Virtual Shinobu Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #1 Ryusho-ji Temple

 

     Ryosho-ji Temple was revived by Priest Kaiho (?-1614) presumably after Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) moved to the Kanto Region in 1590.  It is unknown when it had been founded in Kakinuma Village, Hara County, Musashi Province, and how it had declined.

     Hara County was developed sometime between 708 and 715 on an alluvial fan which had been formed by the Ara River.  The county office was built on the fan, and they developed rice fields, utilizing the spring water of the river-bed water of the fan around the bottom of the fan.  The place name, Kakinuma, means the area had a pond.

     The temple's sango is Kojin-san, and its precincts have a Kojin Shrine.  Kojin is a Chinese-style notation and, partly, pronunciation of Ara-mitama.  The Japanese word mitama refers to the spirit of a kami or a god.  The Ara-Mitama is the rough and violent side of a spirit.  Ara-mitama could curse and bring about misfortune without appropriate pacification rites and worship.  It is unknown what the Kakinuma people were afraid of as something rough and violent, but Kumagaya is known for being one of the hottest areas in summer in Japan.

     The temple enshrines Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six.

Address: 499 Kakinuma, Kumagaya, Saitama 360-0803

Phone: 048-522-2642