Honjo Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

 

     Honjo Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized sometime between 1781 and 1789, when Rokugo Masashige (1737-1797) was the 6th lord of the Honjo Domain.

     The Rokugo Family used to be based in the 6 villages of Yamamoto County, Dewa Province.  Yamamoto County was first documented in 870.

     In 771, about a century before the organization of Yamamoto County, 325 people took 17 separate ships and sailed against south winds to Japan from Balhae in June (in August by Gregorian Calendar).  They arrived at Nushiro Port in "barbarian lands" of Ideha Province.  It is “surprising” that such a big fleet at the time orderly sailed, yet orderly strayed north, and orderly arrived at a port town in “barbarian lands.”  It was more than likely not a coincidence. In calculation, about 20 people were on board a ship on average.  If about 40 people were aboard on an envoy ship as usual, many of the other 16 ships could have been smaller, just as small as fishing boats.

     It is unknown how the coast of the Sea of Japan developed during the century, but the Yamamoto area was developed and became Yamamoto County.

     At the end of the Warring States Period and at the beginning of the Edo Period, the Rokugo Family was transferred and promoted twice to double their income each time.  From 1623, they were based in Honjo Castle.

     It wasn't recorded who organized a 33 Kannon pilgrimage in the domain.  In the 18th century, traveling boomed.  As they needed a kind of visa to cross the domain borders, many traveling took the form of pilgrimages.  To prevent the outflow of money, some domain governments organized their own pilgrimages in their domains.  Honjo Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage might have been one of them, Masashige is said to have organized the pilgrimage to pray for the comfort of the 5th lord, Masanaga (1706-1754), in the other world.  When Masanaga died, his only son, Masanobu (1751-1776), was still 3 years old.

     Masashige became the 6th lord, and adopted Masanobu.  Masanobu, however, died young before his succession.  Then, Masashige’s 1st son, Masaka (1759-1784), was to succeed him.  Masaka, however, died young when Masashige was in his 40’s.  If Honjo Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized after 1784 before 1789, Masashige might have felt that life is transient and uncertain.  If Honjo Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized sometime between 1781 and 1784, what did Masashige feel like?  Unlike Yashima Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, which had a sad and unhappy history behind the scenes, we may see something personal.

Honjo Castle

Address: 8 Ozaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0871