Virtual Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #20 Iwanoue-do Temple

 

     The Terao Family built the Terao Fortress in Terao, Chichibu County, Musashi Province, on the cliff along Ara River.  About 1 kilometer northeast, there was a smaller cliff downstream along the river, and they founded Ganjo-ji Temple on it.    It might have functioned as a lookout.  The fortress had a shrine, and the hermitage had the statue of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses.

     After the Uesugi Clan was practically destroyed by the Later Hojo Clan in 1546, the Terao Family was caught up in wars and battles.  Finally, Ganjo-ji Temple was burned down in the 1560's.

     The Terao Family disappeared from the military and political scene in the Warring States Period, and so did Ganjo-ji Temple. 

     After the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1603, Uchida Masakatsu made up his mind to revive the temple.  He raised funds from Musashi, Sagami, Suruga, Kazusa, Shimousa, and Kozuke Provinces.  The temple was finally completed in 1673.  As it was on the cliff, it was called Iwanoue-do, namely On-the-Rock Hermitage.

Address: 2169 Terao, Chichibu, Saitama 368-0056

Phone: 0494-23-9419