Virtual Old Akita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #5 Tonomine-Kannon-do Hall

 

     Akesawa Village was first documented in 1620 and seems to have been developed relatively recently.  Far before the development of the village, Tonomine Shrine was founded in the area.  The Akesawa Villagers believed the shrine was invited from Mount Tanomine in Yamato Province and they built a branch near the village too.  It is unknown whether what they believed was true or it was just a coincidence that the two share the same place name.  Later, Komyo-in Temple was founded as its shrine temple.

     After the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Boshin War was fought between the pro-Shogunate armies and the pro-Meiji-Restoration-Government armies.  Boshin is the name of the year, 1868, named under the combination of Oriental five elements and Oriental Zodiac, in a cycle of 60 years.  On August 9th, the pro-MRG forces invaded Yokote Basin and Komyo-in Temple burned down.  As the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in the year, the villagers planned only the survival of the shrine.  As the area belonged to the opposition forces, the usage of Tanomine wasn't approved.  The villagers were ordered to change the shrine's name to Sawaguchi, namely Mountain Stream Entrance.  The discrimination against the opposition forces continued for decades.

     Kaiki, Gyoki's disciple, founded a shrine temple of Miwa Shrine either during or just after the construction of Okachi Fortress.  The original name of the temple is uncertain: Sugimiya-bo, Sugimoto-bo, Yoro-ji, Daiwa-ji, Sugimoto-ji, etc.  Initially, the temple belonged to the Hosso Sect, and, in 844, Ankei, who later became the fourth head of Tiantai Sect in Japan in 864, changed the temple to the Tiantai Sect.  Later, it changed to Shingon Sect, but the timing is unknown.

     Due to the years of harsh administration by Yoshimine Chikashi, the officer of the Akita Fortress, the dissatisfaction of subordinate foreigners reached its peak.  In March, 878, they rose up and raided Akita Fortress, and Chikashi was unable to defend the fortress and fled.  The subordinate foreigners set fire to the surrounding area, and the Governor of Ideha Province, Fujiwara Okiyo (817-891) also fled.  The uprising was called the Gangyo Rebellion.

     Yamakita Yoshisada defended the Okachi Fortress, and the temple was renamed Kichijo-in after the Chinese pronunciation of his name.  The name was geminated to Kissho-in.

     After the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, the Buddhist priests of Kissho-in Temple all became Shinto priests, and the temple was abolished.  The temple's Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, statue was moved to Kyusho-ji Temple.

Address: Akesawa-26 Hirakamachi Daigo, Yokote, Akita 013-0102

Phone: 0182-25-3758

Sawaguchi Shrine

Address: Sawaguchitatemiya−16 Hirakamachi Daigo, Yokote, Akita 013-0102

Tanzan Jinja

Address: 319 Tonomine, Sakurai, Nara 633-0032

Phone: 0744-49-0001