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