Trees In the Town

Virtual Akata 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #24 Takahashi Kanjuro’s House

 

     The #24 deity of the Akata 33 Kannon Pilgirmage is located between the #5 Shinmeisha Shrine and the “Rokkamura Embankment.”

     As you head further up into the mountains from Shinmei-sha Shrine in Akata, you see a large “embankment.”  This is the local water reservoir known as the "Rokkamura Embankment."  Although it is called “embankment,” it is actually a dam, and its reservoir is also called "Rokkamura Embankment."

     The dam was first built from 1751 to 1763, in the mid-Edo period, by the Kameda Domain Government to alleviate water shortages.  At that time, its reservoir water was used to irrigate 6 villages: Hiraoka (Hiraoka Utetsu, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0024), Urushibata (Urushihata Utetsu, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0024), Nakanome (Nakanome Utetsu, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0024), Nyooka (Nyooka Nakadate, Yurihonjo, Akita 018-0722), Hatatani (Hataya, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0052), and Yamada (Yamada, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0025).  Rokkamura literraly mean Six Villages.  The construction work to raise the dam was carried out gradually in the 19th and 20th centuries to increase the amount of water it holds.

     In 1941, in  World War II, renovation work was carried out to irrigate an additional 563 hectares, including the southern half of Utetsu Village (Utetsu, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0024), and the work was completed in 1950, after the war.  Due to the use of low-quality cement during the war, the facility began to deteriorate, and it was renovated again as part of a large-scale prefectural reservoir project, eventually taking on its current appearance in 1969.

     Ironically enough, no water from the reservoir has been used for Akata Village.  How merciful the villagers were!

The #24 deity was taken care of by Takahashi Kanjuro when the Akata 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized.

Trees In the Town

Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage in My Order

 

Day 1

     Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was the first to be organized in Japan with 33 Avalokitesvara temples.

     In 718, Priest Tokudo, the founder of Hase-dera Temple, died.  At the entrance of the netherworld, he met the great king of the Buddhist Hades.  The king had a kind of triage crisis and complained that he had to sort too many people into hell.  “Japan has 33 Avalokitesvara precincts.  People there can reduce their penalty points by making a pilgrimage to the precincts.”  Thus he gave Tokudo a written pledge and 33 precious seals, and sent him back to the world.  Tokudo chose 33 precincts and advised people to visit them.  People, however, didn’t believe it, and the pilgrimage didn’t become popular.  He stored the seals up in a stone case in Nakayama-dera Temple.  He died at the age of 80, and the pilgrimage got forgotten.

     One day, Retired Emperor Kazan (968-1008) was shutting himself up in Mt. Nachi, Kishu Province, after his abdication in 986.  The god of Kumano appeared in his dream, and advised him to revive the pilgrimage.  The retired emperor found the 33 seals in Nakayama-dera Temple, and asked Priest Shoku (910-1007) in Enkyo-ji Temple to cooperate.  The priest recommended Priest Butsugen in Eifuku-ji Temple instead.  With Butsugen’s guide, the retired emperor made the pilgrimage to the 33 precincts, and even composed a tanka poem for each temple, which were the start of go-eika, Japanese tanka poem chants for pilgrims.

     Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage became very popular, and since then many copy 33 Kannon pilgrimages have been organized in various regions, provinces, counties, and cities.

In Izumi Province, which now belongs to Osaka Prefecture, the reduced-size copy of Kannon Pilgrimage was organized with another set of 33 temples by the end of the 17th century.

My wife asked me to take her to Kannon-no-sato in Kohoku, in the northern part of Shiga Prefecture.  I found the Avalokitesvara statue in Doganji Kannondo in Kogen-ji Temple very impressive.  What impressed me most?

     In 736, smallpox broke out.  Emperor Shomu  (701-756) ordered Priest Taicho (682-767) to exorcize the illness.  The priest carved a statue of Ekadasamukha, who has 11 faces, and established Kogen-ji Temple.  In 790, Saicho (767-822), the founder of Tendai Sect of Buddhism in Japan, erected full-scale temple buildings.  In 1570, the temple was burnt down in the battle between the Asai and Oda Clans.  Priest Koen and the villagers buried the statue under the ground to save it from flames and robbery.  Later, Koen changed his sect to True Pure Land Buddhism.  In the late 16th century, Japan was where inferiors overpowered superiors.  That was not only among samurai, but those engaged in commerce and industry were challenging the conservative privileged classes.  In Omi Province, the former usually believed in True Pure Land Buddhism, while the latter in Tiantai Sect.  True Pure Land Buddhism forbade member temples to enshrine other Buddhist images than that of Amitabha.  That might have been where the name Doganji, which obviously sounds like a temple name, came from.  In 1828, Ika County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized, and Kannon-do Hall became its member.  By the time, its go-eika, temple's Buddhist tanka poem, had been composed:

"The sea of illusion is deep for everyone.

