Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #30 Daijo-in Temple

 

     Nothing is known about Daijo-in Temple.  As Daijo-zan Zenpuku-ji Temple is located in Setagaya, the temple might have changed its name in 1974, when it was registered.

     Forming religious congregations or lay groups was very popular in the Edo Period.  The Tokugawa Shogunate was also very tolerant and lenient toward the formation of the congregations of authorized Buddhism and Shintoism.

     The believers of Nichiren Buddhism, a branch of Mahayana Buddhism, formed congregations too, which were called Hokkeko, namely Lotus Sutra Congregations.  In 1937, the Soka Educational Society was founded as one of the Lotus Sutra Congregations.  The society was repressed during World War II, and became very active after the war.  Their vigor, however, led to the split of Nichiren Buddhism.  In 1977, the priest of Zenpuku-ji Temple, who was critical of the society, formed the Shoshin Society together with some priests and parishioners.  In 1980, the society was excluded from Nichiren Buddhism, with the compromise that the excluded priests could stay in their temples until their death.  The priest died in 2007, and the temple was returned to Nichiren Buddhism.  In such a chaos, the prehistory of the temple can be hardly traced back.

Zenpuku-ji Temple

Address: 2 Chome-3-21 Seijō, Setagaya City, Tokyo 157-0066

Phone: 03-3416-7950

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #29 Jizo-do Temple

 

     We can still find a couple of Ksitigarbha statues in Daizawa.  If the Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #29 Jizo-do Temple had been one of them, the information could have been handed down.  A temple with Ksitigarbha as its main deity and with an Avalokitesvara statue as the #29 deity of the Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage might have been abolished with its history totally unknowable.

Address: Daizawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 155-0032

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #28 Shingan-ji Temple

 

     Shingan-ji Temple was founded in Kitazawa Village, Ebara County, Musashi Province, in 1608 by Priest Sonko (?-1655), supported by the Late Yuki Hideyasu (1574-1607).

     Hideyasu was born as the second son of Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), by Oman, a handmaiden to Lady Tsukiyama, Ieyasu’s lawful wife.  When Oman became pregnant, Ieyasu feared his wife's wrath, and sheltered Oman in the home of his retainer Honda Shigetsugu (1529-1596).  Oman is said to have given birth to twins, which was believed to be ominous and sinister at the time.  It was not until age three that Hideyasu met Ieyasu.

     Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) demanded the death of Ieyasu’s first son, Nobuyasu (1559-1579.  After Nobuyasu’s suicide, it was, however, Ieyasu’s third son, Hidetada (1579-1632), who became the heir of the Tokugawa Family’s headship.  Hideyasu, instead, was given in adoption (in reality as a hostage) to the childless Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) in 1584.  In 1589, a natural son was born to Hideyoshi, and Hideyoshi began to give his adopted sons in adoption to other warlords to avoid a potential conflict over the succession. Hideyasu was given in adoption in 1590 to Yuki Harutomo (1534-1614) of Shimousa Province.  After Ieyasu defeated the Toyotomi Clan in 1600, Hideyasu was given all of Echizen Province as his fief.  In 1604, he was allowed to take the surname Matsudaira.

     Hideyasu died, possibly from syphilis in 1607, at the age of 34.  He was cremated in Koken-ji Temple in Echizen Province, which belonged to Chan Buddhism, in which the Yuki Family had faith, but he had had a wish to build a Pure-Land-Buddhism temple and entomb some of his cremated bones there.  The Tokugawa Family believed in Pure Land Buddhism.  Accordingly, Unsho-ji Temple was founded in Echizen Province, and Shingan-ji Temple was founded near Edo.  Hideyasu might have wanted to die as a member of the Tokugawa Family.

     In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Kitazawa River Valley was developed, and Kitazawa Village was formed.

