Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #2 Seitaku-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Junpo-ji Temple was founded in Usori Village, Nukanobu County, Mutsu Province.  Ando Morichika is said to have changed the temple into a fortress sometime between 1247 and 1249.  Although the site's sign is near the sea shore, the fortress is said to be buried under JMSDF the 25th Air Squadron, and its details are unknown.

     Junpoji Fortress was located at the root of Ashizaki Sandspit.  Its fortress town is said to have gone down in the sea due to the changes of sea currents.

     The Ando Pirates used to be based in the sandbank between the Sea of Japan and Tosa Lake.  The Ando Pirates seem to have been fond of building their bases or footholds in sandbars or sandbanks.

     It is clear that Junpoji Fortress was built before Kakizaki Fortress.  The question is whether they coexisted either in peace or in rivalry, or if Kakizaki Fortress overpowered Junpoji Fortress.  In either way, pro-Ando and pro-Nanbu could have been competing in Shimokita in the Medieval days.

     Anyway, Seitaku-ji Temple was founded at the foot of the Junpoji Fortress Site in 1662.

Address: Jogasawa-4-1 Jogasawa, Mutsu, Aomori 035-0095

Phone: 0175-24-1794

Junpoji Fortress Site

Address: Jogasawa, Mutsu, Aomori 035-0095

JMSDF the 25th Air Squadron

Address: Mutsu, Aomori 035-0095

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #1 Entsu-ji Temple

 

     Entsu-ji Temple was founded in 1522 by Priest Jukaku, who belonged to Caodong Chan School, with the support of the Nejo-Nanbu Family.

     Who was the Nejo-Nanbu Family?

     The Nanbu Family was based in Nanbu Village, Koma County, Kai Province.

     Kitabatake Akiie (1318-1338) was appointed to be a chief of the Mutsu Province on August 5th, 1333, and moved there with his expeditionary force on October 10th in the same year.   Nanbu Moroyuki (?-1338) have visited Akiie at the estuary of Fuji-mi River on Akiie's way to Mutsu Province.  Moroyuki followed Akiie, and was appointed to be the acting governor of Nukanobu County, which spread from the eastern half of Aomori Prefecture to the northernmost part of Iwate Prefecture.  Moroyuki soon built Nejo Fortress, which became the stronghold of the Nejo-Nanbu Family.  The family divided the main part of the county into 9: Ichinohe, Ninohe, Sannohe, Shinohe, Gonohe, Rokunohe, Shichinohe, Hachinohe, and Kunohe.  The county's northern frontier was called Kitakado, which was later divided into Shimokita and Kamikita.  As the prefix Kami was given to the place nearer to Kyoto, Shimokita was the northernmost of the county and covered most of the Shimokita Peninsula.

     Akiie carried out 2 campaigns from Mutsu Province to Kyoto to restore Imperial rule.

     Ashikaga Takauji (1305-1358) appointed Ashikaga Ienaga (1321-1338) as the General of Mutsu Province in 1335 to contain Akiie.  Ienaga moved to Shiba County in the province and then called his family Shiba.

     On December 22nd, Akiie left Mutsu Province with a 50,000-strong army to Kyoto to fight against Takauji.  On January 2nd, 1336, Akiie attacked Kamakura, defeated the forces of Ashikaga Yoshiakira (1330-1367), the 3rd son of Takauji, and Momoi Naotsune (?-1376), and occupied Kamakura.  The next day, Akiie left Kamakura and continued to advance to Kyoto.  On January 6th he reached Totomi Province, and, on January 12th, he reached Aichi River in Omi Province.  Akiie's army moved an average of about 40 kilometers a day, running a long distance of 600 kilometers in just half a month.  That was the fastest march in Japan.  Akiie's army crossed Lake Biwa in a day and had an audience with Emperor Godaigo (1288-1339) in Sakamoto.  Finally, on January 30th, he defeated Takauji and succeeded in forcing him to leave Kyoto.

     On March 24th, Akiie left Kyoto to return to Mutsu Province.  Ienaga obstructed Akiie but couldn't stop him.

     The emperor and his Imperial Court were spoiled.  They depended on Akiie and ordered him to come back to Kyoto.  Thus, Akiie's second advance to Kyoto from Mutsu Province was unreasonable.  Moroyuki anticipated that Akiie would be killed in battle.  He left everything to his family and accompanied Akiie this time.  They invaded Kamakura again, and Ienaga, the Regent of the Kamakura Office of the Ashikaga Shogunate, lost to Akiie and killed himself in Sugimoto-dera Temple.

