Virtual Yamanote 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #5 Kogaku-ji Temple

 

     According to tradition of Denzu-in Temple (the Old Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #12):  In Autumn, 1415, Priest Shogei (1341-1420) opened a hermitage in Koishikawa, perhaps for retirement.  He named it Jukyo-ji.  On August 28th, 1602, Odai, the mother of Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) died in Fushimi Castle, Kyoto.  He brought his mother’s body to Edo, cremated the body in Chiko-ji Temple at Otsuka, Koishikawa Village, Toshima County, Musashi Province.  He moved Jukyo-ji Temple to the present place (Address: 3 Chome-14-6 Koishikawa, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 112-0002; Phone: 03-3814-3701), buried her ashes in the precincts, and named the temple Denzu-in, after a part of her posthumous Buddhist name.  Odai’s Buddhist memorial tablet was, however, enshrined in Anraku-ji Temple in Mikawa Province, where her second husband, Hisamatsu Toshikatsu (1526-1587) had been buried.

     According to tradition of Kogaku-ji Temple:  Odai died much earlier when the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute was fought between Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) in 1584.  Owari Province was one of its main battle fields, and Odai lived in Mikawa Province, which lay just east to Owari Province.  Ieyasu had Odai evacuate far from the battle line to Shinano Province.  She died in Komoro, Saku County, Shinano Province, and was buried temporarily there.  After Ieyasu moved to Edo in 1590, he cremated her body afresh at Takehaya, Koishikawa Village, Toshima County, Musashi Province.  The 4th priest of Denzu-in Temple, Mon’etsu (?-1645), suggested to the Tokugawa Shogunate that a temple be founded at the site of the crematorium.  The temple was founded in 1645 by his leading disciple, Kakudon (?-1654),  and was named Kogaku-ji after another part of Odai’s posthumous Buddhist name.  If this tradition was the truth, who was the woman who met Kodai-in (?-1624) and Emperor Go-Yozei (1571-1617) in 1602?  Her double?

     The temple burned down in the 1657 Meireki Great Fire and in the 1772 Meiwa Great Fire.  Priest Kanryo revived the temple.  After the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, Tokyo University of Education moved to Otsuka in 1924, and the temple was moved to Tobitakyu, Chofu Town, Tokyo Prefecture.  As the Chofu Flying Field was constructed, the temple was moved to its present place.  As there was nothing but farmlands between the 2 sites, the temple buildings were moved as they were.

     The precincts have Kannon-do Hall, which enshrines an Arya Avalokitesvara statue, which is said to have been carved by Prince Shotoku (574-622).

Address: 1 Chome-36-1 Fujimicho, Chofu, Tokyo 182-0033

Phone: 042-488-5548