Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kasai Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #14 Hosen-ji Temple

 

     Hosen-ji Temple was founded in 1711 by Mangan Kyogaku, the 17th head priest of Keifuku-ji Temple in Himeji. The temple was later restored and its main hall renovated during the Bunka era (1804–1818) by the priest Tetsuzan Kaizui.

     The main hall features a traditional irimoya-style (hip-and-gable) roof, originally thatched and now protected by sheet metal. Among the notable stone monuments on the temple grounds—both believed to date from the Edo period—are one of the city's largest gorinto (five-tiered stone pagodas) and a uniquely shaped hokyoin-to (treasure-seal pagoda).

     The temple's mountain and temple name, Choyu-zan Hosen-ji, derives from a well named "Shio-no-i" (Tide Well) located to the south. Affectionately known as "Butsubutsu-san" for the continuous bubbling of water from its depths inside a small hall, the well carries a legendary origin: it is said that since ancient times, the deity Sukunabikona has been sending seawater directly to this spot from the Kumano-nada Sea.

     So writes the leaflet of Kasai City, but in reality, the site is now just a vacant lot. Curiously, the temple is still listed as an active member on the official Sotozen Navi website (https://sotozen-navi.com/detail/index_280390.html). Standing in front of the concrete block walls, I was left completely speechless.

     Hosen-ji Temple’s Buddhist tanka poem is (was?):

Undefiled through the ages, from the mountain deep,

The sacred waters flow, a timeless gift to keep.

Known through the realm as the Buddha's holy well,

Where pure, crystal streams of eternal blessings dwell.

Address: 500 Tokonabecho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2332

Keifuku-ji Temple

Address: Keifukujimae 7-1, Himeji, Hyogo 670-0027

Phone: 079-292-4807

Josen-ji Temple

Address: 358 Nakanishicho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2243

Phone: 0790-48-2267

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kasai Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #13 Saifuku-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Saifuku-ji Temple was founded in Higashi-Takamuro Village, Kasai County, Harima Province.  The village was first documented in 1603.

     The temple graveyard has itabi dated 1305.  The tempe could be as old as the itabi.

     From the late 13th century through the early 14th century, local forces known as akuto (evil bands)—whose activities destabilized the established order of shoen (manor) governance—became increasingly active in Harima Province. In Yano-no-sho Manor in western Harima (present-day Aioi City), a local lord named Terada Honen—who claimed descent from the Hata clan—was locked in a fierce conflict with the manor's proprietor, To-ji Temple in Kyoto. Honen colluded with neighboring gokenin (shogunal retainers), such as the Ebina family, to carry out acts including attacks on To-ji’s local administrators and the forcible seizure of annual tax dues. He later came to be known as the greatest akuto in the province. In 1305, the Kagen Incident broke out in Kamakura, resulting in the assassination of Hojo Tokimura (1242-1305), who held the post of rensho, or co-signer to the regent; Ebina Hidetsuna was among those who struck down Tokimura.

     In 1305, the Kagen Incident broke out.  On April 22, the residence of Hojo Sadatoki (1272-1311) was set on fire.  He was the head of the mainline family of the Hojo Clan.  Next day, his 12 vassals killed Hojo Tokimura, a leader of other minor families of the clan.  11 out of the 12 were beheaded on May 2.  On May 4, Hojo Munakata (1278-1305), Sadatoki’s brother-in-law, was killed, framed for everything.

     Sadatoki’s doubts and fears might have caused, or at least worsened, the incident.  Losing his loyal vassals and blood brother as well to evade responsibility, Sadatoki got addicted to drinking.  The autocracy by the head of the mainline Hojo Clan began rapidly breaking down.  The Kamakura Shogunate was destroyed in 1333.

     The itabi is a kind of Amida Stone Coffin Statue.

