Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #24 Komyo-ji Temple

 

     During the Kamakura period (1185-1333), while Hojo Tokiyori (1227-1263) were traveling around the country, his former maid, Karaito, drowned herself in Fujisaki, Minamitsugaru District, Aomori Prefecture.  Tokiyori built the 17th-Day Shaka-do Hall in today's Shakanai Shinmei-sha Shrine, to hold a memorial service for her.  He then built the 27th-Day Shaka-do Hall in Nosaka Village near Tsuchizaki Port.  The hall is considered the beginning of Komyo-ji Temple.

     Tradition says that Karaito was a kind-hearted, intelligent and beautiful woman who served Tokiyori.  She eventually won Tokiyori's love, but she also became the target of the envy of the women around him, so she fled Kamakura and lived in hiding in Fujisaki, her hometown in Tsugaru.  After Tokiyori retired from his regent position due to illness, he became a Buddhist monk and embarked on a pilgrimage around the country.  When Karaito heard he would eventually visit Tsugaru, she was excited for a moment, but then she was saddened by her poor situation living in a rural village and by her haggard appearance.  She threw herself into a nearby pond, ending her brief life.  While the villagers were crying over Karaito's death, Tokiyori visited the village and, deeply grieving over her death, built a grave for Karaito at Byodokyo-in Temple, where Karaito Gozen had attended.  After the seventh day after her death, he built a temple every 10 days on his way back to Kamakura: on the 17th day, Jisso-ji Temple; on the 27th day, today's Komyo-ji Temple; and on the 37th day, today's Okuninushi Shrine.

     In reality, Tokiyori was the 5th Regent of the Kamakura Shogunate.  On September 15th, 1256, Tokiyori caught measles.  He recovered on the 25th in the same month, but his daughter died of the disease on October 13th.  On November 3rd in the same year, he was affected by dysentery.  On the 22nd, he resigned the regency.  In 1263, he got another serious illness, became worse in November, and finally passed away around 8 on the evening of the 22nd of the month.  He had no chance to visit Tsugaru after his resignation.

     Why was the Karaito Legend born?

     Hojo Tokiyori (1227-1263) was a very popular statesman who built a welfare-warfare shogunate.  He shortened regal proceedings and ensured fairness.  Ordinary samurai were to guard either Kyoto or Kamakura for half a year, but he shortened the term to 3 months.  He also protected ordinary people’s livelihood.

     Tokiyori's popularity helped inspire the Noh play, Hachinoki:

     At dusk with snow falling heavily, a traveling monk appeared at the hermitage on the outskirts of Sano Village and asked for a night’s lodging. The resident samurai refused at first.  He was too poor to entertain him.  But he let the monk in, who was suffering from the snowy road.  He served a small meal. His name was Sano Genzaemon.  He said that he formerly owned more than 30 villages, but that he was deprived of everything by the embezzlement of his relatives and fell down to his current condition. As he talked, all the firewood was exhausted and the fire was about to go out, but there was no firewood to add. Genzaemon brought three pots of pine, plum, and cherry, which were his proudest possessions that had been collected in the old days when he had prospered.  He found them useless now, and used them as firewood.  He broke them and put the pieces on the fire. Although he had lost everything, he still kept his armor, naginata (a Japanese halberd) and an old horse.  He said that once he was summoned from Kamakura, he would ride on the horse and rush to Kamakura with the naginata as soon as possible and fight even at the risk of his life.

     In the New Year, spring came, and suddenly Kamakura made an emergency call. Genzaemon put on his old armor, carried a rusty naginata on his back, and rushed on a thin horse.  When he arrived in Kamakura, he was summoned before Hojo Tokiyori. While the generals were lined up, Tokiyori said to Genzaemon who prostrated in torn armor, "Do you remember the monk traveling in the snowy night? That was actually me.  I'm glad that you've come so early."  Tokiyori not only returned Genzaemon his former territories, but also gave him three territories (the territory of Umeda Manor in Kaga Province, Sakurai Manor in Ecchu Province, and Matsuida Manor in Kozuke Province) as new prizes. Genzaemon gratefully withdrew and returned to Sano Village cheerfully.

