Virtual Edo Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #5 Josen-ji Temple

     Josen-ji Temple was founded by Hachiya Yoshito (?-1633).

     Hachiya Yoshinari (?-1616) first worked and fought for Hojo Ujinao (1562-1591).  After the fall of the Later Hojo Clan in 1590, he was hired by Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) in 1592.  His son, Yoshito, worked for Tokugawa Hidetada (1579-1632).

     Ota Dokan (1432-1486) built an archery training center in Hongo.  The Tokugawa Shogunate had samurai of archery platoons reside in the site.  Yoshito built Josen-ji Temple there, and invited Priest Zuiha (1563-1635) in 1621.  After his death, Yoshito was buried in Josen-ji Temple.

     The temple’s Avalokitesvara statue was burned down in World War II.

     When the Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was revived as the New Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage in 1976, Josen-ji Temple invited another statue from Goshin-ji Temple at Shirako, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture.

     Why from Mie, or Ise Province before the Meiji Restoration?

     After the Honno-ji Incident on June 21, 1582, when Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) was assassinated by his vassal, Akechi Mitsuhide (1528-1582), Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) escaped from Sakai, Izumi Province, through Iga Province, to Shirako in Ise Province.  From Shirako, he sailed back to his home province, Mikawa.  Goshin-ji Temple is believed to have done something in providing Ieyasu with boats.  That is all I can trace.

     Josen-ji Temple is also the Old Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #9 and the Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #19.

Address: 1 Chome-7-12 Honkomagome, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0021

Phone: 03-3941-7063