Trees In the Town

Virtual Kawabe 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #6 Jokyu-ji Temple

 

     Jokyu-ji Temple was re-founded by Edoku Domyo (1632－1721) in Shinden-Nakano Village.

     Why was it re-founded?  In 1631, the Tokugawa Shogunate issued a prohibition on founding new Buddhist temples.  Presumably, Priest Edoku made use of a temple registration of an abolished one.  It is unknown whether or not  the original temple's name was Jokyu-ji and where it was located.

     In the early Edo Period (1603-1867), as many masterless and thus jobless samurai became farmers, it was popular to cultivate wastelands and turn into fields to secure food.  Shinden-Nakano Village is the only village in Itami that was created through large-scale agricultural development.

     Before Shinden-Nakano Village was organized, this area was the land of Koya Village with Koya Shimo Pond, which had been built by Gyoki (668-749), along with Koya Kami Pond (now Konyo Pond).  The Koya Shimo Pond was reclaimed by Koya and Ikejiri Villages in 1608.  Part of the area that was reclaimed at that time later became rice fields in Shinden-Nakano Village.

     In 1629, Asano Magozaemon, Watanabe Shin'emon, and others were accepted after hoping to turn the Shibano Wasteland in the area of ​​Koya Village into fields.  Surprised, Koya Village appealed that they should develop the area.  However, as Magozaemon and others had applied for years, and, during that time, Koya Village had had no response, Koya Village's appeal was rejected.

     Magozaemon and others gathered more than 50 people from all over the province and began developing the following year.  The area which was developed at that time were called Sawada (literally Mountain Stream Field) and Nobiraki (Wasteland Development), and were located where the Tennoji River and Tenjin River meet.  They not only cultivated land, but also constructed 5 reservoirs, which were named with the name of developers, including Magozaemon Pond.

     Ito Sukeyuki opened Jokyu-ji Temple, which is the only branch in Itami City of Obaku-san Manpuku-ji Temple.  The Obaku Chan Sect was established by Priest Ingen (1592-1673), who came to Japan from China in 1654.  Sukeyuki was a samurai in Amagasaki, Settsu Province, studied the doctrine of Chan Buddhism under Ingen and worshiped it intently.  Sukeyuki wished to build a temple in Shinden-Nakano Village.  Sukeyuki consulted with Sekitei Doitsu, who asked his master, Mokuan Shoto (1611-1684), for founding an Obaku Chan temple.  The foundation of Jokyu-ji Temple was decided in 1682.  Sukeyuki began building a temple in the land of Tsutsujihara, Shinden-Nakano Village, and, in 1683, its buidings were erected.  Sukeyuki became the first parishioner of the temple.

     In 1682, the offspring of Asano Magozaemon, who developed Shinden-Nakano Village, donated land to support Jokyu-ji Temple.  In 1686, the Asano Family, who had believed in the Ikko Sect, a small, militant offshoot from the True Pure Land Buddhism, for generations, converted to the Obaku Chan Sect.  They added more grounds and built the main hall.  This led to the increase of parishioners with the relatives of the Asano Family and those involved in the development of the village.

     A little more about water in Shinden-Nakano Village and its 5 ponds:

     Asano Magozaemon and others proceeded with cultivation of fields, and also built ponds to store and supply agricultural water.  5 ponds were built in 1629, each with the developer's name: Magozaemon Pond, Sakon'emon Ponds with a large one and a small one, Ichiemon Pond, Yajiemon Pond, and Jiemon Pond.

     Irrigation ditches were also built to pour the water from these ponds into the fields.  Each field in Shinden-Nakano Village has a corresponding pond from which water should be drawn, and there were rules for how to draw water.  For example, in 1753, an arrangement was made between Shinden-Nakano Village and Yasukura Village regarding how to draw water.

     In this way, the 5 (later 3) ponds played an important role in the villagers' lives, and the management was carried out jointly by creating water-supply cooperatives in the village.

     When problems arose with ponds or water, the leaders of the cooperatives negotiated with one another.  When pond repairs and civil engineering work such as dredging the pond were needed, the cooperatives supplied laborers.  When they drained the water from Magozaemon Pond, for example, the cooperative of the pond took the fish from the pond and sold them..

     Ponds were so important in Nittan Nakano that they needed organizations like water-supply cooperatives, which were deeply involved in their daily lives.  As a result, problems have often arisen with the use of the ponds.

