Virtual Modern Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #11 Seirin-ji Temple

      Priest Yuso (1426-1509) was born in Kazusa Province.  At the age of 13, he entered priesthood in Komyo-ji Temple, Kamakura, Sagami Province.  In 1482, he became the 9th head priest in the temple.  He worked hard not only in teaching but also in propagation.  Seirin-ji Temple was one of those founded by Yuso at the beginning of the 16th century.

     In 1522, the temple burned down and was practically abolished.  It was revived by Priest Koyo in 1591, a year after Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) moved to Edo.  As the population of Edo increased, they needed more temples.

     At first, Seirin-ji Temple was located at Kanda-Shikencho.  Shiken literally meant 4 houses.  The area was called so because 4 servant priests for the Edo Castle were given their houses there.  To build the houses, the temple had to move out of the place.  At the turn of the 17th century, Priest Tenreki moved it to Kanda-Yanagihara.  Kanda River was a kind of an artificial canal built in 1620.  Due to the construction, the temple was moved to the present place, Komagome-Shikenji-cho, in 1652.  The area was named so because there were 4 temples there.  Some temples in Edo had to move according to its city planning.

     Seirin-ji Temple’s three-storied pagoda in the Asuka Period style is now under construction.  The construction will link the ancient times and the future.  The temple still inherits modern spirits.

     Seirin-ji Temple was also the #8 temple of the Old Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage and the #15 temple of the Ueno Oji Komagome 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

Address: 2 Chome-35-3 Mukogaoka, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0023

Phone: 03-3821-2581