Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Day 3

 

     Today, I went on the last, easternmost, and hardest leg of the Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage from #27 to #33.  I have to cross the eastern hills of Kyoto on foot.

     I left my nearest station at 8:35, and arrived at Keihan Line Fujinomori Station at 10:10.  It took me about 2 hours.  Fujinomori Station is the northernmost station I've used to visit the Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  I walked a little bit southward to visit Saikyu-ji Temple, the northernmost member temple of the pilgrimage.

Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #27 Saikyu-ji Temple

     Saikyu-ji Temple was founded in 1604 by Priest Rinho, who also founded Josan-ji Temple.

Address: 742 Fukakusa Gokurakucho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto 612-0027

Phone: 075-641-2605

Josan-ji Temple

Address: 4 Chome-40 Edayoshi, Nishi Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 651-2133

Phone: 078-928-6622

     I continued to walk southward along the southernmost part of Lake Biwa Canal, and arrived at the back of Seishin-ji Temple.  Oh, this sometimes happens when I go on Kannon pilgrimages.  Modern maps don’t always meet medieval pilgrimages.  I walked half around the block to find the gate.

Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #28 Seishin-ji Temple

     Seishin-ji Temple is said to have been founded by Shudo (?-1625), after he retired as the chief priest of Fujinomori Shrine.  Since then, the funerals of the chief priests of the shrine have been carried out in the unusual custom of receiving their bodies in a Shinto style in front of the temple gate and then holding Buddhist funerals in the temple's main hall.

     ARTE Mandolinistica, a mandoline orchestra, was founded in January, 2003, with Yasunobu Inoue as the music director and is based at Seishin-ji Temple.

Address: 478 Fukakusasu Jikaibashikita, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0869

Phone: 075-641-6027

Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #29

     Nothing is known about the #29 deity of the Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  It should have been somewhere between #28 Seishin-ji Temple and #30 Tosen-ji Temple.  As Fujinomori Shrine is located between the 2 temples, the shrine could have had its shrine temple as the Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #29, or the shrine itself enshrined the #29 deity.

Fujinomori Shrine

     In legendary times, Okinagatarashi (170?-269?), a legendary empress, was said to have made a military expedition to Silla in the Korean Peninsula. A historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla) recorded 14 organized piracies by Wa, the Japanese kingdom, by the end of the 4th century.  Okinagatarashi’s expedition to Silla could have been one of those piracies.  After her expedition, according to the shrine's tradition, the shrine was founded in 203, when the empress returned.  She erected a war flag in Fujinomori, Fukakusa Village, Yamashiro Province, stored her military equipment, built a mound, and held a ritual, although she is believed to have lived in Iware-no-Wakazakura Palace in Yamato Province.

     The original deities were seven deities enshrined in the center church of the main hall, and to the east of the main hall is a flag mound where the war flag is said to have been erected.

     The original shrine of the east church of the main hall, Fujio Shrine, was founded in 759 as a shrine to Prince Toneri in Fujio (today's Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0882) at the foot of Mt. Inari.  In 1438, by order of Emperor Go-Hanazono (1419-1471), the 6th Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, Ashikaga Yoshinori (1394-1441), moved the Inari Shrine from the top of Mt. Inari to Fujio at the foot of the mountain, where Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is located.  The Fujio Shrine, which was located there, was moved to Fujinomori and enshrined as the eastern hall of Fujinomori Shrine.  Therefore, the residents around Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine are still parishioners of the shrine.  Mahataki Shrine, which was originally located in Fujinomori, was moved to its current location in a chain reaction.

     The west church of the main hall used to be an independent shrine that was founded in 800 in Tsukamoto (today' 16 Chome Honmachi, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0981) near the current Tofuku-ji Temple as a shrine to Prince Sawara (750-785).  The shrine was moved to the precincts of Fujinomori Shrine in 1470.  Therefore, the residents around Tofuku-ji Temple are still parishioners of the shrine.  Prince Sawara revered Fujinomori Shrine during his lifetime.  When a rebellion broke out in Mutsu Province, the prince became the expeditionary shogun and visited the shrine to pray for victory in battle.  Sawara was implicated in the assassination of Fujiwara Tanetsugu (737-785) in 785, and was deposed as crown prince.  He was exiled to Awaji Province, and, on his way there, he either starved himself to death or was starved to death.  His body was forwarded to the province and was buried there.  The whereabouts of his burial site is unknown.

     His tragedy provoked fear against his curse.  The fear became awe, and the awe led to enshrining the prince as a god.

