Trees In the Town

Yashima Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

 

     It is unknown when Yashima Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized in Yashima Domai, Yuri County, Dewa Province.  The pilgrimage, however, is supposed to have been organized in the Edo Period (1603-1867).  The domain was ruled by the Ikoma Family.  In 1679, large peasant revolts broke out there.  As we check its surviving member temples, we might be able to find out whether it was organized before the revolts or after.

     The Ikoma Family's income was reduced to one 17th in 1640.  When Takakiyo (1643-1694) succeeded to the headship of the family in 1659, he gave one 5th of the reduced income to his brother, Toshiaki.  The family or the domain might have failed in downsizing, and they had a severe financial or budget crisis.

     In 1677, Takakiyo, who was in Edo, asked his senior retainer Miura Iemon and other local vassals for a policy to alleviate the domain's financial crisis.  They proposed a plan to increase the annual tax through "land surveys," which the lord adopted.

     Iemon and others carried out a land survey of the domain's territory, increasing the domain's income by 4.3 times.  The farmers were shocked and petitioned the senior vassals in the name of all the farmers, but there was no reply.  When it came time to pay the taxes, the domain demanded so severely that the farmers could not bear it.  Eventually, some of them left the villages and fled one after another.

     Daishoin, the father of Wakoin, presented the Amitabha Statue to Gassan Shrine in the year.

     The remaining farmers held discussions, and 4 of them, Gon'emon of Jonai Village (Yashimamachi Jonai, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0411), Shozaemon of Koya Village (Kamikoya Chokaimachi Shimokawauchi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0502), Yohei of Sarukura Village (Chokaimachi Sarukura, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0512), and Juroemon of Aratokoro Village (Aratokoro Yashimamachi Motomachi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0417), came up with the idea to turn the situation in their favor by making Kaneko Hisazaemon, who had been dismissed and was a jobless samurai in Senboku County, Dewa Province, at the time, their ally.  They secretly sent Hisazaemon back to Yashima, and following his plan, submitted a petition again in 1679, and appealed directly to Takakiyo in Edo.  As their representatives, Yazoemon of Nakayama Village (Nakayama Takao, Yurihonjo, Akita 018-0844), Hachiroemon of Arasawa Village (Arasawa Yashimamachi Arasawa, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0418), Jin'emon of Kamikawauchi Village (Chokaimachi Kamikawauchi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0504), and Sukesaburo of Shinjo Village went to Edo, accompanied by Hisazaemon and Kosukegawa Jiroemon.  They soon met with Takakiyo and complained about the tyranny of Iemon and others and the suffering of the peasants.  Astonished, Takakiyo ordered to have Iemon and others commit seppuku suicide.  He also appointed Hisazaemon and Jiroemon to be new local retainers and to relieve the suffering of the peasants.

     After achieving their goal, Hisazaemon and Jiroemon returned to Yashima Domain and gathered the peasants around Nenoi Fortress, conveyed Takakiyo's intentions, and encouraged the peasants to kill Iemon and others.  The delighted peasants, following the command of Hisazaemon and Jiroemon, launched a surprise attack on the mansions of Iemon and others.  Surprised, they had no time to fight back, and fled out of the domain in a panic.

     In Edo, Ichihashi Hikobei was appointed as the chief retainer and sent to Yashima, where he was put in charge of the domain's administration together with Hisazaemon and Jiroemon.  They gathered the domain's headmen, group leaders, and peasant representatives and issued an order to pay the increased taxes and other duties by the due date against their expectations.  Everyone was stunned and felt helpless at this statement.  Hisazaemon and Jiroemon made a complete turnaround once they were hired.

     Even though the time for paying the taxes was approaching, the peasants had no idea of how to pay.  The officials severely punished those who did not follow orders, arresting them and imprisoning them.  Unable to bear it, many peasants left their villages, resulting in the number of vacant houses in the domain reaching 326.