     Amida Stone Coffin Statues are unique Buddhist icons with Amitabha figures carved directly into the lids of stone coffins from the Kofun period. Most were crafted between the 12th and 16th centuries, with a particularly high concentration in Harima Province. The statues depict Amitabha in both standing and seated poses, often featuring the meditation mudra (Jo-in) held before the torso.

     It is unknown from which burial mound the itabi stone comes from, but it is almost certain the stone was from the Takamuro Stone Quarry.  The Takamuro stone is a type of hyaloclastite, and was prized for its paradoxically ideal qualities: it is soft enough for intricate carving yet strong, durable, and exceptionally fire-resistant. 

     While the choice of such high-quality stone is logical, the motive for using actual coffin lids remains a fascinating mystery:

     Convenience? Was it simply a matter of repurposing readily available, pre-cut high-quality stone?

     Ancestral Piety? Were medieval locals the descendants of those buried in the mounds, seeking to offer Buddhist prayers for the repose of their ancestors' souls?

     Dominance? Or were they the conquerors of the previous dynasty’s descendants, finding a sense of superiority in carving their new faith onto the monuments of the fallen?

     Saifuku-ji Temple’s Buddhist tanka poem is:

Oh, how divine Your blessed grace,

Guide us, Kannon, to Your light;

Without regard to rank or place,

You embrace all in Your sight.

Address: 222-1 Hojocho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2321

Phone: 0790-42-1203

To-ji Temple

Address: 1 Kujocho, Minami Ward, Kyoto, 601-8473

Phone: 075-691-3325

Takamuro Stone Quarry

Address: Hojocho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2321

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kasai Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #12 Soju-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Soju-ji Temple was founded on a hill in Tamano Village, Kasai County, Harima Province.  The village was first documented in 1371, aside from the legend that Emperors Oke and Woke buried their lover, Nehime, in the field when they were still spending their fugitive lives.

     According to Nihonshoki, the Chronicles of Japan, whose editing was finished in 720, Prince Woke and his older brother, Prince Oke, sought refuge in Shijimi Village after their father, Ichinohe Oshiha, was killed by his cousin, Emperor Ohatsuse Wakatake (418-479).  Woke later became the 23rd Emperor, and Oke the 24th.

     Nehime is believed to have been buried in the Tamaoka Burial Mound.

     The temple was relocated to its present place sometime between 1504 and 1521.

     Soju-ji Temple’s Buddhist tanka poem is:

To the Merciful One I pray and plead,

O Kannon, hear my heart's deep need.

Guide my soul with your loving grace,

Through this life to a sacred place.

Address: 433 Tamanocho, Kasai, Hyogo 679-0107

Phone: 0790-47-0007

Tamaoka Burial Mound

Address:  Tamaokacho, Kasai, Hyogo 679-0109

Phone: 0790-43-1803

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kasai Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #11 Kofuku-ji Temple

 

     Ozaki-san Kofuku-ji Temple is said to have been founded in Ozaki, Taka Manor, which used to cover some part of today's Kato, Nishiwaki, and Kasai Cities, in 1325 by Priest Jitsujo of Renjo-in Temple, a sub-temple of Horai-san Fuko-ji Temple.

     Emperor Go-Daigo (1288-1339) had plans to overthrow the Kamakura shogunate and they were discovered in 1324, and his close associate Hino Suketomo (1290-1332) was exiled to Sado Island in 1325.  In other words, the shogunate was wavering when Kofuku-ji Temple was founded.

     Priest Bun'ei (?-1703) moved the temple to its present location.

     Kofuku-ji Temple’s Buddhist tanka poem is:

How sacred is this place, how sublime,

Leaving holy footprints through the four paths of time;

A joyful vow that shines so bright,

To lead us gently into the Dharma's light.

Address: 1460 Befucho, Kasai, Hyogo 679-0103

Phone: 0790-47-0133

Fuko-ji Temple

Address: 1449 Kouchicho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2421

Phone: 0790-45-0056

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kasai Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #10 Okusan-ji Temple

 

     Okusan-ji Temple is said to have been founded in 651 by the ascetic hermit Hodo. Located near the borders of present-day Nishiwaki City to the north and Kato City to the east, the temple historically drew worshippers from across neighboring counties. Although destroyed by fire in 1601, it was rebuilt in 1607. Following extensive repairs to the Main Hall and other structures in 1687, the complex underwent further reconstructions and renovations to reach its present state.

