Virtual Arima County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #11 Hotei-ji Temple

 

     Hotei-ji Temple was founded by Miyazaki Hirotsuna, who claimed to be a descendant of Taira Noritsune (1160-1184), who died fighting against the Minamoto Clan.  After the Taira Clan was defeated in the Battle of Dannoura in Nagato Province, Noritsune's surviving son fled to Miyazaki in Hyuga Province, where he lived in seclusion for many years.  He took the place name as his surname.  Later In the 1520's, Hirotsuna came from Miyazaki with the statue of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses.  The statue was said to have been Noritsune's personal guardian Buddhist image.  Hirotsuna lived in Hata Manor, which was said to have been Noritsune's territory at the time the Taira Clan moved the national capital to Fukuhara.  He developed the land, naming the village Jiro.  He founded Hotei-ji Temple, enshrining the Arya Avalokitesvara statue.  He passed away on November 15th, 1574.  Hirotsuna's son married a daughter of the Matsubara Family, the lord of Kusakabe Tanpopo Fortress, and had one son, Hiromitsu.

     When Matsubara Yoshitomi was the 5th lord of Tanpopo Fortress, the family was destroyed as samurai by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) and so was the Miyazaki Family.  The fortress was abolished, but their descendants kept living in the area.

     After over 20 generations, Miyazaki Yojun practiced medicine, and formerly served the Fushiminomiya Family as their personal physician, serving them for many years and giving them treatment.  The family allowed the temple to wear the Imperial Chrysanthemum Crest.  Even today, the crest can be seen on the roof tiles of the temple, the front entrance, and others.

     The fact that Yojun was the personal physician for members of the Royal Family is clearly stated on the back of his Buddhist memorial tablet.  The Miyazaki Family cemetery is located to the south of the temple with the grave of Hirotsuna at its center.  There are over 30 graves and stupas representing successive generations.  On a small hill in the western corner of the temple, there was once a small, old-fashioned shrine dedicated to Emperor Antoku (1178-1185), whom the Miyazaki Family worshipped for generations.  It was merged into a village shrine around 1906, and only its site remains.  The Miyazaki Family had a mansion until around 1907, but Miyazaki Tomoshichi had no heirs and the family finally died out, with only the site of the mansion remaining.

     Hotei-ji Temple suffered a fire sometime between 1818 and 1831, when Daien was the 9th head priest.  It is regrettable that the temple buildings and ancient documents were lost to ruin.  The 10th head priest, Soso, passionately tried to rebuild the temple, visiting everywhere.  With the cooperation of the general parishioners, he rebuilt the current temple buildings in the autumn of 1833.

     The 12th head priest, Soken, was a gifted man of exceptional talent, and served not only as the chief priest of the temple but also as a senior official at the head temple, Eihei-ji Temple, for approximately 10 years, devoting himself to great service and dedication.  As a result, in 1869, Eihei-ji Temple recognized his meritorious service and raised the status of Hotei-ji Temple.

Address: 779 Arinocho, Kita Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 651-1311

Phone: 078-982-3221

Tanpopo Fortress Site

 Address: Kusakabe-1357 Dojocho, Kita Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 651-1505

Eihei-ji Temple

Address: 5-15 Shihi, Eiheiji, Yoshida District, Fukui 910-1228

Phone: 0776-63-3102