Address: 3 Chome-27-1 Daizawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 155-0032

Phone: 03-3421-1730

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #27 Ensen-ji Temple

     The statue of Prince Shotoku (574-622) was enshrined along Karasuyama River in Ebara County, Musashi Province, in the latter half of the 14th century.  A village was formed around the hall, and it was called Taishido Village, namely Prince Shotoku Hall Village, presumably when the Later Hojo Clan ruled the Kanto Region.  After the clan was destroyed and Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) moved to the Kanto Region in 1590, the population of Edo increased and Monk Kenkei found his business chance in the region.  He visited the region with his statue of Prince Shotoku and that of Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha.  He had an affinity with Taishido Village, which had their own statue of Prince Shotoku, and founded Ensen-ji Temple in 1595.  His Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha might have become the #27 deity of the Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

Address: 3 Chome-30-8 Taishido, Setagaya City, Tokyo 154-0004

Phone: 03-3414-2013

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Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #26 Tamon-ji Temple

 

     Kira Haruie was given Setagaya County in 1366 by Ashikaga Motouji (1340-1367), the first Deputy Shogun in Kamakura.  Kira Shigetaka built Setagaya Castle at the turn of the 15th century.  He developed the junction area of Kitazawa and Karasuyama Rivers in the 1470's and 80's, and called the area Mishuku.  He also built a fortress on the western hill between the 2 rivers.  Vaisravana was enshrined in the fortress as its guardian god.  As Vaisravana is also called Tamon-ten in Japan, the fortress was called Tamonji as well as Mishuku.  The fortress functioned as the eastern defense of Setagaya Castle till the end of the Warring States Period in 1590.

     Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, Buddhism became a state religion, and the Mishuku villagers made Tamon-ji Temple as their family temple.  After the collapse of the shogunate, Shinto became a state religion, and the villagers transferred the temple to Mishuku Shrine in panic.  Accordingly, a graveyard borders on the shrine.  They applied to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government with Vaisravana its main deity.  An official rewrote it in front of the villagers to Omononushi, a Japanese-made god related with Mount Miwa in Sakurai, Yamato Province, detesting Vaisravana, an exotic god.

     The membership of the Tama Aqueduct 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #26 was moved to Shokoku-ji Temple, the #33 of the Tama Aqueduct 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

Mishuku Shrine

Address: 2-27-6 Mishuku, Setagaya City, Tokyo 154-0005

Trees In the Town

“Samuhara Shrine: Shinto Site with Mystic Protective Relic”

 

     “Samuhara” is a mystic phrase as Google Map implies in the shrine’s name.

     Some argue Samuhara was deprived from samvara in Sanscrit.  Others say the phrase was from sal-ala in Korean.

     Kato Kiyomasa (1562-1611) claimed he returned from Korea to Japan safe thanks to the phrase carved on his sword.

     In 1782, a farmer shot a pheasant with an arrow, but it didn't hit it.  Furthermore, it didn't even try to escape.  Other better archers competed in vain.  When they barely caught the pheasant, they found the phrase Samuhara on its back.

     In 1799, a crane was caught in Fukuoka, and the phrase "Samuhara" was found on the wings of the crane.  As a crane was believed to be a sign of longevity, people carried the phrase written on a strup of paper.

     Modern cases can be found on the signboards of the shrine.

Samuhara Shrine

Address: 2 Chome-5-26 Itachibori, Nishi Ward, Osaka, 550-0012

Phone: 06-6538-2251

Samuhara Talisman Distribution Office

Address: 4 Chome-6-10 Hiranomachi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 541-0046

Phone: 06-6538-2251

Samuhara Shrine Okunomiya

Address: 900-3 Kamocho Nakabara, Tsuyama, Okayama 709-3931

Phone: 06-6231-3481

Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage in My Order (9)

 The #16 Deity of the Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

   The #16 deity of the Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage has experienced a checkered history.

     An image of Sakra, who is the ruler of the Trayastrimsa Heaven in Buddhist cosmology, was carved in the 11th century.  It is unknown when Washo-in Temple was founded, but it was after the sculpture of the image, which was brought to the temple after its foundation and was remade into an Avalokitesvara image.　

