Virtual Adachi Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage (the South) #16 Tokusho-ji Temple

 

     Tokusho-ji Temple was founded by Priest Teitoku sometime between 1655 and 1663 in Bijogi Village, Adachi County, Musashi Province.

     The village used to be part of Sasame Monor.  It is unknown when the manor was developed.  Under the Kamakura Shogunate, every manor was divided between its original owner and a samurai who was appointed as its steward.  Sasame Manor's steward half was presented to Tsuruogaoka-Hachiman Shrine in 1293.

     Tokusho-ji Temple's precincts have an itabi dated 1405.  The precincts must have been a holy place even before the temple's foundation.

     Bijogi Village used to be called Kami-Sasame, namely Upper Sasame.  Long time ago, beauties came from Kyoto and stayed in the village.  The locals of surrounding villages nicknamed it Bijogi, namely Beauties Came.  Believe it or not.  Anyway, the story was skeptically recorded in the New Topography and Chronology of Musashi Province, which was compiled by Mamiya Kotonobu (1777-1841) compiled at the beginning of the 19th century.

Address: 7 Chome-4-2 Bijogi, Toda, Saitama 335-0031