     Akiie was, officially speaking, killed by the Northern Court army led by Ko Moronao (?-1351) at the bank of Ishizu River on May 22nd, 1338.  Tradition says Akiie was killed in Abeno on the 16th. Some suggest he was fatally injured in Abeno on the 16th and died somewhere between Abeno and Ishizu before the 22nd.  At least, Kitabatake's soldiers retreated to Wada in today's Izumi City temporarily and advanced back to Ishizu on the 22nd.

     In the Abeno area, Kitabatake Park, which has 4 memorial monuments for Akiie, is just a 10-minute walk from Abeno Shrine, which promotes Akiie to attract visitors.  You can find a tiny shallow valley running north-south between the park and the shrine, or between the hills they stand on. The two hills must have been within a battlefield.  Akiie might have occupied either hill top to command a view of the battlefield, Moronao the other. If Akiie had been killed in the Battle of Abeno, he must have been killed somewhere between the hills.

It was certain Moroyuki was killed in the Battle of Ishizu on the 22nd.

     Moroyuki's offspring not only ruled the central part of Nukabe County but also expanded their territories.

     In 1334, Moroyuki either sent Takeda Nobuyoshi to Shimokita or acknowledged his de facto rule over Shimokita.  Nobuyuki built Kakizaki Fortress, and the Takeda Family was based in the fortress for 5 generations, about 120 years.  Sometime in those years, they called their family Kakizaki.

     As Shimokita was located between the powers of the Nanbu Family and the Ando Pirates, the Kakizaki Family swung between the 2 powers.  Some say the family was subject to the pirates sometime.  On February 25th, 1457, Nanbu Masatsune, the 13th head of the family, finally attacked Kakizaki Fortress, and Kakizaki Nobusumi, the 5th head of the family, escaped to Hokkaido.  It is unknown whether Kakizaki Sueshige (?-1462), who was based in Hanazawa-date Fortress in Hokkaido, was related by blood or not.  As Kakizaki means Oyster Cape, it's a very plain place name.  Anyway, the Nanbu Family directly ruled Shimokita since then.  Masatsune was succeeded by Nobunaga.  After Nobunaga, his direct descendants died very young and it isn't clear who was the head of the family in 1522.  The 18th head, Masayoshi (1543-1610), was born at the end of the Warring States Period (1467-1568) and died in the Edo Period (1603-1867).

     In August, 1455, 2 years before Nanbu Masatsune, the 13th head of the family, attacked Kakizaki Nobusumi in Kakizaki Fortress, Nakatsugawa Shichiroemon dotted 58 place names and 46 samurai names on his rough map of Shimokita Penninsula.  Among the place names, 3 fortresses were shown with the same marks: Kintaijo, Kitanohonjo, and Shinyagata from west to east.

     It is unknown who and what Shichiroemon was, but if he was subject to the Nanbu Family, the family prepared the attack thoroughly.  The Nanbu Family's story depicted that Kakizaki Nobusumi rebelled against the family.  Japanese people love to depict the situation in which they have endured time after time before carrying out attacks from ancient times to World War II.  The Nanbu story is fishy.

Address: 4-11 Shinmachi, Mutsu, Aomori 035-0051

Phone: 0175-22-1091

Ne-jo Castle Honmaru-ato Ruins

Address: Nejo-47 Nejo, Hachinohe, Aomori 039-1166

Phone: 0178-41-1726

Site of Kakizaki Castle

Address: Kawauchimachi Kakizaki, Mutsu, Aomori 039-5204

Site of Hanazawa Fortress

Address: Katsuyama, Kaminokuni, Hiyama District, Hokkaido 049-0601

Trees In the Town

Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

 

     Mount Osore is one of the three most sacred mountains in Japan, along with Mount Hiei and Mount Koya.  Locals in Shimokita Peninsula have long said that "when people die, they go to Mount Osore."  Tanabu Seaside 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, better known as Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, was organized around Mount Osore at the beginning of the 18th century, covers a distance of 270 kilometers, and takes more than 3 days by car.  At the age of 67, am I already pulled up nearer toward the mountain?  Anyway, I’m thrilled about what to see around the mountain.

     All the 33 member temples have their own Avalokitesvara statue as their main deity, which is not always true of all the 33 Kannon pilgrimages in Japan.