     The image is enshrined in the main hall of Joenji Temple today.  It is believed that it was originally a colored image, but no coloring remains, and its grains are exposed.  Except for the tip of the right wrist, the tip of the left arm, the belongings, and the tip of both ankles, everything is carved from a single tree.  There is no inner cavity.  A high topknot is tied on the head, and a crown base is also carved out.  A streak of hair crosses over each ear. The shape of the earlobe is unknown because the tips of the ear are missing.   Its eyes are also carved out.  The presence or absence of nostrils is also unknown due to wear.  Its uniform is notable for its wearing of armor with a stand-up collar.  The armor is expressed with a pattern of one vertical line and three horizontal lines passing through its chest.  Over the armor, it wears a kimono diagonally from the left shoulder.  The sleeves hang down, representing another kimono worn under the armor.  In addition, the lower half of the body is worn with another kimono.  Currently, it has nothing in its right hand.  Its left hand bends from the tip of its arm to pick up a water vase, which was added when it was transformed into Avalokitesvara.  It wears no shoes on its feet today.

     It is a single piece of wood with no inner mound, and structurally shows an old style. Although it is worn due to decay, it is characterized by a dynamic expression using the wave pattern that remains on the outer part of both sleeves. The face part is worn, but shows a gentle appearance.

     Due to an old-fashioned style in the expression of the wave style clothing, the structure without inner walls, the shallow carving with its gentle face, the image is presumed to have been carved in the 11th century.

     It is currently enshrined as a statue of Avalokitesvara, but since it is a statue in armor, it could have been originally created as a statue of either Sakra or Brahma.  Brahma statues are sometimes depicted wearing armor like the statues of Toshodai-ji Temple, but since most of them are wearing a robe, there is a high possibility that this standing statue is Sakra.

     Sculptures in the 11th century are rare in Osaka City.

     The Sakra statue was not originally handed down to Joen-ji Temple, but was deity of Wako-in Temple, which was the original #16 temple of the Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  The statue was known as Fujinodana Kannon (near 6-chome Tanimachi), which was mentioned in "Setsuyo Gundan" and "Settsu Meisho Zue Taisei".  Washo-in Temple was destroyed by fire in 1863 and moved to Shinmachi, Nishi Ward.  Presumably, the temple was abolished after the Meiji Restoration in 1868.  The statue moved to Hoshaku-an Temple in Mino City and then returned to Osaka in recent years.

     Having visited the original location of Washo-in Temple before, I visited Joko-ji Temple this time.

     As they detected abnormal noises, my train travel to Tsukamoto Station along JR Tokai Line became somewhat chaotic and my arrival was delayed.  Yet, its station square was very quiet.  It was one of many deserted station roads in Japan today with a deserted shopping street.

     I crossed a couple of traffic signals to find a kindergarten filled with the cheers of children.  It is often the case that a temple has an affiliated kindergarten.  I walked around it and found a Buddhist-temple-like building deep in the schoolyard with children running in front of it.  On the other side of the kindergarten, I found its gate.  In front of the gate, there stood a stone monument with the name of Josei-ji.  I made ding-dong only to be refused to worship in the temple.

     Later, I was walking through Shinmachi to find the trace of the relocated Washo-in Temple.  It was a waste of time.  The expulsion of Buddhism after the Meiji Restoration and the urbanization after World War II wiped out signs of things premodern.  Samuhara Shrine was in the nearby area, but it was founded in 1950 and was moved to Itachibori in 1961.  It’s quite modern.  I found a Presbyterian church in Shinmachi itself.  It was founded in 1879.  It’s quite modern, too.

     As religious institutions have tended to concentrate in an area, Washo-in Temple might have moved in this area.

     Anyway, I walked from Honmachi Station to Ashiharabashi Station.  It means I walked between the Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #31 and #32.  The location could have been convenient for their pilgrims, too.

     As the #16 deity of the Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage wandered around Osaka, so did I without finding any fruit.