     Jokyu-ji Temple is also the #25 member temple of the Nada 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

Address: 2 Chome-11-5 Nakanokita, Itami, Hyogo 664-0029

Phone: 072-777-2922

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kawabe 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #5 Dairen-ji Temple

 

     Dairen-ji Temple is said to have been founded in 589 by Prince Shotoku (574-622), who had defeated Mononobe Moriya (?-587), who was an opponent of Buddhism, 2 years before.  There used to run a river in front of the site, where he took a break.  Later, the statue of the prince at the age of 2 was enshrined.

Address: 1 Chome-21-16 Akuraminami, Takarazuka, Hyogo 665-0823

Phone: 0797-81-0554

Sanuki no Suke’s Diary (8)

 

     As dawn broke, I heard the sound of bells.  "Is dawn finally breaking?" I thought, feeling happy.  Then, I heard the birdsong.  The sounds of morning cleaning made me think, "It's completely dawn now."  I thought, "Well, when the usual people wake up, I'll take turns sleeping a little," but then a lady-in-waiting came in, lifted the lattice, and removed the candlesticks.  Thinking “I'd take a rest," I put my sleeping robe over my head.  The Emperor noticed and pulled it down.  "He really doesn't want me to sleep," I thought, and I got up.

     Shishi said,

     "We'll do our best to look after him during the day.  Please get some rest,"

so I left.  My maid was waiting for me in my room,

     "You should be in good health, so please take care of yourself."

     I felt even more unbearable when I heard such words.

     As the days went by, the Emperor became increasingly weaker, and I feared that this might be his last time.  I hope you can understand my sadness.  "How happy he would be if we were able to make him fully recover, just like we did the year before last when he was ill."

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kawabe 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #4 Jigen-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Sen'en-ji Temple was founded in the north of Koya-ike Pond.  The temple belonged to Shingon School.  As it has the wooden sitting Sakyamuni statue which was made in 1195, during the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), the temple might be as old as the statue or a little bit younger.  In the Southern and Northern Courts Period (1336-1392), Akamatsu Norimura (1277-1350) asked the temple to pray for him.  As he was based in Harima Province, he might have found some advantage in having connections with a Buddhist temple in Settsu Province, which lay between Harima Province and Kyoto, the then capital of Japan.

     Priest Keisho came from Taiko-ji Temple, transferred Sen'en-ji Temple into Caodong Chan Buddhism, and renamed it Sen'en-san Jigen-ji. 

     In those days, the Itami Family ruled the surrounding area, based in Itami Castle.  The family was first documented in 1309, during the Kamakura Period (1185-1333).  In the year, Itami Chikamori worked for the Deputy Guardian Samurai of Settsu Province.  In 1363, during the Southern and Northern Courts Period (1336-1392), Itami Saemonnojo was documented.  On June 4th, 1531, Itami Kunisuke was killed in battle, when Hosokawa Takakuni  (1484-1531), the 31st Deputy of Muromachi Shogunate and the 15th head of Kyocho-Hosokawa Family, was destroyed by Hosokawa Harumoto (1514-1563) and Miyoshi Motonaga (1501-1532).  

     Takakuni replaced Ashikaga Yoshitane (1466-1523), the 10th Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, with the son of Ashikaga Yoshizumi (1480-1511), the 8th Shogun, Yoshiharu (1511-1550), the 11th Shogun, in 1521.  Takakuni was in his heyday.  Lights, however, are usually followed by shadows.  In July, 1526, Hosokawa Tadakata (?-1531), Takakuni’s cousin, fabricated the secret communication between Takakuni’s vassal, Kozai Motomori (?-1526), and Hosokawa Harumoto (1514-1563).  It wasn’t recorded what intention Tadakata had.  Motomori was said to be uncultured and uneducated.  Anyway, Takakuni just flew into a fury and had Motomori assassinated.  Motomori’s brothers, Hatano Motokiyo (?-1530) and Yanagimoto Kataharu (?-1530), got furious in turn.  They rebelled against Takakuni in their homeland, Tamba Province.  Motokiyo shut himself up in Yakami Castle and Kataharu in Kannosan Castle.  Takakuni was astonished and ordered Tadakata to siege Kannosan Castle.  He also dispatched Kawarabayashi Shurinosuke and Ikeda Danjo to Yakami Castle on October 23rd.  There were some skirmishes for several days.  On November 5th, Naito Kunisada (?-1553), the lord of Yagi Castle,who was sympathetic toward the brothers, withdrew from the encirclement of Kannosan Castle.  On November 30th, Akai Goro, the lord of Kuroi Castle, attacked the besiegement of Kannosan Castle and broke it.  Takakuni’s army raised the siege of the castles.  On their way back, Shurinosuke and Danjo had infighting.  Tadataka just ran away.  Takakuni’s rule exposed its vulnerability in half a year.

