Virtual Western Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #7 Eisho-ji Temple

 

     Koun-ji Temple was founded by Priest Hokin in 1598 where the Sakurada Gate of Edo Castle was later constructed, supported by Nagai Naomasa (1587-1668).

     When Naomasa was 11 years old, his father, Naokatsu (1563-1626), worked and fought for Tokugawa Nobuyasu (1559-1579).  Then, Nobuyasu's father, Ieyasu (1543-1616), was forced by Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) to have Nobuyasu commit harakiri suicide.  Naokatsu and his family became masterless and jobless.  2 years before the death of Nobunaga, the family was employed by Ieyasu. 

     Even when Naomasa’s father became masterless and jobless, Naomasa’s grandfather, Osada Shigemoto (1504-1593), kept working and fighting for Ieyasu in Ohama, Mikawa Province.  Ohama Port used to be a strategically important point to command the Mikawa Bay.  In 1582, Nobunaga was killed by Akechi Mitsuhide(1528-1582), and Ieyasu had to escape back to Mikawa Province.  It was Shigemoto who offered a ship to pick him up.

     At first, Koun-ji Temple was located where the Sakurada Gate of the Edo Castle was later built.  As the castle was expanded, the temple was moved to Hijiri-zaka Hill, Mita.

     The 4th priest of Koun-ji Temple, Juetsu (?-1635), founded Eisho-ji Temple at the foot of Hijiri-zaka Hill.  He also founded Myoen-ji Temple along the hill.  He must have been an aggressive missionary or businessman.  Priest Shoten (?-1757) moved the temple to its present place.

     The precincts have a Ksitigarbha stone statue, which was dug out from the bottom of the sea in 1837, when the Hama Villa of Tokugawa Shoguns was repaired.  The statue had been buried there with countless human bones.  Where did the bones come from?  It's a mystery.

     Favorably, they had thrown casualties of a great disaster in a marsh along the sea and buried them with the statue to pray for their comfort in the other world.  Maliciously speaking, there could have been a massacre, and they buried the statue, being afraid of the curse.

Address: 2 Chome−1−20 Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0032

Phone: 03-3583-3300

Hijirizaka Hill

Address: Mita, Minato City, Tokyo 108-0073