Washo-in Temple

Address: 6 Chome-6-11 Tanimachi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 540-0012

Hoshaku-bo Temple

Address: 1-19 Minokoen, Mino, Osaka, 562-0002

Joen-ji Temple

Address: 3 Chome-10-4 Shinkitano, Yodogawa Ward, Osaka, 532-0025

Phone: 06-6304-0840

Samuhara Shrine

Address: 2 Chome-5-26 Itachibori, Nishi Ward, Osaka, 550-0012

Phone: 06-6538-2251

Osakanishi Church

Address: 3 Chome−1−12 Shinmachi, Nishi Ward, Osaka

Phone: 06-6531-6680

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #25 Saicho-ji Temple

 

     Saicho-ji Temple was founded in Simouma-Hikisawa Village, Ebara County, Musashi Province, in 1574 by Priest Ryuko, who had studied in Shaka-in Temple in Mt. Koya.

     In the 1560's, the Uesugi Terutora (1530-1578) from Echigo Province and Takeda Hrunobu (1521-1573) from Kai Province invaded the Kanto Region to solve their domestic starvation.  It was in the 1570's that Hojo Ujimasa (1539-1590) secured the region.

     Preist Yushu (?-1672) revived the temple, supported by Okubo Tadakatsu (1524-1601).  Yushu transplanted a koyamaki or a Japanese umbrella-pine tree from Mt. Koya, which has become very big and tall after centuries.

     In the chaotic period at the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the temple became priest-less and devastated.  In 1892, Keisho came from Mt. Koya to the temple as its 10th priest.  He engaged in ascetic practices in its Bhaisajyaguru hall for 1,000 days, avoiding having grain or cereals.  He was inspired to cure people with moxibustion he mastered in Mt. Koya.  His moxibustion became popular as psychic.  The temple bell was casted with metals presented by the cured in 1899. 

Address: 2 Chome-11-6 Shimouma, Setagaya City, Tokyo 154-0002

Phone: 03-3421-1616

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #24 Ryuun-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when, why, and how Chiken-ji Temple was founded in Shimouma-Hikisawa Village, Ebara County, Musashi Province, where Asahi Elementary School is located.  The temple declined, and Priest Setsugai inherited the precincts and founded Ryuun-ji Temple there in 1699.  The temple was badly damaged in the 1855 Edo Earthquake, and was moved to Nozawa Village, which had been newly developed in Ebara County in the 1640's.  After World War II, the area was rezoned and the temple was moved to its present place.

Address: 3 Chome-38-1 Nozawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 154-0003

Phone: 03-3421-0238

Asahi Elementary Scool

Address: 1 Chome-4-3 Nozawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 154-0003

Phone: 03-3424-1337

The Former Ryuun-ji Temple

Address: 3 Chome-40 Nozawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 154-0003

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #23 Soen-ji Temple

 

     Hojo Sakontaro (?-1317) founded Komadome-Hachiman Shrine in Kamima-Hikisawa Village, Ebara County, Musashi Province, in 1308.

     Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) established the Kamakura Shogunate and became the first Shogun.  After the third Shogun, Sanetomo (1192-1219), was assassinated, Yoritomo's line died out.  It was the Kujo Family, an aristocratic family in Kyoto, that provided the 4th and 5th Shoguns.  As the family's power increased both in Kyoto and Kamakura, the Royal Family and the Hojo Clan, who provided the Regents of the Kamakura Shogunate, conspired and carried out the forced repatriation of the 5th Shogun, Fujiwara Yoritsugu (1239-1256), from Kamakura to Kyoto.  From the 6th to the 9th, the Royal Family provided the Kamakura Shoguns.  In 1308, Prince Morikuni (1301-1333) was inaugurated as the 9th Shogun, who was the last Shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate.

     All in all, the year 1308 might have been Sakontaro's happiest days.  He was also lucky enough to have died in 1317.  In 1333, at the end of the Kamakura Shogunate, the Hojo Clan members committed mass suicide in Tosho-ji Temple in Kamakura.

