Virtual Miki County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #25: Yoshun-ji Temple

 

The exact founding date of Yoshun-ji Temple in Kashidani Village (Miki County, Harima Province) remains a mystery. However, historical records offer clues about the village's origins. In the Keicho Kuni-ezu (Provincial Maps of the Keicho Era), the settlement is recorded as "Kamidani" or "Kaidani" Village.

For historical context, Tokugawa Ieyasu—following the administrative precedents of Toyotomi Hideyoshi—ordered a nationwide land survey in September 1605 to determine rice yields and the distribution of territories. This survey led to the creation of the Keicho Kuni-ezu and the Gocho (Village Registers). While the originals are believed to have perished in the fires of Edo Castle, surviving copies are largely restricted to Western Japan. Some scholars argue that these maps were not truly nationwide but were instead part of a targeted policy to monitor and pressure the tozama (outsider) daimyo in the western provinces.

By the time of the Genroku Gocho (compiled between 1700 and 1702), the village’s name had shifted to "Okutani." In Japanese, Kami denotes "Upper," while Oku refers to the "Inner" or "Back" reaches of a valley. Alternatively, the sounds Kami, Kai, or Kashi can refer to the Japanese Emperor Oak (Kashi). This suggests the valley was once a dense forest of oaks that was gradually cleared and settled.

Behind the temple stands a twin-body Dosojin (a traveler's guardian deity). While Dosojin are typically associated with liminal spaces—village boundaries, crossroads, and mountain passes—to ward off evil, a twin-body Dosojin depicts a male and female figure in a harmonious embrace. This specific form is often a prayer for successful matches, fertility, and the flourishing of a new community.

From this evidence, we can infer that the village was organized during the 17th century by developing the deep valley covered with Japanese emperor oaks. It is fascinating to note the contrast between "Kashidani" (Oak Valley) and the adjacent "Kusuhara" (Camphor Field). While the camphor tree (kusunoki) is often associated with ancient, sacred sites, the oak (kashi) represents the rugged, practical resources of the deep forest. The contrast is striking: Kusuhara (Camphor Field) suggests an ancient, stable settlement on relatively flat, accessible land where sacred camphor trees could flourish. In contrast, Kashidani (Oak Valley) points to a later frontier—a rugged, deep valley once dominated by hardy oaks, reclaimed through the grit of 17th-century settlers.  Yoshun-ji Temple might have been founded as a spiritual sentinel on the boundary between the established lands of Kusuhara and this newly developed frontier.

Address: 1068 Yokawacho Okudani, Miki, Hyogo 673-1242

Phone: 0794-72-0252