Virtual Kodama Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #11 Hongaku-in Temple

 

     Hongaku-in Temple was founded in 1381 by a relative of Akiyama Mitsumasa (?-1351) as a shrine temple of Akiyama-Juniten-sha Shrine, which had been founded in 1204.  If Juniten, namely 12 heavens, comes from India, they are guardians of deva; Indra, Agni, Yama, Raksasa, ?, Varuna, Vayu, Vaisravana, Isana, Brahma, Prthivi, Surya, and Candra.  In the northern part of the Kanto Region and its surrounding mountains, Junisama, namely 12 lords, are/is believed in as a indigenous mountain god.  From the top of the hill where the shrine is located, you have a distant view of the Tokyo Skytree on a fine day.

     What happened in 1381?  Let me go back 2 years earlier.

     In 1379, infighting within the central shogunate broke out.  Ashikaga Ujimitsu (1359-1398), the 2nd Kanto Deputy Shogun, had an ambition to become a central shogun and tried to advance to Kyoto.  Uesugi Noriharu (?-1379), the Regent of the Kanto Deputy Shogunate, tried to persuade him not to, and finally killed himself to stop him on March 7th.  Ujimitsu still appointed Noriharu's brother, Norimasa (1335-1394), as the general of the Kanto Deputy Shogunate Army on March 21st.  Norimasa left Kamakura but stopped in Izu Province.  Ujimitsu finally gave up his ambition for the time being.  Norimasa became the next Regent on April 15th, and returned to Kamakura on the 28th of the same month.  The relationship between the deputy shogun and the regent became delicate.

     The Uesugi Family was based in Musashi and Kozuke Provinces.  Living along the border between the 2 provinces, there is a high probability that the relative of Mitsumasa was mobilized.

     In 1381, Ashikaga Ujimitsu (1359-1398), the 2nd Kanto Deputy Shogun, started suppressing Oyama Yoshimasa (?-1382).  He pitched a camp in Muraoka, Kumagaya County, Musashi Province.  The relative of Mitsumasa had to join Ujimitsu's army, and he might have wanted to rely on a religion, being scared by the shadow of war.

     Hongaku-in Temple's main deity is Acalanatha, and it also enshrines Cundi, who has 16 arms and appears to be female, as the #11 deity of the Kodama Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

     Japanese people love fan balloting.  In 1932, the To Shinbun, which is now the Tokyo Shinbun, a Japanese newspaper published by the Chunichi Shimbun Company, which publishes the Chunichi Shinbun in Nagoya, organized a balloting to choose the best 10 Buddhist Temples of Shinto Shrines.  Its result was published on December 7th in the year.  Akiyama-Juniten-sha Shrine was ranked 7th.  For your information, #1 Kawasaki Daishi, #2 Seizen-ji Temple, #3 Mitsumine Shrine, #4 Banna-ji Temple, #5 Tsunegi-Inari Shrine, #6 Kitaya Inari Shrine, #8 Myoan-ji Temple, #9 Higashi-Fushimi Inari Shrine, and #10 Samukawa Shrine.  The criterion for selection?  I have no idea.

Address: 1090 Kodamacho Akiyama, Honjo, Saitama 367-0213

Phone: 0495-72-1130 c/o Fukushima Petroleum

Akiyama-Juniten-sha Shrine

Address: 3566 Kodamacho Akiyama, Honjo, Kodama District, Saitama 367-0117

Kawasaki Daishi

Address: 4-48 Daishimachi, Kawasaki Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-8521

Phone: 044-266-3420

Seizen-ji Temple

Address: 2 Chome-8-18 Oshi, Gyoda, Saitama 361-0077

Phone: 048-556-3689

Mitsumine Shrine

Address: 298-1 Mitsumine, Chichibu, Saitama 369-1902

Phone: 0494-55-0241

Banna-ji Temple

Address: 2220 Ietomicho, Ashikaga, Tochigi 326-0803

Phone: 0284-41-2627

Tsunegi-Inari Shrine

Address: 3 Chome-16-9 Nakamachi, Kiryu, Gunma 376-0035

Phone: 0277-44-5972

Kitaya Inari Shrine

Address: 1 Chome-4-1 Jinnan, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0041

Phone: 03-3461-2971

Myoan-ji Temple

Address: 1729 Oka, Higashimatsuyama, Saitama 355-0001

Phone: 0493-39-0052

Higashi-Fushimi Inari Shrine

Address: 1 Chome-5-38 Higashifushimi, Nishitokyo, Tokyo 202-0021

Phone: 042-461-1125

Samukawa Shrine

Address: 3916 Miyayama, Samukawa, Koza District, Kanagawa 253-0106

Phone: 0467-75-0004