Virtual Akigawa 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #33 Ryushu-in Temple

 

     Ryushu-in Temple was founded in 1363.

     In the latter half of the 12th century, Komiya Michitsune officially became the ruler of Akiru Village as the first official head of the family.  When Tsuneyuki was the third head of the family, his 4 brothers were dispatched to Kyushu as manor stewards there. 

     The Komiya Family became a member of the Musashi Shirahata-ikki or the Musashi White-Flag Commonwealth.  Here, the white flag didn't mean surrender but meant their support for the Mitamoto Clan, to which the Ashikaga and Uesugi Clans belonged.  The Minamoto Clan used white flags against red flags of the Taira Clan at the end of the ancient times.  Anyway, after the collapse of Musashi Hei-ikki in 1368, Musashi Shirahata-ikki organized left-over low-ranking samurai of Musashi Heiikki.  Gradually, Musashi Shirahata-ikki was split up into 3 groups geographically at the turn of the 15th century: Joshu-ikki in Kozuke Province, North Bushu-ikki in the northern part of Musashi Province, and South Bushu-ikki in the southern part of Musashi Province, to which the Komiya Family belonged.

     As it was documented that Komiya Noriaki presented a bell to Komiya Shrine in 1463, the family ruled the upper reaches of Aki River relatively steadily in the 1360's.  However, at the beginning of the Warring States Period (1467-1568), Noriaki built the Tokura Fortress on the east ridge of Mt. Usugi (Hinohara, Nishitama District, Tokyo, Tokyo 190-0200), where Aki River runs out of its gorge into a larger valley, presumably to protect the Aki River Valley against the forces in the Kanto Plain.

     The temple burned down in 1723 and 1790, and lost almost all the documents about its history.  The main hall was rebuilt in 1792.

Address: 1422 Otsu, Akiruno, Tokyo 190-0174

Phone: 042-596-4647