Virtual Iruhi Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #1 Nyonin-do Hall

      According to tradition, in 673, Jikun (691-777), a priest of Kofuku-ji Temple, enshrined Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja in Mt. Toki, and later, in 770, Priest Dochu founded Jiko-ji Temple there.  The place name Toki is said to come from a Buddhist meal.  As Jiko-ji Temple was prohibited to women, Nyonin-do Hall, namely Women's Hall, was built halfway up to the temple.

Address: 523 Nishidaira, Tokigawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0364

Jiko-ji Temple

Address: 386 Nishidaira, Tokigawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0364

Phone: 0493-67-0040

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Iruhi Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

 

     The Hiki area is composed of Hiki Hills and the alluvium land at the foot of the hills.  Many parts of the hills are covered with tuff.  The Ichino River runs through the hills, carried the earth, and filled the sea at the foot of the hills in prehistoric or even ancient days.  People settled in the hills in the 4th century at the latest, living in pit dwellings, and forming communities.  In the 7th century, they dug caves in a tuff-covered hill as their graves on the slope of the north side of the Ichino River.  It isn't clear when they accepted Shinto and Buddhism.

     The Hiki Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized in 1723 by Priest Joan, but it is unknown when and by whom the Iruhi Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized.  It seems to have been founded sometime between 1716 and 1736.

The Iruhi Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage not only includes temples in Hiki County, but also 9 temples in Ogose, Iruma County.  Thus, it was named Iruhi, that is, Iruma and Hiki, instead of Just Hiki.  Ogose is located at the upstream of Oppe River, so the pilgrimage is almost Hiki Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, and thus Hiki County has the copies of the Saigoku and Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimages.  What about the copy of the Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage to make it 100?  Chichibu County is just across the hills from Hiki County, and it's too near to organize a copy of it.

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The Naval Forces under the Direct Supervision of Toyotomi Hideyoshi

 

     Hideyoshi not only invited native sea samurai but also had his own long-time subordinate land samurai master maritime affairs.

     Wakizaka Yasuharu (1554-1626) was born in Omi Province.  He was hired by Hideyoshi in 1569.  In October 1585, he was given Sumoto Castle in Awaji Province.  After that, along with Kato Yoshiaki (1563-1631), he served as the commander of the naval forces, and joined the Kyushu Campaign of 1586-1587 and the Third Siege of Odawara in 1590, mainly transporting military supplies.

In the Imjin War (1592–1598), he was ordered to mobilize 1,500 soldiers in 1594, and 1,200 soldiers in 1597.  He was initially in charge of sea transportation from Kyushu to Busan, but later fought in naval battles sometimes.  Yasuharu's navy of 1,500 soldiers was defeated by Yi Sun-shin (1545-1598) in the Battle of Hansan Island on July 8th, 1592.  Yasuharu also fought the Battle of Myeongnyang on October 26th, 1597.

     Kato Yoshiaki (1563-1631) was born in Mikawa Province.  His father, Noriaki, was subject to Matsudaira Hirotada (1526-1549).  When the Battle of Azukizaka broke out in 1564, Noriaki belonged to a league of monks, samurai, and peasants who believed the Pure Land Buddhism, and who were strongly against samurai rule.  The league lost to Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616), and Noriaki lost his job.  He wandered from a province to another with his baby, Yoshiaki (1583-1631).  Noriaki was hired by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598), who was the lord of Nagahama Castle at the time.  Yoshiaki was named by Hideyoshi as a page of Hashiba Hidekatsu (1569-1592), Hideyoshi’s nephew, but became Hideyoshi’s warrior in 1576.  On November 2nd, 1586, Yoshikai was awarded Tsuna and Mihara Counties in Awaji Province, and became the lord of Shichi Castle.

In 1587, he took part in the Kyushu Campaign of 1586-1587, leading the Awaji Naval Forces.  His forces entered Satsuma Province by sea and assisted in crossing the Sendai River. During the Third Siege of Odawara in 1590, he succeeded in attacking Shimoda Castle from the sea and besieging it.

In 1592, he led 1,000 soldiers and went to Korea.  He engaged in many naval battles and often fought against the Korean naval forces commanded by Yi Sunshin.  In July, Yoshiaki first encountered a battle ship which looked like a turtle in the Battle of Angopo.  When Yasuharu was defeated in the Battle of Hansan Island on July 8th, 1592, Yoshiaki rescued Yasuharu's naval forces.

In January 1594, peace negotiations began between Konishi Yukinaga (1558-1600) and Shen Weijìng (?-1597) of Ming China, and some of the generals, including Yoshiaki, temporarily returned to Japan.  In July of the following year, he was awarded more territories in Iyo Province and moved to Masaki Castle there.