     Tokiyori was a suitable historic character to make up traditions and legends.

     In 1261, the Tiantai Sect Komyo-ji Temple was founded by Priest Kkyunen.

     Sometime between 1429 and 1440, the temple was converted to the Caodong Chan School under the 3rd priest, Joyo.

     In 1615, it was relocated to its current location as part of the Satake Family's development of the Kubota Castle Town.

     Kyokuhokuteramachi also has the Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #18 Komyo-ji Temple but it is not surprising since Komyo-ji is the 2nd most popular temple name in Japan.

Address: 1-21 Kyokuhokuteramachi, Akita, 010-0924

Phone: 018-862-7750

Karaitogozenshiseki Park

Address: Nihonyanagi Fujisaki, Minamitsugaru District, Aomori 038-1202

Phone: 090-3904-6677

Shakanai Shinmei-sha Shrine

Address: Tate−18, Shakanai, Odate, Akita 017-0012

Phone: 0186-48-2555

Jisso-ji Temple

Address: Shakanai-78 Shakanai, Odate, Akita 017-0012

Phone: 0186-48-2242

Okuninushi Shrine

Address: Domura-92-1 Nishikicho Saimyoji, Semboku, Akita 014-0511

Phone: 0187-47-2714

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #23 Ryusen-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Ryusen-ji Temple was founded.  It isn't so clear where it was founded, but it is said to have been founded originally in Hitachi Province.

     The principal image of the Kubot Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #23 is Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha.

     The Kubota Castle Town was almost fully formed between 1624 and 1643.  According to the map published in 1663, there were around 40 temples in Teramachi. These temples can be roughly divided into 3 types.

     The 1st type of temples were those that followed Satake Yoshinobu from Hitachi Province, where he lived before his transfer.  They include Rinsho-in, Ichijo-in, and Tosei-ji Temples as well as Ryusen-ji Temple.

     When Yoshnobu was ordered to leave the province, he told the temples in his domain in Hitachi Province to remain there.  Nevertheless, some temples followed him.

     Ibaraki Prefecture, which used to be Hitachi Province, has 2 Ryusen-ji Temples.  It is unknown whether one of the two has something to do with the one in Akita.

     For your information, Tosei-ji Temple used to be the shrine temple of Kanasa Shrine.  The shrine was founded in 806 and was moved to Teramachi in Kubota Castle Town in 1604.  It was moved to its present place in 1710, presumably after the big fire in the Kubota Castle Town in 1674.  Tosei-ji Temple might have been abolished after the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order was issued by the Meiji Restoration Government in 1868.

     The 2nd type temples are those that moved from the area around Tsuchizaki Port, just like the townspeople who were called from Tsuchizaki Port to help with town development.  18 temples were relocated, including Daihi-ji, Myogaku-ji, and Komyo-ji Temples, which were collectively known as the "Three Minato Temples."  Jogan-ji, Saizen-ji, Tofuku-ji Temples, and Shaka-do Hall moved as well.

     The 3rd group are the temples that were established in the Kubota Castle Town.  These include Kogan-in, Seigan-ji, and Fuden-ji Temples.

Address: 1-43 Kyokuhokuteramachi, Akita, 010-0924

Phone: 018-823-8834

Rinsho-in Temple (kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #27)

Address: 6-35 Kyokuhokusakaemachi, Akita, 010-0922

Phone: 018-862-3298

Ichijo-in Temple

Address: 5-16 Kawamotomatsuokamachi, Akita, 010-0933

Phone: 018-865-2014

Ryusen-ji Temple

Address: 2877-1 Shitamachi, Ryugasaki, Ibaraki 301-0824

Phone: 0297-62-2373

Ryusen-ji Temple

Address: 2 Chome-11-12 Central, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki 300-0043

