Trees In the Town

Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #14 Daiko-in Temple

 

     Tradition says that Daiko-in Temple was founded by Priest Shinzei (800-860), who was one of Kukai's top 10 apprentices, either in 844 or 859 along Inu River in Okitama County, Dewa Province, which was pronounced Ideha in those days.

     Shinzei devoted himself to Confucianism and writing in his childhood.

     In 814, at the age of 15, he left home and became a disciple of Kukai (774-835).

     In 824, at the age of 25, he became an Acharya.  Shinzei received the Dharma at an unusually young age because he was recognized for his talent by Kukai.  Shinzei's success surprised people at the time.

     From 824 to 835, he secluded himself at Jingo-ji Temple in Mount Takao and practiced asceticism for 12 years.

     From November, 826, to May of the following year and from November, 830, to March ,832, Kukai taught Shinzei various secrets of esoteric Buddhism.  Later, Shinzei recorded Kukai's teachings in the Takao Kuketsu, the Secrets Taught by Word of Mouth in Takao.

     Around 835, Emperor Saga (786-842) recognized Shinzei's ascetic practices for 12 years and selected him as one of the 10 Chamberlain Buddhist Priests.

     By around 835, he had compiled the Henjo Hokki Shoryo Shu, namely the Collection of Enlightening and Effecting Spirits, which is the collection of Kukai's Chinese poems, including those Kukai exchanged with others while he was in Tang China.

     In 836, Shinzei tried to enter Tang China to study as a Buddhist monk on an envoy ship.  However, their ship was wrecked by a storm, and they moved onto a raft and drifted for 23 days.  All the other passengers starved to death, and only Shinzei and another monk, Shinzen (?-891), miraculously survived and were rescued by the people of an island, whose exact location is unknown.  After returning to Japan, he devoted himself to the management of Jingo-ji Temple.

     In December, 840, he was appointed the head priest of Jingo-ji Temple in place of Priest Jichie (786-847).

     In November, 843, he was appointed Gon-risshi. That means he became a member of the Japanese Buddhist clergy.  He also became the second highest priest of To-ji Temple.

     After Buddhism became the established state religion in the 8th century, the Imperial Court gave titles to high ranking Buddhist priests:

The first rank, sojo, consists of three levels:

Dai-sojo

Sojo

Gon-sojo

The second rank, sozu, has four levels:

Dai-sozu

Gon-dai-sozu

Sho-sozu

Gon-sho-sozu

The third rank, risshi, contains three levels:

Dai-risshi

Chu-risshi

Gon-risshi

     In April, 847, he was appointed Risshi. In November, he succeeded Priest Jichie as the chief priest of To-ji Temple.

     In July, 851, he was appointed as Sho-sozu.  He was trusted by Emperor Montoku (827-858) and was rapidly promoted.  His rapid promotion might have inspired jealousy in other priests.

     In April, 853, the Shingon Sect was permitted to ordain 3 more priests, bringing the total number to six.  The additional 3 priests were allocated to Jingo-ji Temple.  Under the religion policy of the Imperial Court, the number of ordinations were limited and the increase was unprecedented.

     In October, 853, he was appointed Gon-dai-sozu.

     In October, 856, he was appointed to Sojo, but declined the appointment, saying that he would exceed the title of his master, Kukai.  Since then, he was appointed and declined 3 times.

     In October, 857, Emperor Montoku was moved by Shinzei's compassion for his master and conferred the posthumous rank of Dai-sojo to Kukai, appointing Shinzei Sojo.

     On August 23rd, 858, Emperor Montoku suddenly fell ill.  Shinzei's prayer for the emperor's recovery was in vain, and he passed away on the 27th at the age of 32.  Due to the sudden death of the Emperor, Shinzei faced intense criticism and retired.

     He passed away on February 25th, 860, at the age of 61.

     Where did he die?  According to tradition, he died in Daiko-in Temple.  He could have been practically exiled.  According to Priest Shinga (801-879), who was a brother of Kukai, and who was one of Kukai's top 10 apprentices, Shinzei had no apprentice.  That is just unbelievable.  As we can find a scattering of information about his apprentices, even Shinzei's master-pupil relationship could have been faked.

     The Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku's entry dated February 25th, 860, mentioned Shinzen as Shinzei's apprentice.  The Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku, literally the True Record of Three Reigns of Japan, is a history text which covers the years 858-887, and whose compilation was completed in 901.

     According to the Shoku Nihon Koki, whose compilation was finished in 869, and which covered the years 833–850, and Shinpen Sanzu Honcho Sonpi Bunmyaku Keifu Zatsurui Yoshu, or shortly Sonpi Bunmyaku, which was compiled by Tokin Kinsada (1340-1399) from 1377 to 1395, Hakuun was Shinzei's apprentice.

     Hoko was mentioned as Shinzei's apprentice in a document kept by To-ji Temple.

     Eun (798-869) was mentioned as Shinzei's apprentice in the Gunsho Ruiju, or Books Grouped according to Genre, which is a collection of old Japanese books on Japanese literature and history, and which was compiled by Hanawa Hokiichi (1746-1821), who was a blind scholar of Japanese philology and philosophy.

