Virtual Western Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #1 Junryo-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Junryo-ji Temple was founded but it was founded in Iikura according to tradition.  If it was in ancient times that the temple was founded, it was founded in the Iikura Sacred Manor, which was dedicated to Ise Shrine.  The manor was mentioned in Jinpo-sho, namely God Phoenix Extract, which was compiled from 1193 to 1360.  The extract was about the manors owned by Ise Shrine.  As the 6th son of Edo Shigenaga called his family Iikura, his offspring lived in or around the manor.  The last written document that mentioned IIkura Sacred Manor was the letter of complaint that the manor was embezzled by local samurai along with Oba Sacred Manor in Sagami Province.  The letter was dated January 26th, 1469.  In those days in the Kanto Region, the Kyotoku Incident was fought from 1454 to 1482.  Thus, the region plunged into the Warring-States Period.  The letter was addressed to Ota Sukekiyo (1411-1488), the top vassal of the Ogigayatsu-Uesugi Family.  It wasn't written clearly whether Sukekiyo was a wirepuller of those samurai or the shrine just asked for his help.  If the foundation of the temple was in the Warring-States Period, it was founded in Iikura Village, which was under the rule of the Later Hojo Clan in a broad sense.  After Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) moved to Edo in 1590, the city expanded and the village became residential areas.  The triangular area between Azabu East Street, Route 1, and Loop Road No.7 used to be called Morimoto-machi, in which some temples, samurai residences, and lower-ranking samurai's houses were located.  Junryo-ji Temple was one of the temples.

     Due to an old map of Edo, Junryo-ji Temple used to be located on the north side of the residence of Aoki Kazuyoshi (1728-1781), the lord of Asada Domain in Settsu Province.  The residence seems to have been located where Iikura Park is located.

     At the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the residence became accommodations for foreigners one year after the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Japan and the United States was signed in 1858.

     After the Meiji Restoration, the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order was issued in 1868.  In 1869, the temple town of Junryo-ji was included in Iikura 5 Chome, and the temple itself was included in Iikura 5 Chome in 1872.  Presumably, the temple was abolished in those days.

IIkura Park

Address: 1 Chome-21-8 Higashiazabu, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0044

Phone: 03-5114-8803