Virtual Arima County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #23 Kanze-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Kanze-ji Temple was founded in Shiota Village, Arima County, Settsu Province.  The Jori system seems to have been introduced in Shiota Manor.

     In the 8th century, rice fields were rezoned by the unit of 11,881 square meters.  Horizontal 6 units were called Jo, and vertical 6 units were called Ri.  Accordingly, the rezoning system was called the Jori system.

     Some suggest the temple had something to do with Shiota Hachiman Shrine, which was originally called Dasai Shrine.

     Dasai Shrine was already in Shiota Manor at the beginning of the 9th century.  The shrine enshrined Toshigami.  Toshigami was the god of abundant harvests, and specifically of grain or rice.  Toshigami is recorded in the Kojiki, or Records of Ancient Matters, which is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts dating as far back as 641, but Toshigami isn't recorded in the Nihon Shoki, or the Chronicles of Japan, whose compilation was finished in 720.  It is unknown why Toshigami was excluded from Shintoism hierarchy.

     Anyway, Dasai Shrine became Shiota-Hachiman Shrine, being a branch of Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu Shrine, by whom Shiota Manor was owned.  In 1158, the shrine had its shrine temple, Jingu-ji Temple.  So, Kanze-ji wasn't the shrine temple.

     As Kanze-ji Temple was located at the foot of Tateishi Fortress, the temple could have had something to do with the lord of the fortress.  Some believe the fortress was built by Yamazaki Tsunemasa in 1564.  In 1565, Tsunemasa is said to have attacked Higashinogami Fortress.  Some say, when Tsunemasa did falconry around Ebisu Shrine in 1601, he had a rest in the shrine and donated some land to it.  Tsunemasa could have been a relative of Yamazaki Kataie (1547-1591), who became the lord of the Sanda Castle in 1582.  In 1601, Kataie's son, Iemori (1567-1614) was demoted to Wakasa, Hatto County, Inaba Province.  Some don't believe in the existence of Tsunemasa.

Address: Shiota-3159-1 Dojocho, Kita Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 651-1502

Phone: 07956-3-3682.

Shiota Hachiman Shrine

Address: Shiota-3238 Dojocho, Kita Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 651-1502

Phone: 078-985-2863

Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu Shrine

Address: Takabo−30, Yawata, Kyoto 614-8005

Phone: 075-981-3001

Tateishi Fortress Site

Address: Teramuracho, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1523

Ebisu Shrine

Address: 57 Nagasaka, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1355

Phone: 079-567-1062

Higashinogami Fortress Site

Address: Higashinogami, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1312