Trees In the Town

Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #2 Ichijo-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Ichijo-ji Temple was founded.  It is also unknown why the North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #1 Komyo-in Temple is located in the hills and the #2 Ichijo-ji Temple and some following member temples are located along Yodo River, making the pilgrimage route longer and a little bit complicated.

Address: 3-16 Okaminamicho, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0033

Phone: 072-841-3349

Trees In the Town

Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #1 Komyo-in Temple

 

     It is unknown when Komyo-in Temple was founded.  Its precincts have many stone Buddhist statues.  One of them is an Amitabha sitting statue, which dates back to Muromachi Period (1336-1573).

     The locals have the custom of taking their newborn girl babies to the temple 30 days after their birth and their newborn boy babies 28 days after their birth.  Girls go around the main hall clockwise 3 times, and boys counterclockwise 3 times.

Address: 6 Chome-18-11 Kuraji, Katano, Osaka 576-0051

Phone: 072-891-1076

Trees In the Town

North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage should have been organized in the Edo Period (1603-1867), and it was popular in the period.  The 1885 Yodo River Deluge caused extensive damage to the southern areas of the river including those where the North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage member temples are located.  The pilgrimage was revived in 1887 by Tsuda Genjiro (1814-1889). 

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #33 Kimyo-ji Temple

 

     Kimyo-ji Temple was founded in 1657 by Priest Shogaku Choon as a base for the propagation of the Dansei school of Pure Land Buddhism.

     In 1682, Satake Yoshizumi (1637-1703), the 3rd lord of the Kubota Domain, built Toshogu, the mausoleum of the Tokugawa Clan in the precincts of Tentoku-ji Temple.  He moved the mausoleum to Yabase Village in 1700.  There, Toshogu used to be located where Yabase Sports Park is.  He planned to found Juryo-in Temple as its shrine temple.  As the foundation of new temples was prohibited by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1631, he renamed Kimyo-ji to Ijo-in and made it the branch of Juryo-in Temple.  Kimyo-ji Temple, or Ijo-in Temple, converted to the Tiantai Sect at that time.  Juryo-in Temple was abolished after the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order was issued by the Meiji Restoration Government in 1868.  Ijo-in Temple returned to Kimyo-ji Temple.

     The temple’s main deity is a triad of Avalokitesvara in the center, Mahavairocana on the right, and Amitabha on the left, which is said to be descended from that of Yokokawa-Chu-do Hall in Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei.

     The temple is the 33rd and last temple of the Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  According to the Akita Prefecture Religious Corporation Directory as of January 2017, the temple belongs to Haguro-san Shugen Honshu, or Haguro Sect of Shugendo, whose head temple is Kotaku-ji Temple, which is said to have been founded by Prince Hachiko (542–641).  After the assassination of his father in 592, Hachiko fled north along the western seacoast of Honshu.  He came ashore in Ideha Province and invested the rest of his life in religious pursuits in The Three Mountains of Ideha: Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan, and Mt. Yudono.  There, the prince took good care of people and relieved many of their sufferings.

     Legend has it that Kimyo-ji Temple's precincts have the grave of Ishida Mitsunari (1560-1600), who was, officially speaking, beheaded in Kyoto after he was defeated by Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Battle of Sekigahara on September 15th, 1600.  After execution, his head, severed from his body, was placed on a stand for all the people in Kyoto to see.  His remains were buried at Sangen-in, a branch of the Daitoku-ji Temple, Kyoto.  Meanwhile, according to local legend, after the defeat of the Western Army, Ishida Mitsunari fled to his own territory in Omi Province (present-day Shiga Prefecture), and it was his body double who was captured.  Mitsunari then hid himself at Amida-ji Temple, a Pure Land Buddhism temple in Kyoto, where he was ordained under the Priest Dansei and called himself Shogaku Choon.  He then sought refuge with Satake Yoshinobu, who had been demoted from Hitachi Province to Akita in Dewa Province, and moved to the area.  Yoshinobu invited a famous monk from Chion-in Temple in Kyoto, built a vast temple measuring about 126 meters from east to west and about 137 meters from north to south.  This is said to be Kimyo-ji Temple.  There are egg-shaped stone towers at the entrance to this temple, and one of them with the inscription "Shogaku Choon Shonin, Year 3 of the Horeki Era" is said to be the grave of Mitsunari.  Choon, also known as Mokujiki Shonin, is said to have entered his grave while still alive in 1633 by ringing a gong, leaving behind the instruction to consider him dead when the gong sound stopped.

