Trees In the Town

 

Miki County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

 

     Miki County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized by Yasufuku Gen'emon in 1707.

     In the prehistoric days of Japan, the country was unified by organizing Kuni-no-miyatsuko in remote areas.  Akashi Kuni-no-Miyatsuko's sovering power covered not only today's Akashi City but also today's Miki City.  Harima Province was organized in the 7th century, unifying Akashi Kuni-no-miyatsuko and Harimanokamo Kuni-no-miyatsuko as well as Harima Kuni-no-miyatsuko.  Miki County was first organized as Minagi County where Akashi Kuni-no-miyatsuko used to rule.  The county was also called Mino.  There are several stories about the origins of the names of the county.  Accordingly, the Miki County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage is also called Mino County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage or just the County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

     Gen'emon was the 2nd head of the Yasufuku Family.  The family kept their journal from 1675 to 1830 for 7 generations, 155 years.  It is surprising that the Yasufuku Family suddenly emerged as a powerful family about half a century after the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

     After the Warring States Period (1467-1573), Miki County was developed with Miki Castle in its center.  The castle was built by Bessho Noriharu (?-1513), who burst upon the samurai society in Harima Province.  There are over 10 stories about the origin of the Bessho Family.

     In Ancient times, some Emishi people were captured by Japan and some others had surrendered themselves to Japan because it offered them a good deal.  They had to swear obedience and offer local special products to Japan.  In return, they were exempted from taxes and were given food and clothes.  That must have looked more like a contract or trade to them.  They were called the subordinate Emishi.  Some subordinate Emishi were transferred and assigned to a couple of provinces in Japan.  In 725, for example, 144 subordinate Emishi were transferred and assigned to Iyo Province, 578 to Tsukushi Province, and 15 to Izumi Province.  In 738, 115 subordinate Emishi were transferred and assigned to Settsu Province.  After 774, the number of transferred and assigned subordinate Emishi increased, and so the number of the provinces to which they were transferred and assigned.

     The Wamyo Ruijusho, namely Japanese Names for Things Classified and Annotated, which was a Japanese dictionary compiled in 938, lists Japanese place names from south to north.  It lists Emishi Village in Mino County.  

     According to the Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's entry dated April 11th, 866, 5 Emishi people from Kako and Mino Counties escaped to Omi Province.

     Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku, literally the True Record of Three Reigns of Japan, is a history text officially mandated by Emperor Uda (867-931) to compile. It was compiled by Fujiwara Tokihira (871-909), Sugawara Michizane (845-903), Okura Yoshiyuki (832-921), and Mimune Masahira (853-926), and covers the years from August 27th, 858, to August 26th, 887, corresponding to three imperial reigns: Seiwa (850-881), Yozei (869-949), and Koko (830-887). The compilation was completed in 901.

     All in all, some subordinate Emishi were transferred and assigned to Minagi, Mino, or Miki County.

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

      Miki Castle was never called Minagi or Mino Castle.  As we talk about the county, the castle, and the pilgrimage often together, let me call the county Miki County, and the pilgrimage Miki County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage to avoid confusion.  Anyway, the pilgrimage was organized by a burst-upon person around the castle town, which was built by a burst-upon person.

Miki Castle Ruins

Address: 5 Uenomarucho, Miki, Hyogo 673-0432

Phone: 0794-82-2000

Kimigamine Fortress Site

Address: Shukuhara, Miki, Hyogo 673-0423

Trees In the Town

 

Virtual Arima County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #33 Koge-ji Temple

 

     Koge-ji Temple is said to have been founded by Priest Illa (?-583) from Baekje when Emperor Futotamashiki (538-585) reigned from 572 to 585.  When Illa secluded himself on Mount Hatsuka, he carved the Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha statue from zelkova wood and enshrined it in the temple.

    When Emperor Futotamashiki (538-585) reigned from 572 to 585, Priest Illa (?-583) is believed to have founded Koge-ji Temple.

