Virtual Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #26 En'yu-ji Temple

 

     En'yu-ji Temple was founded by Priest Shuyu Taiko (?-1508).

     There is a cave about 1.5 kilometers south-south-east of En'yu-ji Temple.  The cave was a holy place in the 9th century at the latest.  Tradition says Kukai (774-835) built a homa-mandala or fire altar in the cave.  Priest Ken'nichi (1241-1316), who was the second son of Emperor Go-Saga (1220-1272), practiced zazen in the cave.

     Chichibu Shigehiro built a hall in front of the cave and enshrined the statue of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses.  Shigehiro belonged to a branch family of the Chichibu Clan.  Shigehiro’s 1st son, Shigeyoshi, lived in Hatakeyama and started calling his family Hatakeyama.  Shigeyoshi and his son, Shigetada (1164-1205) supported the hall.  On June 19th, 1205, however, Shigetada left his hometown in Obusuma County, Musashi Province, with 130-strong cavalry to answer the emergency call from Kamakura.  When he arrived at Futamata River, what he faced was an army of tens of thousands strong.  He realized he was trapped.  Instead of retreating, he made up his mind to die with a good grace.  It was his old friend, Adachi Kagemori (?-1248), who charged at him first.

     The Arya Avalokitesvara statue has been moved to En'yu-ji Temple.

Address: 348 Shimokagemori, Chichibu, Saitama 369-1871

Phone: 0494-23-8838