Phone: 029-821-1530

Higashikanasa Shrine

Address: 9740 Keganocho, Hitachiota, Ibaraki 313-0351

Phone: 0294-85-1638

Kanasa Shrine

Address: 2-36 Hodonokanasamachi, Akita, 010-0902

Phone: 018-845-0333

Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #14 Daihi-ji Temple

Address: 4−50 Kyokuhokuteramachi, Akita 010-0924

Phone: 018-823-2379

Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #15 Myogaku-ji Temple

Address: 4-45 Kyokuhokuteramachi, Akita, 010-0924

Phone: 018-862-2968

Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #18 Komyo-ji Temple

Address: 4-32 Kyokuhokuteramachi, Akita, 010-0924

Phone: 018-824-2436

Jogan-ji Temple

Address: 6-49 Kyokuhokusakaemachi, Akita, 010-0922

Phone: 018-864-5935

Saizen-ji Temple

Address: 7-34 Kyokuhokusakaemachi, Akita, 010-0922

Phone: 018-864-6375

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #22 Chuo-in Temple

 

     It is unknown when Cuo-in Temple was founded.  Its original location is unknown but it could have been somewhere between 1 Kyokuhokuteramachi, Akita, 010-0924, and 4 Chome Omachi, Akita, 010-0921, when Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized.

     Hokkaido has Chuo-in Temple and Chuo-ji Temple, which used to be called Chuo-in at first.  It is unknown whether the 2 temples have something to do with Chuo-in Temple in Akita or not.

Address: 1 Chome-8-18 Motomachi, Tomakomai, Hokkaido 053-0804

Phone: 0144-73-9828

Chuo-ji Temple (Ex-Chuo-in Temple)

Address: 〒064-0806 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Minami 6 Jonishi, 2 Chome−1 中央寺

Phone: 011-512-7321

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #21 Fuden-ji Temple

 

     Monk Yugen was subject to Satake Yoshinobu (1570-1633).  When Yoshinobu was demoted to Akita, Yugen followed him.  Yugen founded Fuden-ji Temple at the beginning of the 17th century in the temple town of Kubota Castle Town, supported by Yoshinobu.  Yugen's secular name isn't recorded.  

     In March 1602, Yoshinobu had an audience with Toyotomi Hideyori (1593-1615) and Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) at Osaka Castle.  On May 8th of the same year, Ieyasu ordered Yoshinobu to transfer to another domain.  However, the new domain was not revealed at that time, and therefore the new domain's rice yield was also unclear.  In a letter to his retainer, Wada Akitame (1532-1618), Yoshinobu wrote that he would not be able to give his hereditary retainers the same incomes as before, and that he would not take his low-ranking samurai to his new domain.

     Yugen could have been such a low-ranking samurai, but he followed Yoshinobu.

     It is unknown why the 4 memberships or deities of the Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #13 Jizo-do Hall, #20 Tosho-in Temple, #22 Chuo-in Temple, and #25 Yakushi-do Hall have been concentrated in #21 Fuden-ji Temple.  In front of the temple gate, the stone Avalokitesvara images numbered 20 and 21 stand.  Where have the other 2 gone?

     The most numerous temple name in Japan is said to be Kannon-ji.  There are 762-890 Kannon-ji Temples.  The second is Komyo-ji with 591-690 Komyo-ji Temples.  The third is Saiko-ji with 575-584 Saiko-ji Temples.  On the other hand, there are only 2 Kusho-ji Temples and only 1 Fuden-ji Temple across Japan.  Meanwhile, there is another Fuden-ji Temple in Italy.

     Fuden literally means to Widely Evangelize.  In Italy, the temple wants to evangelize Caodong Chan Buddhism in Italy.  In Akita, what did the temple want to propagate?

