Trees in the town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #24 Yakuo-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Yakuo-ji Temple was founded in Futago Village, Kako County, Harima Province.  It was abolished in 1964, in the midst of the Japanese economic miracle after World War II, with its statues and graveyard inherited by Bussho-ji Temple nearby.

Bussho-ji Temple Graveyard

Address: Wakamiyamoto-123 Futago, Harima, Kako District, Hyogo 675-0162

Bussho-ji Temple

Address: 9 Futago, Harima, Kako District, Hyogo 675-0162

Phone: 078-942-2479

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #23 Itoku-in Temple

 

     Kaiun-ji Temple was said to have been founded by Gyoki (668-749) and later revived by Priest Kaiun in 1626 as the shrine temple of Mikuriya Shrine.  The temple had 2 sub-temples (including Itoku-in) and 4 subordinate monastic quarters (including Saizo-bo). During the Meiji era, the anti-Buddhist movement resulted in the closure of most of these Buddhist facilities, leaving only Saizo-bo, which was renamed Itoku-in in 1941.

     The temple also houses the Avalokitesvara statue, which is historically known as "Hosage Kannon" (Sail-Lowering Avalokitesvara) because passing ships would lower their sails to pay their respects. This statue was originally enshrined in a Kannon-do hall located on the beach south of Itoku-in Temple but was moved to the temple itself after the hall burned down.

Address: Nishifutami-943 Futamicho, Akashi, Hyogo 674-0094

Phone: 078-942-1184

 Mikuriya Shrine

 Address: Higashifutami-1323 Futamicho, Akashi, Hyogo 674-0092

 Phone: 078-942-3461

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #22 Chotoku-ji Temple

 

     Chotoku-zenji Temple is said to have been founded either in 1574, in 1583, or in 1584 in Higashi-Futami Village, Kako County, Harima Province. The current head priest is the 17th to hold the position.

    The temple gate was erected in 1719.  A massive fire in Higashi-Futami Village in November 1790 destroyed all records, so its detailed history remains unknown. The principal image is Vajrasana, flanked by Ananda and Mahakashyapa, forming a triad.

     Although the temple suffered damage during the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake on January 17th, 1995, major renovations, including the reconstruction of the main hall, were completed in May, 2005, resulting in the temple's current state. The temple gate, which was originally located on the south side, was dismantled, repaired, and relocated to the east side. Additionally, the Ragaraja Hall, which enshrined the temple's guardian deity, was partially destroyed in the earthquake and subsequently demolished; the deity is now enshrined in the ihai-do (memorial tablet hall) located behind the main hall. It is rare for Ragaraja to be enshrined as a temple's guardian deity.

Address: Higashifutami-1695 Futamicho, Akashi, Hyogo 674-0092

Phone: 078-942-1175

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #21 Tokugen-ji Temple

 

     Tokugen-ji temple was founded in 1618 by Priest Tengen, who had previously revived Zuio-ji Temple, to serve as a retirement hermitage for Zuio-ji Temple, which is the 23rd station of the Kako County Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. Its construction was made possible through financial support from Murotani Kanshichi, a member of the Yokogawa Family, a prominent old family in Futami. This support was likely due to the fact that Priest Unnan, who was a disciple of Tengen and the second head priest of Zuio-ji Temple, was from the Murotani Family.

     The temple's principal image is Yakushi Nyorai (Bhaisajyaguru), and a portrait of the founding priest, Tengen, has been preserved as a temple treasure. The current structure was rebuilt in 1992 by Priest Ryuzan of Zuio-ji Temple.

     The place name "Futami" was first documented in a tanka poem. On April 22nd, 1005, Fujiwara Takato (949–1013), on his way to take up his post as the Dazaifu no Daini (Senior Assistant Governor-General), composed a poem titled "At Futami Bay":

Waiting for a favorable wind, 

We anchored in Futami. 