Address: 2 Chome-3-37 Yabasehoncho, Akita, 010-0973

Phone: 0188239340

Yabase Sports Park

Address: 1-1 Yabaseundokoen, Akita, 010-0974

Phone: 018-888-5611

Tentoku-ji Temple

Address: 10-1 Izumimitakene, Akita, 010-0812

Phone: 018-868-1700

Kotaku-ji Temple

Address: Touge-232 Haguromachi TougeTsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0211

Yokawa Main Hall, Enryaku-ji

Address: 4225 Sakamotohonmachi, Otsu, Shiga 520-0116

Phone: 077-578-0830

Daitoku-ji Sangen-in Temple

Address: 76 Murasakino Daitokujicho, Kita Ward, Kyoto, 603-8231

Phone: 075-492-5039

Amida-ji Temple

Address: 14 Tsuruyamacho, Kamigyo Ward, Kydoto 602-0802

Phone: 075-231-3538

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #32 Zenryo-ji Temple

 

     Zenryo-ji Temple was founded in 1654 by Shibue Takamitsu.

     Takamitsu was the 2nd son of Satake Yoshiaki (1601-1644), was adopted by Shibue Mitsuhisa, and became a chief retainer of the Kubota Domain.  Zenryo-ji Temple became the family temple of the Shibue Family.

     Mitsuhisa's father, Masamitsu (1574-1614), was a new recruite to Satake Family.  He was born in 1574 as the son of Arakawa Hidekage, a retainer of Koyama Hidetsuna (1529-1603) in Shimotsuke Province. In 1590, the Koyama Family resisted Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) and Masamitsu became masterless and jobless.  However, he was recommended by Hitomi Hidemichi (1565-1600), who saw potential in Masamitsu, and served Satake Yoshinobu (1570-1633).  At the age of 20, he inherited the Shibue Family, a senior retainer of the Satake Family, and changed his name from Arakawa Yagoro to Shibue Masamitsu.

     After the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, the Satake Family was demoted to Akita, and Yoshinobu carried out reforms within the family, and in 1603, Masamitsu was selected as a chief retainer.  However, dissatisfaction grew among the old-time vassals over the promotion of newcomers including Masamitsu.  Chief retainer Kawai Tadato (?-1603) plotted to assassinate Yoshinobu and Masamitsu but was purged instead.  As a result, Masamitsu's promotion to chief retainer was postponed, and he was officially appointed in 1607.

     Masamitsu worked with Kajiwara Masakage (1548-1615) on the construction of Kubota Castle.  He also implemented reforms to the land survey system, and worked hard to stabilize agricultural production and the domain's finances.  These were called the Shibuedenho, or Shibue Rice Fields Laws, and are said to have been used as a reference for agricultural policies by other domains and even by the Tokugawa Shogunate.  He was also involved in forestry policy.  He is known to have said, "Mountains are the treasure of a domain.  When they are cut down, they are of no use.  Before they are exhausted, we must prepare.  The decline of the mountains is the decline of the domain."

     In 1614, he marched with his lord Yoshinobu to the Siege of Osaka, where they clashed against Goto Mototsugu (1560-1615) and Kimura Shigenari (?-1615) at Imafuku (today's Imafukunishi, Joto Ward, Osaka, 536-0004).  Masamitsu fought bravely to protect his lord, but was shot to death at the age of 41.