     Among the temple's structures designated as Prefectural Important Tangible Cultural Properties, the oldest is the Main Hall, constructed in 1687 by the master carpenter Kanda Sakuzaemon. The skill of Kanda—a prominent local shrine and temple carpenter (miyadaiku)—is evident in unique architectural details, such as eaves pillars integrated directly into the structural framework, bat-shaped hana-hijiki (flowering bracket arms), and koryo (cambered tie-beams) featuring designs tailored to their precise location.

     The shikidai (formal step-up entrance), the Jizo-in Guest Hall, and the kuri (monk's living quarters)—which features a scenic rear pond—share distinct architectural elements with Mount Koya’s Kongosanmai-in Temple. Together with the Shisoku-mon (four-legged gate) of the Taishi-do Hall and the earthen storehouse, the complex reflects the prestige of a high-ranking Edo-period (1603–1867) sub-temple. While the surviving buildings date from the Edo period or later, the temple's spatial layout—stretching from the ro-mon (two-story gate) at the base of the mountain to the taho-to (two-story pagoda) on higher ground—skillfully adapts to the natural terrain, preserving the authentic atmosphere of a medieval mountain temple.

     Okusan-ji Temple’s Buddhist tanka poem is:

From deep within the mountain, waters flow,

And on the forest stream they softly glow.

Through leafy boughs the moonbeams gently glide,

To clear the dark and shine on every side.

Address: 15 Kunimasacho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2401

Phone: 0790-45-0049

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kasai Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #9 Myoko-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Myoko-ji Temple was founded in Nishi-Nono Village, but the temple is supposed to have been founded at the beginning of the 14th century, judging from the stone monuments in and around the temple.  The village was once owned by Prince Yoshihito (?-1415), and was listed in the Keicho Kuni-ezu, the map published in 1611.

     Myoko-ji Temple's Buddhist tanka poem is:

Upon the circular mountain peak, a vibrant light ascends,

A radiant beacon glowing bright as sacred day begins.

In this illumination pure, true mercy softly gleams,

A blessing from the Buddha’s heart that answers all our dreams.

Address: 277 Nishinonocho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2426

Phone: 0790-45-0158

Anju and Zushio

 

Iwaki Masauji, the Governor of 56 counties in Mutsu and Dewa Provinces, was exiled to Tsukushi Province due to false accusations. Masauji's wife and their two children, Anju and Zushio, were left behind in Dewa Province and fell on hard times. They decided to travel to Tsukushi Province to reunite with Masauji. When they arrived at Naoetsu in Echigo Province, however, they were captured by Yamaoka Tayu, a human trafficker. Masauji’s wife was sold to Sado Jiro on Sado Island, while his daughter and son were sold to Sansho Tayu, the head of Yuraminato in Tango Province and a salt manufacturer. Under Sansho Tayu, Anju and Zushio were ruthlessly exploited and abused. Zushio was forced to gather three loads of firewood a day, and Anju was forced to draw three loads of seawater a day. Zushio wept over his sickle as he cut wood, and Anju wept over her bucket as she drew the brine.

One day, Anju and Zushio attempted to escape secretly together, but they were caught. As punishment, Anju was branded on the forehead with a red-hot iron chopstick. However, thanks to their guardian deity, Ksitigarbha, the burn left no scar.

Later, the sister persuaded her brother to escape alone, promising they would meet again. Though Zushio hesitated to leave his older sister, he eventually fled. After he left, Anju threw herself into a nearby swamp and took her own life. Her body was respectfully buried by the villagers. This tragic event occurred on January 16, 1082, when Anju was 16 years old and Zushio was 13.