I gaze upon the dawn at the break of day, 

To find the rough waves still pounding the bay.

     Keicho Kuni-ezu (Provincial Maps), which was published in 1611, lists Higashi-Futami and Nishi-Futami Villages separately.

Address: Higashifutami-1691 Futamicho, Akashi, Hyogo 674-0092

Zuio-ji Temple

Address: Higashifutami-1910 Futamicho, Akashi, Hyogo 674-0092

Phone: 078-942-1198

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #20 Jotoku-ji Temple

 

     Zenpuku-ji Temple was founded in 1670, at the site of the current Fukusato Community Center, serving the Shimojo and Maeyama Hamlets of Fukusato Village. In 1695, it was renamed Jotoku-ji and relocated to its present site.

     At that time, Chokoku-ji Temple, which served the Uejo Hamlet, was located immediately to the north.  Chokoku-ji Temple is said to have been closed during the early Meiji era amidst the Haibutsu Kishaku (anti-Buddhist) movement, and Jotoku-ji Temple subsequently came to serve the entire Fukusato Village. The Jizo-do and Fudo-do halls located in front of the temple gate were originally enshrined within the precincts of the adjacent Odoshi Shrine.

     Judging from their adjoining to each other, Chokoku-ji Temple could have been Odoshi Shrine’s shrine temple which might have been abolished after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868.  If so, Jotoku-ji Temple was moved to the precincts of them, changing its name, for some grave reasons.

Address: Fukusato-556 Futamicho, Akashi, Hyogo 674-0091

Phone: 078-942-1273

Fukusato Community Center

Address: Fukusato-620 Futamicho, Akashi, Hyogo 674-0091

Odoshi Shrine

Address: Fukusato-575 Futamicho, Akashi, Hyogo 674-0091

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #19 Innan-ji Temple

     The historical context surrounding the founding of Innami-ji Temple (Rinzai Zen, Myoshin-ji branch)—the 19th station of the Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon pilgrimage—can be reconstructed through the lens of regional social history.

     After the Siege of Miki (1578–1580), surviving retainers of the defeated Bessho clan settled in the Harima countryside, transitioning into local gentry and village leaders (shoya). Their engineering capabilities and organizational capacity were vital in executing the reclamation projects of the Innami-no plateau in the late 17th to early 18th century.

     The affiliation of Innami-ji with Rinzai Zen strongly reflects this warrior heritage, as Rinzai Buddhism was widely patronized by the Sengoku-period samurai of Harima. The temple was therefore founded not merely as a local place of worship, but as a dedicated institution for ancestral veneration and religious registration (shumon-aratame) for a village built by samurai-descended farmers.

     The naming of "Innami-ji" carries a deep historical resonance that transcends a mere geographical label. Innami-no (the Innami Plain) was celebrated as a classical Utamakura—a poetic landmark—in the Man'yoshu, Japan’s oldest poetry anthology compiled in the 8th century. For the former samurai who disarmed after the fall of Miki Castle and turned to farming, identifying their new settlement with this ancient, prestigious name was a statement of profound pride. Though stripped of their warrior status and reduced to tilling the soil, these land-owning leaders (shoya) retained a strong sense of identity and cultural dignity. Naming their newly founded temple "Innami-ji" was not merely a matter of administrative convenience; it was a silent assertion of their unyielding spirit, anchoring their newly forged agrarian community to the timeless heritage of classic Japanese history.

Address: 1559 Innami, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1111

Phone: 079-495-0275

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #18 Kannon-do Hall

 

     It is unknown when the Kannon-do hall, which later became the 18th station of the Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon pilgrimage, was built in Innami Shinmura (Innami New Village). As the village was developed in the early 18th century, its foundation must have been during that period or later.

     The Innami area still retains small religious structures, such as Hokke-to pagodas and Gyoja-do halls, alongside two Buddhist temples: Kongo-in and Innami-ji. There may have been even more during the Edo period (1603–1867). Under these circumstances, the current "Innami-no-do" hall is the primary candidate for the historical Kannon-do hall, though it remains possible that either the Into or Inzai Community Center now stands on its former site.

