Virtual Old Akita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #3 Zan'i-ji Temple

 

     Zan'i-ji Temple belongs to Obaku-shu or Obaku School of Chan Buddhism in Japan.  According to the list of the school's member temples, Zan'i-ji Temple is pronounced Zan'i-ji not San'i-ji nor Mii-dera.

     The temple claims that its statue of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, is the oldest in the Tohoku Region, and that it was enshrined by Sakanoue Tamuramaro  (758-811) to pray for his victory.

     In 791, Tamuramaro was dispatched to the eastern provinces to prepare for the war against the northern foreigners in the northeastern part of Honshu.  In 794, he invaded the region, with the military successes of beheading 457 and taking 150 captive.

     In 801, Tamuramaro invaded the northeastern region again.  When Tamuramaro brought back two enemy chiefs, Aterui and More, to the capital in 802, the two were killed against Tamuramaro’s intention to have them keep working in a unified Japan as chiefs in the northeastern region.

     If the temple's story is true, the statue could be the oldest in the region.  However, then, where did the statue presented by Urabe Yasumasa go?

     Priest Join of Sensho-ji Temple, which was founded in the 1600's, and which belongs to Obaku Chan School, retired and built Ozen-an Hermitage.  As Zan'i-ji Temple declined, the hermitage took over its temple-ship, and Zan'i-ji Temple came to belong to the Obaku Chan School.

Address: 7-15 Kajimachi, Yokote, Akita 013-0031

Phone: 0182-32-2523

Sensho-ji Temple

Address: Minamikoken-47 Inuyama, Aichi 484-0084

Phone: 0568-61-1289