The peace negotiations broke down, and in March 1597, Yoshiaki went to war again, leading 1,600-strong naval forces.  In July of the same year, he took part in the Battle of Chilcheonryang.

     Hideyoshi also hired non-pirate sea merchant as a samurai.  Konishi Ryusa (?-1592) was a wealthy merchant in Sakai, which was the most prosperous international port city in the Warring States Period (1467-1568).  His second son, Yukinaga (1558-1600), was hired by Hideyoshi when he laid siege to Miki Castle in Harima Province from 1578 to 1580.  In 1585, he led the naval forces in the Kishu Campaign, but was defeated by the Saika Family, but was awarded Shodoshima Island.  In 1588, he played an active role in suppressing the uprising of the people of Higo Province, and was given the three counties of Uto, Mashiki, and Yatsushiro in the southern half of the province.

     In the Imjin War (1592–1598), he mainly fought on land.

     All in all, the naval forces under the direct supervision of Hideyoshi functioned as no more than cargo units.

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How Toyotomi Hideyoshi “Organized” Naval Forces or Pirates in the Seto Inland Sea

 

     Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) and his lord, Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), were both from Owari Province, and advanced to Kyoto by land.  They didn’t really have their own naval forces.  After Nobunaga’s death, Hideyoshi shifted his advance to Western provinces into high gear, which needed naval forces to advance through the Seto Inland Sea.  What Hideyoshi did was to win over pirates in the Seto Inland Sea.

     Hideyoshi first worked on the Kurushima-Murakami Family.  In Leap-March in 1580, he wrote to Murakami Yoshitsugu:

     “I haven’t replied, but I certainly received your message.  I will go to Mimasaka Province, leading the advance troop of Lord Nobunaga.  If you consult with Ukita Naoie and work for the lord, I will try to make your desire come true.  Naoie will contact you.”

     Naoie's grandfather, Yoshiie, was killed by the Shimamura Family in 1534.  Naoie's father, Okiie (1497-1536) narrowly escaped from their castle with Naoie (1529-1581).  Two years later after Okiie died, Naoie became head of the Ukita Family at the age of 7.  In 1543, he became subject to Uragami Munekage.  In 1559, he killed his father-in-law, Nakayama Nobumasa, by order of Munekage.  In 1569, Naoie went over to Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582).  Munekage fought back and gave Naoie a special pardon to return to serve him.  In 1574, Naoie allied with the Mori Clan and launched a rebellion against Munekage and ended Munekage's rule.  In 1576, Naoie’s vassal, Togawa Hideyasu, fought with the Mori Clan against Nobunaga in the Battle of Kizu Estuary, when Yoshitsugu was a pirate warrior serving the clan.  In May, 1579, Naoie killed Goto Katsumoto (1538-1579), who had gone over to Nobunaga, but in June in the same year, Naoie went over to Nobunaga.  Naoie seems to have sold his Hideyasu-Yoshitsugu link to Hideyoshi.

     Hideyoshi purchased the link and further developed it.  On March 29th, 1578, Hideyoshi laid siege to Miki Castle in Harima Province.  It took him about 1 year and 10 months to seize the castle.  However, he wasn't just besieging the castle.  He also fixed his eyes further westward.  He invited Kurushima-Murakami Yoshikiyo (1563-1638), a younger brother of the head of the Kurushima-Murakami Family, Michifusa (1562-1597).

     Hideyoshi developed the Hideyasu-Yoshitsugu link to the connection between Hideyoshi and Michifusa, the head of the Kurushima-Murakami Family.  Hideyoshi reported the grown-up connection to Nobunaga.  On December 3rd, Hideyoshi directly wrote to Michifusa, telling him Nobunaga’s contentment with Michifusa’s loyalty and the importance of serving to Nobunaga on his advance to Shikoku Island in the next coming Spring, which wasn’t realized though.

     The secret connection was sensed by the Mori Clan.  On March 3rd, Mori Terumoto (1553-1625) wrote to his vassal, Kodama Narikata (1513-1586), about the rumor over the Kurushima-Murakami Family and told him to watch the family.  On April 5th, Kobayakawa Takakage (1533-1597), Terumoto’s uncle, wrote to Nomi Munekatsu (1527-1592), who was a mediator between the clan and the Murakami Pirates, talking about their continued persuasion through Innoshima-Murakami Sukeyasu.  On the 7th, however, Takakage wrote to the head of the Innoshima-Murakami Family, Yoshimitsu, about the failure of the persuasion.

     Hideyoshi, of course, approached to the other Murakami Families.  The most well-documented case was, however, his approach to the Nomi Family, who were the direct vassal of the Kobayakawa Family, and who were the mediator with the Murakami Pirates.  We can find some letters from Hideyoshi’s side to the Nomi Family.  By the way, who were the Nomi Family?

