Virtual Musashino 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #3 Sanpo-ji Temple

 

     Sanpo-ji Temple was founded in Shakujii Village, Toshima County, Musashi Province, in 1394, at almost the same time as Shakujii Fortress was built.  Its original location is supposed to be in 5 Chome Shakujiidai.  After Ota Sukenaga (1432-1486) seized the fortress in 1477, he moved the temple to its present place where the fortress used to be located.

     Shakujii Fortress was built on the tongue-like height between the Shakujii River in the south and Sanpoji Pond in the north.  Unlike other fortresses, Shakujii Fortress was built not at the tip of the height bun in the middle of it.  Instead, Sanpo-ji Temple was built on the tip of the height.  It might have functioned as a branch fort of the fortress.  When Sukenaga attacked the fortress, he camped on Atago-san Hill about 700 meters west from the fortress.

     The temple's precincts have an itabi dated 1472.  It is unknown whether the itabi had been built where it is, in the middle of Shakujii Fortress, or it was moved with the temple.  For your information, Zenjo-ji Temple, which is said to have been founded in the 15th century, is located around where Sanpo-ji Temple used to be located, and it has 2 itabi which were built in the latter half of the 14th century.

     Emperor Go-Nara ordered Sanpo-in Temple to pray for quieting and protecting the country in 1547.  The Later Hojo Clan prohibited worldly samurai to intervene in its religious activities.

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

Address: 1 Chome-15-6 Shakujiidai, Nerima City, Tokyo 177-0045

Phone: 03-3996-0063

Zenjo-in Temple

Address: 5 Chome-19-10 Shakujiimachi, Nerima City, Tokyo 177-0041

Phone: 03-3996-4311