next to the Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #8 Kogen-ji Temple.  In other 33 Kannon Pilgrimages, it could have been listed as either #7 or #9 to make the pilgrimage root shorter and more convenient.  The organizers of the Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage emphasized the similarity or closeness of each member temple with the corresponding member temple of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  However, the abolishment of Daihofuku-ji Temple has made it impossible why the temple was listed #24.  The corresponding member temple of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was Nakayama-dera Temple.  Its main deity was an 11-faced Ekadasamukha statue.  Incomparably with other temples, Nakayama-dera Temple's Ekadasamukha statue has 2 more Ekadasamukha statues on each side.  That made the Ekadasamukha statues have 33 faces in total.  The number 33 made the temple the embodiment and realization of the idea of 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  Did Daihofuku-ji Temple have 3 11-faced Ekadasamukha statues?

     A guide book pointed out the similarity between the tanka poems dedicated to the 2 temples.  That of Nakayama-dera Temple was:

Through fields and through villages

We visit Nakayama-dera Temple

To pray for the comfort in the other world.

That of Daihofuku-ji Temple hasn't been passed down.

Address: 5 Chome-6-25 Sendagi, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0022