Innaminodo

Address: 4-1 Innami, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1111

Hokke-to Pagoda

Address: 7 Innami, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1111

Innamigyojado

Address: Innami, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1111

Inzaikokaido

Address: 1625 Innami, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1111

Intokokaido (Into Community Center)

Address: 215-5 Innami, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1111

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #17 Kongo-in Temple

 

     The exact founding date of Kongo-in Temple in Innami Shinson (Harima Province, Kako County) is unknown. Innami Shinson was the last new village developed during the Edo period (1603–1867) in this region. The area's development began between 1704 and 1711, when Kaemon moved from Sakai, Izumi Province, to reclaim the land. In 1712, Numata Riheiji, originally from neighboring Kako Shinmura, was appointed as the village head (shoya) of Innami Shinson and led its full-scale land reclamation. By 1737, the village had grown to 171 households with a population of 886. Based on this rapid settlement, Kongo-in Temple was likely founded in the first half of the 18th century.

     It is plausible that political and social friction influenced the leadership shift from Kaemon to Numata Riheiji. As a merchant from Izumi Province, Kaemon was an outsider (takokusha) to both the Himeji Domain and the local farmers. The domain likely preferred an experienced local farmer to ensure stable tax collection, while incoming settlers and neighboring villages would have resisted being led by an urban merchant unfamiliar with local agricultural customs and water rights. Consequently, while Kaemon provided the initial impetus, Riheiji—a local figure from neighboring Kako Shinmura—was appointed as shoya to establish a stable, functioning farming community.

Address: 549 Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1111

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #16 Kunioka-Kannon-do Hall

 

     The exact date of the hall's construction is unknown, but there is a legend that a thatched-roof hall existed there before Kunioka Shinmura, Kunioka New Village, was organized in 1662.

     It was rebuilt in 1881, when the principal image was enshrined.

     As the 16th sacred site of the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage in the county, it was once a popular pilgrimage site for pilgrims, and the Banshu Ondo dance was performed during the Jizo Bon festival.

     The principal image is an eleven-faced Kannon Bodhisattva statue (wooden, seated, 1 shaku 4 sun tall), was originally created before 1575 by the lord of Miki Castle,

Bessho Nagaharu, and was believed to have been a personal prayer for him.

     After the fall of Miki Castle, his retainers enshrined it in Bessho, but for some reason, Shoji Jisaburo of Kunioka acquired it along with related documents, and it has been enshrined by his family ever since. Afterward, a woman who had been diligently praying every day received a divine message that if she built a temple facing east, as per tradition, and enshrined Jizo on the right and Prince Shotoku on the left, she would remain in this place. This became the impetus for the reconstruction of the temple in its current location.

     From the reconstruction until around 1985, the temple was cared for by a resident caretaker. Since then, it has been cared for by members of the local Buddhist prayer group and the caretaker committee.

     While older reconstruction records are unknown, reconstructions were carried out in 1997 and 2014.

Address 677-1 Kunioka, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1115

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #15 Seikyu-ji Temple

 

     Seikyu-ji Temple was founded in 653, according to the documents kept in the temple. This coincided with the enshrinement of the deity for the predecessor (Oji Gongen) of the nearby Kuniyasu Tenman Shrine, marking a symbolic milestone in the area's development and the establishment of local religious life. In 1553, the temple was revived as a Caodong Chan temple by Priest Seiryo. In 1601, Ikeda Terumasa (1565-1613), the then-Lord of the Himeji Domain, issued an official document with his black seal, granting Seikyu-ji Temple a land endowment of 3 koku—alongside a 5-koku grant for Kuniyasu Tenman-gu Shrine. This serves as evidence that the temple enjoyed official protection from the domain lord as a vital religious institution deeply rooted in the local community.