     The Miyoshi Family didn’t miss the good opportunity.  Miyoshi Masanaga (1508-1549) landed at Sakai and occupied Hori Fortress, which is supposed to have been located where Juso Park is, on an island in the Yodo River as early as on December 13th, as if they had had a secret communication with Motokiyo and Kataharu.

     After all the ups downs of himself and the decline of the Muromachi Shogunate, Takakuni went into exile in Iga, Ise, Echizen, Izumo, and Bizen Provinces.  Takakuni was supported by Uragami Muramune (1498-1531), who was based in Mitsuishi Castle in Bizen Province.  Takakuni and Muramune occupied Harima Province on July 27th, 1530, and seized Itami Castle by the end of February, 1531.  They occupied Kyoto on March 7th.  They advanced toward Sakai, Izumi Province, where Ashikaga Yoshitsuna (1511-1573), who was called a Sakai Shogun, lived and practiced a little bit of shogunate power.  A seesaw battle went on.  Akamatsu Harumasa (1495-1565), who was based in Okishio Castle, arrived at Kanno-ji Temple on June 2nd.  Harumasa was greeted by Takakuni and Muramune on the night.  On the 4th, Harumasa went over to the Sakai Shogunate side.  Takakuni and Muramune were attaacked by Harumasa from north and by the Sakai Shogunate army from south.

     Itami Kunisuke was killed in the battle.  Did he show loyalty to Takakuni?  I don't think so.  He was caught up in so-called dogfights.  Hosokawa Ryoke Ki, the Records of Two Hosokawa Families, which was written by Ikushima Sochiku, and which covers history from 1504 to 1570, writes, "The river is so full of dead people that it looks like a mound.  People say that something like this never happens; not in the past, not now, and not in the future."  Kunisuke didn't want to miss a chance, became subject to Takakuni, was given Kuni, Takakuni's last half, to the first half of his name, and just thought he jumped on the bandwagon till his last moment.

     With his main vassals killed, Takakuni left the battlefield ln the confusion of the defeat.  He fled to Amagasaki.

     He tried to retreat to Daimotsu Castle, but the Akamatsu forces had already taken hold of it.  He fled to an indigo dyeing shop called Kyoya in Amagasaki and hid inside an indigo pot, laying the earthenware pot upside down.  He was captured by Miyoshi Kazuhide (?-1532) on June 5th.

     Searching for Takakuni in Amagasaki, Kazuhide prepared a lot of melons and told children playing nearby, "If you tell me where Takakuni is hiding, I'll give you all of these melons."  The children, eager to get the melons, found Takakuni's hiding place.

     At around 4 a.m. on the 8th of the same month, Takakuni committed suicide at Kotoku-ji Temple in Amagasaki at the age of 48.  His death tanka poem, which he sent to Kitabatake Harutomo (1503-1563), reads:

The sea and mountains I have depicted in paintings

And that I have carved into stones

I will watch them even after my death with my eyes open.

     Meanwhile, the defeated samurai of the Urakami Army were reportedly pursued by the Akamatsu Army as they were fleeing back to Harima Province through Namaseguchi (Namazecho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 669-1102), and were almost completely wiped out.

     For your information, Sochiku finished writing the first half of Hosokawa Ryoke Ki in April, 1550, at the age of 69.  The second half was completed in March, 1573, when he should have been 92 years old.  The latter half could have been written by someone around him.

     Hosokawa Masamoto (1466-1507), who was the 24th, 26th, 27th, and 28th Deputy of Muromachi Shogunate, and who was the 12th head of Kyocho-Hosokawa Family, realized the golden age of the Hosokawa Clan at large.  He had the executive power of the shogunate.  However, he too devoted himself to Shugendo, the mountain asceticism in Japan, and kept women away from him.  His adopted sons eventually conflicted with each other.  As the Kyocho-Hosokawa Family split into two, Sochiku named his history book the Records of Two Hosokawa Families.

