Virtual Old Mutsu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #3 Yuzan-ji Temple

 

     #3 deity of the Old Mutsu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage used to be enshrined in Kannon-ji Temple.  Kannon-ji Temple was abolished and the deity was moved to Yuzan-ji Temple.  Then, Kannon-ji Temple was a shrine temple and must have been abolished after the Meiji Restoration.  Hanamaki used to have Atago, Inari, and Yasaka Shrines.  They were merged after 1955.  Atago Shrine's shrine temple was Hachiman-ji Temple.  Yasaka Shrine shared the precincts with Atago Shrine.  All in all, Kannon-ji Temple could have been Inari Shrine's shrine temple.  Inari Shrine was moved to its present place from Isawa County in 1681.

     On January 9th, 802, Sakanoue Tamuramaro (758-811) was dispatched to northern foreigners' land to build Isawa Fortress.  On the 10th, 4000 jobless people from Suruga, Kai, Sagami, Musashi, Kazusa, Shimousa, Hitachi, Kozuke, and Shimotsuke Provinces were ordered to go to Isawa to build the fortress.  The Mutsu Provincial Government was located in Taga Fortress, but its Military Government was moved to Isawa Fortress in 802.  As Old Mutsu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized in 811, Kannon-ji Temple could have been founded as soon as the fortress was built.

Address: 1-25 Atagocho, Hanamaki, Iwate 025-0071

Phone: 0198-23-2634

Isawa Castle Site

Address: Shibuta Mizusawaku Sakurakawa, Oshu, Iwate 023-0003

Phone: 0197-34-1316