     The Kanshu-bochi is a memorial park originally with 523 graves of 665 war dead.  The youngest was 15 years old, and the oldest was 63.  The Ministry of Home Affairs provided a fixed repair cost annually.  Those who belonged to the Imperial Army and who were killed in the Boshin War in 1868.  Many of them were from the Kubota Domain and others belonged to the reinforcements from Satsuma, Hizen, Chikuzen, Shinjo Domains, and other domains.  Later, some of them were reburied by their surviving families in their hometowns.  Currently, the cemetery has 323 graves with 395 war dead.

     Ouchi Kaizan (?-1877), the 21st head priest of Zenryo-ji Temple, vowed to build graves for the war dead.  Tsuji Gennosuke and other stonemasons built them.  Kaizan and Gennosuke offered their own money.  It was in 1895 that the ministry started providing money.

Address: 6 Chome-5-30 Yabasehoncho, Akita, 010-0973

Phone: 018-862-3602

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #31 Fumon-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Fumon-ji Temple was founded in Yabase Village.

     Yabase Village was developed along the Yabase Road between Kubota Castle Town and Tsuchizaki Port.  Kubota Castle Town was developed after Satake Yoshinobu (1570-1633) was demoted from Hitachi Province in 1602.  The village was first documented in 1647.  When Ushu Highway was set up presumably in the middle of the 17th century, when the highway magistracy was established in the Tokugawa Shogunate, the Yabase Road became part of it.  Ushu means Dewa Province, and the highway connected the domains in the province with the national capital, Edo.

     It is unknown whether Fumon-ji Temple was founded before the foundation of Fudo-in Temple or after.  Anyway, Fumon-ji Temple was located opposite Sugawara Shrine across Yabase Road.

     Fumon-ji Temple was abolished in 1940, when the Religious Organizations Law was enacted in Japan.

     The Meiji Restoration Government controlled Shinto and Buddhism through a series of existing individual laws, but was not necessarily proactive in controlling Christian missionary activities.  The reason for this was the dilemma that subjecting Christianity to any form of control would mean openly accepting Christianity.  Furthermore, there was concern that subjecting Christianity to discipline would put Japan at a disadvantage in treaty revision negotiations.  In the 20th century, the government came to think that it would be possible to impose detailed control through unified laws in exchange for the "carrot" of granting corporate status and establishing corporate asset management, tax exemption, and exemption from military service for religious leaders.

     Anyway, as Fumon-ji Temple wasn’t abolished after the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, it mightn’t have been Sugawara Shrine’s shrine temple.  Why, then, did it disappear without leaving its graveyard?  Had it belonged to Shugen-do or the Japanese mountain asceticism, which hadn’t been allowed to hold funerals under the Tokugawa Shogunate?

     Some say the #31 deity was moved to the Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #30 Fudo-in Temple, and others say it was moved to the Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #32 Zenryo-ji Temple.  A few even say Fumon-ji Temple used to be the Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #33 and Kimyo-ji Temple is just filling in for Fumon-ji Temple.  The memberships in Yabasehoncho are just mysterious.

Address: 2-chome-4-37 Yabasehoncho, Akita, 010-0973

Sugawara Shrine

Address: 4 Chome-4-3 Yabasehoncho, Akita, 010-0973

Phone: 018-823-2090

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #30 Fudo-in Temple

 

     Fudo-in Temple was founded by Satake Yoshitaka (1609-1672), the 2nd lord of the Kubota Domain, in 1665, when his 1st son, Yoshioki (1633-1665) died.  Although the temple's name has Fudo=Acalanatha in its main part, its main deity is not Acalanatha but Mahakala, which is the main deity of the Koshin faith.  At the entrance of the temple's precincts, a stone monument with the phrase Koshin stands.

     The Koshin folk faith in Japan is a mixture of Taoism, Buddhism, and Shinto.  According to the faith, "Three Corpses" or "Three Worms" are demonic creatures that live inside the human body, and they seek to hasten the death of their host.  The Koshin rites were held to prevent their activities and, accordingly, to extend human life. 