Address: 2948 Kamikomatsu, Kawanishi, Higashiokitama District, Yamagata 999-0121

Phone: 0238-42-2666

Jingo-ji Temple

Address: 5 Umegahata Takaocho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8292

Phone: 075-861-1769

To-ji Temple

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

Phone: 075-691-3325

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Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #13 Enko-ji Temple

 

     According to tradition, Enko-ji Temple was founded sometime between 729 and 749.  Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha was enshrined in 807, when many shrines and temples were founded mysteriously.

     In 709, Ideha County, which was pronounced Dewa later by the end of the 12th century, was established at the northern end of Koshi Province.  Ideha Fortress was supposedly built around that time at the estuary of Mogami River.  Ideha County was separated from Koshi Province and was promoted to province in 712.  In 733, Ideha Provincial Government Office, which was located in Ideha Fortress, was moved north to the estuary of Omono River.  That is, the Imperial Court's frontline advanced north about 100 kilometers.  Enko-ji Temple was founded when the Imperial Court's ambition grew bigger and bigger.

     The areas around the estuary of Omono River became unstable for some reason or other, and at last in 780, Abe Yakamaro, a general in Akita Fortress, reported to Emperor Konin (709-781) that the fortress should be abandoned.  That meant to retreat about 100 kilometers south again.

     Date Yukitomo (1291-1348), the 7th head of the Date Family, revived the temple in 1344.

     After the collapse of the Kamakura Shogunate in 1333, Yukitomo joined the Mutsu Provincial Government as one of the top executive, following Kitabatake Akiie (1318-1338), who was assigned as the Governor of the province under the Kenmu Restoration Government.

     When Akiie attacked Ashikaga Takauji (1305-1358) to the west in 1335, Yukitomo followed him and returned to Mutsu in 1336.  During their absence, the influence of the Northern Court increased and when the Taga Castle was threatened, the provincial government office was moved to Ryozen Fortress (Ryozenmachi Ishida, Date, Fukushima 960-0807) in his territory.

     In 1337, he followed Akiie's second attempt to advance west, which ended in a crushing defeat.  After Akiie's death, he sheltered at Isa Fortress in Isa County, Hitachi Province, with his relative, Nakamura Tsunenaga (?-1368), the lord of Nakamura Fortress, but when they were attacked by Ko Morofuyu (?-1351), Yukitomo and Tsunenaga broke through the enclosure and fled to their territories.

     Yukimoto might have revived the temple to pray for the war dead's comfort in the other world.

Address: 3888 Juo, Shirataka, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 992-0821

Phone: 0238-85-2294

Site of Tagajo Castle

Address: Ichikawa, Tagajō, Miyagi 985-0864

Phone: 022-368-1141

Nakamura Fortress Ruins

Address: Address: 2402 Naka, Moka, Tochigi 321-4351

Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #12 Tosho-ji Temple

 

     Priest Sonkaku, who lived from the end of the Kamakura Period (1185-1333) to the Southern and Northern Courts Period (1336-1392), kept his diary and named it Sode-Nikki, which means Margin Diary.  Komatsu Village was first documented in the diary.

     Sato Sakube brought an image of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, from the top of Mount Wakamatsu, Aizu County, Iwashiro Province, to his land in Komatsu Village, Okitama County, Dewa Province, sometime between 1688 and 1704.

     Sakube also founded Komatsu Kotai Shrine in 1668 to pray to Ise Shrine from his hometown.

     Komatsu Kotai Shrine was taken care of by the Kurata Family, its Shinto priests.  The family was also a vassal of the Uesugi Clan, who ruled Okitama County in the Edo Period (1603-1867).

     The Kurata Family first immigrated to Echigo Province as a ramie merchant as well as a Shinto priest of Ise Shrine, which expanded its religious network throughout Japan in the Warring States Period (1467-1568) to cover the loss of its manors to warlords.  Dispatched Shinto priests had, accordingly, economic missions too.

     Ramie is one of the oldest fiber crops, having been used for at least 6,000 years, and is principally used for fabric products such as industrial sewing thread, packing materials, fishing nets, and filter cloths.

     The Uesugi Clan ruled Echigo Province in the Warring states Period, but was moved to Aizu County and then to Okitama County, reducing their income.  The Kurata Family moved with the Uesugi Clan.  Why did Sakube support Buddhism and Shinto?  Because of nostalgia?  Did he have any other economical motivation?

Address: 1621-3 Akayu, Nanyō, Yamagata 999-2211

Phone: 0238-43-2457

Komatsu Kotai Shrine

Address: 3099 Kamikomatsu, Kawanishi, Higashiokitama District, Yamagata 999-0121

Phone: 0238-42-3048

Trees In the Town

Trees In the Town

Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #11 Zuiun-ji Temple

 

     An Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha image was enshrined at the top of Mt. Nagate in 1215.  In the Edo Period, it was moved to its present place.  As Zuiun-ji Temple has a stone monument for Mount Iide, the image might have had something to do with the mountain worship of Mount Iide.

