Virtual Adachi Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #18 Fumon-ji Temple

 

     An island was formed in the estuary of the Ichino, Ara, and Iruma Rivers.  The island was named Kawajima, namely River Island.  In the end of the rivers, another land was formed.  The land was developed presumably during the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), and was named Kawataya, namely River End Land.  The place name was first documented in the Southern and Northern Courts Period (1336-1392).  Suwa Shrine was invited to Kawataya, and Fumon-ji Temple was founded as its shrine temple presumably under the Tokugawa Shogunate.

     The temple keeps the skull of Minamoto Noriyori (1150-1193), according to tradition.  Noriyori was a brother of Yoritomo (1147-1199), who established the Kamakura Shogunate.

In May, 1193, when Yoritomo held a grand hunt on Mt. Fuji, an incident occurred in which two brothers of the Soga Family killed an enemy of their father.  A rumor spread that Yoritomo was drawn into the fight and was killed.  Yoritomo's wife was worried, and Noriyori comforted her, assuring her that even if Yoritomo were killed, he would be there for her and for the clan.  Yoritomo wasn't involved and was alive.  Listening to Yorinori's words later, Yoritomo suspected Yorinori of his ambition to be a shogun and confined Noriyori to Izu Province on August 17th.  No sequel to the incident was documented in an official record.

Address: 6663 Kawataya, Okegawa, Saitama 363-0027