Address: 4 Chome-5-37 Omachi, Akita, 010-0921

Phone: 018-862-8921

Fuden-ji Temple

Address: Bargone 113 43039 Salsomaggiore Terme ITALIA

Phone: 39-0524-565667

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #20 Tosho-in Temple

 

     According to the map published in 1742, Tosho-in Temple was next to Honsei-ji Temple in the south.  It also appears in the map 1901.  We can't find it in the map 1916.  Presumably, it was destroyed in the Tawaraya Fire in 1886 and was abolished.

     Tawaraya Fire broke out around 23:10, April 30th, 1886, between the houses of Tahara Kichinosuke and Kametani Tokichi in Kawabata Yon-chome (near today's Yonchome Bridge in 5-chome-1 Omachi, Akita, 010-0921).  As Kichinosuke was called Tawaraya, the fire was named Tawaraya Fire.  The fire is supposed to have occurred due to careless handling of a votive light in the household Shinto altar.  At the time when the fire broke out, the southeast winds blew with a speed of 21.8 meters per second.

     Fanned by the strong winds, the fire spread to north-west, north, and west.  It burned 46 percent of the downtown and working-class neighborhoods of the castle town in the west of Asahi River and even spread to Yahase Village (today's Yabase, Akita, 010-0975) and Terauchi Village (Terauchi, Akita, 011-0901), which were located in the north-west of the castle town.

     In the meantime, another fire broke out at a row house of low-ranking samurai in Minamidorikamenocho, Akita, 010-0011, along the east bank of Asahi River.  Fanned by the south-east strong winds, it spread to the west bank of Asahi River but not to the samurai town itself.  The house was inhabited by Okamoto Masaru.

     The fire was put out at 7 in the morning on May 1st.  The damage done by the fire was as follows:

     3,554 houses were burned down.  The burned down institutions were 19 Shinto shrines, 61 Buddhist temples, 1 elementary school, 1 telegraph station, 1 post office, 2 banks, 5 municipal offices, 3 offices, 1 police box, 2 theatres, 205 mud-walled storehouses, 82 wood-paneled storehouses, and 57 utility poles.  17 people were killed, and 186 were injured.

     On the night of the 2nd, 1,096 were shelterd in Akita Teachers College (1-1 Tegatagakuenmachi, Akita, 010-8502), 162 in Kyokunan Elementary School (1 Chome-15-1 Kyokunan, Akita, 010-0925), 191 in Hodono Elementary School (9-60 Hodonosuwacho, Akita, 010-0911), 26 in Meitoku Elementary School (9-60 Hodonosuwacho, Akita, 010-0911), 200 in Habase Daiichi Kangyojo (Yabase, Akita, 010-0975), 122 in Gochome Warehouse (5-chome-3 Nakadori, Akita, 010-0001), 158 in Hachiman-Akita Shrine (1-8 Senshukoen, Akita, 010-0876), 45 in Shomeisha Shrine in Shimo-Nagamachi (5 Chome Nakadori, Akita, 010-0001), and 8 in Minami-Akita District Office (1 Chome Nakadori, Akita, 010-0001).

Cooked rice was distributed to over 2,500 people.

     For your information, Kangyojo or Kangyoba was a predecessor or a prototype of a department store in Japan.  It was an aggregation of retail stores.  Kangyo meant sales promotion.

     The Meiji Restoration Government promoted a policy of encouraging new industry under the slogan "Enrich the Country, Strengthen the Armed Forces".  Organizing Kangyojo or Kangyoba in provincial cities such as Akita was a part of the policy and they were a kind of miniatures of the National Industrial Exhibitions, which were held in 1877, 1881, 1890, 1895, and 1903.

     Anyway, Tosho-in Temple could have been located somewhere between 3 Kyokuhokuteramachi, Akita, 010-0924, and 4 Kyokuhokuteramachi Akita, 010-0924, in today's map.

     In front of the temple gate of the Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #21 Fuden-ji Temple, the stone Avalokitesvara image numbered 20 stands.