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kesen 33 Kannon Pigrimage #33 Jodo-ji Temple

 

     There used to be Yukisawa Gold Mine in Yukisawa, Yahagicho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2201.  The mine was developed sometime between 729 and 749, and enjoyed its golden age from 1592 to 1615.  Thousands of people lived in Yukinosawa in those days.  Jodo-ji Temple is said to have been founded in Yukinosawa sometime between 729 and 749.

     As the gold mine declined, Jodo-ji Temple left Yukinosawa and moved to Takekoma Village in 1714.  In 1725, Jodo-ji Temple moved again to Takata Village.

     We can find only Takekoma and Tamayama Remains of Gold Mines.

     Jodo-ji Temple is said to have one of 4 graves of Shima Sakon(1540-1600).

Address: Horanosawa-26 Takatacho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2205

Phone: 0192-54-4490

Yukisawa Community Culture Folklore Center

Address: Yukisawa-100-2 Yahagicho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2201

Takekoma Remains of Gold Mines

Address: Takekomacho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2203

Tamayama Remains of Gold mines

Address: Kamitsubo, Takekomacho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2203

Shima Sakon's Graves

Address: Address: 33 Mitsushimamachi Shimayama, Tsushima, Nabasaki 817-0514

Address: Mikasa Cemetery, 623 Kawakamicho, Nara, 630-8202

Shima Sakon's Grave in Ryuhon-ji Temple

Address: 107 Ichibancho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 602-8345

Phone: 075-461-6516

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kesen 33 Kannon Pigrimage #32 Sakaguchi-Kannon-do Hall

 

     It is unknown when Amaterasu Mioya Shrine was founded.  Senpuku-ji Temple was founded in 1557 as its shrine temple.  The shrine was revived by Chiba Tanenobu sometime between 1299 and 1302.  A Kannon-do hall was built in 1606 for a carved wooden image of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses.

     Senpuku-ji Temple was abolished in 1872, 4 years after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868.  The image and its hall was moved to Kosho-ji Temple.

Amaterasu Mioya Shrine

Address: Honmaru-28 Takatacho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2205

Kosho-ji Temple

Address: Samukaze-60 Takatacho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2205

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kesen 33 Kannon Pigrimage #31 Hikami Shrine (?)

 

     Mount Hikami has been a holy place since prehistoric days.  It has 3 peaks, with Kinutate Shrine on its east peak, Tonakoshi Shrine on its central peak, and Rikukota Shrine on its western peak.  Kinutate meant Sitting in Woods, Tonakoshi meant Over a Pond, and Rikukota meant Sitting on a Hill.  Hikami Shrine was founded at the foot of the mountain for local people's religious convenience.

     Some say Rikukota Shrine had something to do with Goyozan Shrine, and Kinutate Shrine was related with Hachigamori.  It is unknown whether they were invited from their original holy places or they were distributed from Mount Hikami to their new residential holy places.  In the latter case, however, that in Hachigamori has been abolished.

     Under the belief of the amalgamation of Shinto and Buddhism, their original Buddhist deity was believed to be Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six, and its image was enshrined in Hikami Shrine.

Hikami Shrine

Address: Nishiwano-83 Takatacho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2205

Phone: 0192-55-5053

Kinutate Shrine

Tonakoshi Shrine

Rikukota Shrine

Address: Osumi Takatacho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2205

Goyozan Shrine

Address: Sekiya−27, Hikoroichicho, dsOfunato, Iwate 022-0005

Phone: 0192-28-2385

Hachigamori Sanrikucho Ryori, Ofunato, Iwate 022-0211

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kesen 33 Kannon Pigrimage #30 Oishi Kannon-do Hall

 

     Yahagi Genba was based in Tsurugasaki Fortress in Kesen County.  As he was subject to the Kasai Family, he became a farmer after the dismissal of the family in 1590.  It means he escaped from the slaughter of the local samurai by Date Masamune (1567-1636).

     In 1590, both the Osaki and Kasai Families were "dismissed" by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598).  On October 16th of the year, revolts against Hideyoshi's rule broke out.  On July 4th, 1591, the revolts were finally suppressed.  On August 14th, Date Masamune (1567-1636) summoned the leaders of the revolts to Sueyama, Momunofu County, Mutsu Province, and killed them all.

     Genba and his family moved about 1 kilometer downstream and settled in Tochigasawa with their personal 50-centimeters-tall Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja standing image.