Address: 435 Oka, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1113

Phone: 079-492-0232

Kuniyasu-Tenman Shrine

Address: 539 Kuniyasu, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1114

Phone: 079-492-0741

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #14 Kannon-do Hall

 

Historical Deduction: The Identity and Successor of the 14th Station (Terada Kannon-do Hall)

1. The Origin: Terada Shin-mura (Mid-17th Century)

     During the Meireki era (1655–1658) of the early Edo period, a new village development named Terada Shin-mura (or Terada Shinden) was established in the area of present-day Shinzaike, Hiraoka-cho, Kakogawa City. As was customary during land reclamation in this era, the newly formed community established its own communal village chapel—a Kannon-do Hall—to pray for peace, protection, and abundant harvests. This chapel served as the origin of the 14th station.

2. Rejection of the "Jingu-ji Temple of Gosha Shrine" Theory (Timeline Mismatch)

     One alternative hypothesis suggests that the Kannon-do Hall might have been a Jingu-ji Temple (a shrine-temple attached to a Shinto shrine) associated with the nearby Gosha Dai-jinja (2293 Hiraokacho Shinzaike). However, this theory presents a clear chronological contradiction:

     Anti-Buddhist Movement (Haibutsu Kishaku): Any shrine-temple (Jingu-ji) attached to Gosha Dai-jinja would have been abolished or dismantled in the early Meiji period (around 1868) due to the government-mandated separation of Shinto and Buddhism.

     Pilgrimage Establishment: The Kako-gun Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage route was established much later, during the Taisho era (1912–1926).

     Conclusion: It is highly implausible that a shrine-temple lost in the early Meiji era would be designated as an official pilgrimage station decades later in the Taisho era.

3. The "Terada Community Center" Theory (Most Plausible Successor)

     When the Kako-gun pilgrimage route was formed in the Taisho era, it incorporated the independent, locally maintained village chapel (Kannon-do) that had belonged to Terada Shin-mura since the Edo period.

     In modern Japan, particularly during mid-to-late 20th-century post-war developments, many unmanned, community-managed village chapels were renovated into local assembly halls or community centers (kominkan). Thus, the Terada Community Center (Terada Kominkan) in Shinzaike, Hiraoka-cho, stands as the most logical direct successor—or physical site—of the original Kannon-do.

Summary Timeline

1655–1658 (Edo Period): Terada Shin-mura is founded; a local Kannon-do is established as the village chapel.

1868–1870s (Early Meiji): Separation of Shinto and Buddhism dismantles shrine-temples (Jingu-ji), but independent village halls like Terada's Kannon-do survive.

1912–1926 (Taisho Period): The Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage is designated, registering the active Terada Kannon-do as Station #14.

Modern Era: The historic Kannon-do transitions into the modern Terada Community Center, where the sacred image or small altar is likely still preserved on-site or housed within a nearby temple.

Terada Community Center

Address: Hiraokacho Shinzaike, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0101

Goshadai Shrine

Address: 2293 Hiraokacho Shinzaike, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0101

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #13 Kannon-do Hall

 

Historical Analysis of Station No. 13 (Notsuji)

1. Exclusion of Bankokusan Taihei-ji

     Although Taihei-ji Temple is located near the former ko-aza (sub-village) of Notsuji, it can be ruled out as the 13th station. Established as recently as 1970 under the Hokke Sect (Honmon-ryu), it has no historical connection to the Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, which was founded in the Taisho period (1922).

2. Historical Context of Notsuji-shinmura in Edo period

     Branch Village (Eda-go) Status: Developed around 1666, Notsuji-shinmura was a branch village (eda-go) subordinate to the main village (hon-go), Shinzaike.

     Absence of a Parish Temple (Bodai-ji) and Graveyard: Residents of branch villages relied on the main village's temples for funerary rites and family graves. Consequently, Notsuji naturally lacked its own independent temple or cemetery.