     Monk Soen built a hermitage near Komadome-Hachiman Shrine.  Priest Shozon changed the hermitage to Komadome-Hachiman Shrine's shrine temple, and named it Soen-ji sometime between 1624 and 1645, when the danka system was being established by the Tokugawa Shogunate.  Under the system, the Tokugawa Clan made the affiliation with a Buddhist temple compulsory to all citizens.

Address: 3 Chome-6-8 Kamiuma, Setagaya City, Tokyo 154-0011

Phone: 03-3422-5961

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #22 Toko-ji Temple

 

     Kira Haruie founded Toko-ji Temple in Fusuma Village, Ebara County, Musashi Province, in 1365 to pray for the comfort of his son, Chikamoto (1356-1365), in the other world.

     6 generations later, Kira Yoriyasu (?-1562) revived Toko-ji Temple, inviting Priest Zenryo (?-1566).

     The precincts have the graves and the Buddhist tablets of Chikatomo and Yoriyasu.

     The locals didn't like their place name Fusuma, and changed it to Yakumo in 1964.

Address: 1 Chome-9-11 Yakumo, Meguro City, Tokyo 152-0023

Phone: 03-3717-8618

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #21 Konzo-in Temple

 

     Konzo-in Temple was founded by Priest Raiei at the turn of the 17th century.

     The Acalanatha statue enshrined in the temple was carved in either Yamabe County or Hirose County in Yamato Province in 1468, a year after the outbreak of the Onin War, which lasted till 1477.  The war initiated the Warring States Period.  It is unknown why and how the statue was moved from Yamato Province to Musashi Province.

Address: 2 Chome-4-26 Yakumo, Meguro City, Tokyo 152-0023

Phone: 03-3717-1596

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #20 Seiko-ji Temple

 

     The Nanjo Family became farmers and called themselves Tanioka after the collapse of the Later Hojo Clan in 1590.

     The Later Hojo Clan ranked their vassals according to when they became subject to the clan.  The Nanjo Family was ranked in the Odawara Group.  That means the family became subject to the Later Hojo Clan after the clan occupied Odawara Castle in 1495.

     When Nanjo Shigenaga was the head of the family, he was given Todoro Fortress in Fukasawa, Ebara County, Musashi Province, partly because he fought well in the Battle of Konodai in 1564 and mainly because the Later Hojo Clan wanted to drive a wedge into the Kira Family's rule over Setagaya.

     In 1564, Shigenaga's father, Shigeyori, founded Fukasawa Shrine.  Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, they founded its shrine temple and named it Seiko-ji.  After the Meiji Restoration, the temple was abolished.

Fukasawa Shrine

Address: 5 Chome−11−1 Fukasawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0081

Phone: 03-3701-8595

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Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #19 Daion-ji Temple

 

     According to "Setagaya Castle Meizan Tokiwaki", Kira Yoriyasu (?-1562), who was subject to the Later Hojo Clan, built Okuzawa Fortress in Ebara County, Musashi Province, and stationed Ohira Dewanokami there.  The Ohira Family built another fort in Okuzawa.  As the fort was noisy, it was called Daion, literally Loud Voice, by the locals.  After the collapse of the clan in 1590, Yoriyasu's adopted son, Ujitomo (1543-1603), fled to Kazusa Province, and the Ohira Family evacuated to Todoriki in the same county.  Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, the Watanabe Family ruled the village.

     At the beginning of the 18th century, the Watanabe Family founded Daion-ji Temple, inviting Priest Nen'yo.

Address: 1 Chome-18-3 Okusawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0083

Phone: 03-3720-2855

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #18 Kannon-do Hall

 

     A farmer dug out the head of an earthenware Avalokitesvara statue in Akasaka, Kami-Numabe Village.  The villagers made an earthenware body for the head, built a Kannon-do Hall on one of the 6 ancient burial mounds to enshrine the combined earthenware statue.

Address: 4 Chome Denenchofu, Ota City, Tokyo 145-0071

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #17 Shozen-ji Temple

 

     When Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) invaded the Kanto Region in 1590, more than 3,000 samurai, farmers, women, and children shut themselves in Hachioji Castle.  On June 23rd, the castle fell.  Many of the barricaded killed themselves, and the nearby river turned red with their blood for 3 days and nights.