Address: Tochigasawa Takatacho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2205

Tsurugasaki Fortress Site

Address: Koshimappe Yahagicho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2201

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kesen 33 Kannon Pigrimage #29 Fumon-ji Temple

 

     Some say that Fumon-ji Temple was founded in 1241, supported by Kon Umanosuke, whose official name was Abe Sadatoshi.  He was the then lord of Nakayama Fortress and invited Priest Kigai, a disciple of Eisai (1141-1215), who established the Linqi Chan Sect.  Later, the temple was revived by Priest Nyogen in 1494 or 1504, and was converted to the Caodong Chan Sect.  Others say that it was founded by Priest Jusatsu in 1528.  In either case, its foundation was too late for the organization of the New Mutsu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage in 1123.

     There are 5 Niyama Shrines between Ofunato and Ishinomaki Cities.  Legend has it that Rikuzentakata also had Niyama Shrine and Fumon-ji Temple used to be located in the shrine's precincts.  Jusatsu is said to have moved the temple to its present place.

Niiyama Shrine in Ishinomaki is said to have been founded in 781 or 782.

     Presumably, Niiyama Shrine was invited to today's Rikuzentakata in the 9th century, and the image of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, was enshrined as its original deity under the amalgamation of Shinto and Buddhism.  When Kasai Harushige (1469-1534) ruled the Pacific coast of Northern Miyagi Prefecture and Southern Iwate Prefecture, a certain political and military diastrophism took place in today's Rikuzentakata and its surrounding area.  Presumably, the Kon Family declined and the area became under the direct rule of the Kasai Family, who had migrated as samurai from the Kanto Region at the beginning of the Kamakura Period (1185-1333).

     Fumon-ji Temple is also the #29 member of the New Mutsu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

 

Address: Jitakesawa-181 Yonesakicho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2206

Phone: 0192-55-2034

Nakayama Fortress Site

Address: Nozawa, Yonesakicho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2206

Yonegasaki Fortress Ruins

Address: Tate-65-2 Yonesakicho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2206

Niiyama Shrine

Address: 3 Chome−35 Ogatsucho Kamiogatsu, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-1336

Phone: 0225-58-3355

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kesen 33 Kannon Pigrimage #28 Tateyama Kannon-do Hall

 

     The Great Tenmei Famine began in 1782, and lasted until 1788.  In the 1770’s, there was a sharp decline in crop yield in Mutsu Province.  To make the situation worse, Mt. Iwaki erupted on March 12th, 1783, and Mt. Asama on July 6th.

     Another cause of the famine was the government's economic policies.  In the first half of the 18th century, the Tokugawa Shogunate raised taxes which were paid by rice.  The tax increase not only exhausted farmers and peasants but also caused rice planting to move northward.  All in all, the farmers and peasants in the northern provinces became vulnerable to cold weather and natural disasters.  In the 1750’s, the shogunate implemented a mercantilist policy to further increase tax revenue.  This was intended to raise taxes from commerce and business, but, as taxes were basically paid in rice, caused rice prices to soar.  Many domains tried to increase their rice-planted acreage and even sold local emergency stores of rice.

     The climatic, volcanic, and economic factors combined to result in poor harvests and serious famine expanded to a national scale as a result.  Twenty thousand people were estimated to have starved to death, mainly in rural areas of the Tohoku Region.  However, many local authorities were afraid of being accused of economic mismanagement, and did not report the full extent of the damage, so the actual death toll may have been far higher.  The combined impact of famine and outbreaks of disease resulted in a population decline of more than 920,000 people across Japan between 1780 and 1786.

     The original hall of Tateyama Kannon was built in those days as Owada Sagoemon's wife proposed.  The hall was rebuilt in 1988.

     Tateyama Kannon-do Hall was moved about 600 meters uphill after the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.  The original hall and the image of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, were washed away in the tsunami. 

     To revive the Avalokitesvara image, a piece of pinetree drifted ashore in Takata Matsubara was used.  One person curved the wood once.  The curving was started on March 25th, 2013.  After over 5000 people's curving, an Avalokitesvara image was finished on April 1st, 2014.

     The new Kannon-do hall was finished on August 28th, 2016.

