Virtual Shonai 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #19 Ryuto-ji Temple

 

     Omonoimi Shrine is a Shinto shrine on Mount Chokai, an active volcano, in Yamagata Prefecture.  The shrine has three parts on different places of the mountain: Fukura-Kuchinomiya and Warabioka-Kuchinomiya at the foot of the mountain, and Sancho-Gohonsha, the main shrine on the mountain's summit.  Warabioka is located where the Nikko River runs out of mountains.

     According to tradition, Ryuto-ji Temple was founded sometime between 897 and 930 by Shingi Naokimi as a shrine temple of Warabioka-Kuchinomiya Shrine.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku, literally the True Record of Three Reigns of Japan, is a history text officially mandated by Emperor Uda (867-931) to compile. It was compiled by Fujiwara Tokihira (871-909), Sugawara Michizane (845-903), Okura Yoshiyuki (832-921), and Mimune Masahira (853-926), and covers the years from August 27th, 858, to August 26th, 887, corresponding to three imperial reigns: Seiwa (850-881), Yozei (869-949), and Koko (830-887). The compilation was completed in 901.

     According to the Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article dated May 16th, 871, the Governor of Ideha Province reported that there was an Omonoimi Shrine on the top of a mountain in Akuumi County.  In the mountain, rocks soar, people rarely tread, snow covers its peak even in summer, and no trees or weeds grow.  On April 8th, it erupted.  Regarding the eruption of Mt. Chokai, he said, "We prayed to the god of Ideha, but we neglected to make an annual prayer afterwards.  Skeletons polluted the mountains and waters.  That caused the god's anger and caused the mountain to erupt, resulting in this disaster."  He stated that the eruption of Mt. Chokai was the result of military actions.

     The Imperial Court, however, gradually came to believe, for their convenience, that the mountain explosions were caused by the mountain god who abhorred the barbarians' military actions and gave notices beforehand.

     The eruption of Mt. Chokai was considered to be a manifestation of the divine power of God Omonoimi, and each time the eruption occurred, the Imperial Court promoted its divine rank.  In the article of May 11th, 838, in Shoku Nihon Koki, one of the 6 National Histories in ancient Japan, Omonoimi, which had been awarded an aristocratic rank of Upper Junior Fifth Rank, was promoted to Lower Senior Fifth Rank, being promoted by one grade.  There is no written record of when the first title was conferred.

     In Ancient Japan, 6 National Histories were compiled: Nihon Shoki, which covered the mythological period through 697, and whose compilation was completed in 720; Shoku Nihongi, which covered the years 697-791, and whose compilation was completed in 797; Nihon Koki, which covered the years 792-833, and whose compilation was completed in 840; Shoku Nihon Koki, whose compilation was finished in 869, and which covered the years 833–850; Nihon Montoku Tenno Jitsuroku, which covered the years 850-858, and whose compilation was completed in 879; and Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku, which covered the years 858-887, and whose compilation was completed in 901.

     Omonoimi's divine rank was promoted as follows:

     Shoku Nihon Koki's article dated May 11th, 838: Omonoimi was promoted from Upper Junior Fifth Rank to Lower Senior Fifth Rank.

     Shoku Nihon Koki's Article dated July 26th, 840: Omonoimi was promoted from Lower Senior Fifth Rank to Lower Junior Fourth Rank, a double promotion.  When the shipwrecked envoy to Tang China was attacked by pirates the previous year, the pirates were repelled by a small number of soldiers, but this was attributed to the divine protection of Omonoimi, which erupted around the same time and expressed its divine power.  2 families were donated to the god.  The letter of appreciation of Emperor Ninmyo (810-850) was attached.  Donation of 2 families actually meant that 2 families who served Omonoimi were exempted from paying taxes.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article dated November 1st, 862: Omonoimi was promoted to Lower Senior Fourth Rank.  Its shrine was also designated as a government-owned shrine.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article dated February 5th, 864: Omonoimi was promoted from Lower Senior Fourth Rank to Upper Senior Fourth Rank.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article dated November 5th, 864: Omonoimi was promoted from Upper Senior Fourth Rank to Junior Third Rank.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article dated April 5th, 873: Omonoimi was promoted from Junior Third Rank to Senior Third Rank, celebrating rebuilding of the shrine at the top of the mountain and performing a memorial service after the great eruption in 871 subsided.

