Virtual Sakai 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #19 Shioana-ji Temple

 

     According to the Great Sakai Map in 1689, Shioana-ji Temple used to be located to the south of Juman-koji Alley.

     In Ancient times, Shioana Village belonged to Otori County, which first belonged to Kawachi Province, but later transferred to Izumi Province in 757.  The Chimori Family is supposed to have ruled the village, whose site was excavated when Daisennishi Elementary School was rebuilt.  Joraku-ji Temple was located about 600 meters southwest from the site, presumably as the family temple of the Chimori Family in a narrow sense and as the village temple of Shioana Village in a broad sense.  The temple was at largest as to occupy from the south of today’s Kyowacho, Sakai Ward, Sakai, Osaka 590-0822, to today’s Ishizu Kitamachi, Sakai Ward, Sakai, Osaka 590-0823.  It could have included today’s Oimatsucho, Sakai Ward, Sakai, Osaka 590-0824.

     It is unknown when Joraku-ji Temple came to be called Komyo-zan Jissho-in Shioana-ji Temple.

     In 715, the fishers in Sakai found an Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha image in the sea off Ashihara, today's Ashihara, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0029, and enshrined it in Joraku-ji Temple or Shioana-ji Temple.

     Sakai Town was surrounded by moats.  The original moats are supposed to have been made between the latter half of the 14th century and the first half of the 15th century.  In the Warring States Period (1467-1568), the moats became more important not only as the canals but also as defensive trenches.  Presumably in those days, Shioana-ji Temple was moved to the inside the moats and functioned as part of the defensive line along the moats.  Where such temples concentrated was called Teramachi, namely Temple Town.

     Shioana-ji Temple used to have its monks' quarters: Jissho-in, An'yo-in, Hozo-in, Kita-no-bo, Higashi-no-bo, Jizo-in , Fumon-in, Tamon-in, and Monju-in Quarters.  During the Onin War (1467-1477), the temple was destroyed except for Jissho-in Quarter, and the main deity was enshrined in the quarter.  Before the temple was moved to its present place, its precincts were 1,214 square meters, with a main hall, a kitchen, a guest house, and a Kankitendo Hall outside the gate.  There was also a tea house of Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591), Jissho-an, in the precincts.  The tea house has been moved to Nanshu-ji Temple.  The temple bell, which was cast in 1491, originally belonged to Jinko-ji Temple, and was moved to Shioana-ji Temple sometime.  It was lost during the Meiji Restoration.

     When the History of Sakai City was published in 1930, Shioana-ji Temple was still located in today’s 6 Chome Shinzaikechohigashi, Sakai Ward, Sakai, Osaka 590-0964, but already fell into decline, and eventually it was moved to the precincts of Ebara-ji Temple since both the temples are believed to have been founded by Gyoki Gyoki (668-749).

Address: 1 Chome-8-20 Ebarajicho, Nishi Ward, Sakai, Osaka 593-8304

Phone: 072-271-1837

Ebara-ji Temple

Address: 1 Chome-8-20 Ebarajicho, Nishi Ward, Sakai, Osaka 593-8304

Phone: 072-271-1505

Nanshu-ji Temple

Address: 3 Chome-1-2 Minamihatagochohigashi, Sakai Ward, Sakai, Osaka 590-0965

Phone: 072-232-1654

Jinko-ji Temple

Address: Monguchi-23 Katanokamicho, Tokushima, 770-8033

Phone: 088-669-1168