     In ancient times, precisely in March, 1129, Cloistered Emperor Shirakawa’s office and the office responsible for police and judicial duties under the Imperial Court ordered Taira Tadamori (1096-1153) to hunt down and kill pirates around the Seto Inland Sea.  The order of the cloistered emperor office said, “These days, savage bandits are more and more rampant along the sea lane.  They sail tens of ships and crest millions of waves.  Some kill or abduct travelers to and from Kyoto, and others ruin or rob public and private cargos.  Evil deeds have piled, and hardly a day passes without violence.  That is because provincial officers are afraid of their savagery and are reluctant to hunt them down.”  Mysteriously enough, however, no records of such large-scale piracy at the time can be found.  Anyway, it was at that time that Tadamori brought the Nomi-no-umi area under his control and renamed it Tada-no-umi (Tada Sea).

     Later in the Warring States Period, Kobayakawa Hirohira (1416-1473), the 10th head of the family, had 2 sons.  The elder, Takahira (1452-1499), became the 11th head of the family, and the younger, Korekage, started Nomi Family.  Korekage picked up the older name of the area for his family name.  Later, Nomi Masakatsu (?-?) was adopted to the Ura Family.  His son, Munekatsu (1527-1592), succeeded to the headship of the Ura Family, but preferred to be called Nomi Munekatsu.  The name “Nomi” might have been a brandname around the area.

      Munekatsu commanded his own naval forces in the area.  The most remarkable contribution he made to his master, the Mori Clan, was that he mediated between the clan and Murakami Pirates.  Murakami Pirates were composed of Innoshima Murakami Family, Noshima Murakami Family, and Kurushima Murakami Family from North to South.  Each family’s headquarters was based in In-no-shima Island, No-shima Island, and Kuru-shima Island respectively.  Munekatsu’s daughter was married to Murakami Yoshisuke (?-1596), who was the 7th head of Innoshima-Murakami Family, the northernmost one, that is, geopolitically the closest family to Nomi's.

     Let’s get back to the letters from Hideyoshi’s side to the Nomi Family.

     On March 17th, 1582, Hachisuka Masakatsu (1526-1586) and Kuroda Yoshitaka (1546-1604), who were Hideyoshi’s vassals, sent a jointly signed letter to Nomi Munekatsu and his first son, Morikatsu (?-1582), to tempt them to betray the Mori Clan, saying that any territory would be given.

     On the same day, Masakatsu and Yoshitaka jointly wrote to Morikatsu alone, pointing specific terms: (1) Aki, Suo, and Nagato Provinces will be given as well as 500 taels of gold.  (2) Kojima cannot be given because it belonges to Bizen Province.  (3) If your father doesn’t hope to change sides, you alone can come to us.  In that case, one of the 3 above-mentioned provinces will be given to you.

     On the next day, Hideyoshi himself wrote to Munekatsu and Morikatsu, saying that any wish would be realized.

     It is unknown whether such a fake terms (transparent lies?) really worked or not.  They might have worked as flattery at least to Morikatsu.  He died of “illness” soon and his younger brother, Kagetsugu (1561-1613), succeeded to Munekatsu.  Hideyoshi was said to be good at flattering people.  At least, he knew how to divide and conquer.

     What happen to the other hyphenated Murakami Families and all?  The Mori Clan themselves became subordinate to Hideyoshi, who became the ruler of Japan, swallowing all the divisions and subdivisions.

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Virtual Hiki Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #33 Sukaya-do Temple

 

     The original hermitage of Sukaya-do Temple was founded by Lady Wakasa in Sukayatsu, Hiki County, Musashi Province.

     Lady Wakasa was a daughter of Hiki Yoshikazu (?-1203), who was one of 13 powerful samurai at the beginning of the Kamakura Shogunate (1185-1333).

     Hiki County was established in Musashi Province in the 7th century.  A local powerful family in the county came to be called Hiki.  Hiki Yorshitaka is said to have been the founder of the family, but it is unknown when he lived, or whether he really existed.  They became samurai in the 11th century.

     When Mr. and Mrs. Hiki Tomune had their first girl baby, Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) was born.  Mrs. Hiki became Yoritomo's wet nurse.  When Yoritomo's father, Yoshitomo (1123-1160), was defeated by the Taira Clan in the Heiji Rebellion, Yoritomo was exiled to Izu Province.  Mr. and Mrs. Hiki returned to their homeland, Hiki County, Musashi Province.  Since then, Mrs. Hiki kept sending allowances for 20 years till 1180, when Yoritomo raised an army against the Taira Clan.  Although Mr. Hiki was already dead, Mrs. Hiki, Nun Hiki at the time, persuaded the Hiki Family to join Yoritomo's army.  Yoritomo established the Kamakura Shogunate.

