Virtual Kameda Domain 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #16 Ryumon-ji Temple

 

     The Iwaki Family founded Ryumon-ji Temple in Iwaki County, Mutsu Province, in 1392.

     From 1442 to 1443, the Kakitsu Infighting was fought in Iwaki County between 2 camps.  One was led by Iwaki Kiyotaka.  Those who supported Kiyotaka lived in the following villages: Misaka Village (today's Miwamachi Kamimisaka, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-1374, Miwamachi Nakamisaka, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-1375, and Miwamachi Shimomisaka, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-1376), Ino Village, which might have been located around Ino Hachiman Shrine, Odate Village (Odate Taira, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-8026), Ogawa Village (Kobashi Ogawamachi NishiogawaIwaki, Fukushima 979-3121), Nakayama Village (Nakayama Miwamachi Godo, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-1264), Shirado Village (Shirado Tairaomuro, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-8013), Yoshima Village (Yoshimamachi Kamiyoshima, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-1153), Katono Village (Tonomachi Katono, Iwaki, Fukushima 972-0161), Taki Village (Tonomachitaki, Iwaki, Fukushima 972-0162), and Kubota Village (Kubota Tairaakai, Iwaki, Fukushima 979-3131).  The other was led by Iwaki Samanosuke.  Those who supported Samanosuke lived in the following villages: Tamayama Village (Yotsukuramachi Tamayama, Iwaki, Fukushima 979-0216), Nakashio Village (Tairanakashio, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-8016), and Shimohirakubo Village (Tairashimohirakubo, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-8003).

     Yoshima River flows out from Ippai Shimizu Spring and runs east into the Pacific.

     In the prehistoric days of Japan, the country was unified by organizing Kuni-no-miyatsuko in remote areas.  They were local powerful families.  The Pacific side of the Tohoku Region had 10 Kuni-no-miyatsuko: Kikuta Kuni-no-miyatsuko, Iwaki Kuni-no-miyatsuko, Someha Kuni-no-miyatsuko, Ukita Kuni-no-miyatsuko, Watari Kuni-no-miyatsuko, Shirakawa Kuni-no-miyatsuko, Iwase Kuni-no-miyatsuko, Asaka Kuni-no-miyatsuko, Shinobu Kuni-no-miyatsuko, and Iku Kuni-no-miyatsuko.  At the beginning, the northern limit of the Kuni-no-miyatsuko system was in today's Fukushima Prefecture.

     The Yoshima Manor was developed along Yoshima River presumably by Iwaki Kuni-no-miyatsuko or their offspring, who could have been the ancestors of the Iwaki Family.  The manor was dedicated to Iwashimizu-Hachiman-gu Shrine to evade paying taxes, and Ino Hachiman Shrine was founded in the manor.

     Kiyotaka and Samanosuke must have fought against each other over the headship of the family and the management of the manor.  Kiyotaka's camp overwhelmed Samanosuke's camp, but, during the infighting, the samurai from Shirado Village gained hegemony in Iwaki County.  They unified the county, and the head of the family called himself Iwaki Takatada.

     If Kiyotaka and Samanosuke were brothers as is widely believed, it could have been their parents that founded Ryumon-ji Temple in Shimoarakawa Village, Iwaki County, Mutsu Province, as their family temple when samurai were upsetting the ancien regime.

      According to a document in 1204, Yoshima Manor was divided into 43 percent and 57 percent in terms of land area between the Kamakura Shogunate and Iwashimizu-Hachiman-gu Shrine.  Within the 43 percent, 23 percent was given to samurai stewards in the villages.  In 1247, Iga Mitsumune was appointed to the stewardship of the manor under the Kamakura Shogunate, and, thereafter, the Iga Family hereditarily succeeded to the stewardship.  In the Southern and Northern Courts Period (1336-1392), the allocation between the Muromachi Shogunate and Iwashimizu-Hachiman-gu Shrine was 92 percent to 8 percent in terms of monetary amount.  The Yoshima Manor was completely dissolved in the middle of the 15th century, and the Iga Family became the priest of Ino-Hachiman Shrine.

     Just a little more than half a century after their foundation of Ryumon-ji Temple, the Iwaki Family was upset by their vassal or branch.  Kiyotaka’s second half is the same as Takatada’s first half.  That means Kiyotaka gave “taka” to Takatada.  That means, what is more, Takatada was subject to Kiyotaka at least at first. 

     Iwaki Takatada unified Iwaki County, Mutsu Province, in 1442.

     Ako-tsu Port was ruled by the Akotsu Family, who enjoyed good relations with the Ando Pirates.  They built Akotsu Fortress on the top of the hill behind the port.  The Akotsu Family was dismissed in 1600.  Tateoka Mitsushige (1547-1639) moved to the area in 1603, but was dismissed in 1622.  In 1623, Iwaki Yoshitaka (1609-1672) moved in.  He built Kameda Residence at the foot of a hill in Amasagi Village and developed a town at the foot of the residence.  In 1628, Yoshitaka invited Priest Donki from Taho-in Temple, and founded another Ryumon-ji Temple in the Kameda Castle Town.

Address: Mukaiyama-25 Iwakiakahira, Yurihonjo, Akita 018-1215

Phone: 0184-72-2373

Ippai Shimizu Spring

Address: Miwamachi Kamiichigaya, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-1373

Ino Hachiman Shrine

Address: Hachimankoji−84, Taira, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-8026

Phone: 0246-21-2444

Ryumon-ji Temple

Address: Suwashita-90 Tairashimoarakawa, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-8032

Phone: 0246-22-6395

Taho-in Temple

Address: Komagi-52 Hiyama, Noshiro, Akita 016-0151

Phone: 0185-58-5027

Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine

Address: Takabo−30, Yawata, Kyoto 614-8005

Phone: 075-981-3001