Virtual Mogami 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #7 Shakugyo-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Shakugyo-ji Temple was founded, but as Shakugyo literally means Stone Religious Training, its foundation might have had something to do with religious austerities.

     In 1353, the temple's priest Angen started copying the Great Heart Sutra, helped by Junkai of Mitsuzo-bo Hermitage, Choson of Yamato-bo Hermitage, and Monk Kakua.  It took them 23 years to finish the copying project, and they used the era names of the Southern Court in the first 19 volumes and used that of Northern Court after the volume 20.  What does that mean?

     Oe Mototaka (?-1322) moved from Kamkura to Sagae Manor in 1285.  His first son, Motomasa (?-1359), inherited the manor.  In 1333, the Kamakura Shogunate collapsed, and the Northern and Southern Courts Period (1336-1392) started.  Motomasa fought for the Southern Court.  By 1351, Motomasa recaptured the northern half of the manor which had been confiscated by the Kamakura Shogunate.  In 1353, Kitabatake Akinobu (1320-1380), a general of the Southern Court, fled from Mutsu Province, when copying the Great Heart Sutra was started.  In 1356, Shiba Kaneyori (1316-1379) moved in to fight against the Southern Court.  In 1359, Motomasa clashed against Kaneyori and was killed in battle.  Motomasa's first son, Tokishige (?-1373), inherited the manor.  In 1368, the Battle of Urushigawa broke out.  Kaneyori advanced to Sagae Manor from the north.  He took a roundabout western route to avoid Tokishige's northern defensive lines.  He pretended to go down along Mogami River from the south and attracted the enemy forces which was led by Tokishige's first son, Shigenobu (?-1368).  Kaneyori, however, had his separate force go down along Tsukinu River and attack Shigenobu's force from behind.  Shigenobu and his force sought refuge in Hagibukuro Fort but eventually killed themselves there.

     After the battle, the northern half of Sagae Manor was captured by Kaneyori.  2 years later, in 1375, copying the Great Heart Sutra was finished.  After 3 more years, Tokishige died, with his dying word to his surviving 4th son, Tokiuji (?-1391), to surrender to the Northern Court.  Tokiuji followed his father's advice, and called his family Sagae afterward.  He might have been afraid that he wasn't worthy of holding the historic surname.

     Anyway, Priest Angen and others coldly stared at the frenzy of wars in the Northern and Southern Courts Period.  In their postscripts, they expressed hell in those days.

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