     The Ochiai Family fled to Kami-Numabe Village, Ebara County, Musashi Province.  The family built a hermitage near one of 6 ancient burial mounds in the village and prayed for the comfort of the dead in the other world.  In 1639, Ochiai Yozaemon and others changed the hermitage into a temple and named it Shozen-ji.

Address: 5 Chome-30-7 Denenchofu, Ota City, Tokyo 145-0071

Phone: 03-3721-3148

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #16 Denjo-ji Temple

 

     Denjo-ji Temple was founded by Priest Ryoko.  Its precincts have old itabi.  One of them dates back to 1374.  As the itabi used the year name Oan, its builder, whose name is unknown, supported the Northern Court.  His support to the Northern Court or the Ashikaga Shogunate didn't pay.

     In ancient times, there used to be the Musashi Seven Corps. The most part of Musashi Province was plateaus deeply covered with volcanic-ash soil, which was suitable for stock farming, not for rice growing. In ancient times, many of the naturalized Silla people then were sent to Musashi Province, and engaged in the stock farming. That stimulated local people there, and many stock farms were set up, including 6 imperial stock farms. The custodians of those farms later formed small-scale would-be-samurai families. By marriage, those would-be-samurai families composed 7 corps on the Musashi Plateaus. The Murayama Corps was one of the 7, and Higashimurayama City was named after the Murayama Corps.

     Then there came the medieval days, the days of samurai. The Musashi Seven Corps basically supported the establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate, the government by samurai, for samurai, and of samurai. Some corps members climbed up the social ladder through the battles to overthrow the ancient establishment, while others remained half-farmer and half-samurai. Through marriage ties, or by blood, those common half-farmer and half-samurai families formed a provincial common ring or mafia, Musashi Hei-ikki, or the Musashi Commonwealth.

     When the Kamakura Shogunate collapsed, they banded together, jumped on the bandwagon, and luckily picked a winner, the Ashikaga Clan.  During the South and North Courts Period, they banded together and picked a winner, the Ashikaga Clan.  After the establishment of the Ashikaga Shogunate, there broke out the Kanno Incident in 1351, basically the infighting within the Ashikaga Clan, they banded together and picked a winner, Takauji (1305-1358).  Under the first Kanto Deputy Shogun, Ashikaga Motouji (1340-1367), and the first Regent of the Kanto Deputy Shogunate, Hatakeyama Kunikiyo (?-1362), they banded together and distinguished themselves in battles.  When Motouji feuded with Kunikiyo, they banded together and picked a winner.  Uesugi Noriaki (1306-1368) became the Regent, and the Kanto Deputy Shogunate became settled.  Peace at last?  The Establishment were always driven with lust.  Once the tug-of-war among them was settled, they set their eyes on common samurai.  What the Musashi Commonwealth had achieved by distinguishing themselves in battles were deprived.  The Musashi Hei-ikki Revolt broke out in 1368.  This time, their unity was split as the divide and rule was the old trick of the establishment.

     As an unknown samurai, the builder of the itabi might have experienced his downhill with other members of the Musashi Commonwealth.

Address: 2 Chome-10-3 Oyamadai, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0086

Phone: 03-3701-5534

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #15 Zen'yo-ji Temple

 

     Zen'yo-ji Temple was founded in Fukasawa Village, Ebara County, Musashi Province.  When Yuei (?-1652) was its priest at the beginning of the Edo Period (1603-1867), he studied at Chishaku-in Temple in Kyoto.  When he returned to Zen'yo-ji Temple, he found it had fallen into ruin.  He moved it to its present place.

