Virtual Kodama Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #3Hoyo-ji Temple

 

     Hoyo-ji Temple was founded by Monk Chokei in 1213.

     Chokei was the 5th son of Hatakeyama Shigetada (1164-1205), who was coenred by Hojo Tokimasa (1138-1215).

     On June 22nd, 1205, Shigetada left his hometown in Obusuma County, Musashi Province, with 130-strong cavalry to answer the emergency call from Kamakura.  When he arrived at Futamata River, what he faced was an army of tens of thousands strong.  He realized he was trapped.  Instead of retreating, he made up his mind to die with a good grace.  It was his old friend, Adachi Kagemori (?-1248), who charged at him first.  Shigetada's first son, Shigehide (1183-1205), fought back against Kagemori.  As Shigetada was shot to death, Shigehide killed himself on the spot.  Earlier in the morning of the day, Shigetada's second son, Shigeyasu (?-1205) had been called to Yuigahama Beach in Kamakura, and had been killed by Miura Yoshimura (1168-1239).  Shigetada's third son, Shigemasa (?-1255), survived.  He was sheltered in Ida Village, Nukata County, Mikawa Province, accompanied by Kumegawa Shinshichiro, and called himself Ida Shigemasa.  Shinshichiro could have been from Kumegawa Village, Tama County, Musashi Province.  Shigetada's fourth son, En'yo, became a Buddhist monk.  Later, he became the 23rd priest of the Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #9 Jiko-ji Temple.

     They lived happily ever after, but all of a sudden, on September 19th, 1213, Hogen Benkaku, the secretary of Mount Nikko, told the shogunate, "The youngest son of the late Hatakeyama Shigetada, Chokei, is confined at the foot of Mt. Nikko, gathers jobless samurai, says prayers, and plots treason."  The message was reported to the 3rd Shogun, Minamoto Sanetomo(1192-1219).  Naganuma Munemasa (1162-1240), who was present at the time, was ordered to capture Chokei alive.  Munemasa departed for Shimotsuke Province with nine retainers on the same day.  7 days later, on the 26th, Munemasa returned to Kamakura from Shimotsuke Province and brought the decapitated head of Chokei.

     Sanetomo lamented, "In the first place, Shigetada was innocently executed. Is there any wonder if his youngest son plots a conspiracy?  As I ordered, Munemasa should have first captured him alive.  I could make a ruling here.  Munetaka had taken his life.  Thoughtlessness is a sin."  Sanetomo temporarily stopped Munemasa from serving.  Hearing this, Munemasa angrily said, "There is no doubt that this case is treason.  I decapitated his head, thinking that if I had caught him alive, he should have been surely pardoned at the request of women.  If something like this happens in the future, loyalty would be disrespected.  Who will be in trouble?"  Sanetomo was actually in trouble.  He was assassinated by Kugyo (1200-1219), whose father, Minamoto Yoriie (1182-1204), had been killed.  Was Munemasa's foresight realized?  Or did he just curse?

Address: 1258 Kodamacho Kodama, Honjo, Saitama 367-0212

Phone: 0495-72-0514

Jiko-ji Temple

Address: 386 Nishidaira, Tokigawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0364

Phone: 0493-67-0040