Meanwhile, Zushio escaped to Kokubun-ji Temple in Tango Province, where he was rescued by a priest and sent to Gongen-do Hall in Shichijo Suzaku, Kyoto. At last, he succeeded in directly petitioning the Imperial Court to report the details of his family's downfall. As a result, Masauji’s crimes were pardoned, and Zushio was restored to his father's territories. Furthermore, the slanderer's lands were confiscated and given to Zushio.

Riding the wave of the Iwaki family's restoration, Zushio requested and was granted lands in Tango, Echigo, and Sado Provinces. Using these territories as his bases, Zushio first returned to Tango Province, where he rewarded the Kokubun-ji priest who had once sheltered him, and executed Sansho Tayu and his son, Saburo. In Echigo, he put Yamaoka Tayu to death. Finally, Zushio traveled across Sado Island in search of his long-lost mother. One day, he heard an old woman singing, "I love Anju, hoyareho. I love Zushio, hoyareho." Realizing this was his mother, Zushio ran up to her and threw his arms around her.

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kasai Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #8 Hosen-ji Temple

 

     Shomyo-ji Temple used to be located in today's Okamachi, Himeji, Hyogo 670-0026.

Historical Background of Shomei-ji’s Relocation and Renaming to Hosen-ji

1. Urban Restructuring under Ikeda Terumasa (1600–1604)

     In 1600, following the Battle of Sekigahara, Ikeda Terumasa (1565–1613) entered Harima Province as its ruler with a domain evaluated at 520,000 koku. He immediately initiated a grand reconstruction of Himeji Castle alongside a comprehensive layout redesign of the surrounding castle town (jokamachi). As part of establishing inner and outer castle boundaries and fire-prevention districts, many existing temples near Oka-machi were ordered to relocate outside the designated castle perimeter.

2. Politically Driven "Constraint" (Enryo) and Dissociation from Former Local Clans

     If Shomei-ji had been tied solely to the Kuroda family (who departed Harima for Chikuzen-Fukuoka in 1600), the temple might have either moved to Fukuoka alongside them or retained the Kuroda clan's protection while remaining in Himeji. Its relocation deep into Izumi-cho, Kasai, accompanied by a complete change of its temple name to Hosen-ji in 1604, strongly suggests a connection to the local warlord dynasties that predated Kuroda rule—such as the Akamatsu, Bessho, or Kodera clans.

     Under Ikeda Terumasa’s governance, strict political surveillance was maintained over remnants of the older local gentry (goki) and institutions closely associated with former ruling houses. Retaining a temple name linked to pre-Tokugawa local rulers within or near Himeji carried significant political risk. Renaming the temple and retreating to the mountainous border of Kasai was a calculated act of survival—a necessary exercise of constraint (enryo) to avoid friction with the new regime.

3. Izumi Village as an Established Refuge: Evidence from the Kiyomizu-dera Documents

     The choice of Izumi-cho was not a random flight into isolation, but a move to a territory with a well-established social and religious foundation. A deed of land donation (kishonjo) dated March 18, Tenbun 20 (1551) in the Kiyomizu-dera Documents reveals that a local lord named Yamashiro Kanbe donated two tan of rice fields in "Nishi-kotani, Izumi Village" to Kiyomizu-dera (in present-day Yashiro-cho). The document references the myoden (hereditary landholding) name "Sumiyoshi Nishi-Sasakura," linking the area to the Sasakura clan, local gentry of Sasakura Village in Taka Manor.

     This historical record demonstrates two key factors that enabled the 1604 relocation:

Pre-existing Local Gentry Support: Izumi Village was within the sphere of influence of North Harima’s local samurai and gentry (goki / goshi), such as the Yamashiro and Sasakura clans. These local elites, rooted in the medieval landholding system, provided the necessary social and financial patronage to welcome and sustain the temple.

Deep Religious Connections: The area already maintained strong institutional and devotional ties with major regional temples like Kiyomizu-dera.

