Virtual Iruhi Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #17 Hosen-ji Temple

 

     God Takeminakata was invited from Suwa Shrine in Shinano Province to Izui Village, Hiki County, Musashi Province, in 958.  Presumably, some people migrated from Suwa to Izui.

     Hiki Tomune, the husband of the wet nurse of Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199), the first Shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate, claimed his rule over the area and supported the shrine in the 1170's.  Hosen-ji Temple was founded as its shrine temple.  In July, 1457, however, the shrine's sacred wand with 2 streamers of white paper was blown off.  The locals, to avoid bad luck, moved the shrine to the wand's landing spot, that is, to the shrine's present place.  The villagers could have avoided their bad luck, but the temple couldn't avoid its political bad luck, and was abolished after the Meiji Restoration, with a stone statue of Ksitigarbha left in the site.

Izui Shrine

Address: 320 Izui, Hatoyama, Hiki District, Saitama 350-0305