Honsei-ji Temple

Address: 3-3 Kyokuhokuteramachi, Akita, 010-0924

Phone: 018-824-4583

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #19 Hosho-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Hosho-ji Temple was founded.  It is also unknown whether it is located in its original place or it has moved from somewhere else when Kubota Castle Town was developed.

     It precincts have the stone monument inscribed with a tanka poem of Eto Michisada　(1849-1921):

After the rain,

The orange blossoms are moist

Little cuckoos sing tearfully.

     Michisada was from a literary family with a lineage of scholars of Chinese classics and Japanese poetry.  He was an educator and a doctor with his talent in tanka poetry.  His grandfather was a scholar of Japanese classics who served the Odate-Satake Family, and his father was a poet.  He was born in Odate City.  His childhood name was Saisuke.  Influenced and mentored by his grandfather and father, he became familiar with Chinese classics and historical texts from young.  He entered Meitokukan at the age of 20, studying medicine under Sato Tatsugen.  3 years later, he returned to Odate and became a doctor.

     Michisada was a popular doctor, but with the promulgation of the School Act in 1872, he became a teacher, placing importance on education for the new era.  He taught at elementary schools in Kitaakita and Yamamoto.  He studied under Suzuki Shigetane (1812-1863), who came to Akita in the 1860's.  After Shigetane's death, Michisada moved to Tokyo and studied under Sasaki Hirotsuna (1828-1891).  Michisda made friends with poets such as Kume Motofumi (1828-1894), Fukuba Bisei (1831-1907), Ito Sukenobu (1834-1889), and Norioka Masatane.  After returning to his hometown, he taught the next generation of poets Japanese language and tanka poetry.  It is said that he had several hundred students by the end of his life.

     After retiring from teaching, Michisada moved to Akita City in 1912 and opened a clinic again.  He treated patients even in Minamiakita and Kawabe Counties.  During this time, he taught how to compose poetry at poetry gatherings not only in Akita City but also in Odate and Shakanai monthly.  He was a well-read person with a good memory.  He was especially familiar with the Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves and the Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times.  He was renowned for his considerate instruction.

     Michisada always dressed plainly, loved alcohol, and spent most of his income on drinking with friends and juniors.  He didn't pursue a profit, and did not mind poverty.  In his later years, with the help of some of his disciples, he founded the Shujo Ginsha, the predecessor of the Yatsukaho Association, in Hodono Kanasacho, Akita City, and taught waka poetry. He died of illness at the age of 73. His posthumous name was Jishoin Chodo Ryogin Koji, and he was a teacher at Hosho-ji Temple in Hodonokanasamachi, Akita, 010-0902.

     The Memorial Collection of Professor Eto Michisada was published in August, 1931.  It had a brief biography, as well as memorial poems of his disciples such as Hikage Chuta, Moroi Masaaki, Fukami Sadaharu, Hayasaka Setsuko, and Inami Haruyuki.  It also contains 3 tanka poems by Michisada, and a memorial poem by Hayasaka Yukichi.

     For your information, Hikage Chuta composed the school anthem of Shakanai Elementary School:

Sozendai is like an ancient capital.

Thick Japanese-cedar pillars stand

In a modern school.

Its homely teachings are a blessing

Students who gather together morning and evening!

Do not forget the blessings of this world.

     The collected tanka poems of Hayasaka Setsuko, Ura-no Mokuzu, or namely Seaweeds in the Inlet, was published in 1937. 

     Fukami Sadaharu was a doctor.

     When the collected poems of Kano Kyoho (1832-1925) was published in 1909, it was proofread by Hayasaka Yukichi.

Address: 5 Chome-7-54 Omachi, Akita, 010-0921

Phone: 018-823-2874

Shakanai Elemantary School

Address: Sozendai-24 Shakanai, Odate, Akita 017-0012

Phone: 0186-48-2934

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #18 Komyo-ji Temple

 

     Komyo-ji Temple was founded somewhere around Tsuchizaki-minato or Tsuchizaki Port in 1283 under the order of Minamoto Koreyasu (1264-1326), who reigned from 1266 to 1289 as the 7th Shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate.  The temple was later converted from Tiantai School to Caodong Chan School.  When Kubota Castle was built at the beginning of the Edo Period, the temple was moved to its present place in 1622.

