Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #23 Daiko-an Temple

 

     Priest Gugen (?-1717) came from Komyo-ji Temple in Kamakura with a Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja image.  He planted 43 saplings of Akita cedars, with only 3 of them still alive in front of the temple gate.  The hall used to be just called Kannon-do but was named Daiko-an in 1912.

     The temple is located at the foot of Shiriya-Hachiman-gu Shrine, which was invited from Usa-Hachiman-gu Shrine in 1623, and which was revived in 1708.  Presumably, Priest Gugen revived the shrine and built a Buddhist hall to take care of the shrine.

     Gugen's religious activities were almost contemporary with the organization of the Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. 

     Old ladies hold a kind of a festival on the 24th every month.  They call the day meinichi, literally a death anniversary.  It is unknown whose anniversary the day is.

     The villagers enshrine Oshira-sama at home.  Oshira-sama is a tutelary deity of the home in the Tohoku Region folklore.  The festival day for Oshira-sama is called meinichi, literally a death anniversary.  It is held on the 16th day of the first, third, and ninth month of the Japanese lunar calendar.

Address: Mizukami-3 Shiriya, Higashidori, Shimokita District, Aomori 035-0111

Phone: 0175-47-2828

Komyo-ji Temple

Address: 6 Chome-17-19 Zaimokuza, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-0013

Phone: 0467-22-0603

Shiriya-Hachiman-gu Shrine

Address: Terayama-1-4, Shiriya, Higashidori, Shimokita District, Aomori 035-0111