     After days of fruitless discussions about this dire situation, Nizaemon of Shimojinego Village (Chokaimachi Shimojinego, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0722) rose up.  He expressed his strong determination to appeal to Takakiyo directly, without regard for his own life, and even to the Tokugawa Shogunate if necessary, and asked for everyone's agreement.  Impressed by Nizaemon's determination, the peasants secretly began preparations to go to Edo.

     First, Nizaemon prepared a petition, had Priest Wakoin make a clean copy of it, and prepared a petition with the joint signatures of 984 peasants in the domain.  Then, Nizaemon and 12 others set off on a journey to Edo to appeal.  In Edo, he met Takakiyo at an opportune time, presented the petition, and reported the facts of the situation in detail.  Surprised, Takakiyo immediately listened to their request, and even reached an agreement with Nizaemon and the other peasants to reduce annual taxes to the half of the increased new one.  Takakiyo gave them the sealed letter of the promise.  Nizaemon and others joyfully returned to their country, gathered the peasants together, and explained that their petitions had been fulfilled.  They attempted to persuade those who had fled from the villages to return, and restore the villages to its original state.

     When Hikobei and others found out about this, they sent Jiroemon to Edo to report that Nizaemon and others were evil people who had conspired with Iemon and others, who had previously been banished from the domain, and were plotting to kill Takakiyo obsolete, depicting Nizaemon and others terrible villains.

     Takakiyo was shocked and enraged, and ordered to take back the sealed letter from Nizaemon.  He also ordered the killing of Nizaemon and others.  On July 25th, 1680, Hisazaemon and over 400 of his subordinates launched a surprise attack on Nizaemon's house in Jinego Village.

     Nizaemon's house was burned down, but he managed to escape, but Wakoin, Jintaro and Jinnosuke, who were the sons of Shigeemon of Kamijinego Village, and Tsunehisa, who was the father of Tarozaemon of Shimojineago Village, were captured.  Another force also stormed into Hitane Village (Chokaimachi Shimohitane, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0513) and Momoyake Village (Chokaimachi Momoyake, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0513), but the peasants all fled, leaving not a single villager left.

     Nizaemon was frustrated by this outrage and wanted to go to Edo again to lodge a complaint. Upon hearing of his decision, those who wanted to accompany him were Shigeemon of Kuzupira Village (Kuzupira Chokaimachi Kamijinego, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0721), Magohachi of Sodeyama Village (Sodeyama Chokaimachi Kamikawauchi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0504), Sankuro of Sainokami Village (Sainokami Tokusawa, Yurihonjo, Akita 018-0732), Kiemon of Uchikoshi Village (Uchikoshi Chokaimachi Shimohitane, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0513), Gorosuke of Ishigami Village (Ishigami Chokaimachi Kamijinego, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0721), Jirouemon of Momoyake Village, Shingoro of Arasawa-Sugayachi Village (Arasawa Yashimamachi Arasawa, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0418), Sato Mondo of Nakayama Village, Genbei of Shimojinego Village, Sakubei of Kamijinego-Tenjin Village, Shigegoro of Sasago-Shimomiya Village, and Jinzaemon of Masago Village, making a total of 14 people.

     In August, 1680, the peasants once again set out on a journey to Edo to lodge a petition, but on the way they encountered Jiroemon and others, who had returned from Edo, at Tendo, Mogami County.  After a fierce battle, Magohachi of Sodeyama Village was captured, and the sealed letter and the petition he was carrying were taken away.  In addition, Genbei of Shimojinego Village, Kiemon and Sankuro of Hitane Village, and Shigeemon of Kuzupira Village were captured and sent back to Yashima.  They were then executed in Hadaka Mori on the 23rd, along with Wakoin, Jintaro,Jinnosuke, and Tsunehisa, who had been captured earlier.

     The punishment was truly horrific.  Wakoin was 32 years old at the time, and was brutally executed by stone-filled siege, Jintaro and Jinnojo were beheaded, and the other six were crucified.

     Afterwards, when the domain learned that Nizaemon was plotting another uprising in the mountains of Fujikura (Fujikura Sannai, Akita, 010-0823), Sendo, they asked the Akita Domain for help to capture him, but failed.