     According to Kaisen Shikimoku, or Cargo Ship Code, Tsuchizaki Port was of of the 10 most important ports in Japan.  The 10 ports were Ano-tsu in Ano County, Ise Province; Hakata-tsu Prot in Naka County, Chikuzen Province; Sakai-tsu Prot between Sumiyoshi County, Settsu Province, and Otori County, Izumi Province; Mikuni-minato Prot in Sakai County, Echizen Province; Motoyoshi-minato Prot between Ishikawa and Nomi Counties, Kaga Province; Wajima-minato Prot in Fugeshi County, Noto Province; Iwase-minato Prot in Nikawa County, Ecchu Province; Imamachi-minato Prot in Kubiki County, Echigo Province; Tsuchizaki-minato Prot in Akita County; and Tosa-minato Port in Mutsu Province.  The Wubei Zhi, or Records of Armaments and Military Provisions, of China replace Sakai-tsu Prot wirh Bono-tsu Port in Kawanabe County, Satsuma Province.  Wubei Zhi is a military book in Chinese history.  It was compiled in 1621 by Mao Yuanyi (1594–1640?), an officer of waterborne troops in the Ming dynasty.

     Besides the fact that all the -tsu ports were located along the Pacific Ocean and all the -minato ports were located along the Sea of Japan, the -minato ports were river-mouth ports.

     Kaisen Shikimoku is Japan's oldest maritime law.  Originally, it did not have a fixed name, and was called Kaisen Daiho, Senhoto, Senho, etc., but, in recent years, its name has been generally standardized as Kaisen Shikimoku.  It basically consists of 31 articles in total, but some copies have as many as 43 articles, which are thought to be due to later additions.  Its postscript states that Hojo Yoshitoki (1163-1224), the 2nd regent of the Kamakura Shogunate, signed to the ship codes compiled by three shipowners from Hyogo in Settsu Province, Urado in Tosa Province, and Bonotsu in Satsuma Province in 1223 to officially recognize the codes under the name of the Kamakura Shogunate.  However, the postscript seems to have been added later to give authority to the codes.  It is believed that the codes were actually created much later, presumably at the end of the Muromachi Period (1336-1573).  The various practices that had been used by shipmates since ancient times, which differed from region to region, gradually grew into unified practices as maritime transport developed.  Kaisen Shikimoku can be said to be the codification of these practices.

     Kaisen Shikimoku's contents are diverse, and all of them are specific and fairly advanced, including provisions regarding chartering ships, compensation for damage to cargo, determining liability in the event of collision between ships, provisions regarding thrown cargo in a storm, and how to handle ships that have drifted ashore.  This shows that the Japanese shipping industry at that time was at a fairly advanced stage of development, and a similar level of maritime law first appeared in Europe in Venice, Italy, after the 15th century.

     Kaisen Shikimoku's codes maintained their legal life not only in the Middle Ages but also in the early modern period.  There are some provisions that are quite medieval and difficult to inherit in the early modern period, such as Article 1, which provides that shipwrecks are regarded as ownerless and should be donated preferentially to temples and shrines nearby.  The provision enabled pirates to claim shipwrecks and even enticed them to force ships to be wrecked.  The rest are, however, generally applicable to early modern society.  For this reason, even in the Edo Period, these codes were copied all over the country, and thus many copies can be found today.

Address: 4-32 Kyokuhokuteramachi, Akita, 010-0924

Phone: 018-824-2436

Tsuchizaki Port History Museum

Address: 3 Chome-10-27 Tsuchizakiminatonishi, Akita, 011-0945

Phone: 018-838-4244

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #17 Zencho-ji Temple

 

     Zencho-ji Temple was founded in 1665 by Satake Yoshitaka (1609-1672), who was the 2nd lord of the Kubota Domain, and who was the 20th head of the Satake Family.   The temple belongs to Pure Land Buddhism.

