Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #11 Uba-ji Temple

 

     Shozu River's upstream was considered to be the Vaitarani, which lies between the Earth and the infernal Naraka, the realm of Yama, the Hindu god of death.  In Japan, an old lady is believed to live along the river to collect 6 coins of the ferry fare.  Her image was washed away from the upstream to Ohata Village 4 times, and villagers decided to enshrine the image in the village at the beginning of Heian Period (794-1184).  If you consider her to be kind enough to let you cross the river, you call her Uba.  If you regard her as a cold-blooded fare collector, you dub her Datsuiba.

     Anyway, Uba-ji Temple was founded in 1683, and the lady image is enshrined in front of the temple's main deity, Amitabha.

     #11 deity of the Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage is Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, whose 30-centimeters-tall carved wooden image stands on the right of Uba's.

Address: 86 Ohata, Mutsu, Aomori 039-4402

Phone: 0175-34-3829