Virtual Yashima Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #22 Rintaku-ji Temple

 

     Rintaku-ji Temple was founded in Ashida Village sometime between 1576 and 1600 by Priest Soju from Noji-in Temple in Terada Village, Okachi County, Dewa Province.  As the 2 temples belong to the Caodong Chan School, samurai might have had something to do with the foundation of Rintaku-ji Temple.  However, Ashida Village had neither a fortress or a fort.  What was the samurai in the village like?  Or what was the village like to begin with?  Ashida Village was first documented in 1647.  Before the middle of the 17th century, the Ashida area was part of Tashiro Village.  Then, what was Tashiro Village like?

     In the Wamyo Ruijusho, namely Japanese Names for Things Classified and Annotated,  which was a Japanese dictionary compiled in 938, and which lists Japanese place names from south to north, Yuri County wasn't listed yet.  The county was first documented in the entry of May 3rd, 1213, in Azuma Kagami, which was a chronology compiled after 1266 under the directive of the Regent of the Kamakura Shogunate.  Yuri County might have been organized in the latter half of the Heian Period (794-1185).

     In the latter half of the Heian period, the Abe Clan, which held sway in Mutsu Province, grew so powerful that they rebelled against the Imperial Court, but the clan were defeated with the help of the Kiyohara Clan, a powerful clan in Dewa Province.  The Kiyohara Clan, which replaced the Abe Clan, was defeated by Minamoto Yoshiie (1039-1106).

     Then came the Northern Fujiwara Clan, which reached their zenith, but were soon destroyed by Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199).  In this way, the Abe, Kiyohara, and Fujiwara Clans changed.  Although these 3 clans had different surnames, in terms of blood ties, they were related by blood.

     Yuri County is supposed to have been initially ruled by the family of Abe Muneto (1032-1108).  When Yoritomo destroyed the Northern Fujiwara Clan, the lord of Yuri County was Yuri Korehira (?-1190).  According to Azumakagami, Korehira fought with Tagawa Yukibumi (?-1189) and Akita Munebumi (?-1189) against Yoritomo, but was caught alive by Usami Sanemasa (?-1190) on September 7th, 1189.  Even though he was a prisoner, he reprimanded Kajiwara Kagetoki (?-1200) for his rudeness, saying, "It is the common thing for a brave samurai to run out of luck and become a prisoner."  He accepted questioning after Hatakeyama Shigetada (1164-1205) showed his respect.  Yoritomo heard of this and forgave Korehira on the 13th "because of the honor of his bravery." 

     When Okawa Kaneto (?-1190), who was based along the eastern shore of Hachiro-gata Lagoon, and who was a remnant of the Northern Fujiwara Clan, rebelled against the Kamakura Shogunate in the Tohoku Region from December, 1189, to March of the following year, Korehira advanced north with Kudo Mitsuyuki and Miyaji Kunihira on December 24th to attack Kaneto.  Korehira was killed in battle on January 6th, 1190, in Momosada Village, Kawabe County, Dewa Province.

     According to tradition, in the early Kamakura Period, the Yuri Family established 4 fortresses under the direct control of the family and 8 local administrators to govern the county.  The 4 fortresses were located in Shiokoshi (Kisakatamachi, Nikaho, Akita?), Hirasawa (Hirasawa, Nikaho, Akita 018-0402), Ono (Ono Matsugasaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0032), and Hanekawa (Shimohamahanekawa, Akita, 010-1503).  The 8 local administrators were located in Seki (?), Toshidai (Toshi, Nikaho, Akita 018-0422?), Tashiro (Tashiro Chokaimachi Kamikawauchi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0504), Karuizawa (Karuizawa Habiro, Yurihonjo, Akita 018-0906), Aranami (?), Kurose (Uchikurose, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0022?), Katsurane (?), and Tahara (?).

     In Kisagata, Matsuo Basho composed,

In Shiokoshi,

A crane cools its legs

In the summer sea.

     When Wada Yoshimori (1147-1213) rebelled against Hojo Yoshitoki (1163-1224) and failed, Korehira's son, Korehisa, was suspected of conspiring with Yoshimori, and the sovereignty over Yuri County was confiscated from the family and was given to Lady Daini, who was the nursery nurse of the 2nd and 3rd Shoguns.  The Yuri Family became local samurai and called themselves the Takizawa Family, who were based in Takizawa Fortress.  Daini transferred the county to her nephew, Oi Asamitsu (1198-1225), who lived in Shinano Province.

     In the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), the number of settlers from Shinano Province gradually increased, and they replaced the ancient local administrators and the offspring of the Yuri Family.

     During the Warring States Period (14676-1568), many rival powerful samurai family were based in Yuri County’s villages: the Yashima Family, the Nikaho Family, the Akozu Family, the Kataho Family, the Uteichi Family, the Koyoshi Family, the Shimomura Family, the Tomai Family, the Ayukawa Family, the Ishizawa Family, the Takizawa Family, the Iwaya Family, the Hanegawa Family, the Serita Family, the Kutsuzawa Family, and the Ne'nei Family.  However, no powerful family was based in Tashiro Village.  The industrial structure changed in the Kamakura Period, and rice became the main military provision.  Tashiro Village could have failed to catch up with the change, not to mention Ashida Village, which could have produced a samurai who worshiped the Caodong Chan School.

Address: Nishinosawa-41 Higashiyuritashiro, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0232

Phone: 0184-69-3340

Noji-in Temple

Address: Aramachi-32 Tarada, Ugo, Ogachi District, Akita 012-1115

Phone: 0183-62-5151

 

Tashiro Fortress Site

Address: Tashiro, Ugo, Ogachi District, Akita 012-1241

Takizawa Fortress Site

Address: Takizawatate-79-3 Maego, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0341