Virtual Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #7 Saiko-ji Temple

 

     Saiko-ji Temple was founded by Satake Yoshinobu (1570-1633) at Kanda, Toshima County, Musashi Province, in 1603 with Yugi (1546-1618) as its 1st priest.  Yugi was said to have been the second son of Satake Yoshiatsu (1507-1545), but his birth year was contradictory with the death year of Yoshiatus, who was a great grandfather of Yoshinobu.  Anyway, it was clear that the temple was founded for the Satake Clan and by the Satake Clan.

     In 1087, Minamoto Yoshiie (1039-1106) put up a poor fight against Kiyohara Takehira (?-1087) and Iehira (?-1087) in Dewa Province.  Hearing the bad news, his brother, Yoshimitsu (1045-1127), officially requested the Imperial Court to let him enter the war.  As his request was turned down, he resigned and went to the province to attack Kanezawa Fortress, which Kiyohira and Iehira were holding.

     After the triumph, Yoshimitsu returned to Kyoto and was promoted to the third classed officer of the Ministry of Justice.  He was later appointed to the vice-governor of Hitachi Province, where he married a daughter of Yoshida Kiyomoto, who belonged to the Taira Clan.  Their first son, Yoshinari (1067-1133), settled down in Satake, Kuji County, Hitachi Province, and married another daughter of Kiyomoto. Their first son, Masayoshi (1081-1147), started calling their family Satake, and became the 1st head of the family.  He expanded the family's power across the northern 7 counties of Hitachi Province, and married a daughter, who was born between Fujiwara Kiyohira (1056-1128) of Mutsu Province and a daughter of an officer of the office of Fujiwara Seishi (1122-1182), who was a consort of Emperor Sutoku (1119-1164).  Yoshinobu was the 19th head of the Satake Family.

      Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, Yoshinobu became the first lord of the Kubota Domain in Dewa Province.  The original precincts of Saiko-ji temple were requisitioned by the Tokugawa Shogunate, and its present place was given as an alternate site in 1648.  Next year, Satake Yoshitaka (1609-1672), the second lord of the Kubota Domain, constructed the temple's buildings.  In 1771, the temple buildings burned down, and Yoshikazu (1775-1815), the 8th lord of the Kubota Domain, rebuilt buildings.  In 1800, the temple burned down again, and Yoshikazu (1775-1815), the 9th lord, rebuilt them.  One day, Yoshikazu boasted in Edo that giant butterburs, known as Akitabuki, in his domain were so big that they could be used as umbrellas.  Of course, nobody believed him in Edo.  His people heard of it, and, to maintain his honor, searched for the 2 biggest giant butterburs and carried them to Edo.  After the episode, giant butterburs became widely known, and even Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) drew them in the Hokusai Manga or Hokusai's Sketches.

     The temple's 11-faced Ekadasamukha statue is made of stone, and that of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #7 Oka-dera Temple is made of cray.  The organizers of the Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage might have sensed something in common as most of statues in Japan are made of wood.

Address: 6 Chome-2-20 Yanaka, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0001

Phone: 03-3828-0925