Virtual Tama Aqueduct Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #15 Eian-ji Temple

 

     Yoan-ji Temple was founded to pray for the comfort of the late Ashikaga Ujimitsu (1359-1398), the second Kanto Deputy Shogun, in the other world in Okuradani, Nkaido, Kamakura, Sagami Province, in 1398.

     Ashikaga Mochiuji (1398-1439), the 4th Kanto Deputy Shogun, started the Eikyo War against Uesugi Norizane (1410-1466), the Regent of the Kanto Deputy Shogunate, in 1438. Mochiuji lost and killed himself in Yoan-ji Temple on February 2nd.  The temple became obsolete.

     Nikaido Morihide was the Secretary of the Administrative Department of the Kanto Deputy Shogunate.  His son, Priest Seisen, revived Yoan-ji Temple in Okura Village, Tama County, Musashi Province, after Okuradani in Kamakura.

     Sometime between 1573 and 1592, the temple was converted from the Linji School to the Tiantai School by Priest Ryoshin.  Sometime between 1655 and 1658, Priest Jokai revived the temple.

     The Ishii Family lived in front of the temple as a farmer under the Tokugawa Shogunate for generations, and they were a branch family of the Kitami Family.  The 6th head of the family, Kaneshige, started the Tamagawa Library.  His son, Shikoku (1778-1861), became the head of the librarians of the shogunate and was a famous scholar of the National Study, a school of Japanese philology and philosophy.

Address: 6 Chome-3-14 Okura, Setagaya City, Tokyo 157-0074