Virtual New Mutsu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #16 Seisui-ji Temple

 

     At the end of the 8th century, the mountain ridge which stretches east from Mt. Kurikoma was the border between the Imperial territories and those of northern foreigners.  The Imperial Army built a base along the northern bank of Sannohasama River.  They invited Kumano Shrine in 791, and enshrined Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses.  At first, the temple was called Kannon-ji.

     The area was also located roughly in a straight line between Taga Castle, where the Mutsu Provincial Government was based, and Shiwa Fortress, the northernmost fortress of the Imperial Army in the 9th century.  The temple could have been founded along the station road or the planned station road.

     In the 13th century, the Mori Family was based in Satoya-Mori Fortress near the junction of Sannohasama and Torisawa Rivers.  They founded Kannon-ji Temple to enshrine the Avalokitesvara image, which is 5.4 centimeters tall.

     Presumably, either in those days or in the Edo Period, the temple was renamed Seisui-ji after Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto.  There are dozens of Kiyomizu-dera or Seisui-ji Temples across Japan, all of which claim the relations with Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto.

     Seisui-ji Temple is also the #26 member temple of the Old Mutsu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

Address: Kirikizawa Kurikomaiwagasaki, Kurihara, Miyagi 989-5301

Satoya-Mori Fortress Ruins

Address: Kurikomasatoya, Kurihara, Miyagi 989-5311