     Nihon Sandai Jirroku's article dated July 10th, 878, 2 more families were donated to Omonoimi, making the total number four.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article dated August 4th, 878:  Omonoimi was given the Third Class within the same grade.

     Due to the years of harsh administration by Yoshimine Chikashi, the officer of the Akita Castle, the dissatisfaction of subordinate foreigners reached its peak.  In March, 878, they rose up and raided Akita Fortress, and Chikashi was unable to defend the fortress and fled.  The subordinate foreigners set fire to the surrounding area, and the Governor of Ideha Province, Fujiwara Okiyo (817-891) also fled.

     In April, the Imperial Court received a courier from Chikashi and ordered Kozuke and Shimotsuke Provinces to conscript 1,000 soldiers each.  On the 19th, Tomo Sadamichi, the officer of Mogami County, was killed in battle.

     In May, the Imperial Court appointed Fujiwara Kajinaga as commandant and dispatched 1,000 cavalry and 2,000 infantry from Mutsu Province to suppress the rebel forces.  Fujiwara Noritsuna, Fun'ya Arifusa, and Ono Haruizumi also led 2,000 Ideha soldiers to join Kajinaga.  In June, the rebel forces attacked Akita Fortress again in large numbers, and the central army suffered a crushing defeat.  Kajinaga fled back to Mutsu Province.  The fortress was robbed of 300 pieces of armor, 700 koku of rice, 100 bedding, and 1,500 horses.  The rebellion expanded and 12 villages around Akita Fortress,Kamitsuno, Hinai, Sugibuchi, Noshiro, Kahoku, Wakimoto, Hoguchi, Okawa, Tsutsumi, Aneto, Katagami, and Yakioka, came under the rebell's control.  In the northern part of Ideha Province, only the foreigners of 3 villages, Soekawa, Habetsu, and Sukegawa, belonged to the province.  Furthermore, the northern foreigners of Tsugaru and Toshima supported the uprising.

     The Imperial Court had fortune-tellers judge the military situation.  "Since ancient times, God Omonoimi has shown its divine power in our conquering wars.  However, its divine power now belongs to northern foreigners.  If we promote the god, it may answer to the promotion."

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's article on February 27th, 880: Omonoimi was promoted to Junior Second Rank from Senior Third Rank.  After the Akita Rebellion was quelled, it returned to peacetime.

     These promotions were given to God Omonoimi through the Imperial messengers or the Governors of Ideha Province.  They couldn't have visited Mount Chokai without presents.  How and to whom were those presents and the exemptions of taxes distributed?  There was no records on the distribution.  Anyway, they might have brought about local conflicts.  The conflicts between Fukura and Warabioka locals were serious.  They even claimed their "guchinomiya" shrines to be a main shrine and what at the top of the mountain to be just an inner shrine.  Under Pax Tokugawana, their conflicts continued or even grew.  In peacetime, the number of Mount Chokai pilgrims increased.  It mattered which shrine was the originator.  That directly linked with the number of pilgrims they could mobilize.  Finally, after the Meiji Restoration, which pursued the centralized government, Prince Arisugawa Taruhito (1835-1895), designated Gongen-do on the mountaintop as the main shrine of Omonoimi Shrine, and designated Omonoimi Shrines in Fukura and Warabioka as Satomiya Shrines (later Kuchinomiya Shrines) on August 7th, 1880.

     In 1974, there were a steam explosion and 6 small mud flows.  Its Volcanic Explosion Index was VEI 1.

How far can we see

From the top of Mt. Chokai,

Whose god's vision far exceeds ours?

Address: Matsugaoka-45 Kamiwarabioka, Yuza, Akumi District, Yamagata 999-8314

Phone: 0234-72-2553

Chokaisan-Omonoimi Shrine Warabioka-guchinomiya Shrine

Address: Matsugaoka−51, Kamiwarabioka, Akumi District, Yamagata 999-8314

Phone: 0234-72-2552