Virtual Kameda Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #2 Ryusui-ji Temple

 

     When Kameda Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized, its #2 was Zao-san Ryusui-ji Temple in Oka Village.  Oka Village was first documented in 1612.  It is unknown why Oka Village came to be called Kuzuoka.  Anyway, in 1868, Kuzuoka Village was documented.  We can’t find Ryusui-ji Temple in Kuzuoka, Yurihonjo, Akita 018-0852.  The area has Kinpo Shrine, which used to be called Kinpo-san Zao-Gongen Shrine.  Presumably, Zao-san Ryusui-ji Temple was the shrine temple of Kinpo-san Zao-Gongen Shrine.

     According to tradition, the shrine was founded in 757.

     In 709, Ideha County was established at the northern end of Koshi Province.  Ideha Fortress was supposedly built around that time at the estuary of Mogami River.  Ideha County was separated from Koshi Province and was promoted to province in 712.  In 733, Ideha Fortress was relocated north, or advanced, to Akita at the estuary of Omono River at about 100 kilometers from its original place.  The Akita area at the time was sparsely populated, and no large-scale villages were found.  The fortress was in the front line.  A kind of farmer-soldiers were sent to the area mainly from Koshi and Shinano Provinces.  Ideha Fortress in Akita came to be called Akita Castle by 761.

     So, Kinpo-san Zao-Gongen Shrine was founded when the Imperial Army was advancing from today's Yamagata Prefecture to today's Akita Prefecture.  The locals say that Kinpo-san Zao-Gongen Shrine was founded  by inviting God Kanayama-hiko and Goddess Kanayama-bime from Kinpusen-ji Temple in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture.

     Zao-san Ryusui-ji Temple might have been abolished after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868.

Kuzuoka-Kinpo Shrine

Address: Miyanomae Kuzuoka, Yurihonjo, Akita 018-0852

Zao-do Hall, Kinpusen-ji Temple Hon-do (Main Hall)

Address: 2498 Yoshinoyama, Yoshino, Yoshino District, Nara 639-3115