     Anyway, Kunisuke’s cousin, Chikaoki (?-1574), succeeded to the headship of the Itami Family, and killed himself when he surrendered Itami Castle to Araki Murashige (1535-1586), a vassal of Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), on November 15th, 1574.  His son, Tadachika (1552-1600), fought for Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) and, after Hideyoshi's death, fought for Kuroda Nagamasa (1568-1623).  Tadachika was killed in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600.  Tadachika's daughter, Okiku, was one of the 34 wives of Toyotomi Hidetsugu (1568-1595), the nephew of Hideyoshi.  The wives were all killed with their children by Hideyoshi, the wives’ uncle-in-law, and the children’s granduncle, on August 2nd, 1595.

     Chikaoki’s cousin, or Kunisuke's son, Masakatsu (1522-1596), survived.  After his father’s death, Masakatsu drifted around under the custody of his maternal grandfather, Mano Tokiaki.  Presumably, Kunisuke and Chikaoki might not get along well with each other.  Through Ise and Kozuke Provinces, they drifted to Suruga Province in 1558.  There, he was hired by Imagawa Yoshimoto (1519-1560) to do odd jobs around him.  Somehow or other, he stood out as a leader of sea forces.

     After the Imagawa Clan was destroyed by Takeda Shingen (1521-1573), Masakatsu transferred to Shingen and helped to organize the Takeda Sea Forces in 1571.  After the Tekeda Clan was destroyed by Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) in 1582, he transferred to Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), and was appointed to a magistrate of sea forces at Shimizu Port, Suruga Province.  He who learns an art has a purchase made.

     Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, Masakatsu’s descendants not only survived but also prospered.  They made the lords of the Omura Domain in Kyushu.

     For your information, Itami Nagachika belonged to the same generation as Chikaoki.  He worked for the Later Hojo Clan, and revived Zenrin-ji Temple.  After Nagachika’s death, Masatomi was still working for the Later Hojo Clan when it was destroyed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) in 1590.  His son was taken care of by his maternal uncle.  They became Buddhist monks; Chugo and Chuson.  Chugo made the head priest of Senso-ji Temple, whose position Chuson succeeded.  After the two, nothing is known about other descendants of Nagachika's line.  Not all the Itami Family members knew how to make it in the world, and not all maternal relatives were helpful.

     Jigen-ji Temple is also the #26 member temple of the Nada 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, which has almost died out. 

     The name of the 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, Nada, reminds many Japanese people of Japanese sake breweries in the cities of Kobe and Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture.  The pilgrimage could have had something to do with the sake brewing industry.  Meanwhile, the place name Nada refers to the area between Muko River in the east and Ikuta River in the west.  Why are the (at least) 4 temples in the east of Muko River included in the pilgrimage?

It might have something to do with the history of Nada-Gogo sake breweries.

     Sometime between 1624 and 1645, Zakoya Bun'emon moved from Itami to Nishinomiya to start a brewery there.  As the Nishinomiya area was closer to the sea, it had the advantage in sending sake to Edo by sea.  Accordingly, some other sake breweries followed him.  In the other part of the Nada area, many of the present-day sake breweries were established from 1655 to 1736.  That was the rise of Nada-Gogo sake breweries.  Nada-Gogo, or the Five Villages in Nada, refers to Nishi, Mikage, and Uozaki in Kobe City, and Nishinomiya and Imazu in Nishinomiya City.

     Believe it or not, Itami City has the oldest sake brewery wooden buildings in existence.  Some even believe the city is the birthplace of refined sake.

     What happened to the other 29 member temples of Nada 33 Kannon Pilgrimage?  Presumably some of them were destroied and the others lost their histories in the Great Hanshin earthquake in 1995.

     If you don't believe my story, why don't you taste sake from all the breweries in Nada and Itami hopefully in a day?  At least (At worst?), you will never mind whether my story is true or not by the time you have compared hundreds of items from the 27 or more Japanese sake breweries.

