Virtual Yamanote 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #4 Saigan-ji Temple

 

     Saigan-ji Temple was founded by Priest Chosatsu in 1616, when Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) died, supported by Naito Tadashige (1586-1653) and the Odagiri Family.  Tadashige later became the lord of the Toba Domain in Shima Province and his third son, Tadakiyo (1621-1690), became a vassal of the Tokugawa Shogunate.  Odagiri Yukinaga (?-1564) was subject to Takeda Harunobu (1521-1573) and was killed in the Third Battle of Kawanakajima, which is also known as the Battle of Uenohara, and in which Harunobu and Nagao Kagetora (1530-1578) clashed against each other over the rule of Shinano Province.  One of his offspring became subject to the Tokugawa Clan after the collapse of the Takeda Clan.

     The temple was first founded where the Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens are located today.  As the Mito Domain built their residence there, the temple was moved to its present place.

     The temple was revived by Priest Gan’yo at the end of the 18th century.

     Saigan-ji Temple has a Buddhist memorial tablet for Asano Naganori (1667-1701) and his 46 vassals.  Who were they? And who presented it for what reason?

     The mother of Kajikawa Yoriteru (1647-1723) was a granddaughter of Yamaoka Kageyuki, who was based in Seta Castle, Omi Province.  Kageyuki's first son, Kagetaka (1525-1585), fought for Shibata Katsuie (1522-1583) in the Battle of Shizugatake in May 1583, and lost to Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598).  After the battle, Kagetaka lived in seclusion in Koka County, Omi Province.  Kageyuki's second son, Kagesuke (1531-1589), became subject to Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) and died in Suruga Province. Kageyuki's third son, Kagenao (?-1599), became a vassal of Ieyasu's second son, Hideyasu (1574-1607).  Kageyuki's fourth son, Kagetomo (1540-1604), became subject to Ieyasu, and died in Fushimi, Kyoto.  Before the Tokugawa and Toyotomi Clans clashed against each other in the Battle of Sekigahara on October 21st, 1600, Kagetomo told his younger brother, Kagemitsu, who is Kageyuki's 6th son, to join the garrison of Fushimi Castle, the Tokugawa Clan’s stronghold near Kyoto, with their 100 Koka ninja.  When the Siege of Fushimi Castle started on July 18th, the number of Koka ninja had increased to 300.  The garrison had 2300 samurai, footsoldiers, and ninja.  They fought well till August 1st. On the day, 40 ninja went over to the Toyotomi Clan and set fire on one of the towers of the castle. More than 800 were killed and the castle fell.  Presumably, Kagemitsu was killed in the siege, and was buried in Shomyo-ji Temple (Address: 1070 Kokachotaki, Koka, Shiga 520-3432) in Koka 15 years after his father’s death.  It wasn't recorded what happened to Kageyuki's 6th son, Kagefuyu.  Kageyuki's 7th son, Kageshige, became a vassal of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and his daughter was married to Toki Yorihiro (?-1677), and gave birth to Yoriteru (1647-1723), who was adopted by Kajikawa Wakeshige (?-1664).  She made a Buddhist memorial tablet for Asano Naganori (1667-1701) and his 46 vassals, who were from Ako Domain, Harima Province, and presented it to Saigan-ji Temple.

     What relation did she have with them?  The answer is her love for her son, Yoriteru, and her concern over his reputation.

     Yoriteru received a salary of 126000 liters of rice a year, when a man was supposed to eat 180 liters of rice a year.  When Naganori tried to kill Kira Yoshihisa (1641-1703) in Edo Castle on March 14th, 1701, Yoriteru stopped Naganori’s criminal act, and got a raise of 90000 liters of rice a year for his crime prevention.  Naganori was ordered to kill himself on that day.  On December 15th, 1704, Naganori’s 47 samurai killed Yoshihisa for their late lord.  The “vengeance” brought samurai and ordinary people in Edo in a state of flaming.  The flaming brought Yoriteru under harsh trolling for his “merciless” deed.  We can find a private diary with trolling against Yoriteru’s offspring even at the end of the Tokugawa Period.  The mother’s love and concern were hardly rewarded.

Address: 1 Chome-12-12 Kasuga, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 112-0003

Phone: 03-3811-3715

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens

Address: 1 Chome-6-6 Koraku, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 112-0004

Phone: 03-3811-3015