     Iidesan Shrine was founded in 652, when Priest Zhidao, who came from China, climbed to the top of Mt. Iide and named the mountain Iide.  He also likened the Iide mountain ranges to the five gods, and named them Ichi-oji, Ni-oji, San-oji, Shi-oji, and Go-oji.

     In the areas around Mount Iide, it was believed that the dead ascend to the sky and that their ancestors watch over them from the high points of Mount Iide.  A visit to Mount Iide was a rite of passage into adulthood for the local residents, and it was customary for boys to climb Mount Iide when they reached the age of 13 to 15.

     After the Meiji Restoration, the abolition of feudal domains and establishment of prefectures was implemented in 1871, and Higashikanbara District, which had been part of Aizu, was separated from Fukushima Prefecture, and Iidesan Sanctuary Shrine was incorporated into Mikawa Village (currently Aga Town), Higashikanbara District, Niigata Prefecture.  However, Ichinoki Village (present-day Kitakata City), Yama District, where the Iidesan Entrance Shrine is located, objected to this, insisting,  "Iidesan Shrine, which includes the Sanctuary Shrine and the Entrance Shrine is a part of Ichinoki Village."  In the end, in 1907, a ruling by the Department of the Interior made the pilgrimage route to Mount Iide the land of Ichinoki Village.  The current irregularly shaped borders among Fukushima, Niigata, and Yamagata Prefectures originate from this.

     Fukushima Prefecture includes the approximately 7.5 kilometers mountain trail from Mt. Mikuni, which literally means Three Provinces, and which is the topographical boundary between the three prefectures, through Mount Iide to the vicinity of Onishi-hut to the west of Peak Onishi, and the precincts of the shrine at the summit of Mount Iide.  Of this, the length is about 4 kilometers from Mt. Mikuni to Omaezaka but the width is about 91 centimeters, and the maximum width around the summit of Mount Iide and Iidesan Shrine is about 300 meters.

Address: 1405 Hagyu, Iide, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 999-0602

Phone: 0238-72-3004

Iidesan Shrine

Address: Yamatomachi Ichinoki, Kitakata, Fukushima 969-4108

Trees In the Town

Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #10 Fumon-bo Temple

 

     Kumano Shrine was invited to the mountainside of Mt. Kumano in Okitama County in 1129.

     The Later Three-Year War was fought in the northeastern part of Japan in the late 1080s.  It was a kind of internal strife within the Kiyohara Clan.  First, Kiyohara Iehira (?-1087) and Kiyohira (1056-1128) fought against Sanehira (?-1083).  After Sanehira’s death, Iehira clashed against Kiyohira.  From the central government, Minamoto Yoshiie (1039-1106) intervened in the conflict.  The intervention brought victory to Kiyohira, who then picked up his paternal family name, Fujiwara, and the Kiyohara Clan disappeared in 1087.

     After Kiyohira's death in 1128, his first son, Koretsune (1090-1130), and the second son, Motohira (1105-1157), fought over inheritance.  Koretsune and his family and followers, more than 20 of them, tried to flee to Echigo Province, but they were caught, and beheaded on June 8th, 1130.  Okitama County was on their escape route.

Address: 14-8 Yokomachi, Nagai, Yamagata 993-0087

Phone: 0238-84-0427

Kumano Shrine

Address: 14-24 Yokomachi, Nagai, Yamagata 993-0087

Kumano Shrine Sanctuary

Address: Iide, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 993-0061

Trees In the Town

Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #9 Eisen-ji Temple

 

     Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, was enshrined in the upstream gorge of Omoi River sometime between 806 and 810.  Mysteriously, many shrines and temples were founded in the North-Eastern Region in the 800's.  Eisen-ji Temple didn't exaggerate its history and hasn't passed down its founder's name.

     Omoi River is a branch of Mogami River.  Omoi River's alluvial fan was agriculturally developed from its base to its apex.  After the apex, people developed its upper reaches and formed Kurofuji Village.

Address: 662-1 Kurofuji, Shirataka, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 992-0841

Phone: 0238-85-5060

Trees In the Town

Virtual Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #8 Kannon-ji Temple

 

     Priest Anchin enshrined Thousand-Armed Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha or Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja sometime between 806 and 810.  Mysteriously, many shrines and temples were founded in the North-Eastern Region in the 800's.  Most of them exaggerate their histories by assuming their founders to be historic religious leaders, but this temple has passed down an unknown name.

     Kannon-ji Temple was founded in 1164 by Nagaoka Masakatsu, whose Buddhist name was Yusei, to enshrine the statue.  He is also historically obscure.  The statue was burned in fire.  Its legs were lost and its surface was carbonized.  Its hall was rebuilt in the Warring States Period, and is the oldest building in Yamagata Prefecture.  The statue is hidden from public view, and its exhibition copy was made in the Edo Period.

Address: 3072 Miyama, Shirataka, Nishiokitama District, Yamagata 992-0776

Phone: 0238-85-3063