Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage in My Order (8)

      This time, I visited 3 member temples of the Osaka 33 Pilgrimage by car, which have evacuated from the City of Osaka.

#4 Hoju-ji Temple

     Hoju-ji Temple was founded by Priest Ryofu in 1599 in Nishi-Teramachi, or in today's Toganocho, Kitaward.  Presumably, it burned down in the Siege of Osaka from 1614 to 1615.  Its temple buildings were rebuilt in 1618.  In 1835, the Great Fire of Tenma burned the temple down, and it was rebuilt in 1838.  The first air raid on Osaka lasted for about three and a half hours from 23:57 on March 13rd, 1945, to 03:25.  A total of 274 B-29 heavy bombers attacked Osaka.  Its third wave of 124 bombers of the 73rd Bombardment Wing from Saipan arrived and attacked the Kita and Nishi wards.  The 3 waves of this bombing raid resulted in 3,987 dead and 678 missing and destroyed 21 square kilometers of the city in total, including Hoju-ji Temple and its Buddhist image of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, #4 deity of the Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  The temple moved to its present place in 1971.

Address: 2 Chome-19-1 Senriyamahigashi, Suita, Osaka 565-0842

Phone: 06-6389-4876

#6 Daikyo-ji Tempe

     There used to be Myojo-ike Pond near Osaka Tenman-gu Shrine.  Ensho-ji Temple was founded by Priest Denko in 1593 near the pond.  The second priest, Raigan, changed its name to Daikyo-ji.

     On June 1st, 1945, 458 B-29s and 27 P-51s reached Osaka City and the air raid killed 3,960 people and destroyed 8.2 square kilometers of buildings including Daikyo-ji Temple.  The temple moved to its present place in 1963.

Address: 23-1 Satsukigaokaminami, Suita, Osaka 565-0832

Phone: 06-6388-2476

 

#17 Jugan-ji Temple

     Jugan-ji Temple was founded by Priest Unkai in Tanimachi on May 18th, 1594.  When the Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line was built, the temple moved to its present place in 1962, 5 years before the line began operations.  Its pagoda enshrines the 105-centimeters-tall statue of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses.

     The temple is located halfway up Mt. Ikoma, and I enjoyed a distant view of the City of Osaka.  Fudo-ji Temple used to be located in the precincts.  It was abolished in 1871.  With the view of Osaka City, my Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage ended.

Address: 12-3 Yamatecho, Higashiosaka, Osaka 579-8022

Phone: 072-981-2545