     On the night of Koshin Day, while people are sleeping, the Three Corpses or Three Worms would either rise to heaven and report their hosts' daily deeds to the Heavenly Emperor or go down to hell to report to King Yama.  Depending on their crimes, the hosts' lifespan would be shortened or they would be sent to one of the three evil realms: hell, hungry ghosts, or animals.  Therefore, to prevent the Three Corpses or Three Worms from ascending to heaven or descending to hell, the whole village would gather on this night to worship Mahakala, and then stay up all night drinking and partying.  This rite is called Koshin-machi.  A year has 6 Koshin days.  Koshin monuments were erected to commemorate 18 consecutive Koshin rites in 3 years.  Some still remain in various places today.  The year 2025's Koshin days are February 20th, April 21st, June 20th, August 19th, October 18th, and December 17th.  As June 20th is Friday and October 18th is Saturday, some people might hold the rites even today.

Address: 4−1-70, Yabasehoncho, Akita 010-0973

Phone: 018-845-1243

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #29 Raiko-ji Temple

 

     The Hodono area was between Tsuchizaki Port and the Kubota Castle town.  If any enemy attacked the castle from the sea like pirates, the area should have been at the forefront to defend the castle.  They had foot soldiers live in the area.

     Raiko-ji Temple was brought to the area from Hitachi Province in 1612 to provide an official Buddhist temple for the soldiers.  In the same year, Shotai-ji Temple was founded in the east of Raiko-ji Temple.  Renju-ji Temple had been founded in 1595, and was moved to its present place, in the west of Raiko-ji Temple, in 1620 in addition to the 2 temples.  Raiko-ji Temple belongs to Pure Land Buddhism, Shotai-ji Temple belongs to Ji Sect of Pure Land Buddhism, and Renju-ji Temple belongs to Hokke School, or Lotus School.  In the Kubota Domain, Caodong Chan School was popular among samurai, but it seems foot soldiers preferred chanting simple prayers.

     Ibaraki Prefecture, Ex-Hitachi Province, has 3 Raiko-ji Temples including Raigo-ji Temple with the same Chinese characters.  It is unknown whether one of them has something to do with Raiko-ji Temple in Akita or not.

Address: 3-50 Hodonoteppomachi, Akita, 010-0913

Phone: 018-823-3879

Raiko-ji Temple

Address: Chikusei, Ibaraki 308-0111

Raiko-ji Temple

Address: 1877 Nagaya, Bando, Ibaraki 306-0642

Phone: 0297-35-0912

Raigo-ji Temple

Address: Miho, Inashiki District, Ibaraki 300-0413

Renju-ji Temple

Address: 3-55 Hodonoteppomachi, Akita, 010-0913

Phone: 018-823-2847

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #28 Shotai-ji Temple

 

     Shotai-ji Temple is said to have been founded nominally by Priest Fuko (1543-?).

     Satake Yoshihito (1400-1468), the 12th head of the Satake Family, had 5 sons.  His 4th son, Yoshimori, called his family Ono.  One of his sons was Yoshitaka, and Yoshitaka’s 3rd son became the 32nd head priest of Shojoko-ji Temple, with his Buddhist name Fuko.

     Shojo-ji Temple’s buildings were all burned down when  Ise Shinkuro (1432-1519) fought against Miura Yoshiatsu (1451-1516) in 1513.  As the temple supported the Miura Family, Shinkuro and his offspring, the Late Hojo Clan, rejected the temple's revival for 94 years.

     In 1589, Fuko stayed in Echigo Province, supported by Naoe Kanetsugu (1560-1619).  In 1591, Fuko returned to Hitachi Province, counting on Satake Yoshinobu, and built the Mito Fujisawa Practice Hall (today's Jinno-ji Temple) in Mito, making it the headquarters of the Ji sect, which belongs to Pure Land Buddhism.  In 1603, Fuko was granted an audience with Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) in Fushimi Castle.  Fuko appointed Tenjun of Ichiren-ji Temple in Kofu, Kai Province, as the head priest of Seijoko-ji Temple, and Tenjun rebuilt the temple in 1607.  Fuko stayed in Seijoko-ji Temple after 1607.