"A boat of teachings

"Will ferry them to the shore temple.”

     Some go-eika have their temple names in them.  So, it was by the time that the area came to be called Doganji (literally Ferry Shore Temple).

     Even in 1897, the Ekadasamukha statue belonged to Kannon-do Hall alone.  In 1942 during World War II, it came to belong to Kogen-ji Temple under the Religious Organizations Act.  Whatever political or legal status the statue has had, it is villagers that have maintained the statue for centuries.

With that in mind, I started going on Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

#7 Kaigan-ji Temple

     I first visited #7 Kaigan-ji Temple in Sakai.  The temple stood on the top of a small hill, which commanded a rather good view over the half agricultural half residential area.

There used to be 3 temples in Hirai Village at the beginning of the Edo Period, Kaigan-ji, Kannon-ji, and Anraku-ji Temples.  In the late 17th century, Kannon-ji Temple became out of business, the Kannon statue was taken over by Kaigan-ji Temple, which then became a member temple of Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  In 1868, Anraku-ji Temple had no priest to live in it, the priest of Kaigan-ji Temple moved to Anraku-ji Temple, and called it Kaigan-ji Temple.

     Why did he move?  A good view from the temple can be an answer.

#6 Raiko-ji Temple

     I drove out of Kaigan-ji Temple, which is #7 among 33 Kannon Temples in Izumi Kannon Pilgrimage, to visit Raiko-ji Temple, which is #6, in counter-numeric order.  It is believed that you can get good luck if you visit all the 33 Kannon Temples numerically.  Unluckily, the streets around the temple were so narrow and so winding and crooked that I almost lost my way.  Here is my advice, if you go to the temple by car, you should drive out of Prefectural Route 208 at the Obadera Crossing, and approach the temple along the pond there.

     Obadera?  That sounds like a temple name.  Yes, Gyoki (668-749) is said to have founded Oba-dera Temple around here.  The temple used to be a family temple of the Oba Family, who had immigrated from continental Asia.  Obadera Village ruled the surrounding 14 villages until the beginning of the 18th century: Obadera, Taiheiji, Ojiro, Toga, Hachimine, and more.  The main temple of the village was called Sofuku-ji Temple in Obadera Village at the time and it was #6 temple of Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  In 1843, Sofuku-ji, Raiko-ji, and Seiren-ji Temples were registered in the area.  Today, Sofuku-ji and Raiko-ji Temples are still active.  It is, however, unknown why Raiko-ji Temple became #6 temple of Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage instead of Sofuku-ji Temple, which is also located just between #5 and #7. 

#5 Hoko-ji Temple

     Hoko-ji Temple is located in the southernmost part of Sakai City, closest to Izumi City, and has the youngest number, #5, among 33 Kannon Temples in Izumi Kannon Pilgrimage, which starts from Sefuku-ji Temple in Izumi City.

     A temple was opened here in the second half of the 8th century by En Ozunu (?634-?701).  In the first half of the 8th century, Gyoki (668-449) recognized the  gleaming and brightening light of Avalokitesvara in the temple, enshrined a Avalokitesvara statue there, and named it Hoko-ji Temple (namely Emitting Light Temple).

     On its days, Hoko-ji Temple was one of the 3 greatest temples in Kinai Region along with Jimpo-ji and Yachu-ji Temples.  But in the late 16th century, it was burnt down in a war.

In 1652, Priest Chogen from Jimpo-ji Temple rebuilt the temple on a small scale.  In 1872, it sold out its estate and buildings other than the main building and a couple of mud-walled storehouses.  In 1914, the temple merged with Tamon-ji Temple nearby, and came to enshrine a Vaishuravana statue too.

     I drove up one of the crooked steep hills around the temple, straying from the path.  It was at the top of the hill, with some other small shrines, but without any people.  The sign told me to take a piece of red-sealed paper for 300 yen to prove my visit to the temple.

#8 Kannon-in Temple

     I left Iwamuro Kannon-in Temple, and drove my last one-fourth counterclockwise lap of the day to Hokke-ji Temple, #9 among 33 Kannon Temples in Izumi Kannon Pilgrimage.

#9 Hokke-ji Temple

     Even back in the town, the streets about the temple were narrow, winding, and crooked.  The drive navigation system just took me to the opposite side of the creek, or of the ditch, to Hokke-ji Temple.  I still had to drive the last extra mile to get in front of the temple.

The Kannon building was under renovation.

     Mousu-ji Temple was founded by Gyoki (668-749) in the Mousu Manor in the first half of the 8th century.  The temple used to belong to Shingon Buddhism, but was converted to the School of Nichiren at the turn of the 18th century by Priest Nitto, who also changed the temple name.  We have had several Nittos in history but his grave in the temple shows that he was the one who died on August 7, 1712.  August 7….  My birthday.