     Yoshikazu's daughter, Lady Wakasa (?-1203), became the wife of the 2nd Shogun, Minamoto Yoriie (1182-1204).  In 1198, she gave birth to Yoriie's first son, Ichiman (1198-1203).  Following this, the Hiki Family wielded considerable political power through their relation to the ruling Minamoto Clan.    After Yoritomo's death, his vassals started their own power games.  The Hiki Family's growing power was faced with opposition, and the family ultimately came into conflict with Hojo Tokimasa (1138-1215), whose daughter was the wife of Yoritomo and the mother of Yoriie.  When Yoriie fell ill in 1203, the power struggle between Yoshikazu and Tokimasa became serious.  Yoshikazu recommended Ichiman while Tokimasa recommended Yoriie's younger brother, Sanetomo (1192-1219), claiming Ichiman to be too young. On October 8th in the year, Tokimasa invited Yoshikazu over for peace talks, but had him assassinated.  Tokimasa massacred the Hiki Family on the same day in a well-prepared manner.

     Wakasa and Ichiman narrowly escaped but Ichiman was killed on November 3rd.  According to local tradition, Wakasa lived a secluded life in Umegayatsu.  She felt pain as if she were coiled around by a snake.  She had an Avalokitesvara image carved, and enshrined it in Sukayatsu.  She founded Jusho-ji Temple after Yoriie's posthumous Buddhist name in Umegayatsu.

     Morikawa Ujitoshi (1545-1598) became the lord of the area, renamed Jusho-ji Sogo-ji after his own Buddhist name, and moved it to its present place.  Later, the Avalokitesvara image in Sukayatsu was moved to Sogo-ji Temple.

Address: 553 Oya, Higashimatsuyama, Saitama 355-0008

Sogo-ji Temple

Address: 400 Oya, Higashimatsuyama, Saitama 355-0008

Phone: 0493-39-0617

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Virtual Hiki Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #32 Yatsu-do Temple

 

     In 534, Kasahara Omi and his cousin, Kasahara Oki, competing for the hegemony in Musashi Province.  Omi was afraid that Oki would kill him with help from Oguma in Kozuke Province.  Omi flew to the central capital, and asked the central government for help.  The government destroyed Oki.  Omi offered 4 manors: Yokonu, Tachibana, Tama, and Kurasu Manors in Musashi Province.

     The Royal Family dispatched the Mibukishi Family from Namba in Settsu Province to Yokonu Manor in 607.  They enshrined Hayatama and Awasu Goddesses.  As they developed the surrounding area, they founded 7 Awasu Shrines in newly developed lands.  Yamata-Awasu Shrine was founded in 1395 in Yamata, where water supply was poor and they had to collect rainwater in ponds.

     Presumably, Yatsu-do Temple was founded after 1395.  Smallpox spread in the year before.

Address: 1526 Yamata, Namegawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0802

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Virtual Hiki Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #31 Sankaku-do Temple

 

     It is unknown when Sankaku-do Temple was founded in Yoshida, Hiki County, Musashi Province.

      In Ancient Japan, 6 National Histories were compiled: Nihon Shoki, which covered the mythological period through 697, and whose compilation was completed in 720, Shoku Nihongi, which covered the years 697-791, and whose compilation was completed in 797, Nihon Koki, which covered the years 792-833, and whose compilation was completed in 840, Shoku Nihon Koki, whose compilation was finished in 869, and which covered the years 833–850, Nihon Montoku Tenno Jitsuroku, which covered the years 850-858, and whose compilation was completed in 879, and Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku, which covered the years 858-887, and whose compilation was completed in 901.

     According to Nihon Shoki, Emperor Ohatsuse came of age and became fond of judging and punishing sinners.  He knew laws and decrees well, and was at work until the sun went down.  He never failed to discover false accusations.  He examined cases very sensibly and reasonably.  Meanwhile, he did many bad deeds and did not do a single good deed.  He enjoyed watching various capital punishment.  All the people of the country were trembling and terrified.

    Ohatsuse died without his children.  His sister, Tashiaka, married Ohodo (450-531), who became the next Emperor.  However, according to local tradition in Yoshida, Hiki County, Musashi Province, she moved to Yoshida, hating Ohatsuse’s ruling.

     When Ashida Motouji ruled the village, floods hit the village often and he was worried about disasters.  One day, Tashika appeared in front of him, and told him to believe in her.  In the middle of March, 1125, he founded Tashiro Shrine in Yoshida, when the Royal Family and the Fujiwara Clan spent all their time doing political strife.  Presumably, Motouji wanted to show his complaints against central politics with the metaphor of Ohatsuse.  Samurai's days were just half a century away.

Address: 1232 Yoshida, Ranzan, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0202

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Virtual Hiki Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #30 Kannon-ji Temple

     Kannon-ji Temple was founded by Priest Kenshuku (?-1678) as the shrine temple of Yamiya Shrine.