     In 1610, Fuko sent his nephew, Gizan, to Akita.  Presumably, it was Gizan that actually founded Shotai-ji Temple as part of town planning of the Kubota Castle Town, supported by Yoshinobu.

     For your information, Seijoko-ji Temple was recognized by the Tokugawa Shogunate's Magistrate of Temples and Shrines as the head temple of the 274 Ji Sect temples in 1631.

     Shotai-ji Temple’s graveyard has graves of loyalists of the Meiji Restoration:

     Kikkawa Tadayasu (1824-1884) was a samurai of the Kubota Domain.  He taught Japanese classics and western-style gunnery, opening a private school, Isejinkan, in his residence.  In 1866, he founded Raifu Gijuku with Onozaki Michisuke and others, and became head of gunnery.

     He led the uprising of the pro-Imperial faction on the night of July 3rd, 1868.  During the Boshin War, he served as Chief of the Military Affairs Bureau and Magistrate of Arms, among other positions, in charge of operational guidance and the supply of weapons and ammunition.

     After the war, he served as Deputy Chief Counselor and Councillor, but resigned due to the domain's huge liabilities to a Holland trading company.

     Yoshikawa (?-1868) was a musketeer of the Akita Domain.  He was influenced by Tadayuki and took part in Boshin War, to be killed in battle on September 15th, 1868, in Sakai Village (today's Kyowasakai, Daisen, Akita 019-2411), Senboku County, Dewa Province, at the age of 28.

Address: 3-44 Hodonoteppomachi, Akita, 010-0913

Phone: 018-823-8711

Shojoko-ji Temple

Address: 1 Chome-8-1 Nishitomi, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-0001

Phone: 0466-22-2063

Jinno-ji Temple

Address: 1 Chome-2-64 Motoyamacho, Mito, Ibaraki 310-0032

Phone: 029-221-7772

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #27 Rinsho-in Temple

     Rinsho-in Temple was founded by Nukada Yoshitsura, the 9th head of the Nukada Family, sometime between 1329 and 1332 around Nukada Fortress.  When the Satake Family was moved to Akita, the temple followed them and moved to Rokugo Village, Senboku County, Dewa Province (today's Rokugo, Misato, Semboku District, Akita 019-1404).

      When the Satake Family was shunted to Akita, Satake Yoshishige (1547-1612) was based in Rokugo Fortress.  As Nukada Fortress had been seized by Yoshishige in 1591, it couldn't have been Nukada Akimichi, who was the 17th and last head of the Nukada Family, and who tried to attack Yoshishige from south in response to the expanding-southward policy of Date Masamune (1567-1636), that moved Rinsho-in Temple to Rokugo.

     Who was it then?  As for Akimichi, he fled to Masamune, then was subject to Matsudaira Tadateru (1592-1683).  After Tadateru was dismissed in 1616, Akimichi served to the Mito Tokugawa family, and changed his name Kyube.

     The temple was moved to its present place in 1627 as part of the development of the Kubota Castle Town.

     The elder sister of Satake Yoshitaka (1609-1672) married Satake Yoshinao (1612-1656), her cousin.  After his death, she changed Rinsho-in Temple into her family temple.

     Rinsho-in Temple's graveyard has the graves of historic figures:

     Goto Keikichi (1825-1878) was a samurai of the Kubota Domain.  He was ordered by the domain government to study Western gunnery in Edo and to learn Dutch in Nagasaki.  In 1860, he became a naval ship officer and studied navigation in Hakodate.  He later became a professor at the domain's gunnery school.  During the Boshin War from 1868 to 1869, he carried out naval bombaring to the Tsuruoka Domain Army.  He died on July 26th, 1878, at the age of 54.