      Nizaemon had a cousin, Kyuhachi, who was blinded with greed.  He informed the domain of Nizaemon's hiding place.

     Nizaemon was finally killed in the mountains of Hiyama  (Hiyama, Noshiro, Akita 016-0151) on Leap August 15th.  He was 43 years old.

     Kyuhachi asked for Nizaemon's wife, Okesa, as a reward.  Okesa agreed and stabbed Kyuhachi to death on the night of their wedding, got back Nizaemon's head, helped Sakubei of Tenjin Village escape from prison, buried her husband's head in the mountains of Makinodaira, Jinego Village, and fled to another territory with her daughter.

     After the Tokugawa Shogunate was destroyed, Aota Shrine was founded where Nizaemon's head was buried, enshrining Nizaemon as the god of agriculture.

Gassan Shrine

Address: Tsukiyama-18, Chokaimachi Kamijinego, Yurishinjo, Akita 015-0721

Phone: 0184-59-2800

Momoyake-Nenoi Fortress

Nakamura-129 Chokaimachi Momoyake, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0516

Aota Shrine

Address: Maginotai Chokaimachi Shimojinego, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0722

Trees In the Town

Virtual Old Tsugaru 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #33 Daien-ji Temple

 

     Mount Ajara was a sacred place for northern foreigners in the 9th century.  When Buddhism was imported, Amitabha, Acalanatha, and Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, were enshrined on the top of the mountain.  Some say the mountain's name Ajara comes from Acalanatha.  The Amitabha statue was enshrined in Daiankoku-ji Temple.

     Daiankoku-ji Temple declined and the statue was enshrined Kohaku-ji Temple.

     Tsugaru Nobuyoshi (1619-1655), the 3rd lord of the Hirosaki Domain, moved Kohaku-ji Temple to the present location of Daien-ji Temple.

     After the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, Saisho-in Temple moved about 3 kilometers south to its present place, where Daien-ji Temple used to be located.  The Daien-ji Temple moved to its present place where Kohaku-ji Temple was located.  To put it in another way, Kohaku-ji Temple became Daien-ji Temple.

     Daien-ji Temple seems to have left its #33 deity of the Old Tsugaru 33 Kannon Pilgrimage to Saisho-ji Temple.

     Saisho-ji Temple’s precincts have the Kannon-do hall which enshrines the statue of Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six, but it is unknown whether the statue is #33 deity of the Old Tsugaru 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  The pilgrimage was organized in the 17th century, while the hall was built in 1864.  If the statue was newly presented by Ichinohe Usaburo, the Cintamanicakra statue can’t be the #33 deity.  Anyway, the previous (original?) Cintamanicakra statue was missing and a new one was presented on April 8th, 2007.

Address: Muraoka-12 Kuradate, Owani, Minamitsugaru District, Aomori 038-0212

Phone: 0172-48-2017

Ajarayama

Address: Tsukidatemori Owani, Minamitsugaru District, Aomori 038-0211

Kohaku-ji Temple Site

Address: Jinoka-32-16 Kuradate, Owani, Minamitsugaru District, Aomori 038-0212

Saisho-in Temple

Address: 63 Doyamachi, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8196

Phone: 0172-34-1123

Trees In the Town

Virtual Old Tsugaru 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #32 Okidate-Kannon-do Hall

 

     Legend has it that Nandikesvara and Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha were enshrined where Karatake River runs out of hills to Tsugaru Plain in 791.  If so, they might have been enshrined by northern foreigners.  They were revived in 1007.  In those days, from the latter half of the 10th century to the 11th century, archaeologically speaking, the Satsumon Culture, which started in the 9th century in Hokkaido, spread in the northern part of Honshu, which left from the hegemony of the Imperial Court.  The Satsumon Culture people built Fukushima Castle or its prototype before the 11th century.

     Nandikesvara and Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha were revived again in 1294.

