Virtual Yamanote 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #7 Gokoku-ji Temple

 

     The Tokugawa Shogunate opened 2 herb gardens in Takada and Asabu in 1638.

     Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (1646-1709),the 5th Shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, abolished the Takada Herb Garden and founded Gokoku-ji Temple in the site 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 has another Cintamanicakra statue, which was the personal guardian Buddhist image of the mother of Hotta Masatora (1662-1729).  The 2 mothers must have shared the same interests.  Masatora, however, was demoted from Omiya, Shimotsuke Province, to Fukushima, Mutsu Province, and then further to Yamagata, Dewa Province.  Moms' friendship between the 2 mothers didn't seem to have worked well for Masatora.

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

     Gokoku-ji Temple is also the #13 member temple of the Modern Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

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

Phone: 03-3941-0764