     Illa was from Baekje.  When he arrived at Kojima, Kibi Province, he was “consulted” by Mononobe Nieko, Otomo Nukateko, and Abe Me.  When he arrived at Namba in December, 583, he is said to have been assasinated by Baekje officials who had accompanied Illa, Dei and Yunu.

     After Illa's assasination, his wife and children were confined in Kudara Village, Ishikawa County, Kawachi Province; their rowers and others were confined in Otomo Village, Ishikawa County, Kawachi Province; and his assassinators Dei and Yunu were confined in Ata Village, Kudara County, Settsu Province, at Nukateko's suggestion that troubles could break out if they lived together.  Baekje was called Kudara in Japanese.

     Isn't it surprising and mysterious that Dei and Yunu weren't executed?  Did they really kill Illa?  If not, who assassinated Illa after his consultation or inspection?

     Anyway, if what was recorded in the Nihon Shoki, or the Chronicles of Japan, whose compilation was finished in 720, was true, Illa had no spare time to found a temple.

     According to the Prince Shotoku's Biography, which is supposed to have been compiled in 917 by Fujiwara Kanesuke (877-933), and Kon’jaku Monogatarishu, or the Anthology of Tales Old and New, which might have been written down at some point during the early half of the 12th century, after the year 1120, Illa was a Buddhist priest from Baekje, and Prince Shotoku learned from him.  Illa also spread Chinese characters to other provinces in Japan.

     Mystery leads to more mysteries.

     Koge-ji Temple is also the Settsu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #11.

Address: 1029 Kashita, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1507

Phone: 079-564-5143

Trees In the Town

 

Virtual Arima County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #32 Seiryu-ji Temple

 

     According to the Wakan Sansai Zue, or the Illustrated Sino-Japanese Encyclopedia, which was published in 1712, Seiryu-ji Temple was founded by Gyoki (668-749) as one of the 49 temples founded by him in the Kinai Region.  Some people argue that all the 49 temples were located in Yamato, Yamashiro, Settsu, Kawachi, and Izumi Provinces, excluding Seiryu-ji Temple, but some others in other provinces claim their temples were members of the 49 temples.

     Seiryu-ji Temple was located in Fukushima Village, which was first documented on October 22nd, 1377, when the village was transferred from the Katayama Family to Jisho-in Temple, which used to be a sub-temple of Nanzen-ji Temple.

     Seiryu-ji Temple's main deity is the wooden seated statue of Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six, which was brought from Toko-zan Josho-ji Temple, which has been abolished.

     The statue has 1 face and 6 arms and is 21 centimeters tall.  It is meticulously crafted down to the smallest details.  The face is plump, and the right hand is lightly resting against the cheek in a pensive pose.  The jewel held in the hand on the chest and the prayer beads in the other hand hanging down are both missing.  The hand pointed above the left hand holds Dharmacakra, and the lotus flower held in the hand with the arm bent is missing.

     The statue is seated in the Rinnoza Style, with the right knee raised and the left one folded in front of the body.  The statue's soles of the feet are placed together unusually.  Arabesque patterns are raised on the silk ground, and traces of gold paint remaining in the recesses of the carvings suggest the original splendor.  The halo is said to have been added later.

     It is unknown why Josho-ji Temple was abolished, but as the area has Toko-zan Bodai-ji Temple, Josho-ji Temple could have been Bodai-ji Temple's sub-temple.

     As the statue is the #33 deity of the Arima County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, some say Josho-ji Temple was the #33 member temple of the pilgrimage.

Address: 767-1 Fukushima, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1313

Phone: 079-567-0432

Toko-zan Bodai-ji Temple

Address: 352 Ninji, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1505

Phone: 079-566-0125

Nanzen-ji Temple

Address: 86 Nanzenji Fukuchicho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-8435

Phone: 075-771-0365

Trees In the Town

 

Virtual Arima County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #31 Keian-ji Temple

 

     Keian-ji Temple was founded in 1649 to pray for the comfort of Kishi Yoshiuji, who was subject to Akamatsu Norimura (1277-1350), in the other world.  As the year 1649 was the 2nd year of the Keian Era (1648-1652), the temple name might have been after the era name.  It isn't clear why the temple was founded about 3 centuries after Yoshiuji's death.  Kuki Hisataka (1617-1649) became the 1st lord of the Mita Domain in 1633.  The descendants of Yoshiuji might have been on bad terms with the former lords of the domain, the Arima Family.

