Virtual Tama Aqueduct Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #13 Kannon-ji Temple

 

     Priest Jikkai, the 14th priest of Muryoju-ji Temple in Kawagoe, founded Enjo-ji Temple in Odawara, Sagami Province, at the beginning of the 16th century.  It was burned in a battle and was moved to Unane Village, Tama County, Musashi Province, in the 1570's.  In those days, Hojo Ujitsuna (1487-1541) fought against Satomi Yoshitoyo (1497-1534) in Awa Province, Ashikaga Yoshiaki (?-1538), the Oyumi Kanto Deputy Shogun in Shimousa Province, Uesugi Tomosada (1525-1546), the head of the Ogigayatsu-Uesugi Clan in Musashi Province.    The temple was burned down again in those battles.  The priest of the temple at the time avoided the temple name, Enjo, the same pronunciation with "going up in flames", changed it Kannon-ji, and moved it to its present place.

     The story sounds somewhat suspicious.  There must have been something behind it.  Ujitsuna's father, Ise Shinkuro (1456-1519), came to the Kanto Region to become a Warring-States-Period hero.  He occupied Odawara Castle in 1495.  In less than a decade, Jikkai moved to Odawara from Kawagoe, where the Ogigayatsu-Uesugi Clan was based.  As the Later Hojo Clan advanced to Musashi Province, so moved the temple.  Just a coincidence?  Or did Sozui invite a person who knew the inside stories of Kawagoe?  He always worked out strategies and tactics carefully.

     Long time ago, Hermit Senho removed the seawater in Senba, Tama County, Musashi Province, at the north-eastern edge of the Musashi Plateau, and he enshrined the Amitabha statue there.

     If he/she lived 6,000 years ago, when the seawater washed against the plateau directly, and lived for millenia, it's quite possible.

     In 830, Ennin (794-864) changed it into a temple and named it Muryoju-ji.  After 1301, Kita-in and other branch temples were built.  When Ujitsuna and Tomosada fought for a decade, the temple was burned down in 1537.

     Osobi Mikuma Moved from the Hii River Basin in Izumo Province to Musashi Province and developed a manor in the 8th century.  He founded Hikawa, or Hi River, Shrine, which is located about 15 kilometers east of Kawagoe and whose 280 branch shrines are located in Musashi Province.  Kannon-ji Temple had Unane-Hikawa Shrine in its precincts.

     All in all, Jikkai could have extensive connections in Musashi Province.

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