Virtual Tama Aqueduct Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #2 Hotoku-ji Temple

     Hotoku-ji Temple was founded in 1558 by Shirai Shigeyasu, whose father, Mototsune, was the 14th head of the Shirai Family, which had been started by Shirai Tsuneyasu.  Mototsune was subject to Ashikaga Yoshiaki (1493?-1538).

     Kanto Deputy Shoguns used to be based at Kamakura under the Muromachi Shogunate in Kyoto.  The fourth Kanto Deputy Shogun, Ashikaga Mochiuji (1398-1439), turned against the central shogunate in Kyoto in 1423.  He was defeated, and his son, Shigeuji (1434-1497), became based at Koga in Shimousa Province.  The central shogunate sent Ashikaga Masatomo (1435-1491) to Kanto, appointing him as a new deputy shogun in Kanto, but he couldn’t enter Kamakura, obstructed by some powerful Kanto samurai, and became based at Horigoe in Izu Province.  That is, the Kanto Deputy Shogunate was divided into 2.  In 1517, when Ashikaga Takamoto (?-1535) was Koga Kanto Deputy Shogun, his younger brother, Yoshiaki, turned against Takamoto, and became based at Oyumi in Shimousa Province.  That is, the Kanto Deputy Shogunate was divided into 3.

     Ise Shinkuro (1432-1519) came from Kyoto to become a warring-states-period hero, and joined in the mess.  In 1523, Ise Ujitsuna (1487-1541), the son of Shinkuro, changed his surname to Hojo (known as Later Hojo).  In 1532, as Ujitsuna joined forces with Ashikaga Takamoto, Kanto Deputy Shogun in Koga.  In 1538, Oyumi and Koga Kanto Deputy Shoguns clashed against each other in Konodai.  Yoshiaki was killed in the battle, and Koga’s side won.

     What did Mototsune do?  He settled in Seta, Ebara County, Musashi Province, and became a farmer.

     In the Edo Period, there used to be an Avalokitesvara statue, but it burned down in fire.  It is unknown which type of the Avalokitesvara statue it was.

Address: 1 Chome-7-7 Seta, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0095

Phone: 03-3700-3032