Virtual Miki County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #3 Hoju-in Temple

 

     According to legend, Hoju-in Temple, or a temple, was founded in 652 by Hodo, who traveled from India through Tang China and the Korean kingdom of Baekje to Japan from the 6th to 7th centuries.  It is unknown if Hodo was still alive in 651.

     The temple was later called Koya-san Gachirin-ji Hoju-in Temple and had 10 monk houses.  When Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) besieged Miki Castle from 1578 to 1580, the temple was burned down.  It was revived by Priest Kusen in 1584, but was again severely damaged, and underwent major repairs in 1682.  In March, 1873, Senzo-in Temple was merged with Hoju-in Temple.  As the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, Senzo-in Temple might have been a shrine temple or could have belonged to Shugendo, a syncretic Esoteric Buddhist religion.  The government, which erected a barrier between Shinto and Buddhism, ruled that Shugendo was unacceptable because of its amalgamation of the 2 religions, and officially forbade it in 1872.

Address: 3 Chome-13-5 Fukui, Miki, Hyogo 673-0433

Phone: 0794-82-0719