Virtual Shonai 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #2 Kongoju-in Temple

 

     Nun Myoen, whose secular name wan't recorded, was a concubine of Mogami Yoshiaki (1546-1614).  She had foresight and retired before Yoshiaki's death.  She presented a main hall to Kongoju-in Temple in 1611 and lived in the hill behind the temple, where the temple's Kannon-do Hall is located.  She successfully had her younger brother, Yugen, appointed to be the 48th head Buddhist priest manager of Mount Haguro.  9 years after Yoshiaki's death, the Mogami Family's income was reduced to one 24th and was moved to Omi Province.  Myoen stayed in her homeland till her death.

     Yugen was also able to think ahead.  He started to build the 1.7 kilometers long 2,446 steps from the foot of the mountain.  Although it took 13 years and 3 generations of head priests to complete the project, the steps enabled countless pilgrims to visit the mountain under the Pax Tokugawana and helped the mountain prosper.

     A stone memorial was built in Mutsu Province in 1419, commemorating the 32nd anniversary of a Myoen's death.  Presumably, a different person with the same name died in 1387.  As we have some other Myoen's, the name seems to have been popular.

My Lord Buddha vowed

To relieve all the people in this world

Thoroughly without exception.

Address: 285 Haguromachi Touge, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0211

Phone: 0235-62-2564