Virtual Shinobu Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #34 Fukusho-ji Temple

 

     Fukusho-ji Temple was founded in Hinata in 1053.

     According to local tradition, Minamoto Yoriyoshi (998-1075) stayed at Hinata on his way to Mutsu Province. He ordered Shimada Michitake to kill a giant snake in a pond there. Michitake dug a canal between the pond and the Tone River, dried the pond up, shot the snake's right eye, and killed it. It is, however, quite unlikely that Yoriyoshi was in Hinata at the time as he was very busy fighting against Abe Yoritoki (?-1057), who was killed in the summer. It isn't, however, impossible that Michitake, who was subject to Yoritoki, developed Hinata by drying up a pond.

     Yoriyoshi was appointed as the governor of Mutsu Province in 1051. In 1052, the Abe Family was pardoned, and Yoriyoshi stayed in the province relatively peacefully till 1506. It was on February 16th, 1063, that Yoriyoshi returned to Kyoto in triumph with the heads of Abe Sadato (1019-1062) and Fujiwara Tsunekiyo (?-1062).

     What happened in 1053? I don't know, but Yoriyoshi could have been busy spreading his power over the Kanto Region, which benefited his offspring such as Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199), who established the Kamakura Shogunate, the government of samurai, by samurai, and for samurai.

Address: 1154 Hinata, Kumagaya, Saitama 360-0224

Phone: 048-588-2464

Nagai Shrine

Address: 1090 Hinata, Kumagaya, Saitama 360-0224

Phone: 048-588-2858