Virtual Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #1 Shimabu-ji Temple

 

     Tachibana Yoshiyuki (910-1007) was born in Kyoto as a son of a high-ranking aristocrat.  At the age of 36, he became a monk under Ryogen (912-985) in Enryaku-ji Temple and got his Buddhist name Shoku. After training at Mt. Kirishima in Hyuga Province and Mt. Sefuri in Chikuzen Province, he entered Mt. Shosha in Harima Province in 966 and founded Engyo-ji      Temple (the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #24), supported by the Provincial Governor, Fujiwara Suetaka.  Since his young days, he was known with his background in mountain ascetic Buddhism.

     He told his student, Gentsu, to visit Chichibu County, Musashi Province, and to enlighten the locals there.  Gentsu visited the county and chanted 40,000 volumes of sutras day and night, and built a sutra mound.  He founded Shimabu-ji Temple, namely 40,000 Volumes Temple in 1007.

Address: 418 Tochiya, Chichibu, Saitama 368-0002

Phone: 0494-22-4525