     Near Hokke-ji Temple, we have Shonen-ji Temple, which belongs to the Otani Sect of True Pure Land Buddhism.  The Kannon Shrine in Hokke-ji Temple used to belong to Shonen-ji Temple when Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized, but is said to have been moved.   Why?  And when?  I don’t know.  Usually, True Pure Land Buddhism enshrines only Amitabha, but I wonder if anybody minded that in the 18th century.  In confusion, I made it a day.

#10 Hase-dera Temple

     Hase-dera Temple was in the old part of Sakai.  There were streets in plaid.  One day, I drove from street to street, turning at a right angle.  The temple was at the corner of Shukuin Dori, one of the widest streets in Sakai, and a one-way street.

     You know Hase-dera Temple in Nara, don’t you?  It's very famous.  It was established in 727.  Emperor Shomu (701-756) is known for building a Kokubun-ji Temple in each province.  He had such strong faith in Buddhism that he built New Hase-dera Temples in provinces too.  The Hase-dera Temple in Sakai is said to have been built in 753 as the first one.  The temple used to have a big main building and 6 branch temples in the estate.  In the Medieval days, however, Sakai became an international port, and the temple had to give way to the commercial use of the land.  During World War II in 1945, the bombing of Osaka burnt down the temple buildings.  The evacuation beforehand saved the deity from flames.  Today, a small ferroconcrete building stands as a relic of the golden age, with the statue of Ekadasamukha, who has 11 faces, in it as the token of prosperity.

Day 2

#11 Nenbutsu-ji Temple

     Another day, I drove south out of the old part of Sakai to Nenbutsu-ji Temple, the last one in Sakai among 33 Kannon Temples in Izumi Kannon Pilgrimage.

     Chinooka Tumulus is located at the south-west corner of the Mozu Cluster of Ancient Tumuli.  The temple used to be on the top of the burial mound.  The temple was founded by Priestess Youn, who died on June 6, 1718, as a shrine temple of Iwatsuta Shrine.  In 1980, the land development of Sakai City caused the temple to move to the present place. 

After Nenbutsu-ji Temple, the pilgrimage will go back into Izumi City, and further south.

#12 Kannon-ji Temple

     Izumi City has 2 Kannon-ji Temples: one in Uedai-cho and the other in Kannonji-cho.  #12 temple of Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage is the one in Uedai-cho.  Another day, I drove into Uedai-cho.  The temple was near a large street, but the streets around the temple were so narrow and crooked that I had to park my car along the large street and walk to the temple.  I was surprised to find a car parked in front of the temple building.  How did it get there?  Mysterious.

     The temple had only a cheap building and some stone monuments and others.

     In the first half of the 8th century, Shinoda-ji Temple was founded by a priest from Enmei-ji Temple in today’s Kawachinagano.  It has been burnt down 3 times, including the burning by Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) on his way to the burning of Sefuku-ji Temple in 1581.

     The main deity of the temple, the statue of Ekadasamukha, who has 11 faces, is said to have been carved in the 8th century, with the head fixed during the Edo Period.

Day 3

#13 Ryuun-ji Temple

     Another day, I drove south along Route 26, and turned right to the east at the Ikegami-Sone Site Intersection.  I drove through the underpass across JR Hanwa Line just near Shinodayama Station.  After a while, I turned right again into narrow crooked streets, as often is the case in visiting the Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage temples, of Hakata township.  The car navigation system led me in front of Saiko-ji Temple.  Why?  I walked around to find Shosen-ji and Joko-ji Temples.  Why not Ryuun-ji Temple?  Finally, I had a chance to ask 2 old ladies chatting in the hot sun, and found Ryuun-ji Temple at last, which was just opposite Hakata Shrine.

     When Retired Emperor Shirakawa visited Kumano at the end of the 11th century, he had to stay in Marugasa Shrine because of sickness.  He prayed for the healing, and dreamt of a dragon flying to him.  As his illness was healed, he built Ryuun(Dragon Cloud)-ji Temple there.  After the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, villagers saved the statue of Cintamanicakra. Ryuun-ji Temple has had no priest, and villagers have maintained the statue in rotation in groups of 6.

Day 4

#4 Shinko-ji Temple

     Another day, I had a business near Komyoike Station, and, as I had some time left, I visited 3 temples of Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage: #4 Shinko-ji, #3 Kokubun-ji, and #2 Butsunami-ji Temples in a short reverse numeric order.  I first drove to Shinko-ji Temple from the Komyoike Station area.  The temple was located in a rather flat area and quite near from the main road.  Very easy one for visiting ancient Kannon temples.

