Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #32 Mori-Kannon-do Hall

 

     Narita Village, which was located on the left bank of the Mogami River in Nagai Manor, was first documented in 1356.

     The opposite bank of the Nagai Manor along the Mogami River, or its right bank, used to be the wilderness before the Edo Period (1603-1867).  Numasawa Ise of Asadachi Village (Asadachi, Shirataka, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 992-0852), which was first documented in 1538, and Niino Izumi of Kurofuji Village (Kurofuji Shirataka, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 992-0841), which was first documented in 1523, who were both low-ranking samurai who lived in farm villages, thought of a plan to irrigate the wilderness from the Mogami River.  They submitted their plan document in 1603.  They were threatened to be crucified in case they failed, but decided to carry out their plan.  They built the intake in Koide Village and completed the canal in 1605.  The canal was named Suwa-zeki presumably because Suwa was largely believed to be the god of water.

     Mori Village was later developed along the canal on the opposite bank from Narita Village.  As Mori means Forest, the right bank of the river must have been a forest before the development of the village.  One day, a villager found a glowing object, thought of it as an embodiment of Avalokitesvara, and built a hall to enshrine Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja.

A silver mine was opened up in the village, and it was called Ansho.  The hall became Shinko-ji Temple.  The Furuguchi Family took care of the hall. The hall burned down in fire in 1718 and the statue was moved to Shinko-ji Temple.  The hall was rebuilt in 1722, but it was taken care of by the temple.

     When a haiku poet Uju visited the area and stayed at Tosho-ji Temple in 1746, the mine's prosperity had passed, but it was open till the end of the 18th century.

      After the Meiji Restoration, Shinko-ji Temple was abolished and the hall has been taken care of by Henjo-ji Temple.

     As Mori-Kannon-do Hall is unstaffed, you should visit Mori-Kannon Stamp Office to get your pilgrimage certificate.

Mori-Kannon-do Hall

Address: 736 Mori, Nagai, Yamagata 993-0073

Phone: 0238-88-5685

Mori-Kannon Stamp Office

Address: 798 Mori, Nagai, Yamagata 993-0073

Phone: 0238-88-5685

Henjo-ji Temple

Address: 14-8 Yokomachi, Nagai, Yamagata 993-0087

Phone: 0238-88-2285

Tosho-ji Temple

Address: 1367 Kusaoka, Nagai, Yamagata 993-0063

Phone: 0238-84-2390