Virtual Tama Aqueduct Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #1 Kannon-in Temple

 

     Shimosomeya-Shinmei-sha Shrine was founded in Shimo-Someya Village, Tama County, Musashi Province, in the 1260's.  As its shrine temple, Kannon-in Temple was founded.  Its main deity is the wooden standing statue of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, which is nearly 80 centimeters tall.

     Hishikata Daisaku (1829-1877) was adopted by the Kasuya Family in Shimo-Spmeya Village and became a doctor.  Daisaku was an elder brother of Toshizo (1835-1869), one of the "bakumatsu-ishin" super historic figures, who played active part at the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate and at the beginning of the Meiji Era.

     Fujiwara Fuyutsugu (775-826) became the Prime Minister in Kyoto. He had 8 sons. His 3rd son, Yoshikata, moved up through the aristocratic ladder far slower than his brothers. His son gave up the success in aristocratic society, and followed Minamoto Yoriyoshi (988-1075), when the Imperial Court fought against the Abe Clan in Mutsu Province from 1051 to 1063, the Former Nine Years' War. After the war, Motokata settled in Kasuya Manor, Osumi County, Sagami Province, and called his family Kasuya.

     Kasuya Arisue (?-1203) first fought against Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) when Yoritomo rebelled against the Taira Clan, but transferred to Yoritomo soon. When Yoritomo's youngest brother, Yoshitusne (1159-1189), advanced to Kyoto to suppress their cousin, Minamoto Yoshinaka (1154-1184), Arisue followed Yoshitsune. When Yoshitsune lost his position and was disgraced, he followed Hiki Tomomune to hunt Yoshitsune's remnants in Kyoto. Whenever power struggles among the Minamoto Clan broke out, Arisue was on the winners' side. After Yoritomo's death, his vassals started their own power games. In 1200, the power games turned into a real battle. When Kajiwara Kagetoki (1140-1200) was banished from Kamakura, and was killed on his escape flight to Kyoto in 1200, Arisue captured Kagetoki's friend, Minamoto Takashige. When Hiki Yoshikazu (?-1203) was framed up by Hojo Tokimasa (1138-1215), alas, Arisue's devil's luck ran out, and was killed in battle together with the Hiki Family. He was married to Yoshikazu's youngest daughter.

     Arisue's 3 sons, Arihisa (?-1221), Arinaga (-1221) and Hisasue, fled to Kyoto and became soldiers of Emperor Go-Toba (1180-1239). When the emperor rebelled against the Kamakura Shogunate, the 2 elder brothers were killed in battle. Hisasue was injured in battle in Oido on Kiso River on June 5th. Fed up with being disposable in the Imperial Army, he returned to his homeland, the Kanto Region. He went upstream along a tributary stream of Tama River, made his way into a branch gully of the stream, and settled in the nameless small valley in Musashi Province.  Part of his offspring moved Shimo-Someya Village, or it might have been they that developed the village and founded Shinmei-sha Shrine there.

     Kannon-in Temple is also the #21 member of the Tama River 34 Kannon Pilgrimage.

Address: 3 Chome−10−7  Shiraitodai, Fuchu, tokyo 183-0011

Phone: 042-361-6269