Anyo-ji Temple was founded by Priest Hokai in Murodo Village in 771.  He carved 2 Kannon statues out of a wood, kept one for the temple, and presented the other to Sefuku-ji Temple.  In the 17th century, there used to be 4 temples in the village: Anyo-ji, Shinko-ji, Gokuraku-ji, and Seon-ji Temples.  At the time, Anyo-ji Temple used to be #4 temple of Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  It became difficult for the villagers to support 4 temples, and Shinko-ji Temple eventually annexed the other 3 temples, and became #4 temple of the pilgrimage.

     Shinko-ji Temple’s main deity has been Bhaisajyaguru, and the main deity of Anyo-ji Temple, Ekadasamukha, who has 11 faces, was moved to Shinko-ji Temple, where it has been sealed in for centuries.  In 1986 at last, a Kannon temple was reconstructed in the precincts of Shinko-ji Temple.

     Legend has it that Fujiwara Fuhito (659-720) visited Makio-ji Temple as an imperial messenger, and passed through Murodo Village.  People were planting rice, and he found a gleaming and brightening girl.  He brought her back to the capital, and she later became Empress Komyo (701-760), literally Empress Bright Light.  Now, I see why Komyoike Station is called Komyoike (Komyo Pond).

#3 Kokubun-ji Temple

     After #4 Shinko-ji Temple, I drove to the hillside.  #5 Kokubun-ji Temple was at the foot of Kokubu Pass.  Not so bad.  Although I had to drive through a rather narrow street, the temple still had a car park.

     There used to be Anraku-ji Temple here.  In 741, Emperor Shomu (701-756) built Provincial Temples in each province.  On May 3rd, 839, Izumi Province got independent from Kawachi Province, and Anraku-ji Temple was transformed into a Kokubun-ji Temple in the province.

The present Kannon deity, the statue of Sahasrabhuja, who has 1,000 arms, was carved out of a wood in the Heian Period.

     Legend has it that it was not in Murodo Village but in this area that Fujiwara Fuhito (659-720) found a divine girl.  He brought her back to the capital, and she later became a wife of Emperor Shomu, or Empress Komyo (701-760).

#2 Butsunami-ji Temple

     After #3 Kokubun-ji Temple, I drove into hills, which are commonly called Yokoyama, namely Side Hills.  Just a couple of decades ago, Yokoyama used to be such an isolated and separated area that it has its prefectural high school, Yokoyama Branch of Otori High School, which has been closed though.  The trail to the temple was so narrow that I doubted if it was a-car wide.  It was so crooked that I wondered how I could turn at corners without falling into a creek.  At the foot of the steps toward the temple gate, there was no parking lot.  I just hoped there would be no car driving by.

     I climbed up the stairs.  At the end of them, there stood a small temple gate.  Inside the gate, there was a stone monument talking about the history of the gate.

     In 1699, Soken-ji Temple in Shichido, Sakai, was rebuilt.  A temple gate was offered to Butsunami-ji Temple.  It is unknown whether the temple gate presented was secondhand or new.

     A fairly new Avalokitesvara statue was standing diagonally opposite of the main building.  It cannot be the one that has been worshiped for generations.  Besides the statue, there stood a shed locked with a tiny padlock.  Could it be a Kannon shrine?

     Soga Umako (?-626) presented 2 Buddhist images to Ikebe Ataihita, a descendant of immigrants from China, who built a temple near his house and lined up them in it.  In 553, Ataihita found a fragrant wood in the sea of Izumi Province, and presented it to Emperor Kinmei (?-571), who ordered to carve 2 Buddhist images out of it.  In 584, Kudara presented 2 Buddhist images to Emperor Bidatsu.  Umako ordered a search for a Buddhist ascetic.  Ataihita found Eben, who came from Koguryo.  Ataihita might have been destined for 2 Buddhist images, but whether what he was presented had something to do with the other two is unknown.  Later, Atahiea’s son, Tokuna, lined up Maitreya and Avalokiteshvara statues.  So, the temple came to be called Butsunami, namely Buddha Line-Up.

     Oh, don’t you believe that?  Mmm, then here comes another.  In Medieval Japan, some priests and followers of the Pure Land Sects of Buddhism had -ami at the end of their names. In 1605, the map of Izumi Province was published.  The notation of the village was Butsu-ami not Butsunami.  Has Butsu-ami come to be mispronounced Butsunami?  Believe it or not.

     The main building of the temple was closed.  As if so as not to reveal the secret of the name, Butsunami.

Day 5

     I visited #22 Choko-ji Temple, #24 Jogan-ji Temple,  #25 Koon-ji Temple, and #26 Mizuma-dera Temple today.  Today, they are located along the Osaka Outer Belt Highway.  Of course, in ancient times, no highway ran in the area, but the construction of the highway means the location of the temples share the same geographical character.  All the 4 temples were located where rivers ran out of mountainsides.