Address: 6 Chome-19-59 Konoike, Itami, Hyogo 664-0006

Phone: 072-779-8651

Yakami Castle Ruins

Address: Takagiyama, Yakamiuchi, Tamba-Sasayama, Hyogo 669-2432

Phone: 079-552-5792

Handa-Kannonsan Castle Ruins

Address: Wadayamacho Handa, Asago, Hyogo 669-5241

Yagi Castle Ruins

Address: Yagicho Yagi, Nantan, Kyoto 629-0141

Kuroi Castle Ruins

Address: 4125 669 Kasugacho Tada, Tamba, Hyogo 669-4125

Juso Park

Address: 1 Chome-1 Jusomotoimazato, Yodogawa Ward, Osaka, 532-0028

Mitsuishi Castle Ruins

Address: Mitsuishi, Bizen, Okayama 705-0132

Okishio Castle Ruins

Address: Yumesakicho Miyaoki, Himeji, Hyogo 671-2121

Kanno-ji Temple

Address: 25-1 Kabutoyamacho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 662-0001

Phone: 0798-72-1172

Daimotsu Castle Site

Address: 2-chome-7-6 Daimotsucho, Amagasaki, Hyogo 660-0823

Kyoya

Address: 2-chome-1-2 Minamitsukaguchicho, Amagasaki, Hyogo 661-0012

Phone: 06-6429-1318

Kotoku-ji Temple

Address: 8 Teramachi, Amagasaki, Hyogo 660-0867

Phone: 06-6411-2424

Taiko-ji Temple

Address: 2 Chome-5-16 Ayaha, Ikeda, Osaka 563-0051

Phone: 072-751-3433

Arioka Castle Ruins

Address: 1 Chome-12 Itami, Hyogo 664-0846

Phone: 072-784-8090

   

Zenrin-ji Temple

Address: 6 Chome-40-32 Kamariyahigashi, Kanesawa Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0042

Phone: 045-781-9814

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kawabe 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #3 Yoju-ji Temple

 

     Prince Shotoku (574-622) visited Nakayama-dera Temple from Shitenno-ji Temple.  On his way, he took a break under a willow tree before climbing the hill.  Later, a hermitage was built to enshrine the statue of the prince at the age of 16.  Sometime between 1624 and 1644, the hermitage was turned into a Buddhist temple with the name of Yoju-ji.  Yoju literally means to Keep Figure.

     On January 17th, 1995, the Great Hanshin Earthquake destroyed all the halls and buildings.  The rebuilding of the temple was finished in November, 2004.

Address: 1 Chome−17−30, Aramaki, Itami, Hyogo 664-0001

Phone: 072-781-1653

Nakayama-dera Temple

Address: 2 Chome-11-1 Nakayamadera, Takarazuka, Hyogo 665-8588

Phone: 0797-87-0024

Shitenno-ji Temple

Address: 1 Chome-11-18 Shitennoji, Tennoji Ward, Osaka, 543-0051

Phone: 06-6771-0066

Trees In the Town

Virtual Kawabe 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #2 Senryu-ji Temple

 

     Long ago, during the Nara Period 710-794), Priest Tokudo of Hase-dera Temple was selecting the member temples of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  He picked Seiganto-ji Temple in Kumano, Ki Province, as the first temple.  He went on a pilgrimage to the temples with Avalokitesvara images from one province to another.

     The Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha of Senryu-ji Temple, which was located north of Yamamoto Village and south of the foot of Mount Nagao, heard of the rumor about Tokudo's choosing 33 temples with Avalokitesvara images, and was excited, thinking, "I'm sure I'll be included," and eagerly awaited Tokudo's coming.

     When Ekadasamukha heard that Tokudo had arrived at Katsuo-ji Temple in Mino and chose it as the 23rd temple, he thought, "Finally, his next stop will be mine."  As soon as he thought this, he became tired of waiting and became very sleepy.  Ekadasamukha could not bear it any longer and fell asleep.

     When Tokudo arrived at Senryu-ji Temple, he found the Ekadasamukha sleeping and shake Ekadasamukha repeatedly, saying, "Please wake up," but Ekadasamukha would not wake up.

     "Ekadasamukha must be dozing off because he doesn't want to become a member of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage," he thought.  He decided to visit the Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha in Nakayama-dera Temple to choose it as the 24th member, and set off on his journey.

     When the Ekadasamukha at Senryu-ji Temple woke up a while later to find Tokudo already left, Ekadasamukha stomped the head in frustration, but could do nothing.