     Ogitsu Katsuaki (1821-1915) was born in the Kubota Castle Town.  In 1839, at the age of 19, he was stationed in Edo.  There, he studied Kano School painting under Hyodo Rinsen, and Tenryu swordsmanship and bojutsu, an art of fighting with a staff, from his father.  He also served in the Boshin War.  He was not only an accomplished painter and renowned kyoka poet but also an appraiser of calligraphy and paintings.  He continued painting until the day before his death in 1915 at the age of 95.

     Kin Dainoshin was sent to Shiroishi Castle to take part in the meetings there to make the Ouetsu Reppan Domei, or the Alliance of the Domains of Mutsu, Dewa, and Echigo Provinces.  The alliance was formed on May 3rd, 1868.

     Sato Tokinosuke (1821-1871) was a samurai in Kubota Domain.  He advocated loyalty to the Emperor during the Boshin War and served as the treasurer of the Kubota Domain.  At the time, the domain was surrounded by the pro-shogunate domains and was isolated and struggling.  Even before that, the domain's finances were already in dire straits and it was unable to raise funds for the war.  The domain government privately minted coins to get out of its predicament.  In December, 1868, he was dismissed from his post, but in September of the following year, 1869, he became treasurer and, in November of the same year, junior councilor.  He was dismissed the following month.  In July, 1871, he was arrested and died in a Tokyo prison of unknown causes in November at the age of 51.  He was sentenced to death in December of the same year, posthumously, for making counterfeit coins.

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

Phone: 018-862-3298

Nukada Fortress Site

Address: 258 Nukadaminamigo, Naka, Ibaraki 311-0107

Phone: 029-298-1111

Shiroishi Castle

Address: 1-16 Masuokacho, Shiroishi, Miyagi 989-0251

Phone: 0224-24-3030

 

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #26 Tofuku-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Tofuku-ji Temple was founded in Tofukuji Nakazoe Komagatacho

Yuzawa, Akita 012-0104.  The temple is said to have moved some times and was located in its present place in 1613 to form Teramachi in Kubota Castle Town.

     Tofuku-ji Temle has the five-ringed tower, a type of Buddhist pagoda which is used for memorial or funerary purposes.  The tower was dedicated for Princess Hasu, who was the 2nd daughter of Nanbu Nobunao (1546-1599), and who died on July 3rd, 1620.  She had the marriage in convenience with Ando Hidesue (?-1635), a younger brother of Sanesue (1576-1660), who was a warlord in Dewa Province.

     Sanesue sent Hidesue to Obama, Wakasa Province, to rebuild the buildings of Haga Temple from 1593 to 1601.  He sent wood from Akita to Obama Port.  Sanesue was demoted to Hitachi Province in 1602 under the Tokugawa Shogunate.  Presumably after the demotion, Hasu returned to her hometown, Sannohe in Mutsu Province.  She is said to have composed love tanka poems for Hidesue and died in Sannohe, where there is another five-ringed tower for her in Choei-ji Temple.

     It is, of course, understandable that the princess's memorial monument is in Sannohe.  Why, however, in Kubota Castle Town?  The monument should have been built after 1620, when Akita was not under the rule of the Ando Family but under the rule of the Satake Family.  Hidesue didn’t follow his brother and later became subject to Sakai Tadakatsu (1587-1662), who became an independent daimyo on April 24th,  1620, and who became the 1st lord of the Obama Domain in Wakasa Province in 1638.  It isn’t clear how Hidesue spent his life after 1602 and before his death in 1635.  Hidesue's offspring lived in Obama.  Did Hidesue build the monuments between 1620 and 1635 or did his children build them after 1638?

