Virtual Kako County Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #16 Jizo-do Hall

 

Hypothesis on the Location of the 16th Jizo-do Hall (Rokken’ya Area)

Background

     The exact location of the 16th Jizo-do Hall of the Kako County Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage remains a mystery. Historical records suggest it was located in the Rokken'ya area of Kako Shinmura (Kako New Village) in present-day Inami Town. Based on recent local field observations and historical context, two primary hypotheses can be formulated regarding its current state.

Primary Hypothesis (Candidate 1): Enshrined within Ebisu Shrine

Observation: There is a small Ebisu Shrine located by the edge of Rokken'ya Pond. The shrine consists of only a single, compact main hall with no other visible structures on the grounds. The interior of the hall cannot be inspected.

Rationale: According to official local records from Inami Town, an image of Jizo Bosatsu (Ksitigarbha) has been venerated by the lakeside of Rokkenya Pond since 1811 (the late Edo period). The 16th deity, an Avalokitesvara statue, could have been enshrined in the same hall.

Inference: Following the anti-Buddhist movement and the separation of Shinto and Buddhism during the Meiji period, it is highly possible that the Ksitigarbha statue was moved or integrated into the Ebisu Shrine for protection. It is plausible that the Ksitigarbha and Avalokitesvara statues are currently housed inside the small shrine building itself, or that the shrine now serves a dual purpose, preserving the memory of the 16th station.

Secondary Hypothesis (Candidate 2): The Site of Rokken'ya Community Center

Observation: No small chapels or stone statues reminiscent of a Jizo-do hall are currently found around the Rokkenya Community Center, which is located slightly south of the pond.

Rationale: There were local rumors of a small communal cemetery once existing near the pond, which has since disappeared.

Inference with Discretion: If a small communal burial ground indeed existed by the pond, it is likely that the graves were respectfully relocated and consolidated into a larger nearby communal cemetery in accordance with modern land-use changes or public health regulations. To support the hypothesis, the Rokken'ya Residents' Association consists of not only the Rokken'ya area in Inami Town but also the Kitayama area in the same town and Fukutome area in Kakogawa City. In such rural developments, former sacred sites or abandoned plots were frequently repurposed for community facilities. Therefore, it remains a reasonable possibility that the original Jizo-do Hall was lost during these transitions, and the Rokken'ya Community Center was subsequently constructed on its former grounds.

Ebisu Shrine

Address: 3463 Kako, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1105

Rokken'ya Community Center

Address: 3431 Kako, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1105