     Role of the Village Hall (Kannon-do): Despite having no formal temple, the community maintained a local hall (Kannon-do) for daily devotion, agricultural prayers, and communal gatherings.

3. Creation of the Pilgrimage (1922) and Post-War Transition

     Taisho Period Allocation: By the time the Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was established around 1922, Notsuji had long been merged into neighboring administrative structures. However, local pilgrimage routes were designated based on micro-level sub-communities rather than formal modern administrative borders. Thus, the local Kannon-do was designated as Station No. 13.  

     Modern Integration into the Community Center: Following post-war land developments (such as the reclamation of local irrigation ponds) and urbanization, maintaining standalone village halls became difficult. Throughout the Harima region, small halls or statues were commonly relocated to or housed within newly built community centers (kominkan).

Conclusion

     Given that Notsuji was historically a branch village without a formal temple, the local Kannon-do existed solely as a small communal worship site. With the modern restructuring of land and community spaces, the Notsuji Community Center (Notsuji Kominkan) stands as the most logically sound successor to the historic 13th station.

Notsuji Community Center

Address: Hiraokacho Shinzaike, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0101

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #12 Kannon-do Hall

 

     Based on historical and geographical evidence, Kitano Village likely emerged in the late Sengoku period (late 16th century) as a secondary settlement formed by clearing the wilderness directly north of Noguchi Village—an origin reflected in its inclusion in the Keicho Kuniezu (1605 provincial map) and its name, meaning "northern field." Because Kitano was an offshoot village, it never established an independent Buddhist temple of its own; instead, its villagers relied on the major established temples in adjacent Noguchi for funerary services and ancestral rites.

     However, as was common in early modern rural communities, the village maintained an unstaffed local hall—the Kannon-do hall—for collective worship. During the mid-to-late Edo period, further agricultural expansion led to the creation of the satellite settlement Kitano Shinden (Kitano New Lands). In the Taisho era, when the Kakogun Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was established, this local shrine was selected as the 12th station.

     As 20th-century modernization reorganized local infrastructure, the original structure of the Kannon-do hall was likely dismantled or repurposed. Its former site was most probably converted into a community hub—such as the present-day Kitano Shinden Civic Center or the Kitano Kita Community Center—or redeveloped into the Kitano Cemetery Park, with any remaining sacred statues either consolidated into local civic grounds or transferred to nearby temples.

Kitano Shinden Community Center

Address: Kitano-1056-2 Noguchicho, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0011

Kitanokita Community Center

Address: Kitano-733-3 Noguchicho, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0011

Goshadai Shrine

Address: Kitano-1289-10 Noguchicho, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0011

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #11 Chofuku-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Chofuku-ji Temple was founded in Mizuashi Village, Kako County, Harima Province. The village appears in the Keicho Kuni-ezu (the provincial map compiled in 1611). It is also unknown when the temple was abolished, and its exact location can no longer be traced today.

     The Mizuashi area currently has two cemeteries and a Yakushi-do hall, suggesting that Chofuku-ji may have stood near one of these sites. A particularly strong candidate is the area around the present-day Mizuashi Community Center. With Wakamiya Shrine nearby and a former public pool in Mizuashi Park, this neighborhood appears to have served as the center of both daily secular life and religious devotion for the local community.

     Additionally, an elevated expressway, the Higashi-Harima Road, now runs directly adjacent to this area. It is entirely possible that the former grounds of Chofuku-ji Temple lie buried beneath its massive piers and overpass, hidden forever by modern infrastructure.

Hirooka Cemetery

Address: Mizuashi-550-5 Noguchicho, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0019

Dosaka Cemetery

Address: Mizuashi-694 Noguchicho, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0019

Yakushi-do Hall

Address: Noguchicho, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0019

Mizuashi Community Center

Address: Mizuashi-660 Noguchicho, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0019

Wakamiya Shrine

Address: Mizuashi-248 Noguchicho, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0019

Mizuhashi Park

Address: Mizuashi-1693-3 Noguchicho, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0019

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #10 Zensho-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown exactly when Zensho-ji Temple was founded in Ishimori Village, Kako County, Harima Province.

