Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #15 Miroku-in Temple

 

     Yamato Kuninomiyatsuko was a powerful family in Yamato Province in prehistoric times.  Its branch advanced to Koshi Province and developed Kubiki County and called themselves Kubiki Kuninomiyatsuko.  Shinko-ji Temple was founded in today's Shinkoji, Itoigawa, Niigata 941-0041, but was abolished.  The temple's main deity, the Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha standing statue, which was carved out of a Japanese cypress tree, was moved to Miroku-in Temple in Okitama County, Dewa Province.

     It is unknown when Miroku-in Temple was founded and when it was abolished.  When a fire spread to the temple, the statue escaped fire damage.  Since then, the statue was worshiped as fire-prevention Ekadasamukha.

     In the 18th century alone, Yonezawa Castle town had 7 fires in which over 100 houses were burned down.  The sources of fires included lamps, votive lights, heating devices, baths, fireworks, and arson.

     The Ekadasamukha hall is located near Shoyo-ji Temple, which was founded in 1558 at the foot of Kasugayama Castle.  When Uesugi Kagekatsu (1555-1623) was promoted to Aizu in 1598, the temple followed him.  When Kagekatsu was shunted to Yonezawa in 1601, the temple followed him.  Miroku-in Temple might have been a branch of Shoyo-ji Temple, and someone could have brought the Ekadasamukha statue from their hometown.

     The middle reaches of Hime River had the Nechi Fortress.  The fortress consisted of Negoya Fort, Kamishiroyama Fort, and Kuriyama Fort.  Negoya Fortr, which was located at an altitude of 320 meters, was generally called Nechi Fortress.  Negoya Fortr played the central role of Nechi Fortress and has large-scale remains consisting of 17 fort ruins, 201 flattened areas, 16 trenches, and 15 vertical moats.  The Hime River flows on the west side, and the Nechi River flows from the north to the east side.  It is unknown when the fortress was built, but it is said to have been built by Nagao Terutora (1530-1578) in preparation against an invasion by the Takeda Clan.  In 1565, Kagetora appointed Murakami Yoshikiyo (1501-1573) as the lord of the fortress, but it doesn't mean Yoshikiyo ruled estuary of Hime River.

     The Murakami Family used to live as samurai in Shinano Province before the Takeda Clan invaded the province.  Yoshikiyo and his son, Kunikiyo (1546-1592), flew north to Echigo Province with their family members and followers, and came to fight for Terutora after 1553.

     Shio no Michi or Salt Road ran from the mouth of Hime River to Shinano Province, and the mouth as a port was an important point of trading.  Presumably, Terutora had a direct control over the area, and dispatched a close relative or a close vassal to the area.  They might have brought the Ekadasamukha statue to Okitama County with them.

Address: 1 Chome-4-24 Honcho, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-0037

Phone: 0238-32-2929

Shoyo-ji Temple

Address: 5 Chome-1-16 Jonan, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-0038

Phone: 0238-23-1586

Kasugayama Castle Ruins

Address: 334 Daizu, Joetsu, Niigata 943-0802

Phone: 025-545-9269

Former Site of Nechi Castle

Address: Negoya, Itoigawa, Niigata 949-0536

Phone: 025-552-1511