     Ekadasamukha at Senryu-ji Temple regretted this terrible careless mistake, and, from then on, never fell into a deep sleep.  Instead, day and night, the Ekadasamukha listened to the prayers of people who visited the temple.

     Since the blessings she bestowed on people who fell asleep were particularly great, the people of nearby villages became fond of the Ekadasamukha, calling it "Sleeping Kannon."

     Anyway, it was during the Edo Period that today’s order of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was decided due to the convenience for people from Edo to visit the member temples according to the order.

     Senryu-ji Temple is also the #3 member temple of the North Settsu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

Address: 1 Chome−5−18, Yamamotodai, Takarazuka, Hyogo 665-0885

Phone: 0797-84-2334

Hase-dera Temple

Address: 731-1 Hase, Sakurai, Nara 633-0112

Phone: 0744-47-7001

Seiganto-ji Temple

Address: 8 Nachisan, Nachikatsuura, Higashimuro District, Wakayama 649-5301

Phone: 0735-55-0001

Nakayama-dera Temple

Address: 2 Chome-11-1 Nakayamadera, Takarazuka, Hyogo 665-8588

Phone: 0797-87-0024

Trees In the Town

Kawabe 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #1 Nakayama-dera Temple

 

     I changed trains from JR Line to Hankyu Takaraduka Line at Osaka Umeda.  Through the windows of the maroon brown coach, characteristic of the Hankyu Line, I thought I saw a golden spire.  I stepped out of Nakayama-Kannon Station to find the spire belongs to the five-storied pagoda of Nakayama-dera Temple.  There, I prayed for an easy and safe delivery.

     Emperor Nakatarshi and his first wife, Onakatsu, had 2 sons, Princes Kagosaka and Oshikuma, but Nakatarashi and his second wife, Okinagatarashi, had Homutawake (?-394), who succeeded Nakatarashi, pushing his half elder brothers away.  Emperor Homutawake enshrined the spirits of the 2 princes in the cave where Nakayama-dera Temple's Inner Sanctuary is located.  Nakatarashi had another prince, Homuyawake, whose mother is unknown.  Homutawake didn't feel it necessary to enshrine the spirit of Homuyawake.  Suppose the reasons as you please.  Some say Okinagatarashi killed the 2 princes in battle in Omi Province.

     After I visited the Main Hall of the temple, I had an idea to visit the Inner Sanctuary, but this year’s abnormal hot weather prevented me from doing so.  According to a talisman seller, it will take nearly an hour to get there.

     Nakayama-dera Temple was later founded by Prince Shotoku (574-622) to appease the spirits of Mononobe Moriya (?-587), who was an opponent of Buddhism, and who was defeated by Soga Umako (551-626) and Shotoku, as well as Onakatsu, Kagosaka, and Oshikuma.  The original site of the temple is where the temple's Inner Sanctuary is currently located.  Its original worship hall was built to incorporate the cave where the spirit of Oshikuma is enshrined.  It is Japan's first temple to enshrine the god that causes misfortune.

     The temple's main deity is the Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha statue.  The statue is said to be a copy of Vajira or Vajirakumari, who was a daughter of King Pasenadi and Queen Mallika of the Kingdom of Kosala in India, and who is said to have written the Srimaladevi Simhanada Sutra.  Shotoku is believed to have been an advocate of the sutra.  Vajirakumari and Shotoku were both lay Buddhists.  The statue is said to have been brought over from India.  The attendant deities on the left and right are also Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha, making it a total of 33 faces.  This temple is the 24th of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, and the 33-faced statues are said to encompass the pilgrimage as well as represent the 33 manifestations of Avalokitesvara described in the Lotus Sutra Chapter XXV.  It is said that worshiping the statues guarantees to receive the same merit as making pilgrimage to the 33 temples.