     I drove southward into the Semboku Hills, cruised through new towns and a new industrial park, and climbed along the Ushitaki River.   Choko-ji temple was located where the Ushitaki River ran out of the Izumi Mountains.  I crossed the North Miyagawa Bridge over the river and arrived at the temple, which has only one small hall.  It cannot have a priest, and it was too early to have been opened by villagers.

#22 Choko-ji Temple

     It is unknown when Choko-ji Temple was founded.  It used to be a shrine temple of Tsugawa Shrine nearby.  We can find a written document which says that Emperor Shirakawa (1053-1129) stayed at Yagi Village, Izumi Province, on his way to Kumano Shrines, and prayed to Tsugawa Shrine from there without actually visiting the shrine.  So, the shrine, as well as the temple, must have been founded by the 11th century.

Address: 313 Tsugawacho, Kishiwada, Osaka 596-0104

     I drove out of Choko-ji Temple, crossed the South Miyagawa Bridge.  Several minutes later, I was cruising south along the Osaka Outer Belt Highway.  Jogan-ji Temple was at the foot of the highway where the Tsuda River ran out of the Izumi Mountains.

#24 Jogan-ji Temple

     Jogan-ji Temple was founded by Monk Jogan, and belonged to Shingon Buddhism at first.  Priest Ryonen turned the temple to Pure Land Buddhism in 1559, when Ashikaga Yoshiteru (1536-1565) was the 13th Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate.  In 1553, Yoshiteru was expelled from Kyoto to Kuchiki Village, Omi Province.  He came back to Kyoto in 1559.  Previously between 1527 and 1532, the Sakai Shogunate was in Izumi Province, and Ashikaga Yoshitsuna (1509-1573) was a self-proclaimed shogun.  He was an uncle of Yoshiteru, and his son, Yoshihide (1538-1568), became the 14th Shogun.  Anyway, in the Warring States Period, Izumi Province was one of the main stages of the politics, and, accordingly, power struggles among Buddhist sects and schools were also bitter and keen.

     In the 1680's, Mangan-ji Temple was the #24 member temple of the Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  In 1873, Mangan-ji Temple had no priest and was merged into Jogan-ji Temple.

Address: 771 Habutakichō, Kishiwada, Osaka 596-0844

Phone: 072-427-3874

     I left Jogan-ji Temple and cruised along the highway for a while.  I got out of the highway and climbed into the hills, where the Chikagi River ran out of the Izumi Mountains.

#25 Koon-ji Temple

     Kannon-ji Temple was founded in Kotsumi Village in 726 by Gyoki(668-749) as one of the 49 temples founded by him in Yamato, Kawachi, and Izumi Provinces.  Kotsumi literally meant Wood Pile.  He piled up wood in the village and carried them out to build those temples.  Kannon-ji Temple was merged by Koon-ji Temple in 1914.

Address: 798 Kotsumi, Kaizuka, Osaka 597-0102

Phone: 072-446-2360

     Mizuma-dera Temple was just a kilometer away from Koon-ji Temple, and I drove along an old route between the 2 temples.  The temple was located where the Kibitani River became cascades and merged into the Chikagi River.

#26 Mizuma-dera Temple

     The 735–737 Smallpox Epidemic killed more than 1 million people including Fujiwara Muchimaro (680-737), the Prime Minister, and his younger brothers: Fusasaki (681-737), Umakai (694-737), and Maro (695-737), who were all ministers.  In June, 737, the central government stopped.  The epidemic had significant social and economic damages, and the state-ownership of fields collapsed.  On May 27, 743, private-ownership of newly developed fields was officially permitted.  Some newly developed fields were just redeveloped fallow fields though.

     The epidemic also had religious repercussions throughout the country.  The Emperor Shomu (701-756) ordered every province to found its own provincial temple and convent, and also founded Todai-ji Temple and constructed its gigantic Vairocana statue, only to bankrupt the national finances.

     Emperor Shomu dreamed Avalokitesvara one night, and he ordered Gyoki (668-749) to find it.  A white bird guided Gyoki southwest to Izumi Province and disappeared with its feather left at Toba, literally Bird Feather.  Gyoki wandered northeast and met 16 children at Chigo, literally Child.  They guided Gyoki to the meeting point of the Chikagi and Kibitani Rivers.  He saw a dragon there and Avalokitesvara appeared.  Presumably, the waterfall had scared local people as a dragon but Gyoki enlightened and relieved them that the waterfall was not a dragon but Avalokitesvara, who would salvage them.  

