Virtual Musashi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #13 Kosho-in Temple

     Kosho-in Temple was founded by Priest Yukei as a temple of Pure Land Buddhism after Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) moved to Edo in 1590.  In the 1710's, Priest Yutei converted the temple to the Shingon Sect.  Its precincts have a Kannon-do Hall which is supposed to have been built in the Muromachi Period (1336-1573) and which is the oldest building in Misato City.  The hall was reconstructed in 1622 with local pine, zelkova, Japanese cypress, and Japanese cedar timbers.  The hall's interlocked wooden brackets were assembled in the same style as the main hall in Horyu-ji Temple in Nara.  The hall enshrines a statue of Cundi, who has 16 arms and appears to be female.  Tradition says the statue was carved by Gyoki (668-749).

     The place name, Banshomen, is composed of Bansho and Men.  Bansho meant carpenters and Men meant tax exemption.

     In Ancient Japan, carpenters belonged to Shirishiki, namely Repair Office, or Mokuryo, namely Woodwork Office, under the central government.  After the introduction of Buddhism to Japan, Zojishi, namely Building Temple Office, was established to organize carpenters who were specialized in building temples.  Those carpenters were given tax-free fields to support their living.

     Some provincial governments organized their own carpenters to build their office buildings and temples.  Those local carpenters were also given tax-free fields to support their living and were even sent to Nara or Kyoto, when the central government carried out a national large-scale enterprise, such as building Todai-ji Temple.

     In the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), carpenters became independent.  As the competition among them became intense, they organized trade unions and chose their leader, Daiku, namely Great Carpenter, in the Muromachi Period (1336-1573), when Kannon-do Hall in Kosho-in Temple was built.

Address: 1 Chome-127-1 Banshomen, Misato, Saitama 341-0056

Phone: 048-952-6450