     A shrine was founded in the first half of the 8th century.

     In 938, Minamoto Tsunemoto (?-961) was assigned to the vice governor of Musashi Province when Prince Okiyo (?-940) was assigned to the acting governor of the province.  They tried to carry out a land survey as soon as they arrived in the province.  Musashi Takeshiba, who was the head of Adachi County, refused the land survey, saying, "A land survey has never been carried out before the arrival of the Provincial Governor."  Tsunemoto and Okiyo sent out soldiers to attack and plunder the residence of Takeshiba.

      Hearing this story, Taira Masakado (?-940) from Shimousa Province visited Takeshiba with his private army.  Tsunemoto and Okiyo barricaded themselves in Mt. Safuku in Hiki County with their wives and children.  Later, Okiyo climbed down from the mountain and gave an audience to Masakado and Takeshiba at the Musashi Provincial Government Office.  However, Tsunemoto remained on the mountain as he was dissatisfied.  In the office, a reconciliation was established between the two parties, and a banquet was held.  In the midst of the party, Takeshiba's soldiers surrounded Tsunemoto's camp.  Convinced that he would be killed by Masakado and others, Tsunemoto hurriedly fled back to Kyoto, and accused the Imperial Court that Masakado, Okiyo, and Takeshiba conspired to rebel.   Masakado and others sent certificates from the provincial governments of Hitachi, Shimousa, Shimotsuke, Musashi, and Kozuke dated May 2nd, 939, to Fujiwara Tadahira (880-949), the Prime Minister, stating, "the rebellion was groundless."  Masakado and others' explanation was accepted, and, on the contrary, Tsunemoto was detained on the charge of slander.

     In November 939, Masakado occupied Hitachi Provincial Government Office, and then he attacked and occupied other provincial government offices in the Kanto Region one after another.  In December of the same year, he declared himself to be 'the new emperor' at Kozuke Provincial Government Office and arbitrarily ruled over the occupied provinces.

     Truth sprang from lies.  Tsunemoto was not only released because his previous false accusation came true, but also he was promoted to Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade, because of his merit.  Tsunemoto was appointed as one of the vice-commanders and headed for the suppression of Masakado's rebellion.  Before his arrival, Masakado was hunted down and killed.  Tsunemoto returned to Kyoto.  In 941, he headed to suppress the rebellion of Fujiwara Sumitomo (?-941), but the rebellion had already been suppressed by Ono Yoshifuru (884-968) when Tsunemoto arrived.  Later, he successively served as provincial governors of Musashi, Shinano, Chikuzen, Tajima, and Iyo as an expert of provincial administration, and eventually became the General.

     Tsunemoto was surprised with the gods' providential help, and supported 8 shrines around Mt. Safuku in Hiki County:

Hirono-Yamiya Shrine (The god of Shimono-Yamiya Shrine was invited to Hirono in 868.)

Address: 927 Hirono, Ranzan, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0205

Shimozato-Yamiya Shrine (It used to be located along the border between Shimozato and Shiga Villages, and was moved to its present place in 868, delivering its god to the other 7 shrines.)

Address: 912 Shimozato, Ogawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0323

Sugiyama-Yamiya Shrine (it was founded in the first half of the 8th century.)

Address: 671 Sugiyama, Ranzan, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0211

Oppata-Yamiya Shrine

Address: 1445 Oppata, Ranzan, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0206

Nomasu-Yamiya Shrine (The Okahara Site dates back to the 4th century.  Eventually, a powerful local family was born, and they founded a shrine.)

Address: 282 Nomasu, Ogawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0305

Nakatsume-Yamiya Shrine

Address: 1039 Nakatsume, Ogawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0314

Shiga-Yamiya Shrine

Address: 1512 Shiga, Ranzan, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0214

Ogawa-Yamiya Shrine (It used to be located in Hinatayama, where Ogawahinataso Nursign Home is located.  It was moved to its present place in 1717.)

Address: 990-1 Ogawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0321

Ogawahinataso Nursign Home

Address: 1548-1 Ogawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0321

Phone: 0493-74-2191

     There has been a controversy on the location of Mt. Safuku, but the local powerful families with those 8 shrines might have supported Tsunemoto when he was in big trouble.

     Kannon-ji Temple was abolished presumably after the Meiji Restoration, with its Kannon-do Hall left

Address: 654 Oppata, Ranzan, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0206

 

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Virtual Hiki Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #29 Entsu-ji Temple

 

     Fuko-ji Temple was founded in 1616, when Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) died after establishing the Tokugawa Shogunate, and Entsu-ji Temple was founded in 1645 as Fuko-ji Temple's branch.