     The 1st head of the Arima Family, Yoshisuke (?-1421), was the 6th son of Akamatsu Norisuke (1314-1372), Norimura's 3rd son.  Presumably, the Kishi family was a local samurai based in Kishi Fortress, and Yoshiuji became subject to Yoshisuke and was given the Yoshi phrase for the first half of his new first name.  A couple of centuries is long enough to fall out.

     As there is the Kishi Ancient Burial Mounds No. 1 between Kishi Fortress Site and Keian-ji Temple, the Kishi Family could have been a local powerful family since prehistoric times.

     It is unknown when Goryo Shrine was founded in Kishi Village, but it was revived in 1470 presumably by Yoshiuji, so the shrine must be quite old.  Goryo Shrine was usually founded to soothe the spirit or soul of a certain person who had died an unnatural death.  Someone could have died a violent death along the bloodline of the Kishi Family, or the medieval Kishi Family could have replaced a certain ancient family violently.

     The Religion Registration Book of Mandaraji Village (part of today's Amagasaki City) in 1698 records that 2 daughters of Shichibei in Kishi Village were adopted by a villager of Mandaraji Village as lifelong servants.  As apprenticeship was common in those days, Shichibei or Kishi Village might have had some special reasons to launch young women into lifelong service.

Address: 1192 Kishi, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1541

Phone: 079-563-4748

Remains of Kishi Castle

Address: Kishi, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1541

Kishi Ancient Burial Mounds No. 1

Address: Sanda, Hyogo 669-1541

Trees In the Town

 

Virtual Arima County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #30 Seigen-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Seigen-ji Temple was founded in Ohara Village, Arima County, Settsu Province.  Ohara Village was first documented in June, 1339.  On October, 19th, 1338, Kishi Yoshiuji, who was subject to Akamatsu Norimura (1277-1350), burned down over 40 houses in Ohara Village on his way to attack Karasaki Fortress, which was located where Amagasaki Gakuen is.  As Yoshiuji belonged to the Northern Court, the village either belonged to the Southern Court or was just involved in battles unluckily.

     Seigen-ji Temple enshrines the sitting wooden Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha statue, which is said to have been the personal guardian Buddhist image of Ohara Munetaka, who ruled Ohara Village based in Ohara Fortress.

     Munetaka's daughter was married to the Kishi Family, but was divorced.  She went back to Ohara Village, but her father, Munetaka, was killed in battle soon after.  She tried to copy the 600 volumes of the Hear Sutra for her late father, but was exhausted and died.  The villagers were pained by her death, and founded Himeyama Shrine at the site of Ohara Fortress.

https://www.city.sanda.lg.jp/soshiki/15/gyomu/rekishi_bunkazai/minwa/1899.html

     It is unknown if Yoshiuji and Munetaka (and thus Munetaka's daughter) were contemporary with each other.  If so, Munetaka could have been killed by his son-in-law.

Address: 896 Ohara, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1515

Phone: 079-564-5860

Himeyama Shrine

Address: Sanda, Hyogo 669-1515

Ohara Fortress Site

Address: Ohara, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1515

Amagasaki Gakuen

Address: 3083 Dojocho, Kita Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 651-1502

Phone: 078-985-2133

Trees In the Town

 

Virtual Arima County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #29 Komyo-ji Temple

 

     Kinshin-ji Temple is said to have been founded by Priest Joe (643-666), who studied in Tang China from 653 to 665, in 668.  As the dates are inconsistent, the temple might have been founded for Joe.  Anyway, Sai-bo Hermitage was built in the temple.  It is unknown when the hermitage became Komyo-ji Temple.  The temple was revived by Priest Yugi in Kajiya-machi Township in the Sanda Castle Town in 1638.  Kajiya means blacksmith.  The hermitage could have been changed into a Buddhist temple in 1638 and was moved to its present place for the blacksmiths in the castle town.

