Virtual Modern Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #13 Gokoku-ji Temple

 

     The Tokugawa Shogunate opened 2 herb gardens in Takada and Asabu in 1638, when Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604-1651) was the third Shogun.

     Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (1646-1709),the 5th Shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, abolished the Takada Herb Garden and founded Gokoku-ji Temple there for his mother, Tama (1627-1705), in 1681.

     The main deity of the temple was Tama's personal guardian Buddhist image, an amber statue of Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six.  Kannon-do Hall of the temple enshrines another Cintamanicakra statue, which was the personal guardian Buddhist image of the mother of Hotta Masatora (1662-1729), who was demoted from Omiya, Shimotsuke Province, to Fukushima, Mutsu Province, and then further to Yamagata, Dewa Province.  Moms' friendship didn't work well for him.

     In 1883, the main hall burned down, but the Kannon-do Hall still remains as it was.

Address: 5 Chome-40-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 112-0012

Phone: 03-3941-0764