Virtual Kameda Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #7 Horin-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Horin-ji Temple was founded in Uchikurose, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0022, where they have only 2 religious institutions: Erin-ji Temple, which belongs to Caodong Chan School, and Shinmei-sha Shrine.

     Caodong Chan was preferred by samurai.

     Approximately there are about 18 thousand  Shinmei or Shinmei-sha Shrines in Japan and they enshrine Amaterasu, the Japanese solar deity, and their head shrine is Ise Grand Shrine.  Since the goddess is regarded to be the ancestor of the Royal Family, Ise Grand Shrine used to be supported by the Imperial Court.  As the court declined in the medieval times, the shrine dispatched its Shinto priests nationwide to collect contributions and donations.  Some priests founded Shinmei or Shinmei-sha Shrines in their assigned places.

     The village, in addition, had Horin-ji Temple, which belonged to Shugendo or the Japanese mountain asceticism, Kusushi Shrine, which might have been invited from Mt. Fuji, Shirahata-Hachiman Shrine, which might have been invited from Kazusa Province, Ukemochi Shrine, which is popular in the Tohoku Region, and Wadazumi Shrine, which could have been invited directly from Tsushima Island or indirectly from other Wadazumi Shrines, some of which are pronounced Wadatsumi though.  All in all, Uchikurose Village seems to have been developed by various immigrants from several parts of Japan.

     Anyway, Horin-ji Temple was abolished after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868.

     For your information, Erin-ji Temple was founded sometime between 1390 and 1394.  Shinmei-sha Shrine was founded sometime between 1394 and 1428.  Presumably, some samurai and Shnto priests immigrated to the village after the Southern and Northern Courts Period (1334-1392).

     The Kyoho Famine broke out in the 1730's.  Bad weather started at the end of 1731.  In 1732, the rainy season lasted for 2 months, and that caused a cold summer.  Harmful planthoppers bred on rice plants.  In 46 domains, their rice harvest was reduced to 27 percent.  969,900 people died of hunger.  In the Kanto Region, tax increases from 40 percent to 50 percent imposed by Tokugawa Yoshimune (1684-1751) had weakened the resilience of peasants. The greed of samurai forced farmers and peasants to switch their planting from other crops to rice, regardless of the suitability of the climate and soil.  Their poor resilience caused them to die of diseases.

     In 1739, Kusushi, Shirahata-Hachiman, Ukemochi, and Wadazumi Shrines were merged to Shinmei-sha Shrine.

     Ise Grand Shrine published the Ise Calendar in 1632, which recorded dates for agricultural activities.  Accordingly, Amaterasu was also regarded as a guardian deity of agriculture.

     At the end of the Edo Period, there were 3 religious institutions.

Erin-ji Temple

Address: Hodooka-37 Uchikurose, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0022

Phone: 0184-22-1060

Uchikurose-Shinmei-sha Shrine

Address: Tsutsumizawa Uchikurose, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0022

Ise Grand Shrine

Address: 1 Ujitachicho, Ise, Mie 516-0023

Phone: 0596-24-1111

Address: 279 Toyokawacho, Ise, Mie 516-0042

Phone: 0596-24-1111