Address: 2 Chome-7-11 Noge, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0092

Phone: 03-3704-0643

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #14 Joshin-ji Temple

 

     According to "Setagaya Castle Meizan Tokiwaki", Kira Yoriyasu (?-1562), who was subject to the Later Hojo Clan, built Okuzawa Fortress in Ebara County, Musashi Province, and stationed Ohira Dewanokami there.  Dewanokami founded Nenbutsu-in Hermitage in the fortress.  After the collapse of the clan in 1590, Yoriyasu's adopted son, Ujitomo (1543-1603), fled to Kazusa Province, and the Ohira Family abolished the fortress and evacuated to Todoriki, Ebara County, Musashi Province.  The hermitage was left in the site of the fortress.

     After the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1603, the village head, Shichizaemon, purchased the site in 1675, and asked Priest Kaseki to found Joshin-ji Temple as the successor of Nenbutsu-in Hermitage in 1678.

     Kaseki had killed his cruel and inhuman superior, became a Buddhist monk, and retreated to Oshima Village, Toshima County, Musashi Province.  He carved 9-types of statues of Amitabha with 9-types of mudra.  Each type of statue represented each rank of Varga, how people went to Heaven.  People were classified to each Varga according to what Kusala-mula they had.  It was something like the nine rank system in China.  Kaseki brought the 9 statues to Joshin-ji Temple.

Address: 7 Chome-41-3 Okusawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0083

Phone: 03-3701-2029

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #13 Mangan-ji Temple

 

     Mangan-ji Temple was founded in Todoroki, Ebara County, Musashi Province, in the 12th century, and was revived by the Kira Family in 1470.

     The Nanjo Family became farmers and called themselves Tanioka after the collapse of the Later Hojo Clan.

     The Later Hojo Clan ranked their vassals according to when they became subject to the clan.  The Nanjo Family was ranked in the Odawara Group.  That means the family became subject to the Later Hojo Clan after the clan occupied Odawara Castle in 1495.

     When Shigenaga was the head of the family, he was given Todoro Fortress in Fukasawa, Ebara County, Musashi Province partly because he fought well in the Battle of Konodai in 1564 and mainly because the Later Hojo Clan wanted to drive a wedge into the Kira Family's rule over Setagaya.

     In 1564, Shigenaga's father, Shigeyori, moved the temple to Todoroki Fortress.  After the collapse of the Later Hojo Clan in 1590, Shigenaga abolished the fortress and moved the temple to its present place.

Address: 3 Chome-15-1 Todoroki, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0082

Phone: 03-3705-1622

Address: 6 Chome-14-2 Fukasawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0081

Phone: 03-3701-1687

The Site of Todoro Fortress (Tokyo Metropolitan High School of Agriculture and Horticulture)

Address: 5 Chome-33-3 Fukasawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0081

Trees In the Town

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #12 Saiko-ji Temple

 

     According to "Setagaya Castle Meizan Tokiwaki", Kira Yoriyasu (?-1562), who was subject to the Later Hojo Clan, built Okuzawa Fortress in Ebara County, Musashi Province, and stationed Ohira Dewanokami there.  After the collapse of the clan in 1590, Yoriyasu's adopted son, Ujitomo (1543-1603), fled to Kazusa Province, and the Ohira Family evacuated to Todoriki, Ebara County, Musashi Province.  The Koike Family was a vassal or a relative of the Ohira Family, and founded Saiko-ji Temple in their residential lot in Todoriki.  The residence and the temple burned down on February 3rd, 1809.  After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the temple was merged by Mangan-ji Temple and the temple site was changed to the Tamagawa Elementary School, which was moved to its present place in 1917.

The Site of Saiko-ji Temple, the Tamagawa Elementary School

Address: 3 chome−8−8 Todoroki, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0082

Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #11 Kakugan-ji Temple

 

     Kakugan-ji Temple was founded at the bottom of a cliff in Kami-Noge Village, Ebara County, Musashi Province.  Sometime, the temple was moved to the top of the cliff.  Kami means upper, and Noge meant a cliff in the old local dialect.  The oldest grave dates back to 1543.

     The temple’s precincts have Kannon-do Hall, which enshrines the statue of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses.

Address: 2 Chome-15-15 Kaminoge, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0093