Address: Wano-107 Yonesakicho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2206

Phone: 0192-54-2368

The Original Site of Tateyama Kannon-do Hall

Address: Donomae Yonesakicho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2206

Takata Matsubara

Address: Sunamori-766 Kesencho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2205

Phone: 0192-54-5011

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kesen 33 Kannon Pigrimage #27 Jozen-ji Temple

 

     In 791, Sakanoue Tamuramaro (758-811) was dispatched to the eastern provinces to prepare for the war against northern foreigners.  In 794, he attacked northern foreigners in the north of Mutsu Province, with the military successes of beheading 457 and taking 150 captive.  In 801, Tamuramaro invaded the northeastern region again.  He sent Beppu Hayato to the Kesen area.  Hayato killed Kumai of Yahagi, Hayatora of Otomo, and Kanainu of Ikawa.  He buried their heads in respective places.  As Hayato died of a disease there, they might have been afraid of the curses of the beheaded.  Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha images were enshrined, and they are called Kesen 3 Kannon.

     The present Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha image of Jozen-ji Temple is supposed to have been remade in the Kamakura Period (1185-1333).  According to tradition, a “warabite sword” was dug up in the precincts.

     The technical term warabite sword was used by modern researchers.  The oldest documented example of its use is by Matsuura Hiroshi in 1882.

     According to a distribution map of warabite swords across Japan published by Hirosaki City Library, approximately 250 warabite swords have been identified throughout Japan, with the majority having been excavated in the Hokkaido and the Tohoku Regions, and the remainders mostly in northern Kanto. A few examples have been excavated in Western Japan.  This suggests that it was a weapon primarily used by northern foreigners.

     The warabite sword was produced over a period of approximately two centuries, from the late 7th century to the 9th century.  Some warabite swords dating to the late 9th century have been confirmed to have curved blades.

     An analysis was attempted at the Nippon Steel Corporation research laboratory, and the results showed that the raw material was iron sand, that the carbon content was low, and that there were many impurities.  The very low carbon content means that the iron is not hard.  That some were not practical as weapons.  That there was a large difference in quality.

     The ratio of the three components of copper, nickel, and cobalt contained in the warabite swords was classified from A to G.  It was highly likely that warabite swords were made presumably in 7 locations, and that the metal needed for sword making was procured from different regions at each production location.

     Based on sword making and appraisal research, it is believed that the warabite swords were passed down to the Ichinoseki Mokusa swords.  

     Japanese swords are known for their curves.  Some say the curving style started in Mokusa after repeated improvement based on the experience through fighting between the Imperial Army and northern foreigners.  As Iwai County was organized in 804, it is doubtful that the Mokusa area was under the Imperial Army's rule when swordsmiths started their work in the area.  They came under the military rules presumably in the 9th century.

     In the 930's, Mokusa Awa established the Mokusa style of Japanese swords.

     From the end of the Heian period to the Kamakura period, Mutsu blacksmiths, probably including Dewa Gassan blacksmiths, were invited to Yamato or Kyushu, leading to Yamato Senjuin, Bungo Yukihira, and Satsuma Namihira.

Address: Uenobo-24 Otomocho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kesen 33 Kannon Pigrimage #26 Tatsugane Kannon-do Hall

 

     Otomoura used to be an inlet, and was reclaimed from 1959 to 1969.

     It is unknown when a 5-centimeters-tall gold leaf image of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, was netted in the inlet.  It was enshrined on the top of Mt. Tatsukane.

     Zensho-ji Temple was founded at the foot of the hill.

Address: Sawabe-3 Otomocho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2207

Phone: 0192-55-3662

Otomoura

Address: Otomoura Otomocho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2207

Zensho-ji Temple

Address: Sawabe-5 Otomocho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2207

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kesen 33 Kannon Pigrimage #25 Kodate Kannon-do Hall

 

     Kodate Kannon-do Hall was built in Hieta Village, Kesen County, Mutsu Province, in 1708, just a decade before the organization of the Kesen 33 Kannon Pilgrimage in 1718.

     Hieta Village was owned by Ito Kiyonaga in 1325.  Kiyonaga was from Izu Province and was subject to the Kumagai Family, who were based in Akaiwa Fortress.

     As Izu Province had Ito Manor, where the Ito Family was based, Kiyonaga could have belonged to a branch of the family.

     Kumagai Naoie (1169-1221) fought well when Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) destroyed the Northern Fujiwara Clan in 1189 in Mutsu Province.  He was given a several villages in Motoyoshi and Monou Counties.  He stayed in Kamakura.  His 3rd son, Naomune, inheritted the villages and built Akaiwa Fortress in Motoyoshi.