     For your information, Yoshitaka was born in 1609 as the eldest son of Iwaki Sadataka (1583-1620), the 3rd son of Satake Yoshishige (1547-1612), who was the 18th head of the Satake Family.  On the death of his father in 1620, he became the lord of Shinano-Nakamura Domain.  In 1622, he was transferred to Yuri County, Dewa Province.  This was the beginning of Kameda Domain.  Yoshitaka was adopted as heir by his uncle, Satake Yoshinobu (1570-1633) of Kubota Domain, in April, 1626, following the disinheritance of Yoshinobu’s younger brother, Yoshinao (1612-1656), for incompetence.  Iwaki Yoshitaka became Satake Yoshitaka.  He turned Kameda Domain over to his uncle or Yoshinobu's younger brother, Yoshitaka (1584-1672), who became Iwaki Yoshitaka.  On Yoshinobu’s death on February 26th, 1633, Yoshitaka succeeded to the headship of the Satake Family.  He was permitted to formally enter the Kubota Domain for the first time on May 8th, 1633.  He died at Kubota Castle on December 5th, 1671.

     Yoshitaka could have founded a Pure Land Buddhism temple to show his and his domain's obedience and allegiance to Tokugawa Shogunate.  Pure Land Buddhism was the Tokugawa Clan's family religion.  The number of temples of Pure Land Buddhism, accordingly, increased in the Edo Period.  The top 5 Buddhist sects are #1 Caodong Chan School with 14,604 temples, #2 True Pure Land Buddhism Hongan-ji Sub-Sect with 10,473 temples, #3 True Pure Land Buddhism Otani Sub-Sect with 8,860 temples, #4 Pure Land Buddhism with 7,125 temples, and #5 Nichiren Buddhism with 5,011 temples.

     Zencho-ji Temple's graveyard has the grave of Hitomi Shou (1761-1804), who was a Japanese scholar of Japanese classics in the Edo Period, and who was a vassal of the Kubota Domain in Dewa Province.  He left behind a variety of books with past records and hearsay, and is particularly known for Kokuten Sago, a collection of essays compiling past records, hearsay, customs, and habits in the Kubota Domain.  It contains 539 stories.

Address: 6 Chome−6−3, Omachi, Akita 010-0921

Phone: 018-862-6276

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #16 Kanki-ji Temple

 

     An esoteric Buddhist temple was founded in Iijima Village, somewhere around Iioka-date Fortress.  Hiyoshi Shrine was invited to Sasaoka Village (today's Sotoasahikawa Akita, 010-0802) in 1322.  In 1395, the shrine moved to Kamishinjogojucho, Akita, 010-0135, where it was called Hiyoshi-san Enmei-ji Temple or Juzen-ji Temple, with the head priest being Shami Anna, who belonged to the Ando Family.  Presumably, the shrine syncretized with Buddhism in those days.  The shrine or the temple is said to have subsequently moved to Iijima Village, where the above mentioned temple was.  2 kakebotoke have been excavated from the old site in Iijimanezumita, Akita, 011-0913.

     A kakebotoke was a Buddhist image on the top of a mirror.  In Shinto, a native Japanese religion, a mirror was an object of worship.  Under the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism, they started engraving a petroglyph of a Buddhist image on a bronze mirror in the 10th century.  Later, those images became gorgeous and three-dimensional.  They were made till the end of the Edo Period, but many of them were discarded after the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order was issued by the Meiji Restoration Government in 1868.

     It is possible that the above-mentioned esoteric Buddhist temple was the head temple.  When Ando Sanesue (1576-1660) became too powerful, the surrounding local samurai, including Yayanagi Heijiro, fought against him but lost.  Heijiro became subject to Sanesue.  In 1541, Heijiro changed the esoteric Buddhist temple into a Caodong Chan School temple, inviting the 8th head priest of Fudai-ji Temple, Jukan, to be its founding priest.  He named it Kanki-ji after his Buddhist name.  It was officially established in Sotoasahikawa Yatsuyanagi, Akita, 010-0803, with Hiyoshi Shrine in its precincts.

