Virtual Kameda Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #12 Kotoku-ji Temple (Kotoku-in Temple?)

 

     It is unknown when Kotoku-ji or Kotoku-in Temple was founded in Ishiwaki Village.  The village was first documented in 1625.  As the village was fairly new, so could have been the temple.  The temple belonged to Shugendo or the Japanese mountain asceticism, and was the shrine temple of Inari Shrine in Ishiwaki-Nakamachi, Shinmei-sha Shrine in Sangen-machi, Sarutahiko Shrine in Midori-machi, Akiba Shrine in Benkeigawa Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0011, and Konpira Shrine in Tajiri Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0012.

     Kotoku-ji or Kotoku-in Temple was abolished after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, and was changed to Ishiwaki-Kotoku Community Center in 1906.  In 1907, the worshipers' hall of Shinzan Shrine was built in the center's premises at the foot of the hill.  In 1955, Ishiwaki Nursery School was opened in the center.  The school was moved to the location of Ishiwakihigashi Nursery School in 1956.

     Ishiwaki-Kotoku Community Center still has Kotoku-ji Temple's Sacred Dance Hall, Ebisu Hall, and Prince Shotoku Hall.

      The location of Kotoku-ji Temple in the lower reaches of Imo River was odd, far both from the upper reaches and from the Kameda Castle Town, which has the next member temples.  Besides the possibility that Kotoku-ji Temple replaced the original #12 temple, there could be the case that Kotoku-ji Temple used to be located in the mountains between the upper reaches and the castle town.  It could have moved to its present place to organize Shugendo worshippers around the Ishiwaki Port.

     For your information, Shinzan Shrine was founded by Josen, who was a Japanese mountain ascetic, sometime between 810 and 824.

     On January 11th, 802, the Imperial Court ordered 4000 young people from Suruga, Sagami, Kai, Musashi, Kazusa, Shimousa, Hitachi, Shinano, Kozuke, and Shimotsuke Provinces to emigrate to the Tohoku Region as farmer-soldiers.  They might have moved north with their eyes glaring on colonial profit.

     They sent 4000 young men from the Kanto Region to the Tohoku Region.  That could bring about significant imbalances in the proportion of young women and men in the 2 regions.  Wartime sexual violence and the slave traffic was inevitable.

     On New Year's Day in 811, Emperor Takatsugi made an unprecedented New year's speech.  appealed to those who fled to barbarian territories to return.  If they returned, their taxes would be exempted for 3 years.  The northern foreigners who had surrendered to the central government were originally excused from taxes, and were given food and clothes for their local products.  The royal speech suggested some of them had been deprived of their privileges.  The  Imperial Court changed their policy against or for northern foreigners, especially those of them who lived in Japanese territory, from suppression to assimilation.  On June 2nd, 812, they ordered communities of northern foreigners to choose their own chiefs.  On November 21, 813, they appointed a governor specialized in the problems of northern foreigners.  On the 24th, they ordered each province to have a vice governor to handle its problems with northern foreigners.

     On December 1st, 815, Emperor Saga (786-842) ordered that officers, officials, and people should not call surrendered northern foreigners in a derogatory term "Ifu" but should call them with their names and, if any, with their post names and ranks.  In other words, northern foreigners should be treated as humans.

     No speech could stop colonists' greediness.  No assimilation policy could relieve or even reduce the pains of the conquered.  In 2 generations, their discontent exploded into rage.

     Due to the years of harsh administration by Yoshimine Chikashi, the officer of the Akita Castle, the dissatisfaction of subordinate foreigners reached its peak.  In March, 878, they rose up and raided Akita Castle, and Chikashi was unable to defend the castle and fled.  The subordinate foreigners set fire to the surrounding area, and the Governor of Ideha Province, Fujiwara Okiyo (817-891) also fled.

     What was it like around Shinzan Shrine in the 810's and 820's?

     The Ishiwaki Port Town has springs which provide good river-bed water.  The water enabled the sake brewery industry to prosper.  The hill where the shrine is located could have been a holy place at the beginning of the 9th century.

Ishiwaki-Kotoku Community Center

Address: Ishiwaki-42 Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0011

Ishiwaki Nakamachi Community Center

Address: Ishiwaki-43 Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0011

Sangen-machi Bus Stop

Address: Ishiwaki Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0011

Midori-machi Bus Stop

Address: Ishiwaki Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0011

Shinzan Shrine

Address: Higashiyama−4, Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0011

Phone: 0184-22-6234

Ishiwakihigashi Nursery School

Address: Kaminoyama−99 Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0011

Phone: 0184-22-4183

Ishiwaki Port Spring-Fed Area

Address: Ishiwaki-253 Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0011

Saiya Sake Brewery

Address: Ishiwaki-53 Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0011

Phone: 0184-22-0536

Fermentation Alley Taya

Address: Ishiwaki-279-1 Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0011

Phone: 0184-74-8207