     The Chinese character, xuan, has a profound meaning as the root of all things.  In some primitive religions, the rocks, hills, or islets which had the shape of xuan used to be believed to be the root of all things, or to be what gave birth to all things.  Later, in East Asia, some of them were related to Mazu.  If you see the second cascade of the waterfall at the meeting point of the Chikagi and Kubitani Rivers, you will realize it has a kind of xuan shape.  Instead of Mazu, Gyoki might have found Avalokitesvara in the shape.

     Its Avalokitesvara story made Mizuma-dera Temple so famous that Emperor Fushimi (1265-1317) sent messengers to the temple.  Yamana Seijuro was one of them.  On the occasion, a village girl, Natsu, fell in love with him.

     In the world of art, the emperor was the far best calligrapher among emperors, and was even considered to be better than Fujiwara Yukinari (972-1027), who was considered to be one of the 3 best calligraphers in Japan besides Ono Michikaze (894-966) and Fujiwara Sukemasa (943-998).  He also had a Royal collection of tanka poems, Gyokuyo Waka-shu. Politically, however, he just raised tensions between the 2 powerful Royal branch families, Jimyoin and Daikakuji, and between the Imperial Court and the Kamakura Shogunate.  That means he prepared the Northern and Southern Courts Period.  In 1336, the war between the Northern and Southern Courts started, and the Southern Court dispatched Kitabatake Akiie (1318-1338) to the Tohoku Region.  He not only ruled the region but also advanced to Kyoto twice in 1335 and 1338.  It is unknown if Yamana Seijuro followed Akiie to the Tohoku Region, but he was supposed to have taken part of, at least, Akiie's second advance.

     The Yamato River used not to run between Osaka and Sakai before the Edo Period. In ancient times, the Ishizu River used to be the first large river, or a protective water barrier, when you advanced south from today's Osaka City area.

     Kitabatake Akiie (1318-1338), a general of the Southern Court, was, officially speaking, killed by the Northern Court army led by Ko Moronao (?-1351) at the bank of Ishizu River on May 22nd, 1338.  Tradition says Akiie was killed in Abeno on the 16th. Some suggest he was fatally injured in Abeno on the 16th and died somewhere between Abeno and Ishizu by the 22nd.  At least Kitabatake's soldiers retreated to Wada in today's Izumi City temporarily and advanced back to Ishizu by the 22nd.

     In the Abeno area, Kitabatake Park, which has 4 memorial monuments for Akiie, is just a 10-minute walk from Abeno Shrine, which promotes Akiie to attract visitors.  You can find a tiny shallow valley running north-south between the park and the shrine, or between the hills they stand on. The two hills must have been within a battlefield.  Akiie might have occupied either hill top to command a view of the battlefield, Moronao the other. If Kitabatake Akiie had been killed in the Battle of Abeno, he must have been killed somewhere between the hills.

     I visited Ishizu area on one rainy day. I took off a tram at Ishizu Stop, and walked toward the Ishizu River. The river ran east to west toward the Seto Inland Sea, through which Ashikaga Takauji had fought back eastward from Kyushu to Kyoto. The bridge nearby is called Taiyo-bashi, literally Sun Bridge, because people used to worship the sun rising upriver. Most of Akiie's soldiers had fought westward from the Tohoku Region. They could not go back east, nor could see the next sunrise.  It was certain Nambu Moroyuki (?-1338), Akiie's right hand, was killed in the Battle of Ishizu on that day.

     After the defeat in either Abeno or Ishizu, Yamano Seijuro fled to Izumi Province.  Hearing of the defeat of the Southern Court army, Natsu left Mizuma and searched for Seijuro for days.  She found him, brought him back to Mizuma, and the two lived happily ever after.  What happened to the Southern Court?  Were the two too old as they had first met more than 2 decades before?  Never mind!  Based on the story, Namiki Sosuke (1695-1751) produced a bunraku play, Izumi-no-kuni Ukina-tameike, in 1731.  In i936, the story was made into a movie in which Kazuo Hasegawa (1908-1984) and Kinu'yo Tanaka (1907-1977) starred.  Even today, many lovers visit Aizen-do Hall, to which Natsu prayed for meeting Seijuro again, in Mizuma-dera Temple to strengthen their relationship.

Address: 638 Mizuma, Kaizuka, Osaka 597-0104

Phone: 072-446-1355

Day 6

      In the midst of the 7th wave of the COVID-19, I am in 2022 though, and under the 2nd heat wave of the year, I drove south-west through Route 26 to visit the westernmost temples of the Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  After driving about one and a half hours, I was in Hannon City, the westernmost city of Osaka Prefecture.  I drove astray into a narrow crooked track as often the case in visiting an old pilgrimage.  After driving over a railroad crossing without crossing gates, I found Kannon-ji Temple.

 

#32 Kannon-ji Temple

     Kannon-ji Temple was revived by Priest Kareki in 1497.

