Virtual Kesen 33 Kannon Pigrimage #11 Joko-ji Temple

 

     According to Azumakagami's entry dated September 23rd, 1989, Fujiwara Kiyohira (1056-1128) moved his capital after the death of his stepfather, Kiyohara Takesada.  Mutsu and Dewa Provinces had over 10 thousand villages.  Kiyohira built a temple for each village and presented rice fields so that the temples should keep votive lights on.

     Joko-ji Temple was founded as one of over 10 thousand temples.

     The temple's precincts have a quern for gold.  In the Kesen River in Yokota Village, gold dust was panned from the end of the 16th century to the middle of the 17th century.  As they dredged the river bed, its watercourse became unstable and the river often flooded.  People in its lower reaches called the floods Yokota-nagare, namely Yokota Pouring.

Address: Shidami Yokotacho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2202

     Kesen County used to have 10 gold mines at least, but not all their sites or ruins are mapped.

Imadeyama Gold Mine Office Site

Address: Nishikamihorei, Sanrikucho, Okirai, Ofunato, Iwate 022-0101

Owashi Gold Mine Site

Address: Omata Setamai, Sumita, Kesen District, Iwate 029-2311

Tanoue Gold Mine Site

Address: Tanoue Setamai, Sumita, Kesen District, Iwate 029-2311

Nojiri Gold Mine Site

Address: Tanoue Setamai, Sumita, Kesen District, Iwate 029-2311

Komata Gold Mine Site

Address: Komata Setamai, Sumita, Kesen District, Iwate 029-2311

Aobe Gold Mine Site

Address: Komata Setamai, Sumita, Kesen District, Iwate 029-2311

Shimizusawa Gold Mine Site

Address: Shimizusawa Setamai, Sumita, Kesen District, Iwate 029-2311

Maide Gold Mine Site

Address: Maide Yokotacho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2311

Kotohira Gold Mine Site

Address: YYahagicho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate 029-2311