Virtual Tama Aqueduct Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #18 Joko-ji Temple

 

     Joko-ji Temple was founded presumably by the Oba Family, who had their graves for generations in the temple, in 1444, when the Kanto Region was at the edge of the Warring States Period.

     Ashikaga Yoshinori (1394-1441), the 6th Central Shogun of Muromachi Shogunate, forced Ashikaga Mochiuji (1398-1439), the 4th Kanto Deputy Shogun, into suicide.  Yuki Ujitomo (1402-1441) sheltered Mochiuji’s 2 sons, Shun'o-maru and Yasuo-maru, in his castle, and rebelled against Yoshinori in March, 1440.  On July 29, Yuki Castle was surrounded by the overwhelming strength of the shogunate army, which Tanenao joined.  The outcome was self-evident from the very beginning.  Yet, the Yuki Family held the castle for nearly a year.  On April 16, 1441, the castle finally fell.  Ujitomo and his son were killed in fighting.  Shun'o-maru and Yasuo-maru were arrested and were to be transferred to Kyoto.  On their way, at Tarui, Mino Province, however, they were killed and left their death poems:

“Summer weeds,

Their flowers blooming in Aono Field

Who knows their future?” (Shuno-maru)

“Who knows the future?

Our lives are to be limited today

Here away from home.” (Yasuo-maru)

     Mochiuji’s youngest son, Eiju-maru, survived, became the 5th Kanto Deputy Shogun in 1449, and was given an adult name Shigeuji (1434-1497).

     Who were the Oba Family?

     Oba Kageyoshi (1128-1210) supported Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) in his rebellion against the Taira Clan and his establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate.  His son, Kagekane, disappeared when Wada Yoshimori (1147-1213) rebelled against Hojo Yoshitoki (1163-1224).

     On the Incident of Kajiwara Kagetoki (?-1200) in 1199-1200, Yoshimori conspired with the Hojo Clan.  On the Incident of Hiki Yoshikazu (?-1203) in 1203, He conspired with the clan again.  On the Incident of Hatakeyama Shigetada (1164-1205) in 1205, he conspired with the clan again.  In 1213, however, he was provoked to fight against the clan only to be defeated.

     Kagekane's brother, Kagetsura, was appointed to be a guardian samurai in a manor in Bingo Province later in the year, so the Oba Family wasn't destroyed as the Wada Family was.  Under the Kamakura Shogunate (1185-1333), Oba Fusahide became subject to the Kira Family and moved to Setagaya, Tama County, Musashi Province.  In the Warring States Period, which started in 1467, the Kira Family became subject to the Later Hojo Clan.  After the collapse of the clan in 1590, Oba Nobuhisa, the head of the family, chose to become a farmer.

     However, in 1633 under the Tokugawa Shogunate, the Ii Family came to rule Setagaya, and Nobuhisa's son, Morinaga, was appointed as a local administrator.  8 generations later, Oba Yajuro was promoted to samurai in 1830.

Address: 1 Chome-38-20 Setagaya, Setagaya City, Tokyo 154-0017

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