Virtual Adachi Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #30 Seigan-ji Temple

 

     Ashikaga Motouji (1340-1367) founded Seigan-ji Temple on the Omiya Plateau in 1360, inviting Priest Zeei (?-1378). When Motouji’s father, Takauji (1305-1358), was still alive, Motouji became sick. One night, Motouji dreamed of Takewakamaru (1324-1333) riding on a big dragon sprinkling pure water over him. Motouji's illness became better, and he founded Seigan-ji Temple.

     When Takauji rebelled in Kyoto against the Kamakura Shogunate, or more precisely against the Hojo Clan, his eldest son, Takewakamaru, and his uncle was assassinated in Ukishimagahara, Suruga Province, on their flight from Kamakura to Kyoto by the followers of the clan.

     Motouji became the 1st Kanto Deputy Shogun in Kamakura in 1349. To suppress defiant samurai in the northern part of the Kanto Region, he had to reside in the south bank of the Iruma River, which runs between the Musashino and Omiya Plateaus, from 1353 to 1361. Whether Motouji's dream was real or not, he was able to found a temple in the north bank of the Iruma River in 1360. Although the temple keeps nothing of Motouji, it has a letter dated 1422 from Ashikaga Mochiuji (1398-1439), the 3rd Kanto Deputy Shogun, on his donation.

     The Kyotoku War lasted for 28 years from 1454 to 1482. During the war, Ashikaga Shigeuji (1438-1497), the 5th Kanto Deputy Shogun, relinquished Kamakura and moved to Koga Castle in Shimousa Province in 1457. In 1458, the Muromachi Shogunate in Kyoto sent out another deputy shogun, Ashikaga Masatomo (1435-1491), from Kyoto for Kamakura, but he couldn’t enter Kamakura and stayed in Horikoshi, Izu Province. From then on, there were a Koga Kanto Deputy Shogun and a Horikoshi Kanto Deputy Shogun in the Kanto Region.

     Shigeuji, who became the 1st Koga Kanto Deputy Shogun, was succeeded by Masauji (1462-1531). Masauji became the second Koga Kanto Deputy Shogun in 1489.  First, he cooperated with Uesugi Sadamasa (1446-1494), who was the head of the Ogigayatsu-Uesugi Family, but after Sadamasa’s death, Masauji went over to the Regent of the Kanto Deputy Shogunate, Uesugi Akisada (1454-1510), who was the head of the Yamanouchi-Uesugi Family.  In 1496, Masauji fought against Sadamasa's son, Tomoyoshi (1473-1518), in the Battle of Musashi-Kashiwara.  On November 13th, 1504, Masauji fought against Tomoyoshi again in the Battle of Tachikawanohara.  Those battles were part of the Chokyo War fought in the Kanto Region from 1487 to 1505 between the Yamanouchi-Uesugi and Ogigayatsu-Uesugi Families.  After the 2 families were reconciled in 1505, however, Masauji realized he had been made use of as a banner.  His first son, Takamoto (1485-1535), and his second son, Yoshiaki (?-1538), parted from him to be another Kanto Deputy Shogun.  Masauji's important and powerful vassals left him one after another.  In 1512, he was forced to abdicate by Takamoto.  Ironically enough, Masauji counted on Tomoyoshi and moved to Kuki, Musashi Province.  Masauji changed his residence into a temple and named it Kanto-in. In 1518, Masauji’s 2nd son, Yoshiaki (?-1538), parted from Masauji and Takamoto, called himself a Kanto Deputy Shogun, and based in Oyumi Castle in Shimousa Province.

     What goes around comes around.

     Takamoto was resisted by his son, Haruuji (1508-1560), who forced Takamoto to resign and became the 4th Koga Kanto Deputy Shogun in 1531.  From 1529 to 1531, small-scale battles continued around Musashi Province. Satomi Yoshitoyo (1497-1534), Utsunomiya Okitsuna (1476-1536), Narita Chikayasu (?-1545), and Ashikaga Motoyori (?-1538) were on Haruuji's side, enticed by Haruuji's grandfather, Masauji, who had been banished by Takamoto.

     Seigan-ji Temple burned down in battle.

     The battles between Takamoto and Haruuji scaled down from those between Masauji and Takamoto.  The reason is simple. The influence of the Koga Kanto Deputy Shogunate scaled down.  In 1546, Hojo Ujiyasu defeated Haruuji, Uesugi Norimasa (1523-1579), who was the Regent of the Kanto Deputy Shogunate and who was the last head of the Yamauchi-Uesugi Family, and even killed Uesugi Tomosada (1525-1546), the last head of the Ogigaya-Uesugi Family in the Siege of Kawagoe.  Haruuji wasn't killed but was confined to Hatano Village, Sagami Province, in 1554.  His son, Yoshiuji (1541-1583), became the 5th Kanto Deputy Shogun in Koga in 1552.  He was a puppet of Ujiyasu. In 1554, his coming-of-age ceremony was held in Kasai Castle under the guardianship of Ujiyasu.

     Haruuji was allowed to go back to Koga Castle in July, 1557, but was moved to Kurihashi Fortress in September.  He died in an isle near the fortress on May 27th, 1560.  His funeral was held in Kanto-in Temple on June 12th.  His wife grieved deeply.  In 1561, when Nagao Kagetora (1530-1578) in Echigo Province invaded the Kanto Region to solve their domestic starvation, she refused to leave the grave of her husband and died there on July 9th in the year.

     In 1570, Yoshiuji finally moved to Koga Castle in the custody of Ujiyasu's 3rd son, Ujiteru (1542-1590).

     The temple was revived in 1591 after Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) moved to the Kanto Region. It was damaged by fire sometime between 1615 and 1624.  Later, it was moved a little north-east and revived by Priest Sengan.

Address: 792 Seiganji, Nishi Ward, Saitama, 331-0048

Kanto-in Temple

Address: 7 Chome-2-18 Honcho, Kuki, Saitama 346-0005

Phone: 0480-23-1678