Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #28 Kosho-ji Temple

 

     Kosho-ji Temple was founded by Abe Tsunayoshi (1569-1646) in 1616.

     Sugawara Naizen ruled Abe Village in Echigo Province.  Naizen was killed in battle by Honjo Shigenaga (1540-1614), who ruled Iwafune County in Echigo Province.  As Shigenaga fought countless battles, it is unknown when and in which battle Naizen was killed.  Anyway, Naizen was killed and his son, Tsunayoshi (1569-1646), wandered through mountains, and settled in Miyauchi Village, Okitama County, Dewa Province.  In those days, Miyauchi Village was ruled by the Otsu Family, who had served Kumano Taisha Shrine in the county.

     Masamune, who became the head of the Date Family in 1377, and his father, Muneto (1324-1385), began to invade other territories to expand their territories.  After taking control of Shinobu County, they advanced to Okitama County, which had a rich basin with rice fields.  In 1380, Muneto led Moniwa Yukitomo and others to invade Okitama County, occupied part of it, and used Takahata Fortress as a beachhead to advance to the whole county.  In response to the Date Family's invasion, Ashikaga Ujimitsu (1359-1398), the second Kanto Deputy Shogun, ordered the neighboring powerful samurai to send out relief troops, and with their support, the Nagai Family succeeded in forcing the Date Family to retreat.  However, the invasion of the Date Family continued relentlessly, and, in 1385, Masamune attacked and seized the county, causing the Nagai Family to decline.

     The Otsu Family was, however, allowed to rule the village.  In 1509, Date Hisamune (1453-1514) ordered the family to invade Echigo Province.  Tsunayoshi might have been hired by the family due to his native knowledge of the province.  He called his family Abe after his homeland.

     The Uesugi Clan was promoted from Echigo to Aizu in 1598 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598).  The Otsu Family basically left Miyauchi Village, following the Date Clan, and moved to Takekuma Village, Kurihara County, Mutsu Province, but Otsu Satotsugu, a brother of the last head of the family, stayed in Miyauchi Village and later became the Shinto priest of Kumano Taisha Shrine.  Instead, Ozaki Shigetaka became the ruler of the village.  Tsunayoshi became subject to Shigetaka, who was subject to the Uesugi Clan.  It is unknown how Tsunayoshi handled the situation including his inner emotional conflict.  Anyway, Tsunayoshi labored for developing new rice fields, opening up a mine, and reviving Kumano Taisha Shrine there, to which he might have felt an obligation.

     A gold mine was hit on the Akayu side of Mt. Ohora when the Date Clan ruled Okitama County.  Tsunayoshi managed the mine (Akayu, Nanyo, Yamagata 999-2211) from 1624 to 1644.

     It is unknown when the Kannon-do hall of Kosho-ji Temple was built.  It was rebuilt in 1678.

Address: 827-1 Miyazaki, Nanyo, Yamagata 999-2253

Phone: 0238-43-5481

Kumano Taisha Shrine

Address: 3476-1 Miyauchi, Nanyō, Yamagata 992-0472

Phone: 0238-47-7777