Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #21 Hoju-ji Temple

 

     Hoju-ji Temple was founded in 1845 as the shrine temple of Wood Rat Mahakala, which was enshrined in Mount Yudono in the 800's, in Onogawa Village, Okitama County, Dewa Province.  Onogawa Village was first documented in 1553 in the land register of Date Harumune (1519-1578).

     After the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, the images of Amitabha, Avalokitesvara, and Mahavairocana were moved from Mount Yudono to Hoju-ji Temple as well as that of Wood Rat Mahakala.  In 1892, a hall was built for the image of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, and who is the 21st deity of the Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

     Ono Komachi (825–900) is said to have lived in its precincts once.  For your information, Komachi is so popular that there are about 17 legendary graves of Komachi in Japan.  "Holy lands" related to her are just countless.

Address: 2580 Onogawamachi, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-0076

Phone: 0238-32-2929