     On October 8th, 785, Emperor Kanmu (737-806) reported to the tombs of Emperor Tenchi (626-672), Prince Shiki (668-716), and Emperor Konin (709-782) that Prince Sawara had been deposed as crown prince, and on November 25th, Prince Ote (774-824) was made crown prince.  After 788, there were a series of unhappy events, including Ote's illness; the deaths of Emperor Kanmu's wives, Fujiwara Tabiko (759-788), Fujiwara Otomuro (760-790), and Sakanoue Matako (?-790); the death of Takano Niigasa (?-790), the mother of Emperor Kanmu and Prince Sawara; epidemics; and famines.  The incidents were all concluded by the Department of Divinities to be the curse of Prince Sawara.  In 792, a household was assigned to guard and clean Sawara's burial site.

     After that, two monks were sent to Awaji Province, where Sawara was buried, on May 20th, 797, to apologize to the prince's spirit.  On February 15th, 799, Otomo Korenari and Priest Taishin were sent to the province to apologize, and other ceremonies were held to appease the prince's spirit.

     On July 23rd, 800, Prince Sawara was posthumously named Emperor Sudo and a mound was made on his burial site.  Korenari was sent to the burial mound with onmyoji, a technical officer in charge of divination and geomorphology, and monks to apologize, and 2 households were assigned to be grave keepers in Tsuna County, Awaji Province.  So, his burial site might have been in the county.  Kanmu's health deteriorated from the end of 804, and he put more effort into appeasement of the prince's spirit.  In April, 805, he ordered provinces to build small warehouses for Sawara and keep 40 bundles of tax rice to cover the cost of reburial of Sawara.  He appointed a reburial official to proceed with the reburial in Yamato Province.  The site is identified as Yashima Mausoleum.  On March 17th, 806, Kanmu, who was critically ill, pardoned those involved in the assassination of Tanetsugu: Otomo Yakamochi (715-785), Otomo Tsuguhito (?-785), and Ki Shiramaro.  He ordered the monks of Provincial Temples to recite the Vajrayana Sutra for 7 days in February and September for Sawara, and passed away on the same day.  When Prince Ote ascended to the throne on May 18th and became Emperor Heizei, he built Yashima-dera Temple for Sawara in the winter of that year.  Emperor Saga (786-842), who succeeded Emperor Heizei, also fell ill.  Fearing the curse of Sawara, he had 100 monks ordained for Prince Sawara on July 27th, 810, and had them copy the Lotus Sutra on the 29th.

     Shinto shrines were founded to Sawara Including Sudo and Goryo Shrines.

Address: 609 Fukakusa Toriizakicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0864

Phone: 075-641-1045

Mahataki Shrine

Address: Nakajimatobarikyucho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-8459

Yashima Mausoleum of Emperor Sudo

Address: Yashimacho, Nara, 630-8435

Phone: 0742-23-3416

Yashima-dera Temple Site

Address: Yashimacho, Nara, 630-8435

Sudo Shrine

Address: 34 Kamitakano Saimyojiyama, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-0064

Phone: 075-722-1486

Goryo Shrine

Address: 24 Yakushidocho, Nara, 630-8321

Phone: 0742-23-5609

     When I left Fujinomori Shrine, it was already hot.  Am I prepared?  Prepared for what?  I had to climb hills to get to #30, and cross a mountain pass to arrive at #31.  I’m afraid I had an air of grim determination.

 

Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #30 Tosen-ji Temple

     It is unknown when Tosen-ji Temple was founded in today's Mukaijima Tosenjicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-8125, along Uji River.  As the river flooded often, the temple was moved to its present place, where there used to be a temple which was founded by Asai Nagamasa (1545-1573).  It is said the offspring of Nagamasa supported the relocation of Tosen-ji Temple.

Address: 5 Fukakusa Okamedani Tsurugacho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0845

Phone: 075-641-6586

     A couple of minutes after I left Tosen-ji Temple, I got to the summit of the pass.  Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) moved Gokonomiya Shrine around here on the pretext of guarding the tomb of Emperor Kanmu (737-806).  Kuroda Nagamasa (1568-1623), a Warring-States-Period schemer, built his residence to live his leisurely comfortable retired life in the mountains.  As I stood at the top of the pass, their aim became obvious.  It gave me a clear view of Yamashina Valley.  The pass was one of the strategic points to guard Kyoto from the invasion from the east or to invade Kyoto from the east.  What Hideyoshi had in his mind is clear.  What Nagamasa had in his mind is very tactical.

