Virtual Saitama City Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #12 Tosen-ji Temple

 

     Tosen-ji Temple was founded by Ennin (794-864) in Kizaki Village, Adachi County, Musashi Province, in 829.  It was revived by Priest Gensho.  In the 17th century, Segasaki Village, where Tosen-ji Temple was located, became independent from Kizaki Village.

     At the time of the temple's revival, Mishima Ryonen invited Mishima Shrine to the village.  It is unknown whether Mishima Ryonen and Gensho are the same person and Gensho was the priest name of Ryonen or not.  The temple's precincts used to have Segasaki-Mishima Shrine.  They were separated after the Meiji Restoration.

     The temple's precincts have a stone stupa dated 1471.  The stupa was built by 4 people while they were still alive.  They built it to pray for their comfort in the other world.  The temple could have been older than the stupa.

     The Kyotoku War lasted for 28 years from 1454 to 1482.  During the war, Ashikaga Shigeuji (1438-1497), the Kanto Deputy Shogun in Kamakura, relinquished Kamakura and moved to Koga in 1457.  In 1458, the Muromachi Shogunate sent out another deputy shogun, Ashikaga Masatomo (1435-1491), from Kyoto for Kamakura, but he couldn’t enter Kamakura and stayed in Horikoshi, Izu Province.  From then on, there were Koga Kanto Deputy Shogun and Horikoshi Kanto Deputy Shogun in the Kanto Region.  On October 14, 1459, the 2 camps had a big battle in Ota Manor, Musashi Province. That was the start of the Warring States Period in the region.

     In 1467, the Onin War broke out in Kyoto.  The war lasted for 11 years, and the whole nation was thrown into the Warring States Period.

     The 4 builders of the stupa prepared themselves to accept their death.

Address: 2 Chome-15-3 Segasaki, Urawa Ward, Saitama, 330-0044

Phone: 048-886-5114