Virtual Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #32 Kannon-ji Temple

 

     Chomei-ji Temple was founded at Kanda in 1611 by Priest Son'yu.

     Tokugawa Ieyasu moved to Edo in 1590, and he finally destroyed the Toyotomi Clan on May 8th, 1615.  During those years, the city of Edo expanded, its population grew, and, accordingly, the number of temples there increased.  Son'yu might have seized an opportunity.

     In 1648, the temple moved to Kiyomizu Hill, Yanaka.  In 1680, it moved to its present place.  In 1716, it changed its temple name to Kannon-ji.

     It isn't so clear why the temple was listed as the #32 of the Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, which was organized in 1771.  Kannon-ji Temple enshrines Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six, while the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #33 Kannon-sho-ji Temple enshrines thousand-armed Sahasrabhuja.  It's too conjectural to guess Chomei-ji changed its temple name to be listed in the Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, which was organized more than half a century later.

     A guide book claimed that the scenery  the goeika of Kannon-ji Temple described and the view that of Kannon-sho-ji Temple expressed resembled each other.

     The goeika tanka poem of Kannon-ji Temple hasn't been handed down.

     Kannon-ji Temple is also a member temple of the Capital 88 Sacred Places.  It used the goeika tanka poem of the Shikoku 88 Sacred Places #42 Butsumoku-ji Temple, literally Wood Buddha Temple, as its goeika tanka poem as the #42 temple of the Capital 88 Sacred Places:

In Butsumoku-ji Temple,

Even weeds and trees can become Buddha

To say nothing of brutes and people.

     If Kannon-ji Temple had used the goeika tanka poem of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #33 Kannon-sho-ji Temple, it goes without saying that the 2 poems are "similar".

     By the way, the goeika tanka poem of Kannon-sho-ji Temple is:

How sacred Kannon-ji Temple is!

It will guide us, 

Who come far from other provinces. 

Address: 5 Chome-8-28 Yanaka, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0001

Phone: 03-3821-4053