     The Kan'ei Great Famine broke out in 1640 and lasted into 1643.  Abnormal patterns of heavy rain, flooding, drought, frost, and insect damage sent food reserves declining toward zero.  Starving peasants started to either flee or sell their lots.  In a heavily hit region, local farmers performed infanticide on all children below 7 years and lent older children as slaves.  In one village of 127 persons, for example, 60 were sold into slavery in  four years.  The estimated number of deaths due to starvation is between 50,000 and 100,000.

     Entsu-ji Temple was founded 2 years after the famine ended.

     It wasn’t recorded when Entsu-ji Temple was abolished, but the abolishment could have been after the Meiji Restoration.  When Japan deployed incendiary balloon weapons against the United States during World War II, traditional Japanese paper made with paper mulberries in Ogawa was used.

Address: 1246 Nakatsume, Ogawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0314

Fuko-ji Temple

Address: 1042 Nakatsume, Ogawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0314

Phone: 0493-72-5516

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Virtual Hiki Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #28 Shiga-Kannon-do Temple

 

     It is unknown when Shiga-Kannon-do Temple was founded in Shiga Village, Hiki County, Musashi Province.  Its oldest stone monument dates back to 1688.

     In the declaration dated October 10th, 1687, it was explained that Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (1646-1709) launched a policy of pity for living creatures in order "to help people develop benevolence."  Tsunayoshi, who respected Confucianism, greatly reduced falconry-related rituals and decided not to practice falconry on the grounds of benevolence immediately after he was inaugurated as the 5th Shogun in 1680.

     After the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the shogunate vermilion-sealed official letters were issued to feudal lords, court nobles, Shinto shrines, and Buddhist temples individually on different occasions.  On March 7th, 1664, the shogunate ordered the feudal lords to return their vermilion-sealed official letters.  On April 5th in the same year, the shogunate issued new vermilion-sealed official letters to the feudal lords at the same time.  On March 1st, 1665, the shogunate ordered the court nobles, Shinto Shrines, and Buddhist temples to return their vermilion-sealed official letters.  After July, new vermilion-sealed official letters were issued to them one by one.  That enabled the shogunate to grasp the source of income of the shogunate's latent and potential enemies.  They also tried to grasp their accurate source of income.  They also carried out land surveys in the territories under the direct control of the Tokugawa Shogunate in eastern provinces in 1665, and in western provinces in 1677.  Through the land surveys, the shogunate also grasp newly developed rice fields and farmers' hidden rice fields.  In 1665, Shiga Village, namely Four's Village, was registered as an independent village while the area had belonged to Sugaya Village at the beginning of the Edo Period (1603-1867).  Was the village developed by 4 families?

     It is unknowable the temple's foundation had something to do with Tsunayoshi's pitiful governance.

Address: 677 Shiga, Ranzan, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0214

Hojo-ji Temple

Address: 1478 Shiga, Ranzan, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0214

Phone: 0493-81-7985

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Virtual Hiki Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #27 Senju-in Temple

 

     The reign of Emperor Murakami (926-967) was known as the Tenryaku Reign, which was idealized as a good example of a direct Imperial rule although his actual administration was often disturbed by his mother, Fujiwara Yasuko (885-944), her brother, Tadahira (880-949), and Tadahira’s sons, Saneyori (900-970) and Morosuke (909-960).  The Emperor devoted himself to cultural projects, and laid the foundation for the so-called Heian Culture.

     According to local tradition, the Emperor carved a Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja image by himself, and Ryogen (912-985) brought the image to Tsuki Mountain Stream in 962.  Just less than 1 kilometer downstream, there is the Gyojimen site, whose remains date back to the Jomon Period, the ancient times, and the Kamakura Period (1185-1333).  The place name with -men was usually given to the places where something was exempted, but what Gyoji meant here is unknown and unknowable.  Anyway, the place could have been special from prehistoric days.

     Taira Masakado (903-940)was born in Shimousa Province: specifically and presumably either in Toyoda or Sashima County, which were both along the Kinu River.  Later, he left for Kyoto at the age of either 15 or 16 to be hired by Fujiwara Tadahira (880-949), who was the 2nd Prime Minister at the time and who became the Prime Minister in 924, to climb up the social ladder.  After 12 years or so, he returned to the Kanto Region, without achieving anything in the central political circles.  In 939, Masakado tried to be independent from Japan in the Kanto Region.  His revolt was suppressed by Tawara Tota (891-958).

     If the local tradition was true, Emperor Murakami wanted to express his pity, regret, or shame to someone very important in Hiki County, Musashi Province in the Kanto Region, and that royal relationship might have enabled the locals to enjoy the exemption.

     Centuries later, Priest Iho (?-1546) founded Senju-in Temple, literally Thousand-Armed Temple, for the Buddhist image.

