Virtual Yamanote 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #2 Shogen-ji Temple

 

     Shogen-ji Temple was founded by Priest Sogaku (?-1627) at Kojimachi and was moved to Kagurazaka, Ushigome, in 1613.  It was burned down in the 1657 Meireki Great Fire and was revived by Priest Daishin (?-1661).

     One day at the turn of the 18th century, Tokumon, the 4th priest of the temple, was about to board a ferry boat, and a monkey held his Buddhist robe with its mouth.  He missed the boat, saw off it, and it sank before his eyes.  The priest built a stone monkey statue, and the temple was commonly called Saru-dera, namely Monkey Temple, since then.  A tall story?  Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (1646-1709) was the 5th Shogun at the time, and he issued orders to protect animals.  

     At the end of the 17th century, the temple became a family temple of the Toda Family.

     Toda Tadamasa (1632-1699) was adopted by his uncle,Tadayoshi (1586-1647), and became the lord of Tahara Domain in Mikawa Province on August 21st, 1647.

     It was, however, in 1659 that he first visited the domain.

     In May, 1664, he was promoted to the lord of Amakusa Domain in Higo Province, and moved to tomioka Castle there.  In 1670, to lighten the burden on his people, he tore down the main and second mottes of the castle, and made the third motte his residence and office.

     After 1671, he basically worked in Edo, excluding a short period when he worked for the Kyoto Administrative Office of the Tokugawa Shogunate as its executive.

     On August 28th, 1684, the Premier, Hotta Masatoshi (1634-1684), was assassinated by Inaba Masayasu (1640-1684), a vice-minister, in Edo Castle.  Tadamasa killed Masayasu on the spot.

     Since ancient times, Japanese navigation lagged behind those of Korea and China.  Even at the beginning of the Edo Period, the inshore line played the most important role.  Kawamura Zuiken (1618-1699) developed the offshore lines to Edo.  Many important ports were at the mouths of rivers, and they were often blocked up by sedimentary earth and sand.  Zuiken had an idea that the forest conservation in upper streams and the flood control in the lower reaches should be managed in integration, which would increase the cost in a short-sighted view.

     In 1674, the Yodo River in Settsu Province flooded.  When Masayasu made an inspection of the river, Zuiken showed him.

     In Osaka from 1684, when Masayasu assassinated Masatoshi, to 1688, Zuiken cut out the Aji River through Kujo Island.  He also widened the O, Dojima, and Sonezaki Rivers.  From 1698 to 1699, he cut out the Horie River and Jusangen Canal.  He also straightened the Kizu River by cutting through Namba Island.  It is unknown whether the assassination had any positive or negative influence on the erosin and flood management or not at all.

     Tadamasa died on September 10th, 1699.  Although he had his territories here and there, he had no provincial domain to make it his homeland, and he chose Shogen-ji Temple as his family temple.

     In 1909, it was moved to its present place.

Address: 1 Chome-27-3 Kamitakada, Nakano City, Tokyo 164-0002

Phone: 03-3361-2345