     In 1263, the Mongol Empire took control of the lower reaches of the Amur River, subjugating the Jurchen and other peoples.  The empire encountered the iron-culture peoples in Sakhalin a year later, in 1264.  In 1265, the iron-culture peoples attacked and killed some local people who had allied with the empire.  The two were to clash against each other in Sakhalin.  The empire sent out an expedition to Sakhalin to subjugate the iron-culture peoples in1273, but they failed to make it across the strait.  In 1284, waiting for the strait freezing over, the empire crossed the strait in the winter.  In 1285, the empire deployed a troop strength of 10,000 and attacked the iron-culture peoples.  In 1286, the empire deployed 10,000 soldiers and 1,000 ships and overwhelmed the iron-culture peoples.  They reached the southernmost tip of Sakhalin, and built a castle there.  Although they were once defeated, the iron-culture peoples kept trying to advance into the Amur River basin on the continent in 1296, 1297, and 1305.  In 1297, they crossed the sea into the lower reaches of the Amur River, and tried to abduct hawk hunters.  As hawk and eagle feathers used to be typical exports from north to Japan, they were trying to gain control over exporting the feathers.  They finally became obedient to the empire by paying tribute of hides and fur to the empire.  Paying tribute also meant a kind of barter trading for them.

     Konoe Iezane (1179-1243), who became the Prime Minister, had 10 sons.  His 4th son, Kanehira (1228-1294), started the Takatsukasa Family.  After the Onin War, which lasted from 1467 to 1477, in 1479 precisely speaking, Takatsukasa Masatomo and his wife, Kimasu, who was the daughter of Nijo Naoyuki, gave up living in the capital and arrived at Hiraka County.  The 2nd son of Kujo Michiie (1193-1252), Yoshizane (1216-1271), had started the Nijo Family.  Masatomo and Kimasu built Okidate Fortress, brought sericulture and silk weaving, and probably built a hall for Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha.  Some say that Masatomo eloped with Kimasu, who was the wife of his elder brother.  Their son, Kazumichi, founded Shinmei-gu Shrine, and his offspring is the Shinto priest of the shrine even today.

Address: Miyazaki-266-3 Okidate, Hirakawa, Aomori 036-0141

Phone: 0172-44-3671

Fukushima Castle Ruins

Address: Aiuchi, Goshogawara, Aomori 037-0401

Trees In the Town

Virtual Old Tsugaru 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #31 Hirofune-Kannon-do Hall

 

     In 1070, Minamoto Yoritoshi, the Governor of Mutsu Province, and Kiyohara Sadahira advanced north and reached Ezowake-shima Island, whose whereabouts are still controversial. Some argue the island was Hokkaido, while others say it was a part of the Tohoku Region.  Anyway, the main strength of the expedition force was the Kiyohara Clan.

     While Yoritoshi was in the battle front, Fujiwara Motomichi, a local official of Mutsu Provincial Government, stole the Governor's seal and the key of provincial warehouses.  Yoritoshi was dismissed, and Sadahira had the achievement of the war all to himself.

     After the expedition, Nukanobu, Kazuno, Hinai, Hiraka, Hanawa, and Inaka Counties were organized in the north of Iwate County, which had been organized in the 10th century.  That is, the area became under the control of the Imperial Court nominally.  In reality?  The Kiyohara Clan ruled the area under the name of the Imperial Court.

     It is unknown when Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha was enshrined in Hiraka County.  If it was in the 9th century as legend says, it must have been enshrined by northern foreigners.  If it was in the 11th century, the emerging samurai class might have enshrined the Ekadasamukha image.

     In the Medieval days, Hirofune Fort was built around where Hirofune-Kannon-do Hall is located today as a branch of Okidate Fortress, which used to be located where Okidate-Shinmei-gu Shrine is located.

     Konoe Iezane (1179-1243), who became the Prime Minister, had 10 sons.  His 4th son, Kanehira (1228-1294), started the Takatsukasa Family.  During or after the Onin War, which lasted from 1467 to 1477, sometime between 1469 and 1487 precisely speaking, Takatsukasa Masatomo gave up living in the capital and arrived at Hiraka County.  He built Okidate Fortress.  His offspring is the Shnto priest of Shinmei-gu Shrine.