     Thus, the relocation to Izumi Village was driven not only by the push factor of Ikeda Terumasa’s urban eviction, but also by the pull factor of an established medieval network of local patrons and sacred infrastructure.

     Hosen-ji Temple’s Buddhist tanka poem is:

Deep is the Buddha’s grace divine,

Where clear and sacred waters shine;

Purify the mind to hold

The moonlight's glow of quiet gold.

Address: 75 Izumicho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2423

Phone: 0790-45-1091

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Address: 1194 Hiraki, Kato, Hyogo 673-1402

Phone: 0795-45-0025

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kasai Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #7 Fuko-ji Temple

 

     According to tradition, Fuko-ji Temple was founded in 651 by the ascetic Hodo.

The heavy concentration of Hodo Sennin (Ascetic Hodo) temple-founding legends in the eastern Seto Inland Sea region—specifically Harima, Settsu, and Tanba Provinces—is widely viewed by historians as a reflection of 7th-century geopolitical dynamics and the Yamato court’s immigration policy following the turmoil on the Korean Peninsula.

​Key Historical & Strategic Factors

     ​Geopolitical Dispersion & National Security Following the fall of Baekje (660) and Goguryeo (668), as well as the Battle of Baekgang (663), waves of refugees and immigrants arrived in Japan. To prevent large concentrations of newcomers in western maritime regions (such as northern Kyushu or western San'yo) where they might form autonomous enclaves or pose security risks, the Yamato court intentionally dispersed and resettled them further east into the home provinces (Kinai) and its western approaches.

​Strategic Placement of Skilled Immigrants 

     The refugees included educated monks, artisans, and experts in civil engineering, metallurgy, and medicine. Settled in Harima, Settsu, and Tanba—vital transit hubs rich in timber and mineral resources—these groups contributed directly to regional development, local governance, and early Buddhist patronage under court oversight.

​Mythologizing the Historical Reality 

     While legendary accounts depict Hodo Sennin as an ascetic flying from India on a purple cloud, the figure likely serves as a composite symbol for the immigrant lineages and itinerant monks who established early Buddhist sites. Many temples linked to Hodo claim founding dates during the Hakuchi era (650–654), a timeline that closely mirrors the peak inflow of continental refugees.

     Although the temple complex was lost to fire in 1306 and destroyed during the war in 1582, it was subsequently revived by Priest Kuyo.

     Following a tragic fire in 1938 that consumed the main hall and neighboring structures, the current main hall was reconstructed in 1970.

     Fuko-ji Temple is also #17 of the Harima Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  The temple’s Buddhist tanka poem is:

All holy laws gather within this sacred place,

Upon Mount Horai, filled with heavenly grace.

To stand at Fuko-ji where truth resides,

Brings joyful peace in which my soul abides.

Address: 1449 Kouchicho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2421

Phone: 0790-45-0056

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kasai Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #6 Amida-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Amida-an Hermitage was founded in Bessho Village, Kasai County, Harima Province, by the Hashio family. In 1952, it was officially renamed Amida-ji Temple.

     In 1160, Bessho Yorikiyo built the Kochi Fortress and established the Bessho family. It remains unclear whether the family took its name from the village or if the place was named after the family. The family is believed to be one of the legendary lineages that eventually produced the Bessho clan, who later ruled Miki Castle.

     After the Warring States period (1467–1573), Miki County developed around Miki Castle as its center. The castle was built by Bessho Noriharu (?—1513), who dramatically emerged in the samurai society of Harima Province. More than ten stories exist regarding the origin of the Bessho family.

     In ancient times, some Emishi people were captured, while others surrendered voluntarily because favorable conditions were offered to them. They were required to swear obedience and offer local special products—such as rare animal pelts and bird feathers—to the Japanese state. In return, they were exempted from taxes and provided with food and clothing. This arrangement must have seemed more like a contract or trade to them. These people were referred to as "subordinate Emishi" (or fushu). Some of these Emishi were relocated and assigned to various provinces throughout Japan. For example, in 725, 144 subordinate Emishi were relocated to Iyo Province, 578 to Tsukushi Province, and 15 to Izumi Province. In 738, 115 were assigned to Settsu Province. After 774, the number of relocated Emishi increased, as did the number of provinces to which they were assigned.

