Virtual Arima County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #22 Shinmei-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when, why, and how Shinmei-ji Temple was founded in Tanaka Village, Arima County, Settsu Province.  The village used to be owned by Ise Shrine.

     According to the Association of Shinto Shrines, we have about 5,000 Shinmei Shrines across Japan.  Some even argue there are about 180,000 of them.  They all enshrine Amaterasu as their main deity, and thus each of them is supposed to be a branch of Ise Shrine.  Accordingly, Tanaka Village had its Shinmei Shrine.  Shinmei-ji Temple is said to have been called Shinmei-an, which might have been founded as its shrine temple.  Shinmei-an Temple might have become an independent religion institute after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868.

     As Sanda City merged 2 Tanaka Villages, one is called Higashi-Honjo-Tanaka and the other with Shinmei-ji Temple is called Shimo-Tanaka.

     Anyway, Kitabatake Shigemasa is said to have built Tanaka Residence or Tanaka Fortress to rule and guard the village.  Kitabatake Akiyoshi (1326-1383) became the Governor of Ise Province during the Southern and Northern Courts Period (1337-1392), based in Tage County.  Judging from his first name, Shigemasa could have been a vassal related to Akiyoshi's grandfather, Moroshige (1270-1322), by family.  He could have been an illegitimate son of Morishige, or he could have won Morishige’s confidence and been adopted.  Presumably,  he was sent to Tanaka Village either in the 14th century or in the 15th century by Akiyoshi or by his successor, Akiyasu (1361-1414).

     Tanaka Fortress was first documented when Ikeda Nobumasa (?-1548) occupied the fortress in 1519.  The fortress was recaptured by the Kitabatake Family later, but was destroyed presumably in 1575, when Araki Murashige (1536-1586) invaded Arima County.

     The fortress ruins remained.  However, when Muko River was straightened in 1935, the ruins went under the water.  Anyway, the fortress could have been somewhere around Shimotanaka Hall.

     Thus, the memories of samurai days went away.  If or when the shrine is abolished, will the memories of the area pass away?  How about the temple?  In Hyogo Prefecture alone, about 450 local festivals and religious events have gone.  The number of shrines is said to be halved by 2040.

Address: 156-1 Shimotanaka, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1522

Phone: 079-562-3623

Shinmei Shrine

Address: 117 Shimotanaka, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1522

Ise Grand Shrine

Address: 1 Ujitachicho, Ise, Mie 516-0023

Phone: 0596-24-1111

Address: 279 Toyokawacho, Ise, Mie 516-0042

Phone: 0596-24-1111

Kitabatake Residence Ruins

Address: 1148 Misugicho Kamitage, Tsu, Mie 515-3312

Kitabatake Residence Guardhouse Ruins

Address: Misugicho Shimotage, Tsu, Mie 515-3311

Kiriyama Castle Ruins

Address: G7FQ+7P, Tsu, Mie 515-3421

Shimotanaka Hall

Address: 243 Shimotanaka, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1522