Address: 759 Senjudo, Ranzan, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0227

Phone: 0493-62-3282

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Virtual Hiki Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #26 Tosho-ji Temple

 

     Hatakeyama Shigetada (1164-1205) was based in Hatakeyama Village, Obusuma County, Musashi Province, and had another house in Sugaya Village, Hiki County, Musashi Province.

     Banri Shuku (1428-?), a monk of the Chan Buddhism, mentioned Sugaya Village in his travelogues to the Eastern Provinces in Chinese, Baika Mujinzo, namely Inexhaustible Apricot Blossoms, which was finished writing in 1506.

     Chokei-ji Temple was founded near the residence.

     Hojo Tokimasa (1138-1215), the father-in-law of the first Shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate, cornered Shigetada.  On June 19th, 1205, Shigetada left his hometown, Obusuma, with 130-strong cavalry to answer the emergency call from Kamakura.  When he arrived at the 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.  After Shigetada's death, the residence was abandoned and the temple declined.

    Some Buddhist prayers shut themselves up in a Buddhist hall for a thousand days to realize their special wish.  To accept those prayers, Sennichi-do Hall, namely Thousand-Day Hall, was built on the site of Chokei-ji Temple.

     In the 1660's, when the Tokugawa Shogunate ordered all the people to belong to Buddhist temples, the hall was changed into a temple and was named Tosho-ji.

     Sawa (1525-1613), a daughter of Okabe Sadatsuna (1505-1566), married Kawamura Shigetada.  After Shigetada's death, presumably in 1582, she lived in her parents' residence with her 3 or more children.  After the death of the mother of Tokugawa Hidetada (1579-1632) in 1589, Sawa became Hidetada's nurse.

     One of her sons, Okabe Motokiyo, ruled Sugaya Village after Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) moved to the Kanto Region.  After Sawa's death, Motokiyo enshrined Sawa's personal guardian Buddhist image, Thousand-Armed-Thousand-Eyed Sahasrabhuja, in the village, with it taken care of by his vassal, the Tada Family.

     In 1928, Sugaya Village was hit by a big fire, and the temple building and main deity were all reduced to ashes.  In 1947, a new statue of Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja was installed in a temporary main hall.  In 1987, Hasegawa Sumiko presented Naga Avalokitesvar and Sitting-on-Leaf Avalokitesvar.  Mr. and Mrs. Nakajima Misao presented the copies of 100 Kannon statues of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, the Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, and the Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage.  The priest had 36 Avalokitesvara painted on the ceiling of the main hall.

     Why are there more than 6 types of Avalokitesvara: 1) Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, 2) Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha, 3) Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja, 4) Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six, 5) Hayagriva , who has the head of a horse, 6) Cundi, who has 16 arms and appears to be female?

     Tosa Hidenobu (?-?) published Butsuzo-zui (Illustrated Compendium of Buddhist Images) in 1783.  In the compendium, he listed 33 popular subjects of Buddhism Avalokiteshvar drawings and paintings: #1 Holding-Willow-Spray Avalokitesvar, #2 Naga Avalokitesvar, #3 Holding-Buddhism-Scripture Avalokitesvar, #4 Halo Avalokitesvar, #5 Sitting-on-Cloud Avalokitesvar, #6 Pandara Vasini Avalokitesvar, #7 Sitting-on-Lotus-leaf Avalokitesvar, #8 Looking-at-Cascade Avalokitesvar, #9 Listening-to-Stream Avalokitesvar, #10 Holding-Fish-Cage Avalokitesvar, #11 Virtuous-Lord Avalokitesvar, #12 Looking-at-Reflected-Moon Avalokitesvar, #13 Sitting-on-Leaf Avalokitesvar, #14 Blue-Head Avalokitesvar, #15 Great-Commander Avalokitesvar, #16 Life-Prolonging Avalokitesvar, #17 Relief-from-Ruination Avalokitesvar, #18 In-Cave-with-Venom Avalokitesvar, #19 Wave-Reduction Avalokitesvar, #20 Anavatapta Avalokitesvar, #21 One-Knee-Drawn-Up Avalokitesvar, #22 Leaf-Robe Avalokitesvar, #23 Holding-Lapis-Lazuli-Censer Avalokitesvar, #24 Tara Avalokitesvar, #25 Sit-in-in-Clam Avalokitesvar, #26 Twenty-Four-Hour Avalokitesvar, #27 Universal-Benevolence Avalokitesvar, #28 Celestial Beauty Avalokitesvar, #29 Putting-Palms-together Avalokitesvar, #30 Controlling-Thunderbolt Avalokitesvar, #31 Peaceful-Vajrapani Avalokitesvar, #32 Holding-Lotus-Flower Avalokitesvar, and #33 Sprinkling-Purified-Water Avalokitesvar.  Some subjects came directly from Lotus Supra Chapter XXV, some were based on folklore in China, and others were created in Japan.  He put stronger emphasis on the number 33, and might have considered the 33 subjects to be artistically more meaningful manifestations of Avalokitesvara, at least in Japan.