     The Wamyo Ruijusho (Japanese Names for Things Classified and Annotated), a Japanese dictionary compiled around 938, lists place names from south to north. It records "Emishi Village" in Mino County.

     Furthermore, according to an entry in the Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku dated April 11th, 866, five Emishi people from Kako and Mino Counties escaped to Omi Province.

     The Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku (The True Record of Three Reigns of Japan) is an official historical text commissioned during the reign of Emperor Uda (867–931). Compiled by Fujiwara Tokihira (871–909), Sugawara Michizane (845–903), Okura Yoshiyuki (832–921), and Mimune Masahira (853–926), it covers the years from August 27, 858, to August 26, 887, spanning three imperial reigns: Seiwa, Yozei, and Koko. The compilation was completed in 901.

     Taken together, these records indicate that a number of subordinate Emishi were relocated and assigned to Minagi, Mino, or Miki County.

     Kikuchi Takeharu (1890–1966) argued that the places where subordinate Emishi were relocated and assigned were called Bessho. If this hypothesis holds, Noriharu, who built Miki Castle, could have been a descendant either of these subordinate Emishi or of those who had ruled them in Minagi, Mino, or Miki County.

     Amida-ji Temple’s Buddhist tanka poem is:

Far along the Sacred Way we trace,

Unto the Stupa Mount we make our vow,

Through Amida’s solemn Oath of Grace,

The Sacred Jewel shines upon us now.

Address: 1 Besshocho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2462

Phone: 0790-44-0314

Kouchi Fort Ruin

Address: Satanicho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2461

Miki Castle Ruins

Address: 5 Uenomarucho, Miki, Hyogo 673-0432

Phone: 0794-82-2000

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kasai Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #5 Kyugaku-ji Temple

 

     Kyugaku-ji Temple was founded by Priest Shoko in 1446 in the mountains to the north of its current location.  It means that the temple was established when Chan Buddhism (specifically the Caodong school) was flourishing in the Northern part of Harima Province.

     In those days, the Keta Family ruled the Keta Village, so the family might have supported the foundation of the temple.

     It is unknown when the temple moved to its current location but, when Asano Naganao (1610-1672) stayed in the temple in 1645, it was already in its present place.

     As the Keta Family moved to Nozato Village (today's Nozato, Himeji, Hyogo 670-0811), being subject to Kuroda Mototaka (1524-1585), the temple’s relocation could have had something to do with the move of the family.

     In the Edo period (1603-1867), the Keta Family became the head of metal casters in Himeji.

     Kyugaku-ji Temple’s Buddhist tanka poem is:

To distant heights we make our way,

And reach Kyugaku's sacred gate,

Where Buddha's promises array,

Deep as the stream that bears its fate.

Address: 982 Kamiketacho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2465

Phone: 0790-44-1405

Keta Fortress Site

Address: Shimoketacho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2464

Trees in the Town

 

Virtual Kasai Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #4 Kongo-in Temple

 

     Mangan-ji Temple is said to have been founded by the hermit Hodo. Although it is uncertain when the original temple declined, its sub-temple, Kongo-in, eventually succeeded its lineage.

     In a corner of the temple grounds stand the "Ichigan-do Daruma" dolls. Known as "Ichigan Daruma" (Single-Wish Daruma), they embody the blessings of "Ichigan Shugyo Daishi" (the Great Master of Single-Wish Ascetic Practice), a deity believed to grant just one wish. During the Daruma Festival held annually on the third Sunday of February, worshippers receive a doll with only one eye painted in; once their wish comes true, they paint the other eye and return the doll to the temple. The festival was established in 1989, and the collection has now grown to approximately 800 dolls.

