Virtual Sayama 33 Kannon Pilgrimag #21 Harayama-Kannon-do Temple

     Oishi Sadahisa (1491-1549) used to be based at Yugi Castle, and he built Takigawa Castle in 1521 to guard Musashi Province against the invasion of the Later Hojo Clan, who had unified Sagami Province by 1516.  Kannon-ji Temple was founded in Nakato Village, Tama County, Musashi Province, to guard the North-East of the castle, which was considered to be the unlucky direction.

     In 1524, the Later Hojo Clan advanced on Musashi Province, the domain of the Ogigayatsu-Uesugi Clan.  On their way to Kawagoe Castle, the stronghold of Uesugi Tomosada (1525-1546), who was practically the last head of the Ogigayatsu-Uesugi Clan, the Later Hojo Clan's army set fire to Takigawa Castle on December 14th.

     After 1546, Sadahisa dumped the Uesugi Clans to Hojo Ujiyasu (1515-1571) and adopted Ujiyasu’s third son, Ujiteru (1542-1590), as the husband of his daughter, Hisa (?-1590).  The Oishi Family was half taken over by the Later Hojo Clan.  Sadahisa retired to Tokura Castle.  Ujiteru started building Hachioji Castle in 1571, and moved out of Takigawa Castle in 1587.

     On June 22nd, 1590, Maeda Toshiie (1538-1599) set fire to Takigawa Castle.

     Whether  Kannon-ji Temple in Nakato Village effectively guarded Takigawa Castle is the matter of the angle from which you look at the issue.  Only 2 defeats in more than half a century might not be so bad.  Anyway, after the collapse of the Later Hojo Clan in 1590, the Kanto Region was ruled by the Tokugawa Clan, and the castle became needless, and Kannon-ji Temple didn't have to guard the unlucky direction of the castle.

     When the village developed new rice fields in the first half of the 18th century, the temple was moved to 2 Chome−27−8 Nishimachi, Kokubunji, Tokyo 185-0035, with its Arya Avalokitesvara statue left at the former site.

     Do you remember Takigawa Castle?  Oh well, never mind.  Everybody forgot the castle under the Tokugawa Shogunate, or under Pax Tokugawana, and Takigawa Castle became one of the most well-preserved remains of Medieval castles in Japan.

Address: 3 Chome−85 Chuo, Musshimurayama, Tokyo 208-0003