Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #16 Senzo-in Temple

 

     The Ayukai Family was based in Ayukai Village, Okitama County, Dewa Province.  Ayukai Village was first documented in the diary of Date Terumune (1544-1585) dated September 3rd, 1574.

     Fujiwara Yasuchika was a low-ranking nobleman in Kyoto at the end of Heian Period (794-1185).  He moved to Mutsu Province, counting on the Northern Fujiwara Clan.  He lived in Okitama County, Ideha Province, probably working as a county government official.  He called himself Yokogoshi Taro.  The Yokogoshi Family actually ruled the northern part of Nagai Manor for about 250 years.  In 1396, Yokogoshi Narimune built Ayukai Fortress and moved there.  Since then, he called his family Ayukai.  Kotoku-ji Temple was founded on the site of Yokogoshi Fortress.

     Narimune was succeeded by Munemori, who was succeeded by Sadamune, who was succeeded by Morimune, who was succeeded by Moritsugu.

      Ayukai Fortress was located on the border with the Mogami Clan.  The Ayukai Family was a senior vassal of the Date Clan.  In 1584, when Date Terumune (1544-1585) handed over the headship of the clan to Masamune (1567-1636) and retired, Ayukai Moritsugu (1555-1624) welcomed Terumune to his fortress, until Tateyama Fortress was completed.

     Mototsugu retired and lived in Takadama Fortress.  He and his eldest son, Tadamune, didn't get along well with each other.  Masamune took advantage of their discord and, all of a sudden, led an army including Yume Kageyasu (1564-1638), Izumida Shigemitsu (1529-1596), and Miyazawa Motozane to siege Ayukai Fortress on October 14th, 1587.  He killed more than 50 samurai and occupied the fortress but its keep on the day.  Tadamune gave up on holding the fortress, secretly escaped from the fortress in the middle of the night, and fled to the territory of Mogami Yoshimitsu (1546-1614).  Tens of people who remained in Ayukai Fortress were killed.  Afterwards, Masamune moved Moritsugu to Shibata County, Mutsu Province, and had his second son, Munemasu, succeed to the head of the family.  Masamune also let the Ayukai Family keep the position of senior vassal.  The Ayukai Family's influence was wiped out from Ayukawa and surrounding 6 villages.

     One day, a villager found a gold image of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, in a rice field at the south-west corner of the village.  He built a small hut and enshrined the image

     The original owner of the image is unknown, but it is not hard to imagine their fate.

     Senzo-in Temple was founded in 1661 by Priest Seikei, supported by Suzuki Shichiemon.  In 1696, Suga Shirobe moved the image to its present place.

     In the 17th century, the Tokugawa Shogunate established the danka system, and every family in Japan was supposed to belong to an official Buddhist temple.  Accordingly, many temples were founded in those days.

Address: 3446 Ayukai, Shirataka, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 992-0771

Phone: 0238-85-2497

Ayukai Fortress Ruins

Address: Ayukai, Shirataka, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 992-0771

Tateyama Fortress Ruins

Address: Kuchitazawa, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-0072

Takadama Fortress Ruins

Address: Takadama, Shirataka, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 992-0773

Yokpgoshi Fortress Ruins

Address: Yokotajiri, Shirataka, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 992-0772

Kotoku-ji Temple

Address: 5265 Yokotajiri, Shirataka, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 992-0772

Phone: 0238-85-0641