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