     For your information, Ando Chikasue (1539-1587) was establishing himself as a warlord in the Warring States Period, but, in 1587, while fighting against Tozawa Moriyasu (1566-1570), the lord of Kakunodate Fortress, he died of an illness in the camp at Yodogawa Village (today's Kyowashimoyodokawa, Daisen, Akita 019-2442, Senboku County.

     When Akisue's legitimate son, Sanesue, succeeded him, Ando Michisue (1564-?), who was based in Toshima Fortress, rose against Sanesue.  Michisue contacted the Nanbu and the Onodera Families, joined forces with the Tozawa Family, and launched a rebellion against Sanesue in February, 1589.

     Michisue's forces temporarily seized Minato Fortress and organized local samurai in Akita County, including the Yayanagi Family and the Nagai Family, who were based in Taihei Fortress, forcing Sanesue to hold Hiyama Fortress.  Sanesuke's forces defended Hiyama Fortress with only 300 guns.  The siege lasted for more than five months, but when the Nanbu Family invaded Hinai County, the northern inland area of Dewa Province, a peace agreement was made between Michisue and Sanesue. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the forces of the the Akaotsu Family and the Hanegawa Family, who were first based in Furudate Shimohamahanekawa, Akita, 010-1503, and who later built Hanekawa New Fortress, in Yuri County, joined the Sanesuke's side and advanced to Minato Fortress.  Michisue's forces were attacked both from north and south, and Minato Fortress fell into the hands of Sanesuke again.  The remnants of Michisue's forces won the Terauchi Battle, but, as Michisue fled, they were scattered.

     After the Minenoyama Battle with the Tozawa-Onodera allied forces, a peace agreement was concluded, and Sanesuke came to firmly control Akita County.  Michisue fled to the Nanbu Family and became their vassal.

     In 1622, during the Edo Period, Kanki-ji Temple was moved to its previous location, Kyokuhokuteramachi, Akita, 010-0924, as part of the construction of a temple town in the Kubota Castle Town.  The main hall was destroyed in the Tawaraya Fire in 1886 and was rebuilt the following year in 1887.

     Due to urban development in Akita City, the temple was relocated from Asahikitateramachi  to its present location in 2007.  The current main hall was built in 2008.  The main part of the previous site was developed as part of the urban planning road, which runs between MEGA Don Quijote Akita and Gochome Bridge over the Asahi River.  The remaining part was purchased from Akita City by Myogaku-ji Temple.  The southern part is used as a cemetery of Myogaku-ji Temple, and the northern part is used as a temporary parking lot for visitors of Myogaku-ji Temple.

Address: Sodegasawa-1-1 Shimokitatenashihira, Akita, 010-0057

Phone: 018-892-7749

Iioka-date Fortress Site

Address: Iiokamaeyachi Iijima, Akita, 011-0911

Hoda-ji Temple

Address: Matsubara-26 Sannai, Akita, 010-0823

Phone: 018-827-2326

MEGA Don Quijote Akita

Address: 4-58 Kyokuhokunishikimachi, Akita, 010-0923

Phone: 0570-039-511

Kakunodate Castle Remains

Address: Furushiroyama Kakunodatemachi, Semboku, Akita 014-1115

Phone: 0187-43-2295

Hiyama Fortress Ruins

Address: Kiriyamashita Hiyama, Noshiro, Akita 016-0151

Toshima Fortress Site

Address: M52Q+3W, Akita

Maizuru-date (Taihei Fortress) Site

Address: Kamimenagasaki-236 Taiheimenagasaki, Akita, 010-1102

Hanekawa New Fortress Site Park

Address: Teranoshita Shimohamahanekawa, Akita, 010-1503