     The Meio Incident broke out in Kyoto in April, 1493, over the succession of the Shogun by Ahikaga Yoshitane (1466-1523) and Yoshizumi (1481-1511).  Many provincial guardian samurai joined in fights, changing their sides selfishly and freely. In Leap April, 1493, Hosokawa Masamoto (1466-1507) and Akamatsu Masanori (1455-1496) joined the conflict as they liked.  Masamoto forced Yoshitane into a corner in Kawachi Province.  An army from Kii Province was going to join the fight.  When they were passing by Sakai, which happened to be guarded by Masanori, who was rather neutral, the 2 sides made arguments about the passage of the army.  The repeated arguments changed into fighting.

     Presumably, the temple was burned down or damaged in related fights.  The temple also lost its documents about its history.

Address: 1391 Hakotsukuri, Hannan, Osaka 599-0232

Phone: 072-476-2037

     After driving about a quarter north-east, I was on another narrow crooked farm road.  This time, I found Choraku-ji Temple on the right hill, or accurately speaking, I found steps into the hill, which seemed to be the approach to the temple.  I climbed up the steps, to find countless Buddhist images on both sides of the approach.  No, I counted them.  I found 33 copies of the deities of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  The locals must have greedily loved Avalokitesvara.  They not only had their local temple belong to the Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage with its own Avalokitesvara statue but also prepared the 33 copies for the temple.

#30 Choraku-ji Temple

     Ishibashi Naoyuki compiled 6 volumes of Senshu-shi, the Topography of Izumi Province, in 1700.  He is from Shimoide Village, Hineno County, Izumi Province.  Choraku-ji Temple was mentioned in the topography.  Hirano-ji Temple was said to have been founded by Gyoki sometime between 729 and 749.  The temple was reduced to ashes when Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded Kii Province in 1585.  Only its Kannon-do Hall and office building were rebuilt in the Edo Period, and they compose Chraku-ji Temple today.

Address: 725 Tottorinaka, Hannan, Osaka 599-0211

Phone: 072-472-1409

     I continued to drive north-east for less than half an hour.  I was in Sennan City.  Hannan’s Han indicates Osaka Prefecture and Sennan’s Sen implies Senshu, the southernmost part of Osaka Prefecture.  In both cases, Nan means South.  It’s a mystery why the South of Osaka Prefecture lies south to the South of the southernmost part of Osaka Prefecture.

At the end of the leg, I had to run through Route 26 a couple of minutes, and make a kind of detour. As often the case with old pilgrimages, the pilgrim route had been cut up by the highway.

#33 Gokurakumitsu-ji Temple

     Gyoki (668-749) is said to have founded 49 temples in his life.  On April 23rd, 717, an imperial order to suppress his missionary work was issued, saying, "Gyoki and his pupils talk about bad deeds and good deeds, and their retribution and rewards on streets without authorization.  They preach and lecture, visiting homes.  They maintain their false holy path, and tempt and seduce people."  In spite of the suppression, Gyoki attracted thousands of people at a time in 730.  In 740, the Imperial Court relaxed their suppression, and Gyoki cooperated with the court in building the giant Buddha at Todai-ji Temple in Nara.

     Gokurakumitsu-ji Temple was founded by Gyoki sometime between 730 and 740, enshrining a Bhaisajyaguru statue.

     When Taira Shigehira (1157-1185) attacked Nara, he burned Todai-ji Temple, and the great Buddha burned down.  When Chogen (1120-1206) raised donations and contributions, he visited Gokurakumitsu-ji Temple, and was impressed with local people's strong faith in Bhaisajyaguru, and supported the temple too.

     When Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) invaded Kii Province in 1585, the temple burned down.  In 1755, the Tokugawa Family in the province supported the revival of the temple.

     The Kannon-do Hall enshrines an Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara statue, which is both Ekadasamukha and Sahasrabhuja.  The locals here were greelily religious too.

Address: 1 Chome-16-1 Baba, Sennan, Osaka 590-0525

Phone: 072-484-2468

     As I had expected, I saw nobody in any precincts.  Was it because of the 7th wave of the COVID-19 or due to the unpopularity of the pilgrimage?

Day 7

      I drove southwest along Route 26 to visit Kin’yu-ji Temple, the southernmost member temple of the Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  As it is, the temple is located in Sennan City, the city in the south of Izumi Province.  In Sennan City, I left Route 26 and drove along the approach to the Hanwa Expressway.  Kin’yu-ji Temple was just off the approach in a valley of Shindachikinyuji.  All the southernmost member temples of the Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage were located in Shindachi Manor in the Medieval days.  As it is, their place names all have Shindachi in them.