     In the middle of the 16th century, Abe Hyogosuke was the lord of Okidate Fortress and Hirofune Fort.  After the Nanbu Family occupied the area in 1571, Sakuraba Nobumasa (?-1614), who was based in Sakuraba Village, Hanawa County, became the lord of the fortress and the fort.  He rebuilt the hall.  Hirofune and Okidate were also called Betsuura, Nobumasa's son, Nobumitsu, called his family Betsuura.

Tsugaru Tamenobu (1550–1607) lost his first son, Nobutate (1574-1607), on October 13th, 1607.  About 2 months later, on December 5th, Tamenobu died.  As his 2nd son, Nobukata (1575-1597), had died earlier, his third son, Nobuhira (1586-1631), succeeded to the headship of the Tsugaru Family over the objections of a faction which supported Nobutate's young son, Kumachiyo (1600–1623).

     Okochi Takehiro (?-1640) worked as a surgeon for Hojo Ujimasa (1539-1590).  When the Later Hojo Clan was destroyed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) in 1590, Takehiro lost his job.  He was later hired by Tamenobu, and was taken into the Tsugaru Family by marrying Tamenobu's 1st daughter, Tomiko.  He also became the acting lord of Daikoji Fortress.

     Takehiro insisted that Kumachiyo should succeed to the headship of the Tsugaru Family, he went to Edo, he appealed directly to the shogunate through his long-time friend, Honda Masanobu (1538-1616), an Elder of the Tokugawa Shogunate.  The appeal was accepted by Masanobu, and it seemed that Kumachiyo's succession would be decided, but Ando Naotsugu (1555-1635), another Elder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, opposed this.  In 1609, the shogunate decided that Nobuhira should succeed the headship, and Takehiro was banished from the domain.

     Daikoji Fortress became a pain in the neck for the Tsugaru Family and was taken apart to build Hirosaki Castle in 1610.  Presumably, Okidate Fortress and Hirofune Fort were also pulled apart at the same time.

     For your information, Takehiro was later hired by the Tokugawa Shogunate and kept using Tsugaru as his family name.

Address: Hirosawa-89 Hirofune, Hirakawa, Aomori 036-0131

Shinmei-gu Shrine

Address: Miyazaki-266 Okidate, Hirakawa, Aomori 036-0141

Daikoji Fortress Site

Address: Sanmurai Daikoji, Hirakawa, Aomori 036-0101

Trees In the Town

Virtual Old Tsugaru 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #30 Matsukura-Kannon-do Hall

 

     Mount Bonju is located in 40°48′0″N 140°34′32″E between Goshogawara and Aomori Cities.  Some of Shakyamuni Buddha's cremated remains are believed to have been entombed somewhere on the mountain.

     Dosho (629-700) studied Buddhism from 653 to 660 under Xuanzang (602-664), who made his journey to India from 629 to 645 to bring Indian texts to China.  After 680, Dosho visited remote provinces in Japan to spread Buddhism across Japan.  He is believed to have named the mountain Bonju, literally Brahman Bead.

     It is unknown when Kannon-ji Temple was founded on the side of the mountain.

     In 1208, Fujiwara Yoshitsugu and Yoshiuchi escaped from Hiraizumi after Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) destroyed the Northern Fujiwara Clan in 1189.  The brothers revived Kannon-ji Temple, inviting Priest Konko (1154-1217).

     After the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, the temple was changed into Kuraokami Shrine with the Kannon-do hall left in the precincts of the shrine.  Kuraokami or Okami is a legendary Japanese dragon and Shinto deity of rain and snow.  The shrine was renamed Matsukura Shrine in 1872, merging Maedanome-Kumano-gu Shrine, which has become a place to worship and offer prayers to Matsukura Shrine afar from Inubashiri Hamlet.