     For your information, according to Lotus Sutra Chapter XXV, Avalokitesvara, to save people, manifest herself/himself/itself: #1 into the form of a buddha, #2 into the form of a pratyekabuddha, #3 into the form of a sravaka, #4 into the form of Brahma, #5 into the form of Sakra, #6 into the form of isvara, #7 into the form of Mahesvara, #8 into the form of the great commander of the devas, #9 into the form of Vaisravana, #10 into the form of a minor king, #11 into the form of a wealthy man, #12 into the form of a householder, #13 into the form of a state official, #14 into the form of a brahman, #15 into the form of a monk, #16 into the form of a nun, #17 into the form of a layman, #18 into the form of a  laywoman, #19 into the form of a wife of a wealthy man, #20 into the form of a wife of a householder, #21 into the form of a wife of a state official, #22 into the form of a wife of a brahman, #23 into the form of a boy, #24 into the form of a girl, #25 into the form of a deva, #26 into the form of naga, #27 into the form of yaksa, #28 into the form of gandharva, #29 into the form of asura, #30 into the form of garuda, #31 into the form of kimnara, #32 into the form of mahoraga, or #33 into the form of Vajrapani. Many of the forms, or manifestations, are an enumeration of occupations at the time of Buddha.  Thus most of the 33 manifestations haven't been carved into Buddhism statues or painted in Buddhism pictures in Japan.  Instead, the number 33 came to mean a lot to Avalokitesvara believers in Japan.

     After praying to Ekadasamukha, we left for JR Nakayamadera Station.  As it was an hour before noon, we thought we would have lunch near the station.  Eventually, we realized there was no restaurant near the station.  We regretted not having lunch or at least a light meal near the temple or near Hankyu Nakayama-Kannon Station.  We took the train to JR Osaka Station to have lunch.

     Nakayama-dera Temple is also the #1 member temple of theSettsu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

Address: 2 Chome-11-1 Nakayamadera, Takarazuka, Hyogo 665-8588

Phone: 0797-87-0024

Trees In the Town

Virtual Upper Tada Manor 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #33 Kannon-ji Temple

 

     Takamimusubi Shrine was founded in 952 in Tahara Village by Tahara Hidetsugu, who was one of the 4 major vassals of Minamoto Mitsunaka (912-997).

     The shrine's main hall was rebuilt on September 26th, 1683.

     It is unknown whether Kannon-ji Temple was founded as its shrine temple before the reconstruction or after, but it is highly probable that the temple was abolished after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868.

     God Takamimusubi is so important that he is enshrined even at the Three Palace Sanctuaries in the precincts of the Tokyo Imperial Palace.

Takamimusubi Shrine

Address: Ueyama 31, Kitatahara, Inagawa, Kawabe District, Hyogo 666-0236

 Three Palace Sanctuaries

Address: 1-1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0001

Trees In the Town

Virtual Upper Tada Manor 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #32 Toko-ji Temple

 

     Toko-ji Temple is said to have been founded by Gyoki (668-749).

     The temple has 13 Buddhist images carved by Mokujiki at the age of 90.

     Mokuji (1718-1810) was a Buddhist ascetic, Buddhist statue sculptor, and poet in the late Edo Period.  He is the creator of so-called Mokujiki Buddhas, of which numerous works remain throughout Japan.  He changed his name 3 times in his life, and was also known as Mokujiki Gogyo Shonin and Mokuji Myoman Shonin.  Buddhists who didn't belong to a specific temple or sect and traveled around the country to practice their training were called “gyoja” (ascetics) or “yugyosho” (wandering monks).  Mokujiki was a typical example of such a wandering monk, traveling all over Japan and carving wooden Buddhist images wherever he visited.  He donated them to temples.

     Mokujiki's works are completely different from traditional Buddhist sculptures.  They are unconventional with vivid chisel marks.  His simple and undecorated forms express deep religious emotion, and his bold deformations have an originality reminiscent of modern sculptures.  Enku (1632-1695), who was active about a century before Mokujiki, is well known as a wandering monk who left Buddhist images all over Japan.  Compared to Enku's rough-hewn, wild style, Mokujiki's Buddhist images are characterized by their gentle, smiling faces.

     According to information compiled as of July, 2007, the total number of Mokujiki Buddhist images in existence is 617, with 56 images whose whereabouts are unknown, 31 images that were burned, and 6 images that were stolen, totaling 710.  Furthermore, a compilation in 2015 showed that the number of existing images was 626 and 95 were either lost or stolen, making the confirmed total 721.  In terms of distribution, Niigata Prefecture has the most with 282, followed by Yamanashi Prefecture with 89, Shizuoka Prefecture with 60, and Yamaguchi Prefecture with 55.

     Tahara Village was first documented in 1316.  In 1468, the village paid 1,750 coins to Tada-in Temple as a kind of tax.

Address: Teranomae-452 Kitatahara, Inagawa, Kawabe District, Hyogo 666-0236

Phone: 072-766-0831