Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #23 Togen-in Temple

 

     It is unknown when Togen-ji Temple was founded in Moniwa Village, Date County, Mutsu Province.

     The temple was moved by Moniwa Yoshinao (1513-1586), who was the 13th head of the Moniwa Family, inviting Priest Soho, the 3rd priest of Shorin-ji Temple, to Kawai Village, Okitama County, Dewa Province, in 1544, and was renamed Togen-in.  Who was the Moniwa Family?

     Saito Motoyoshi lived in Yase Village, Atago County, Yamashiro Province.  Judging from his surname, he was at the bottom of the Fujiwara Clan as a military official.  After the Heiji Rebellion in 1160, the Imperial authority and thus the Fujiwara Clan weakened.  As many military aristocrats were weeded out in the rebellion, the Taira Clan also monopolized the roles of maintaining public order in Kyoto, suppressing provincial rebellions, and managing manors, effectively controlling the national military and police powers.  Motoyoshi lost his job and left Kyoto to the east, presumably counting on his acquaintances or relatives.  He first lived in Sakura, Shimousa Province, but couldn't find a good job.  Then, he moved to Nasu, Shimotsuke Province.  By then, his son, Saneyoshi, grew up.  Saneyoshi led the Saito Family further north to find a good job.  They arrived at the upper reaches of the Surikami River in Date County, Mutsu Province.  The area was continually robbed by bandits living around Suge Pond.  They sometimes even abducted young women and girls.  Saneyoshi killed the bandits in 1192, and, instead of becoming another bandit, he lived in the area as a samurai, however poor the area was.  As the area was called Moniwa, he changed his family name to Moniwa.

     In those days, Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) established the Kamakura Shogunate in 1183.  The samurai's days arrived.

     The Isa Family lived in Isa County, Hitachi Province.  One of their branch families lived in Nakamura in the county, and called themselves Nakamura.  Some members of the families fought brilliantly in the Battle of Ishinazaka in July, 1189, when Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) invaded Mutsu Province.  They were given Idate County in the Mutsu Province, and called themselves Idate.  In the Warring States Period, their family name was mispronounced as Date.  Anyway, Saneyoshi decided to become subordinate to the Idate/Date Family.  The Saito Family worked hard in a poor village and fought hard to climb up the samurai ladder.  They worked and fought so hard that while the Idate Family had 8 generations, 25 years a generation, the Saito Family consumed 13 generations, 15 years a generation, probably including inheritances to younger brothers and as such.

     In 1380, Idate Muneto (1324-1385), the 8th head of the Idate Family, started invading Nagai County, Dewa Province.  He devised every plot imaginable, and destroyed the Nagai Family in 1385.  The Idate Family became the second most powerful in Mutsu Province after the Shirakawa-Yuki Family.  In 1392, Ashikaga Ujimitsu (1359-1398), the second Kanto Deputy Shogun, was given the authority to control Mutsu and Dewa Provinces by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358-1408), the third Shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate in Kyoto.

     When Date Tanemune (1488-1565) further invaded Dewa Province, Moniwa Yoshinao fought as a vanguard.  In 1564, Yoshinao was appointed as one of top executives by Date Harumune (1519-1578).

     When Makaprajnaparamita Sutra, or Large Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, was copied in Risshaku-ji Temple from 1357 to 1398, Kawai Village was mentioned in its postscript.

Address: 3823-1 Kawai, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-0117

Phone: 0238-28-1131

Shorin-ji Temple

Address: Zusayama-3080 Banseicho, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-1122

Phone: 0238-28-2280

Mogami 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #2 Risshaku-ji Temple

Address: 4456-1 Yamadera, Yamagata, 999-3301

Phone: 023-695-2002