     Do you remember how many Avalokitesvara images the temple has?  I wonder if we can check how many types of Avalokitesvara it has.

Address: 11-3 Sugaya, Ranzan, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0221

Phone: 0493-62-2687

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Virtual Hiki Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #25 Midoyama-Sho-Kannon-do Temple

 

     A hill in Taromaru Village was named Midoyama, namely Three Halls Mountain.  The 3 halls enshrine Konpira-dai-gongen, who is a patron of sea ship transport and sailors, on the top of the hill, Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, on the hillside, and Horse-Headed Hayagriva at the foot of the hill.

     After the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the shogunate vermilion-sealed official letters were issued to feudal lords, court nobles, Shinto shrines, and Buddhist temples individually on different occasions.  On March 7th, 1664, the shogunate ordered the feudal lords to return their vermilion-sealed official letters.  On April 5th in the same year, the shogunate issued new vermilion-sealed official letters at the same time.  On March 1st, 1665, the shogunate ordered the court nobles, Shinto Shrines, and Buddhist temples to return their vermilion-sealed official letters.  After July, new vermilion-sealed official letters were issued one by one.  That enabled the shogunate to grasp the source of income of the shogunate's latent and potential enemies.  They also tried to grasp their accurate source of income.

     The shogunate carried out land surveys in the territories under the direct control of the Tokugawa Shogunate in eastern provinces in 1665, and in western provinces in 1677.  Through the land survey, the shogunate also grasp newly developed rice fields and farmers' hidden rice fields.  In 1665, Taromaru Village was registered as an independent village while the area belonged to Mizufusa Village at the beginning of the Edo Period (1603-1867).  The village might have been named after its developer's name.  It is unknown whether the 3 halls were built before the development or Taromaru built the halls.

     Soon after World War II, the Arya Avalokitesvara statue was stolen, with the hall left empty.  Or with people's religious belief empty?

Address: Taromaru, Ranzan, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0212

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Virtual Hiki Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #24 Hozen-ji Temple

 

     Amaterasu and Susano gave birth to 3 girls and 5 boys.  Their 3rd boy was Amatsuhiko, whose offspring included the Saigusa Family.  One of them was dispatched to Kai Province, and his offspring became local officials.  One of their offspring left the province and developed the left bank of the midstream of Ichino River in Musashi Province.  They invited the god of Awa Shrine in Soekami County, Yamato Province, and founded Awasu Shrine in the 1290's.  It iwasn't recorded why the area was named Mizufusa, literally Water Cluster, but we can make a good guess.

     It is unknown when Seizen-ji Temple was founded in Mizufusa, but its foundation must have been after the development in the 13th century.  Sometime, the temple name's Chinese character was misspelled, and the name became Hozen-ji.  Hozen-ji Temple was abolished after the Meiji Restoration, with its Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha and its hall left behind.

Address: 163 Mizufusa, Namegawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0805

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Virtual Hiki Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #23 Fukusho-ji Temple

 

     On the right bank of the midstream of the Ichino River, a burial mound was built in the 6th century.  In 709, the locals invited the god of Hikawa Shrine in Omiya and enshrined it on the top of the mound.  Fukusho-ji Temple was founded as its shrine temple by Priest Kazan.

     Kujo Kanezane (1149-1207) built a mountain villa in the hill between Tofuku-ji Temple and Sen'yu-ji Temple in Kyoto, and called it Tsukinowa-dono Residence.  After his wife's death on December 10th, 1201, he left the city center and lived in the residence.  Tsukinowadono became his nickname.

     Kanezane got a manor in the 1190's around the above-mentioned burial mound with Hikawa Shrine on it, and the manor came to be called Tsukinowa.

     According to local tradition, Kanezane visited the manor in the 1990's.  He was appointed to be regent in the Imperial Court on May 12th, 1186.  He tried to keep cooperative relations with the Kamakura Shogunate.  On July 12th, 1192, he succeeded in having Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) appointed shogun by Emperor Go-Toba (1180-1239).  Because of his cooperative policy, he was forced to step down from his position as regent in November, 1196.  Did he proudly visit the Kanto Region?  Or did he visit the region in despair?  Anyway, his visit to the region was too big a political event not to be officially recorded.  So, it is doubtful that he visited the Tsukinowa Manor.  However, he supported the shrine and temple.  He was said to have built a hall for the temple in 1196 to enshrine Mahasthamaprapta, which was believed to be a Buddhist guardian for those who were born in the year of Horse though he was born in the year of Snake and his guardian Buddhist image should be Samantabhadra.

Address: 454 Tsukinowa, Namegawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0813

Phone: 0493-62-2279