     The village name Ishimori first appeared in the Shoho Go-cho (Shoho Village Notebooks)—a comprehensive national survey of villages. In 1644, the Tokugawa Shogunate ordered all feudal domains to compile statistical records of their territories. Because this initiative began in the first year of the Shoho era, these records are known as the Shoho Go-cho.

     The haiku poet Zenko Seira (1714–1766) once visited Zensho-ji Temple, shaved his head, and composed the following haiku:

From this day forth—

I wear the hood,

To know the blessing of the cloth.

Considering that the village is missing from the Keicho Kuni-ezu (the provincial map compiled in 1611), the village itself was likely developed sometime after 1611. Consequently, Zensho-ji Temple was most likely founded around the time the village was established.

Address: 147 Kannocho Ishimori, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0005

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #9 Kannon-do Hall

 

     It is unknown exactly when the Kannon-do hall was founded in Nodani Village (Kako County, Harima Province). However, the history of Nodani is closely tied to the development of Nodani Shinmura (Nodani New Village), which was established around 1692 by the headmen of Nodera and Kusadani Villages. Nodani might have been the contraction of Nodera and Kusadani. While it remains unclear whether the new village was ever officially divided into separate administrative units, the area was locally split into upper (Kami) and lower (Shimo) sections. The Kannon-do hall is located in the upper section (Kaminodani). Kaminodani Cemetery (Bochi) is located nearby, suggesting that this site served as a center for ancestral memorial services for the local community.

Address: 468-4 Nodani, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1103

Bochi (Kaminodani Cemetery)

Address: Nodani, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1103

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #8 Kannon-do Hall

 

     It is unknown when the Kannon-do Hall was built in the Sanshiken’ya Hamlet, Kako-Shinmura Village, Kako County, Harima Province. The hamlet itself was likely developed in either the 17th or 18th century.

     When I conducted my virtual tour of the Kako County Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, I assumed this Kannon-do Hall was its 14th site. However, since it actually belongs to the Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, that cannot be the case. I will need to look for another candidate for the 14th site of the Bando pilgrimage.

Address: 3063 Kako, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1105

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #7 Kannon-do Hall

 

     It is unknown when Kannon-do Hall was founded in Naka-Shinden Hamlet, Kako-Shinmura Village, Kako County, Harima Province.

     Similarly, the exact period of the Naka-Shinden area’s initial development remains uncertain.

     Given that the neighboring Kita-Shinden area was first developed in 1660, Naka-Shinden is thought to have been developed sometime after that.

     Today, the hall stands within the grounds of the Naka-Shinden Community Center.

Nakashinden Community Center

Address: 2623 Kako, Inami, Kako District, Hyogo 675-1105

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #6 Jokan-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown exactly when Jokan-ji Temple was founded by the monk Jokan on a hill near Shimoishino Tumulus No. 5 (Atagoyama Tumulus) in present-day Miki City. To understand its origin, one must first look at the Kunikane Fortified Residence.

     The residence is thought to have been built sometime between 1532 and 1570 by a branch of the Kako family. It was likely destroyed when Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536–1598) invaded Harima Province, after which Jokan-ji Temple was revived on the site in 1703.

     Presumably, "Jokan" was the Buddhist name of a Kako family member, and the original Jokan-ji Temple doubled as a satellite outpost for the residence.

Address: Sosa-848 Yahatacho, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-1201

Phone: 079-438-0139

Shimoishino Tumulus No. 5 (Atagoyama Tumulus)

Address: 830 Besshocho Shimoishino, Miki, Hyogo 673-0453

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kako County Chichibu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #5 Manpuku-ji Temple

 

     Manpuku-ji Temple was originally established in 1476.

