Virtual Adachi Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #7 Yakushi-ji Temple

 

     Kobari Village was developed presumably in the 13th century, and its developers invited Hikawa Shrine to the village in 1264, when Hojo Masamura (1205-1273) was the Regent of the Kamakura Shogunate and was the practical ruler of Japan.  The original Kobari-Hikawa Shrine is said to have been located in Kobariuchijuku.

     What is Hikawa Shrine?

     In Izumo Province, today's Shimane Peninsula used to be an island in the Jomon Period (BC 14000-BC 10th century).  The Hi River filled the shallows between the Old Shimane Island and Honshu, and the Izumo Plain was formed about 10,000 years ago.  Rice growing arrived, and people there accumulated experience to change marshes and swamps into rice fields.  With this experience, Etakehi arrived at Musashi Province.  There, he or his offspring founded Hikawa Shrine, namely Hi River Shrine.  Presumably, he tried to control the floods of the Ara and Iruma Rivers.

     In the Jomon Period, Muashino Plateau's east side faced the sea. and the Ara and Iruma Rivers ran into the sea at the foot of the plateau.   The Hiki area used to be just 10 kilometers upstream from the mouth of the Ara River.  Etakehi , his offspring, his successors, and/or his followers tried to change marshes and swamps in the estuary of the Ara and Iruma Rivers into rice fields, and invited the god of Hikawa Shrine to their new rice fields.

     It is unknown, though, whether the developers of Kobari Village were the offspring of Etakehi or already had nothing to do with him.

     At the beginning of the Edo Period, the Kobari area was further developed and Kobari-Ryoke Village became independent.  The Kobari-Ryoke villagers invited Hikawa Shrine and founded Yakushi-ji Temple as its shrine temple to follow the danka system of the Tokugawa Shogunate, who made the affiliation with a Buddhist temple compulsory to all citizens.  The temple enshrined Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, as well as Bhaisajyaguru, whose Japanese name is yakushi.

After the Meiji Restoration, Yakushi-ji Temple was abolished with its Arya Avalokitesvara statue moved to 659 Kobariryoke.  Kobariryoke-Hikawa Shrine merged Kobariryoke-Suwa Shrine. 

     Kobariuchijuku-Hikawa Shrine was merged by Kobari-Hachiman Shrine, which was located in Hanuki, and which became Kobari Shrine.  Kobariryoke-Hikawa Shrine has lost its predecessor Hikawa Shrine and its shrine temple.  In this world, change is the way of life.  Is change the way of life even in the other world?

Hikawasuwa Shrine

Address: 762 Kobariryoke, Okegawa, Saitama 363-0007

Kobari Shrine

Address: 192 Hanuki, Ina, Kitaadachi District, Saitama 362-0802