Virtual Honjo Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #26 Zoken-ji Temple

 

     Zoken-ji Temple was founded by Priest Ryoho in Matsugasaki Village, Yuri County, in 1491, when the Akotsu Family ruled the village, which had Ako-tsu Port.  The Akotsu Family enjoyed good relations with the Ando Pirates while the other powerful families in Yuri County were rather land-battle samurai.  The family built Akotsu Fortress on the top of the hill behind the port.

     The Akotsu Family was dismissed in 1600.  When Tateoka Mitsushige (1547-1639) moved to the area in 1603, he first lived in Kameda Castle.  When he built Honjo Castle in 1610 and moved there, all the townspeople are said to have moved to the new castletown.  Mitsushige was dismissed in 1622, and Rokugo Masanori (1567-1634) moved into Honjo Castle.  Masanori made an effort for the development of the new castle town.

     Zoken-ji Temple moved to Hikijimachi along Koyoshi River in the castletown in 1622 to form a defensive line in the north of the castle with the other temples such as Senryu-in, Ten'nen-ji, and Kosei-ji Temples in the town.  Hikiji literally meant Day Labour, and it is guessed that day laborers lived in the area before the temples moved in.

     The precincts have Boshin Kinno Monument.

     What is noteworthy about this stone monument is that the inscription was written by Ito Tenkai.  Tenkai is the 26th head priest of Zoken-ji Temple.  He was born in Akaishi, Konoura, Nikaho, Akita 018-0311, in 1873, became a Buddhist monk at a young age, and later moved to Tokyo to study under Mishima Tsuyoshi (1831-1919), a traditional Chinese scholar, and learned calligraphy under Kusakabe Meikaku (1838-1922).  Tenkai was accepted into Zoken-ji Temple in 1902.  He left behind many masterpieces of calligraphy until his death in 1950.  The inscription on the monument is his masterpiece in regular script.  His elegant, refined, and spacious brushwork is one the best in Japan.

Address: 86 Hikijimachi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0813

Phone: 0184-22-3227

Akaozu Fortress Site

Address: Takashiro-2 Iwakishimohebita, Yurihonjo, Akita 018-1223

Kameda Castle

Address: Kamedamachi-45 Iwakikamedakamedamachi, Yurihonjo, Akita 018-1217

Honjo Castle

Address: 8 Ozaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0871