Address: Nowaki 102, Maedanome, Goshogawara, Aomori 037-0631

Phone: 0172-62-3382

Matsukura Shrine Maedanome Yohai-sho

Address: Inubashiri Maedanome, Goshogawara, Aomori 037-0631

Trees In the Town

Virtual Old Tsugaru 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #29 ?

 

     The #29 deity of the Old Tsugaru 33 Kannon Pilgrimage used to be in Namioka Village, Tsugaru County, Mutsu Province.  It is, however, unknown when it was first enshrined, which type of Avalokitesvara it was, or whether it still exists or not.

     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.  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.  Nanbu Moroyuki (?-1338) 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.

     After Akiie's death, Reizan Fortress, his stronghold in Mutsu Province, fell in 1347.  After the fall of the fortress, a couple of members of the Kitabatake Family escaped to Namioka Village, Tsugaru County.  The daughter of Akiie was raised by Yuki Chikatomo (?-1347), who was based in Shirakawa County, the southernmost county in Mutsu Province, after Akiie’s death, and later married Ando Sadasue, who was based in Tosa Port, and who is considered to be the then leader of Ando Pirates, who supported the Southern Court.

     The Namioka-Kitabatake Family built a residential area with 4 Shinto shrines in the 4 corners of the area, copying Kyoto: Gion Shrine (today's Hiromine Shrine) in the south, Hachiman Shrine (today's Namioka-Hachiman-gu Shrine) in the west, Kamo Shrine in the north, and Kasuga Shrine.  Some or all of them enshrined a type of Avalokitesvara image and one of them could have been #29 deity of the old Tsugaru 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

     Today, Hiromine Shrine enshrines Kaju Kannon, namely Orchard Avalokitesvara, and Horse-Headed Hayagriva, and Kamo Shrine enshrines Horse-Headed Hayagriva.  Kasuga Shrine has been abolished.  Is one of the 3 existing Avalokitesvara images the #29 deity?  If so, why does nobody know the information?  All in all, it is unknown whether the #29 deity still exists today or not.

Namioka-Hachiman-gu

Address: Hayashimoto-121-2 Namioka Oaza Namioka, Aomori, 038-1311

Phone: 0172-62-2108

Hiromine Shrine

Address: Tenno-92 Namioka Oaza Kitanakano, Aomori, 038-1325

Kamo Shrine

Address: Matsumoto-16 Namioka Oaza Gohonmatsu, Aomori, 038-1312

Yasaka Shrine

Address: 625 Gionmachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0073

Phone: 075-561-6155

Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine

Address: Takabo−30, Yawata, Kyoto 614-8005

Phone: 075-981-3001

Kamigamo Shrine

Address: 339 Kamigamo Motoyama, Kita Ward, Kyoto, 603-8047

Phone: 075-781-0011

Saiin Kasuga Shrine

Address: 61 Saiinkasugacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto 615-0015

Phone: 075-312-0474

Trees In the Town

Virtual Old Tsugaru 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #28 Nyunai-Kannon-do Hall

 

     In Tome County, Mutsu Province, legend has it that Kofuku-ji Temple was founded after Odakemaru, the chief of local northern foreigners, was killed by the Imperial Army.  A burial mound was built for him, and an Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha image was enshrined.

     In Nyunai Village, Odakemaru was believed to have been killed there and the image of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, was enshrined sometime between 806 and 810.

     Taira Masakado (903-940)was born in Shimousa Province: specifically and presumably either in Toyoda or Sashima County, which were both along the Kinu River.  Later, he left for Kyoto at the age of either 15 or 16 to be hired by Fujiwara Tadahira (880-949), who was the 2nd Prime Minister at the time and who became the Prime Minister in 924, to climb up the social ladder.  After 12 years or so, he returned to the Kanto Region, without achieving anything in the central political circles.  In 939, Masakado tried to be independent from Japan in the Kanto Region.  He was killed by Tawara Tota (891-958).  Masakado's 2nd son, Masakuni, fled to Ukishima Village, Shida County, Hitachi Province.  Masakuni's son, Kotaro, who called his family Shida, evacuated to Nyunai Village and revived the Kannon-do Hall.