     Daruma comes from Bodhidharma, who was a semi-legendary Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th or 6th century.  He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China.  A Daruma doll is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma.

     Kongo-in Temple’s Buddhist tanka poem is:

Upon the diamond peak, the Great Compassionate Lord shines bright,

Illuminating mountain crests with soft, celestial light.

The heart that prays to Him shines on through morning skies,

Unfading like the dawn's dawn moon before the sun's sunrise.

The Legend of Hermit Hodo and the Geopolitics of the 7th Century

A Turning Point in East Asia (642–676)

     The year 642 marked a shift toward the restructuring of East Asia, culminating in Silla’s unification of the Korean Peninsula in 676. In 642, King Uija (599–660) of Baekje invaded Silla, capturing over 40 fortresses and killing the daughter and son-in-law of Kim Chun-chu (603–661), the future King of Silla.

     Domestically, King Uija established an autocratic regime, purging political opponents to solidify his grip. This concentration of power was mirrored across the region: Yeon Gaesomun (d. 666) seized power in a coup in Goguryeo, while in Japan, Soga Emishi (586–645) and his son Iruka (d. 645) tightened their control following the death of Emperor Jomei (593–641) and the ascension of Empress Kogyoku (594–661).

The Exile’s Persona: From "Field" to "Valley"

     Just as Sakanoue no Tamuramaro (758–811) was invoked as a symbolic founder of temples in the Tohoku region, "Hermit Hodo" served a specific purpose in Eastern Harima.

     During the mid-7th century, high-ranking Baekje nobles fleeing King Uija’s purges likely sought refuge in the Japanese archipelago. Some of these exiles settled in Eastern Harima, moving from the open flat fields into the deeper valleys to reclaim the land. For these immigrant communities, Hodo—a legendary hermit said to have traveled from India through Tang China and Baekje—provided the perfect founding "persona," linking their local religious sites to a prestigious continental lineage of Buddhism.

     For your information, Hodo, who is supposed to have originally borne the Sanskrit name Dharmapatha, might have been called Puap-dauh in China, Papp-do in Korea, and Papotau or Fafatau when he arrived in Japan.

Address: 411 Kamimanganjicho, Kasai, Hyogo 675-2451

Phone: 0790-44-1255

The Itami Family and Hosokawa Takakuni and Oriental Melons

 1. The Itami Family and the Collapse of Takakuni

The Itami family ruled the surrounding region from their stronghold, Itami Castle. Their name first appears in historical records in 1309, during the Kamakura period (1185–1333), when Itami Chikamori served the deputy military governor (shugodai) of Settsu Province. Later, during the Nanboku-cho period (1336–1392), Itami Saemon-no-jo was recorded in 1363. On June 4, 1531, Itami Kunisuke fell in battle when Hosokawa Takakuni (1484–1531)—the 31st Kanrei (Shogunal Deputy) of the Muromachi Shogunate and 15th head of the Kyocho-Hosokawa family—was defeated by the allied forces of Hosokawa Harumoto and Miyoshi Motonaga (1501–1532).

In 1521, at the height of his power, Takakuni deposed the 10th shogun, Ashikaga Yoshitane (1466–1523), replacing him with Yoshiharu (1511–1550, the 11th shogun), son of the 8th shogun, Ashikaga Yoshizumi (1480–11511). Yet, as the saying goes, light is always accompanied by shadow. In July 1526, Takakuni’s cousin, Hosokawa Tadakata (d. 1531), fabricated allegations that Takakuni’s key retainer, Kozai Motomori (d. 1526), was in secret communication with Hosokawa Harumoto (1514–1563). Tadakata’s exact motives remain unknown, though Motomori was said to be unrefined and uneducated. Flying into a rage, Takakuni had Motomori assassinated.