     Presumably, Hidesue was masterless and thus jobless after 1602.  Hasu returned to her hometown and raised their children under her parents’ protection.  Hidesue was economically supported by Akita Toshisue (1598-1649), who was the son of Sanesue.  Sanesue had changed his family name to Akita.  When Toshisue fought in the Siege of Osaka Castle under Honda Tadatomo (1582-1615) for the Tokugawa Clan in 1615, Hidesue took part in the war and might have been set the eyes on by Tadatomo.  In July, 1616, Toshisue was ordered to join in building the Nikko Tosho-gu Shrine.  Hidesue's experience in rebuilding Haga-ji Temple could have been a great help.  In 1619, Toshisue and Sanesue became on bad terms.  In 1631, Sanesue was ordered to confine himself to Eisho-an Temple in Asakuma, Ise Province, with only a few attendants.  After several twists and turns, Hidesue was hired by Tadakatsu, Tadatomo’s father, in 1633.  Hidesue changed his name to Abe Genba and brought the children, who were in their adulthood already, presumably to Edo, where Tadakatsu was working for Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604-1651).  Hidesue died on July 5th, 1635, and the eldest son succeeded to his position.  After 1638, the children went to Obama and lived and worked there.  They built the five-ringed tower for Hasu in Kubota Castle Town, where Hasu had her memories with Hidesue, and they built the five-ringed tower for Hasu in Sannohe, where they had their memories with Hasu.  Hidesue’s grave was built in Haga Temple.  Hidesue or Genba’s 18th generation offspring still live in Obama.

     For your information, Hidesue's younger brother, Hidekatsu, was subject to Toyotomi Hideyori (1593-1615) during the Siege of Osaka Castle in 1614 and 1615 and became masterless after Hideyori's death.  He became a monk, Kyusai.  After the samurai who held Osaka Castle were pardoned, he became subject to Hotta Masamori (1609-1651).  Hidekatsu had no successor.  That might be why he dared to make a one-hit wonder in Osaka to turn the tables.

Address: 7-42 Kyokuhokusakaemachi, Akita, 010-0922

Phone: 018-862-5424

Choei-ji Temple

Address: Furumagitaira−49, Doshincho, Sannohe, Sannohe District, Aomori 039-0134

Phone: 0179-23-3509

Haga-ji Temple

Address: 83-5 Haga, Obama, Fukui 917-0017

Phone: 0770-52-4502

Nikko Tosho-gu Shrine

Address: 2301 Sannai, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1431

Phone: 0288-54-0560

Eisho-ji Temple (ex-Eisho-an Temple)

Address: 1212 Asamacho, Ise, Mie 516-0021

Phone: 0596-22-0509

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kubota Castle Town 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #25 Yakushi-do Hall

 

     Yakushi-do Hall might have been located somewhere between the Kubota Castle Town #24 Komyo-ji Temple in 1-21 Kyokuhokuteramachi, Akita, 010-0924, and the #26 Tofuku-ji Temple in 7-42 Kyokuhokusakaemachi, Akita, 010-0922.  Between the 2 temples, there runs the Akita Prefectural Route 26 Akita Station Line.  The hall's deity could have been relocated to the Kubota Castle Town #21 Fuden-ji Temple in 4 Chome-5-37 Omachi, Akita, 010-0921, when the road was widened.

     The road used to be Ni-chome-shoji, or 2 Chome Street, which started at 2-chome Bridge and ended at Teramachi for the purpose of making it harder for the enemies to attack the castle through the castle town.  The street was 6 meters wide before 1935.  In the year, the street was not only widened to 12 meters but also bored through Teramachi.  The northern side of Komyo-ji Temple became the southern side of the street, and the graveyard of Tofuku-ji Temple was moved north.  The south of the new street in Teramachi became Kyokuhokuteramachi, and the north of it became Kyokuhokusakaemachi.  The area adjoining Teramachi in the east became Omachi.  It is unknown whether Yakushi-do Hall used to be located in today's Kyokuhokusakaemachi or in today's Omachi.

     It is unknown when Yakushi-do Hall was founded.  Yakushi-do literally means Bhaisajyaguru Hall.

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