Virtual Old Tsugaru 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #21 Kaiman-ji Temple

 

     Kaiman-ji Temple's sango is Muen-zan.  Muen means death without anyone to pray for the comfort of the dead in the other world.

     In 1617, a storm caused a maritime accident with casualties.  In 1658, Monk Gendo visited Kodomari Village and founded Kaiman-ji Temple to hold memorial services for the dead.

     Kodomari-Kannon-do Hall had been founded before Kaiman-ji Temple in Kodomari Village, Hanawa County, which was organized after the Enkyu Ezo War in 1070, when 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.

     Ando Munesue built Shibasaki Fortress in 1229.

     In 1398, Haga-ji Temple in Wakasa Province burned down.  Ando Morisue had his son, Yasusue, rebuild the temple.  The reconstruction was finished in 1436, when Morisue was already dead.  Anyway, the reconstruction suggests how large the Ando Pirates' sphere of influence was.  When the Nanbu Family attacked the Amdo Pirates, Ando Morisue seeked refuge in Shibasaki Fortress in 1443.  Morisue fled to Hokkaido, but Yasusue fought back to Tsugaru in 1445.  Yasusue landed on the western coast of Tsugaru Peninsula.  It is unknown whether Shibasaki Fortress was used in the counterattack or not.  Yasusue built a fort along the coast but died of illness in the fort.  His son, Yoshisue built Oinotate Fort in Oura Village, Hanawa County, but was defeated by the Nanbu Family, and killed himself on October 9th, 1453.

     In 1633, Kodomari-Kannon-do Hall was moved to the site of Shibasaki Fortress.  On April 24th, 1794, Hoei-Iwadate Earthquake hit the Tohoku Region and the Avalokitesvara image was washed away.  Later, the image was netted by a fisher, and was enshrined temporarily in Kaiman-ji Temple.  After the hall was rebuilt, the image was returned to the hall.  At the end of the Edo Period (1603-1867), Hiryu Gongen was invited from Kumano Nachi Taisha to the hall.  After the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, the hall was changed into Shinmei-gu Shrine and the image was moved to Kaiman-ji Temple again.

Address: Kodomari-204-1 Kodomari, Nakadomari, Kitatsugaru District, Aomori 037-0522

Phone: 0173-64-2301

Shibasaki Fortress Ruins

Address: Kodomari, Nakadomari, Kitatsugaru District, Aomori 037-0541

Haga-ji Temple

Address: 83-5 Haga, Obama, Fukui 917-0017

Phone: 0770-52-4502

Shinmei-gu Shrine

Address: Ugaisawa−50 Kodomari, Nakadomari, Kitatsugaru District, Aomori 037-0541

Kumano Nachi Taisha

Address: 1 Nachisan, Nachikatsuura, Higashimuro District, Wakayama 649-5301

Phone: 0735-55-0321