Virtual Shinobu Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #32 Myodo-ji Temple

 

     Myodo-ji Temple was founded sometime between 1394 and 1428 by Priest Gyoman.  The Ueda Family supported the foundation.  The head of the Ueda Family was killed in battle in 1422.

     Ashikaga Mochiuji (1398-1439) became the 4th Kanto Deputy Shogun in 1409 at the age of 11.  Uesugi Ujinori (?-1417) became the Regent of the Kanto Deputy Shogunate in 1411 in his 40’s.  As Mochiuji entered the rebellious stage, he preferred Uesugi Norimoto (1392-1418).  Mochiuji replaced Ujinori by Norimoto in 1415.  Ujinori rebelled against Mochiuji in 1416, and gained control of Kamakura, from where Mochiuji fled to Suruga Province.

     The central shogunate supported Mochiuji and ordered the samurai in the Kanto Region to fight against Ujinori.  Ujinori was cornered to commit suicide on January 10th, 1417.  Ujinori's wife tried to flee to Kai Province, where her brother, Takeda Nobumitsu (?-1417), was the Provincial Guardian Samurai.  Nobumitsu, who had fought for Ujinori, was also cornered to kill himself near Mt. Tokusa, Tsuru County, Kai Province.  Having heard the news, Ujinori's wife killed herself on a certain riverside between Kamakura and Kai Province.  Iwamatsu Mitsuzumi (?-1417) had married a daughter of Ujinori, and he was beheaded at Takinokuchi in Kamakura.

     Mochiuji's suppression of Ujinori's supporters continued fiercely.  Satake Tomoyoshi (?-1422) killed himself at Hikiyatsu in Kamakura.  Inagi Yoshinobu was destroyed.  Daijo Mitsutomo (?-1430) and his son, Yoshimatu, were robbed of Mito Fortress in 1427, and were killed at Yukinoshita in Kamakura in 1430.  Manabe Hidemoto (1380-1424) was deprived of most of his territories.

     As the Ueda Family and Myo-do-ji Temple declined after 1422, the family might have been on Ujinori's side.

     Myodo-ji Temple was revived by Naito Masatsugu (?-1670), who ruled Kawaraaketo Village.

     Kawaraaketo Village was developed after the middle of the Edo Period (1603-1867).  Until the development, the area used to be called Akuto after akuta, that is, litter.  Kawaraaketo was a dry riverbed covered with earth, sand, and driftwood which were washed ashore from the upper reaches of the Ara River.  The land was flood-stricken with marshes and was uncultivated.

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

Address: 182 Kawaharaaketo, Kumagaya, Saitama 360-0837

Remains of Tatsunokuchi Execution Site

Address: 3 Chome-13 Katase, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-0032