     When Oura Tamenobu (1550-1608) ruled the village, he revived the hall, changed it to a temple, and named it Kafuku-ji.  In 1641, its hall was rebuilt.

     After the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, the hall became Koganeyama Shrine, and the Arya Avalokitesvara image was kept by its worshipper.  Later, when Koganeyama Shrine was rebuilt in its present place, the image was returned to the shrine building which became Nyunai-Kannon-do Hall again.

Address: Komata-116-4 Nyunai, Aomori, 030-0154

Phone: 017-739-3280

Kofuku-ji Temple

Address: Odake-18, Hongo, Minamikatamachi, Tome, Miyagi 987-0423

Phone: 0220-58-3572

Koganeyama Shrine

Address: Komata Nyunai, Aomori, 030-0154

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Virtual Old Tsugaru 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #27 Hosogoe Shrine

 

     There is a 2-meters-tall natural rock at the foot of a hill along the south-western coast of the Mutsu Bay.  The rock used to be holy among northern foreigners, and was considered to look like Avalokitesvara in 978, when Tokutan Fortress was the northernmost military foothold of the Imperial Army.  Sakanoue Tamuramaro (758-811) had invaded the province about 2 centuries before and a few Japanese people could have arrived at the bay.  Or...

     Balhae’s 11th mission to Japan was a very weird one.  It is not clear if it was really an official mission.  The letter which was brought to Japan by them was evaluated by the inspector dispatched by the central government to be too “rude” to accept.  And the leader, Go Yang-pil, was regarded as an “embezzling” ambassador.

     Shoku Nihongi, the second of imperially commissioned Japanese history texts, wrote on September 14th, 779 (October 31 in 779 by Gregorian Calendar):  “359 people of Balhae and Tiei came to Japan, yearning for the virtuous influence.  They are staying in Ideha Province.  According to precedents, the provincial government should supply them.  However, the envoys are too low-ranking to be provided presents.  After dispatching a messenger and holding a party for them, they should be deported.  If their ships have been damaged, they should be fixed.  The delay of the deportation will not be allowed.”

     Not everything went smoothly.  Shoku Nihongi wrote on November 9th (December 25 by Gregorian Calendar):  “The inspector of the Balhae people should not allow them to come to Kyoto since the letter submitted by Go Yang-pil, an embezzling ambassador, was too rude.  Since they haven’t come via Dazai-fu and have craftily asked for convenience, they should be given an official warning not to repeat that again.”

      Without the Internet, the correspondence between Ideha Province and Kyoto must have taken tens of days, but Shoku Nihongi continued to write on the next day:  “The inspector has brought a message:  Tiei officers argued Seol-chabg into taking a lower seat.  They seem to be insulting him.

     "The Prime Minister decided:  Go Seo-chang, a Balhae translator, has far crossed blue waves and has frequently come to Japan.  What he says and thinks is loyal and diligent, and he has been given the 12th ranking.  He is taking a lower seat to the Tiei officers.  Not out of favoritism, but the difference of rankings should be clarified and order should be maintained.”

     The country Balhae consisted of the remains of Goguryeo and Mohe tribes.  Although Balhae imported a national system from the Tang Dynasty, there might have been tribal societies with powerful families ruling them, and the Tiei people are presumed to be one of 8 Mohe tribes.  It is not clear whether Go Yang-pil belonged to Balhae people or Tiei people, but it's no wonder local powerful families were more powerful than central officials such as a translator.

     What were Tiei people like?  We have no idea, but back in 746, more than a generation before the 11th mission’s arrival in Japan, over 1,100 Balhae and Tiei people arrived at Ideha Province, "yearning for the virtuous influence of Japan."  After getting some clothes and food, they were deported.

     Looking at their haughty and arrogant behavior against a weak intelligentsia, Tiei people didn’t seem to be seeking ethical influence.  Then, what were they yearning for?