     The Kumagai Family and the Kasai Family fought really tough battles against each other.  In 1333, the Kamakura Shogunate collapsed and the Hojo Clan was destroyed.  Kasai Takakiyo invaded Magome Village, Motoyoshi County, in 1336 on the pretext of wiping out the remnants of the Hojo Clan.  To save his parents-in-law, Kumagai Naotoki, the 4th head of the family, advanced to the village, only to be killed.  Kumagai Naoaki, the 5th head of the family, held his fortress and turned away the Kasai Family.  The 6th head, Naomasa, finally surrendered to the Kasai Family, and the Kumagai Family's territories were halved.

     A kakebotoke was given to Kurosaki Shrine on February 18th, 1496.

     A kakebotoke was a Buddhist image on the top of a mirror.  In Shinto, a native Japanese religion, a mirror was an object of worship.  Under the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism, people started engraving a petroglyph of a Buddhist image on a bronze mirror in the 10th century.  Later, those images became gorgeous and three-dimensional.  They were made till the end of the Edo Period, but many of them were discarded after the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order was issued by the Meiji Restoration Government in 1868.

     Hamada Hirotsuna had Shigetoshi and Nobukatsu, his 1st and 2nd sons, adopted into the Esashi Family in Esashi County, Mutsu Province, and started invading southward in his 60's.  He defeated Motoyoshi Shigetsugu in the Utatsu Battle in 1586 and annexed the Utatsu area.  In 1587, he challenged Kumagai Naoyoshi, the lord of Akaiwa Fortress, but the battlefront became deadlocked when the Kasai Family supported Naoyoshi, resulting in a ceasefire.  In March, 1588, Hirotsuna again objected to the reduction in his territory and attempted to recapture Yonegasaki Fortress, which had been taken by the Oikawa Family, but was defeated, losing all his territory.

     On June 2nd, 1588, Hieta Village was given to Sugawara Kozukenosuke.  Sometime in the Medieval days, the village was called Hirota.

Address: Tomari Hirotacho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2208

Akaiwa Fortress Site

Address: Matsukawa, Kesennuma, Miyagi 988-0852

Kurosaki Shrine

Address: Kurosaki-10-1 Hirotacho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2208

Phone: 0192-56-3671

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kesen 33 Kannon Pigrimage #24 Kumano-do Hall

 

     Hojo Tokiyori (1227-1263) was a very popular statesman who built a welfare-warfare shogunate.  He shortened regal proceedings and ensured fairness.  Ordinary samurai were to guard either Kyoto or Kamakura for half a year, but he shortened the term to 3 months.  He also protected ordinary people’s livelihood.  He invited Priest Lanxi Daolong (1213-1278) from Yuan China.  Daolang was born in Shu Province (present-day Sichuan Province), China. Due to the Mongol Conquest of the Song Dynasty in China in 1246, he sailed to Japan to preach Chan Buddhism, and founded Kencho-ji Temple in Kamakura in 1253.  Tokiyori also invited Wuan Puning (1197-1276).  Wuan is pronounced “gottan” in Japanese.  He made such difficult lectures that they were troublesome for his students.  We came to use the Japanese phrase “gotagota” for something troublesome after Wuan’s troublesome lectures.

     Tokiyori admired Chan Buddhism so much that he transferred Enpuku-ji Temple in Matsushima, which later became Zuigan-ji Temple, to Caodong Chan Buddhism from Tiantai Sect.  Some Tiantai Buddhists fled and arrived at Okura Isle in Massaki, Kesen County, sometime between 1264 and 1275 and founded Kumano Kannon-do Hall and Kumano Shrine, whose waniguchi gong is engraved to show it is Matsushima's Equipment.

Kumano Shrine

Address: Nakamori-17 Massakicho, Ofunato, Iwate 022-0001

Phone: 0192-29-3492

Zuigan-ji Temple

Address: Chonai-91 Matsushima, Miyagi District, Miyagi 981-0213

Phone: 022-354-2023

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kesen 33 Kannon Pigrimage #23 Tabata Kannon-do Hall

 

     Akasaki was a fishing village along Ofunato Bay.  One day, a 4-centimeters-tall image of Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja was netted.  The image had been handed down by the Tabata Family of Yamaguchi Hamlet of the village.  The family's ancestors used to be mountain ascetic.  When the Shida Family of Ohora Hamlet of the village adopted a boy from the Tabata Family, he brought the image with him.  The Shida Family built a Kannon-do hall for the image in their yard.  In 1915, the neighbors built Tabata-Kannon-do Hall in its present place.  Usually not the original image but the replica of it, which is 10 centimeters tall.

Address: Ohora-113-1 Akasakicho, Ofunato, Iwate 022-0007

Yamaguchi Akasakicho, Ofunato, Iwate 022-0007