This act enraged Motomori’s brothers, Hatano Motokiyo (d. 1530) and Yanagimoto Kataharu (d. 1530), who promptly rebelled in their home province of Tanba. Motokiyo fortified Yakami Castle, while Kataharu held Kannosan Castle. Stunned by the uprising, Takakuni ordered Tadakata to lay siege to Kannosan Castle, while dispatching Kawarabayashi Shurinosuke and Ikeda Danjo to Yakami Castle on October 23. Skirmishes persisted for days. On November 5, Naito Kunisada (d. 1553), lord of Yagi Castle who sympathized with the brothers, withdrew his forces from the encirclement of Kannosan Castle. On November 30, Akai Goro, lord of Kuroi Castle, struck and broke the siege. As Takakuni’s troops retreated, infighting broke out between Shurinosuke and Danjo, while Tadakata simply fled. Within six months, the political fragility of Takakuni’s regime stood fully exposed.

2. The Miyoshi Intervention and the Seesaw War

The Miyoshi family was swift to exploit this vulnerability. As if acting in concert with Motokiyo and Kataharu, Miyoshi Masanaga (1508–1549) landed at Sakai as early as December 13, seizing Hori Fortress—a stronghold situated on an island in the Yodo River, near present-day Juso Park.

Following a series of dramatic political reversals and the ongoing decline of the Muromachi Shogunate, Takakuni went into exile, wandering through Iga, Ise, Echizen, Izumo, and Bizen provinces. He eventually secured the backing of Uragami Muramune (1498–1531), a powerful warlord based at Mitsuishi Castle in Bizen. Rebuilding his strength, Takakuni and Muramune occupied Harima Province on July 27, 1530, captured Itami Castle by late February 1531, and reclaimed Kyoto on March 7. They then advanced toward Sakai in Izumi Province, the seat of Ashikaga Yoshitsuna (1511–1573)—known as the "Sakai Shogun"—who exercised a degree of shogunal authority.

A fierce, seesaw struggle ensued. On June 2, Akamatsu Harumasa (1495–1565), stationed at Okishio Castle, arrived at Kannoji Temple and was welcomed that evening by Takakuni and Muramune. However, on June 4, Harumasa unexpectedly defected to the Sakai Shogunate. Caught in a pincer attack—with Harumasa striking from the north and the Sakai forces pressing from the south—Takakuni’s army collapsed.

3. The Tragedy of Itami Kunisuke and the Downfall at Daimotsu

Itami Kunisuke lost his life in the chaotic melee. Was his sacrifice born of loyalty to Takakuni? Hardly. He was simply swept away in a self-serving struggle for survival. The Hosokawa Ryoke-ki (Chronicle of the Two Hosokawa Houses), written by Ikushima Sochiku and covering events from 1504 to 1570, captures the horror of the scene: "The river was so choked with corpses that it resembled a burial mound. People said that such a disaster was unprecedented—unheard of in the past, present, or future." Driven by ambition, Kunisuke had submitted to Takakuni, earning the honorific character "Kuni" (国) for his name, only to realize too late that he had jumped onto a sinking ship.

With his primary retainers slain, Takakuni fled the battlefield in ruin toward Amagasaki. He sought refuge at Daimotsu Castle, only to find it already occupied by Akamatsu forces. Desperate, he hid in an indigo dyeing shop called Kyoya, turning a large ceramic indigo pot upside down and crouching underneath it. On June 5, Miyoshi Kazuhide (d. 1532) arrived in search of him.

Knowing children were playing nearby, Kazuhide brought out a basket of oriental melons (makuwauri) and promised: "If you tell me where Takakuni is hiding, all of these melons are yours." Tempted by the sweet fruit, the children revealed his hiding place.

At around 4:00 a.m. on June 8, at the age of 48, Takakuni committed ritual suicide at Kotoku-ji Temple in Amagasaki. In his farewell poem (jisei), sent to Kitabatake Harutomo (1503–1563), he wrote:

The painted seas and mountains shown,

The landscapes sculpted into stone—

Even beyond the mortal space,

Shall my open eyes guard this place?

Trees in the Town