Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #13 Enko-ji Temple

 

     According to tradition, Enko-ji Temple was founded sometime between 729 and 749.  Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha was enshrined in 807, when many shrines and temples were founded mysteriously.

     In 709, Ideha County, which was pronounced Dewa later by the end of the 12th century, was established at the northern end of Koshi Province.  Ideha Fortress was supposedly built around that time at the estuary of Mogami River.  Ideha County was separated from Koshi Province and was promoted to province in 712.  In 733, Ideha Provincial Government Office, which was located in Ideha Fortress, was moved north to the estuary of Omono River.  That is, the Imperial Court's frontline advanced north about 100 kilometers.  Enko-ji Temple was founded when the Imperial Court's ambition grew bigger and bigger.

     The areas around the estuary of Omono River became unstable for some reason or other, and at last in 780, Abe Yakamaro, a general in Akita Fortress, reported to Emperor Konin (709-781) that the fortress should be abandoned.  That meant to retreat about 100 kilometers south again.

     Date Yukitomo (1291-1348), the 7th head of the Date Family, revived the temple in 1344.

     After the collapse of the Kamakura Shogunate in 1333, Yukitomo joined the Mutsu Provincial Government as one of the top executive, following Kitabatake Akiie (1318-1338), who was assigned as the Governor of the province under the Kenmu Restoration Government.

     When Akiie attacked Ashikaga Takauji (1305-1358) to the west in 1335, Yukitomo followed him and returned to Mutsu in 1336.  During their absence, the influence of the Northern Court increased and when the Taga Castle was threatened, the provincial government office was moved to Ryozen Fortress (Ryozenmachi Ishida, Date, Fukushima 960-0807) in his territory.

     In 1337, he followed Akiie's second attempt to advance west, which ended in a crushing defeat.  After Akiie's death, he sheltered at Isa Fortress in Isa County, Hitachi Province, with his relative, Nakamura Tsunenaga (?-1368), the lord of Nakamura Fortress, but when they were attacked by Ko Morofuyu (?-1351), Yukitomo and Tsunenaga broke through the enclosure and fled to their territories.

     Yukimoto might have revived the temple to pray for the war dead's comfort in the other world.

Address: 3888 Juo, Shirataka, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 992-0821

Phone: 0238-85-2294

Site of Tagajo Castle

Address: Ichikawa, Tagajō, Miyagi 985-0864

Phone: 022-368-1141

Nakamura Fortress Ruins

Address: Address: 2402 Naka, Moka, Tochigi 321-4351