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