Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #28 Taisho-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Sarara-dera Temple was founded as a county Buddhist Temple of Sarara County, Settsu Province.  Sarara County is listed in the Wamyo Ruijusho, namely Japanese Names for Things Classified and Annotated, which was a Japanese dictionary compiled in 938, and which listed Japanese place names from south to north.

     The excavation and exploration of the temple site suggest it was founded in the latter half of the 7th century.  The same model tiles were used for Sarara-dera Temple and Shoho-ji Temple.

     Taisho-ji Temple was founded in 1174, when a disciple of Honen (1133-1212) visited the area and transferred a Shinto nun who worshipped Tsuhoko Shire (today's Shinobu-ga-oka Shrine) to a Buddhist nun.  The disciple was given a hermitage nearby and he named it Sarara-dera after Sarara-dera Temple, which could have been abolished before 1174.  Taisho-ji and Kensho-ji Temples argued with each other over which was the successor of Sasara-dera Temple, and Tsisho-ji Temple won.  Taisho-ji Temple belongs to Pure land Buddhism and its main deity is Amitabha.

     It is unknown when Kensho-ji Temple was founded next to Taisho-ji Temple.  Kensho-ji Temple's main deity was the wooden image of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses.  The image is supposed to have been made in the Heian Period (794-1185).

     It is unknown when Kensho-ji Temple became Kannon-do Hall of Taisho-ji Temple.

     Saiho-ji Temple has the stone statue of Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six.  As the statue was made in 1738, North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized before the year.  Some argue it was organized before 1654.

     Even if the foundation date of the pilgrimage was identified, Kensho-ji Temple could have been abolished after the organization of the pilgrimage.  Its membership could have been transferred to Taisho-ji Temple, with its record lost in the 1885 Yodo River Deluge.

Address: 2 Chome-7-33 Okayama, Shijonawate, Osaka 575-0002

Phone: 072-877-2563

Taisho-ji Temple Kannon-do Hall (Kensho-ji Temple Site)

Address: 2 Chome-7 Okayama, Shijonawate, Osaka 575-0002

Sarara-dera Temple Site

Address: 4 Chome-10-8 Okayama, Shijonawate, Osaka 575-0002

Ex-Shoho-ji Temple Site

Address: 396 Kiyotaki, Shijonawate, Osaka 575-0063

Shinobu-ga-oka Shrine

Address: 2 Chome−7−12, Okayama, Shijonawate, Osaka 575-0002

Phone: 072-877-1850