     The temple buildings were reconstructed in 1766.  It is recorded that Sanda-Tenman and Snada-Fukushima-Ebisu Shrines were burned down in 1734.  If they were burned down in the same big fire, Komyo-ji Temple could have been caught in the fire.

Address: 16-6 Sandacho, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1533

Phone: 079-562-4035

Kinshin-ji Temple

Address: 3 Chome-28-45 Tenjin, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1531

Phone: 079-563-3084

Sanda-Tenman Shrine

Address: 3 Chome-34-5 Tenjin, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1531

Phone: 079-562-2647

Sanda-Fukushima-Ebisu Shrine

Address: 137 Fukushima, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1313

Trees In the Town

 

Virtual Arima County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #28 Kosho-ji Temple

 

     It is unknown when Kosho-ji Temple was founded in Takasugi Village, Arima County, Settsu Province.  As the temple is located near Takasugi-Hachiman Shrine, they had something to do with each other.

     From ancient times, Takasugi Village had the Dasai Shrine, which enshrined Toshigami.  Toshigami was the god of abundant harvests, and specifically of grain or rice.  Toshigami is recorded in the Kojiki, or Records of Ancient Matters, which is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts dating as far back as 641, but Toshigami isn't recorded in the Nihon Shoki, or the Chronicles of Japan, whose compilation was finished in 720.  It is unknown why Toshigami was excluded from the Shintoism hierarchy.  In 1562, the villagers invited Hachiman Shrine, which engulfed Dasai Shrine.

     Takasugi Village first appeared on Keicho Kuni-ezu, or the Keicho Maps of the Provinces, as Tasugi Village.  Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616), the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, conducted a land survey of the distribution and rice yields of the feudal lords' territories and the lands of temples and shrines across Japan in September, 1605.  He appointed Nishio Yoshitsugu (1530-1606) as magistrate in charge of Eastern Provinces and Tsuda Hidemasa (1546-1653) as magistrate in charge of Western Provinces.  The maps are said to have been made based on this survey.

     The village name Takasugi first appeared in the Shoho Go-cho, namely Shoho Village Notebooks, which is the statistics books of villages across the country.  The Tokugawa Shogunate ordered all the domains to make the statics of the villages in their domains in 1644.  As the year was the 1st year of the Shoho Era, the books were called Shoho Go-cho.

     On December 2nd, 1644, which is the first year of the Shoho Era, the 3rd Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604-1651), ordered Inspector Generals, who were superintendents of feudal lords, Inoue Masashige (1585-1661) and Miyagi Masayoshi to have the lords of all the domains to prepare and submit village registers.  Starting on the 16th, Masashige and Masayoshi summoned the daimyo's officers in Edo and ordered them to submit the registers by the end of the following year.  They also issued similar instructions to the shogunate's magistrates in provinces.  In addition to the village registers, they also ordered to submit maps of provinces, castle maps, and road registers which listed land routes, sea routes, and abolished castles.  The lords with castles along the Tokaido Highway were also required to submit wooden models of their castles.  Many provinces took several years to submit their records, with some even delaying their submission beyond the Shoho era (1644-1648).

     Village registers recorded the land area of ​​each village, but the shogunate instructed that the total land area of ​​each domain be adjusted to match their official land area.  Omote-daka are the rice outputs recorded when a lord was granted their territory, and were different from the actual outputs.  Rather than understanding the domains' actual productivity, the shogunate was reluctant to change the lords' ranking and status, which was measured by Omote-daka.  This kind of formalism constantly damaged the shogunate’s economic policies.

     In principle, the unit of statistics was the province, but Ezo, Ryukyu, and Shodoshima each became a unit, and Mutsu Province was divided into seven units.  In provinces with domains, a powerful domain would be appointed as the coordinator, or a couple of domains would share the responsibilities and work together.

     Masashige also played an important role in the persecution and eradication of early Christians in Japan. 

Address: 2 Chome-11-16 Takasugi, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1512

Phone: 079-563-3675