Virtual Shonai 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #27 Seiko-ji Temple

 

     Fujiwara Fusamae (681-737) was appointed to the inspector over the local governments in the Tokai Region in 703.  In 709, his job included inspection over the local governments in the Tozan Region, which included Mutsu and Ideha Provinces, that is, the Tohoku Region today.  He was an expert in dealing with northern foreigners issues.  Some northern foreigners had surrendered themselves to Japan because it offered them a good deal.  They had to swear obedience and offer local special products.  In return, they were exempted from taxes and were given food and clothes.  That must have looked more like a contract or trade to them.

     Corps were organized in Japan from the end of the 7th century. One of the purposes of establishing the Ritsuryo system was to organize and maintain this corps. It was organized separately from the county, which is a civil administration organization. Corps's stations were located throughout the country, and individual corps were called by adding the name of their locations in front of the corps.  At the end of the 8th century, corps came to be seen as an unnecessary economic burden, and were abolished except in some provinces (Mutsu, Ldeha, and Sado), and in Saikaido Region.

     From the end of the 8th century to the 9th century, the corps was abolished, and there was no longer a permanent state regular army, and the public order in the provinces deteriorated.  People rebelled against the provincial governments' strict enforcement measures.  Robbers became rampant throughout the country.  In the eastern provinces, the robbers set their eyes on the forcibly-emigrated northern foreigners as parasites on the taxes, and repeatedly assaulted them.  The forcibly-emigrated northern foreigners took self-defense steps from the mid to late 9th century.  That further raised tensions in the Kanto Region.  The Imperial Court dispatched military aristocrats as provincial governors to suppress the disturbances.

     It is unknown when Oga Shrine was founded, but it was listed in the Engishiki, a book about laws and customs, whose major part was completed in 927.  It might have been founded in 825 as tradition suggests.  Ogano-Daisen-ji Temple was founded as its shrine temple by Prince Motosada (827-869) in the same year according to tradition.  It's just impossible.

     Prince Motosada (827-869) was the third son of Emperor Junna (786-840).  In 846, he was appointed the governor of Kazusa Province.  In February, 848, Maruko's Tsumuji and others started a "rebellion" in Kazusa Province.  Tsumuji means a whirlwind.  His name (nickname) suggests his personality.  He or his ancestors had been transferred from Oshika, Mutsu Province, which was ruled by the Maruko Clan in those days.  The rebellion was soon suppressed.  57 of them were killed.  On a Japanese scale, that was a massacre or ethnic cleansing.  Motosada was shocked with the sight, raised in the mild and gentle atmosphere in the court.  He let the survivors escape to Onga in Ideha Province.  They built Akai Hermitage in the precincts of Onga-Daisen-ji Temple, supported by Motosada.  Akai means an argha well, which provides water to the Buddhist altar.  In the following year, 849, Motosada resigned for health reasons and was allowed to become a priest.

     After the Meiji Restoration, Onga-Daisen-ji Temple was abolished, and the hermitage became a temple, named Seiko-ji.

The well water in Inooka

Is clear and clean.

I'd visit the closed temple again.

Address: Ko 199 Inooka, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0842

Phone: 0235-22-7084

Oga Shrine

Address: Inooka, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0842