     Akamatsu Masanori (1455–1496) had miraculously revived the Akamatsu Clan, seizing the chaos of the Onin War (1467–1477) to reclaim Harima Province in 1467. However, as the saying goes, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Internal strife soon fractured the clan in 1478, prompting Yamana Masatoyo (1441–1499) to invade Harima Province from the San’in region. It was not until July 1488 that Masatoyo finally withdrew his forces.

     Thus, Manpuku-ji was founded during a delicate, fleeting moment of peace—a brief quiet before the next storm.

     The temple was later burned to the ground in 1579 when Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) invaded Harima Province. The main temple complex was fully restored in 1732—once again, in a delicate time—under the patronage of Sakakibara Masasuke (1705–1732), Lord of the Himeji Domain. As Masasuke died young without a direct heir, his adopted successor, Masamine (1715-1743), hurriedly took over the family line to prevent the dissolution of the domain. It remains unknown whether Masasuke lived long enough to witness the final completion of the temple.

     Stone monuments offering insight into the area's history stand within the temple grounds and cemetery. In the cemetery lies a section dedicated to muen-botoke (souls of the deceased with no surviving relatives to tend their graves), at the center of which stands a particularly prominent memorial stone. Dedicated to a man known by the posthumous Buddhist name Issan Tokku Koji, the history behind the monument is inscribed on its back. The following account is cited from the local publication Furusato Yahata (Hometown Yahata):

     "During the Enpo era (1673–1680), a severe famine caused by a poor harvest plunged local residents into deep destitution. Tomizuka Kyuemon, the local county administrator (gundai), learned that the farmers lacked not only the rice required for tax payments but even the means for daily survival. Moved to compassion, he petitioned the domain lord—at a time when leadership of the Himeji Domain was changing frequently—to suspend rice tax collections for two years. This act of mercy deeply touched everyone from village leaders down to ordinary farmers. Tomizuka passed away in 1681. To express their lasting gratitude, local villagers erected this monument and held a grand memorial service in August, 1703, marking the 23rd anniversary of his death."

     Near the south wall of the main hall stands another memorial stone inscribed with the name Kinrin Koro Koji, officially known as the Water Transport Development Monument. Erected in 1865, it bears an inscription on the side of the marker that has rendered mostly illegible over time. It honors the development of local water transport in Shimomura, a feat detailed in Furusato Yahata:

     "During the Bunsei era (1818–1830), when Okamoto Jinnosuke served as village leader, agricultural produce such as rice and wheat was transported primarily using oxen and horses. To ease this arduous labor, Okamoto constructed a port on the west side of Shimomura and excavated a canal connecting it to a nearby stream. Harvested grain could then be loaded at this port, navigated through the winding stream into the Okawa River (Kakogawa River), and shipped directly to Takasago. From there, it was transported by sea to Shikama Port, unloaded, and delivered as tax to the Himeji Domain. In recognition of his key role in developing this water transport route, Sakai Tadamichi (1777-1837), the Lord of Himeji Domain, granted Okamoto the privilege of wearing swords."

     Located a short distance from Manpuku-ji Temple, in front of the Jizo Hall at the center of Shimomura, stands the Lotus Sutra Monument, a "One Character, One Stone" memorial featuring an individual character of the Lotus Sutra inscribed on each stone. The calligraphy for the monument was reportedly executed by the head priest of Manpuku-ji Temple at the time. During the Tempo era (1830–1843), when a nationwide famine and epidemic brought severe hardship to Shimomura, the epidemic finally subsided after this monument was erected and prayers were offered. It is said that whenever the village faced crises, such as subsequent outbreaks, villagers gathered here to offer prayers led by the head priest. Composed of approximately one thousand stones—each bearing a single sutra character—the monument was dedicated to the repose of all souls across the Three Realms of existence (Sangai).

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