     By 746, Balhae had sent 2 missions to Japan.  Each time they got plenty of fabric products in exchange for hides.  According to the witnesses of the Silla people, Mohe people were wearing fur clothes.  Fabric clothes must have been precious there.  1,100 was a big migration, not to mention it was a great migration, which failed because of the strong anti-immigration policy of the Japanese central and provincial governments.

     Before 779, however, Japan sent 2 naturalized Japanese officers whose ancestors had been refugees after the collapse of Goguryeo to Balhae.  That might have raised Tiei people’s expectations for their acceptance to Japan.  More aggressively, they might have expected to build a colony city somewhere in Ideha Province or somewhere further north, where the governance of the central government was still fragile.

     The migration from the northern coast of the Sea of Japan was not impossible or improbable.  Oga City in Akita Prefecture has Akagami Shrine, which has passed down a migration-related legend:

     Long, Long ago, Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty brought 5 ogres to the village.  To drive them out, villagers made a promise with the ogres.  If ogres were to build one thousand stone steps to Akagami Shrine within a night, the villagers would marry their daughters to the ogres.  If not, the ogres should leave the village.  When the ogres finished building 999 stone steps, a villager copied crows of a rooster.  The ogres kept their promise and left the village.

     If it had really happened when Wu was ruling China, it should have happened in the first century B.C., 4 centuries before the first kingdom of Japan was born.  It is quite improbable that the legend has been handed down since such old days.  At the beginning of the 8th century, Ideha Fortress was built in today’s Yamagata Prefecture.  In 733, it was moved further north to today’s Akita Prefecture to suppress Emishi people living there.  Japanese shrines should have been built after the middle of the 8th century there.  Anyway, I wonder why the villagers didn’t accept the ogres who were competent enough to build 999 stone steps in such a short time, and who had such good manners to keep promises.

     A legend at Iwase village in Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, says Balhae people, Jeong Yeong and Seo Beom, sailed from the continent with garlic as food.  Garlic was planted in the village, and since then it has become a special product.  The legend tells us nothing about whether Jeong and Seo inhabited Japan or returned home.

          Did all the 1,100 Balhae and Tiei people in 746 really leave Ideha Province?  Did all of them actually return to their homeland?  Did all the 359 Balhae and Tiei people in 779 really leave Echizen, or Japan?

     It could have been the immigrants from the continent that considered the rock to be like Avalokitesvara in 978.

     Sometime between 1596 and 1615, Mizunomi Gozaemon immigrated from Wakasa Province with his family and developed the area around the Avalokitesvara rock and named the area Urushi-Shinden Village, namely Lacquer-New-Rice-Field Village.  They regarded the rock as their land guardian deity.

     Takeda Motoaki (1552-1582) was based in Nochiseyama Fortress and ruled Wakasa Province.  In 1568, Asakura Yoshikage (1533-1573) invaded Wakasa Province. The Asakura forces captured Kuniyoshi Fortress, Tezutsuyama Fortress, and other fortresses.  When the forces surround Nochiseyama Fortress, Motoaki attempted to commit suicide, but was persuaded to make peace.  He was forced to move to the capital of the Asakura Family, Ichijodani in Echizen Province.

     Presumably, Mizunomi Gozaemon was a vassal of the Takeda Family. 

     After the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, it became Miwa Shrine.  In 1916, the shrine and Miyama Shrine merged, became Hosogoshi Shrine, and was moved to its present place.

Address: Sakaeyama Hosogoe, Aomori, 038-0023

Tokutan Fortress Site

Address: Dai 6 Chiwari Nishitokuta, Yahaba, Shiwa District, Iwate 028-3603

Kuniyoshi Fortress Ruins

Address: JX78+8F, Mihama, Fukui

Tezutsuyama Fortress Ruins

Address: Shimizu, Tsuruga, Fukui 914-0071

Nochiseyama Fortress Ruins

Address: Fushiwara, Obama, Fukui 917-0041

Ichijoudani Castle Ruins

Address: Kidonouchicho, Fukui, 910-2153