Gokonomiya Temporary Shrine

Address: 20 Fukakusa Okamedani Furugokocho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0843

Gokonomiya Shrine

Address: 174 Gokogumonzencho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-8039

Phone: 075-611-0559

Kuroda Nagamasa Residence Site

Address: 34-2 Fukakusa Okamedani Tsurugacho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0845

Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #31 Daizen-ji Temple

     Daizen-ji Temple is said to have been founded in 705 by Monk Joue (643-666), the son of Fujiwara Kamatari (614-669).

     The standing statue of Ksitigarbha enshrined in Daizen-ji Temple is said to be one of 6 Ksitigarbha statues carved from a single piece of cherry wood by Ono Takamura (802-853) in 852.  Legend has it that, in the year, he died, went to the underworld, met Ksitigarbha there, and was then revived.  Originally, six Jizo statues were enshrined in the temple, but, during the Hogen Era (1156-1159), Taira Kiyomori (1118-1181) ordered Monk Saiko (?-1177) to enshrine the 5 of them at the main entrances to the capital, Kyoto, according to tradition: Jozen-ji Temple at the entrance from Nara, Jizo-ji Temple at the entrance from Osaka, Genko-ji Temple at the entrance from Wakasa Province, Jozen-ji Temple at the entrance from Tanba Province,  and Tokurin-an Temple at the entrance from eastern provinces.

The distribution gave rise to the custom of making a pilgrimage to the 6 Ksitigarbha statues, known as the Six Jizo Pilgrimage.  Ksitigarbha is Jizo in Japanese.

     Saiko's secular name was Fujiwara Moromitsu and he was subject to Fujiwara Michinori (1106-1160).  Michinori was killed by Fujiwara Nobuyori (1133-1159), who was killed by Taira Kiyomori (1118-1181), whose children were killed by Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199).

     For your information, Takamura was recorded to have gone on Ise 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  He was an associate counselor in the Imperial Court of Japan, and was also a good tanka poet.  His tanka poems appeared in Hyakunin Isshu (a classical Japanese anthology of one hundred Japanese tanka poems by one hundred poets) and in Kokin Wakashu (namely, "Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times” compiled in the 10th century).  He was so capable, competent, and efficient that legend has it that he helped Yama to judge the dead in Hell at night, while he worked for the Imperial Court in the daytime.

Address: 24 Momoyamacho Nishimachi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-8013

Phone: 075-611-4966

Jozen-ji Temple

Address: 93 Kamitoba Minamiiwanomotocho, Minami Ward, Kyoto, 601-8139

Phone: 075-691-3831

Jizo-ji Temple

Address: 9 Katsurakasugacho, Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto, 615-8071

Phone: 075-381-3538

Genko-ji Temple

Address: 1 Tokiwaumazukacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8225

Phone: 075-881-6807

Jozen-ji Temple

Address: 338, Jozenji Monzencho, Kita Ward, Kyoto 603-8139

Phone: 075-231-1619

Tokurin-an Temple

Address: 16 Shinomiyasensuicho, Yamashina Ward, Kyoto, 607-8044

Phone: 075-583-0353

Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #32 Gokuraku-ji Temple

     Gokuraku-ji Temple was founded by Priest Sonshu.

     At a young age, Sonshu entered Zojo-ji Temple and studied Pure Land Buddhism.

     He moved to Kyoto in the 1610's and studied under the 29th head priest of Chion-in Temple, Sonsho (1562-1620).  3 years later, Sonshu founded Gokuraku-ji Temple.

Address: 1 Chome−34, Rokujizo, Uji, Kyoto 611-0001

Phone: 0774-32-8620

Zojo-ji Temple

Address: 4 Chome-7-35 Shibakoen, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0011

Phone: 03-3432-1431

Chion-in Temple

Address: 400 Rinkacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-8686

Phone: 075-531-2111

Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #33 Shokaku-in Temple

     It is unknown when Jomyo-ji Temple was founded at the foot of Mt. Kohata, where Fushimi Castle was built later.  Presumably when the castle was built, the temple was moved to its present place and renamed Shokaku-in.

Address: Shonaka-20 Kohata, Uji, Kyoto 611-0002

Phone: 0774-31-8860

     After Shokaku-in Temple, I walked westward for a while and arrived at Keihan Line Rokujizo Station, the easternmost station I’ve used to go on the Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  I took the 13:13 train to Chushojima Station.  It will take another 2 hours to go home, and another day to visit the remaining 7 temples of the Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  If I lived around Fushimi, I could visit the pilgrimage in 2 days at the most.  As Medieval people were strong walkers, they could have finished it in a day from dawn to dusk.