#29 Kin'yu-ji Temple

     En Odunu (634-701) dug out a gilded copper statue of Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six, carved a wooden Cintamanicakra statue himself, and founded Kin'yu-ji Temple in 682 to enshrine them. 

     On March 6th, 1297, Hojo Sadatoki (1272-1311), the 9th Regent of the Kamakura Shogunate, ordered an exemption from debts to help low-ranking poor samurai.  The exemption shook society despite the ruler's intentions.  Some violently demanded exemption.  In 1299, Kin'yu-ji Temple was set on fire.  All its buildings burned down but its main deity and the Bhaisajyaguru Hall.

     Locals tried to revive the temple in 1312 and 1338, but it was reduced to ashes when Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) invaded Kii Province in 1585.

     The villagers of Shindachi Village rebuilt a Kannon-do Hall and the temple's office in 1654, and they are what we call Kin'yu-ji Temple today.

Address: 813 Shindachikinyuji, Sennan, Osaka 590-0514

Phone: 072-482-3536

     I drove out of the valley.  Rinsho-ji Temple is located at the foot of a hill.

 

#31 Rinsho-ji Temple

     Tradition says that Rinsho-ji Temple was founded by Gyoki sometime between 729 and 748, but the temple's name was given by Emperor Horikawa (1079-1107).

     When Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) attacked the Saika Commonwealth, he burned down Rinsho-ji Temple.

     The precincts have the Garden of Buddhist Training, designed by Shigemori Mirei (1896-1975).

Address: 395 Shindachiokanaka, Sennan, Osaka 590-0523

Phone: 072-483-2705

     Ojo-in Temple is not so far from Rinsho-ji Temple, but an old pilgrim road is a one-way street and I had to make a detour and drive through a highway.

 

#14 Ojo-in Temple

     Ojo-in Temple was founded by Priest Dosho (629–700) in 680.

     In 653, Dosho travelled to China, studying under Xuanzang (602-664), who had traveled to India to study the Original Buddhism. Dosho studied Yogacara, or Consciousness Only School or Dharma Characteristics School.  After returning from China, Dosho introduced the consciousness-only philosophy and established the Dharma Characteristics School in Japan.

     The temple was burned down when Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) invaded Kii Province in 1585.

     The temple's location is a mystery.  Usually, the #14 temple is located between the #13 and the #15.  Then, Ojo-in Temple must be located in Izumi City.  Was it moved to its present place after the organization of the Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, which was first documented in the 1680's in its present place.

Address: 1248 Shindachimakino, Sennan, Osaka 590-0522

Phone: 072-483-2128

     After Ojo-in Temple, I drove along the Osaka Prefectural Road #30 for several minutes.  Mysteriously enough, the Road #30 is called the Road #13 in Sakai City.  It is not because we Japanese can hardly distinguish the pronunciations of 30 and 13, but due to the history of the construction of the road.  When the Sakai part of the road was constructed as a road with 2 lanes in each direction, it was called 13-gen Road, as its width had 13 gen in the old Japanese unit.  1 gen had about 1.8 meters, and 13 gen had about 23.4 meters.  The road officially became a part of the Osaka-Izumi-Sennan Road in 1964, and number 30 was allocated to the road in 1984.  The locals had a special attachment to the number 13, and the Road 13 became its nickname.

#28 Chokei-ji Temple

     Kaie-ji Temple is supposed to have been founded in the latter half of the 7th century with its buildings arranged like those of Horyu-ji Temple.  It burned down in 988 and was rebuilt in 997. 

     When Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) and Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) invaded Kii Province in 1577 and 1585 respectively, all the temple buildings burned down but the Kannon-do Hall.

     Toyotomi Hideyori (1593-1615) moved the hall to its present place and built other halls in the years of Keicho (1596-1615).  It was renamed Chokei-ji in 1680 by Prince Moronaga (1672-1707), the 2nd son of Emperor Reigen (1654-1732).  Can you guess why the temple was named Chokei-ji?  Because the temple was moved in the years of Keicho.  They reversed the year's name!

Address: 815 Shindachiichiba, Sennan, Osaka 590-0504

Phone: 072-483-2692

     I drove back home, impressed with Osaka people’s sense of gags with good lineage.

Day 8

      I visited the last 2 temples of the southerly leg of the Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  I first drove south along a so-called Osaka Prefectural Road #13, which is actually the the Osaka Prefectural Road #30.

#23 Kumeda-dera Temple

     Since the dry season  was long and water was scarce in Izumi Province, Emperor Obito (701-756) ordered the construction of an irrigation reservoir in the midland of the province.  They built a 500-meter long embankment to dam up Haruki River.  Kumeda Pond was completed after 14 years of construction from 725 to 738.  He also ordered the founding of Kumeda-dera Temple in 738 to maintain and manage the reservoir.

     Under the management of the temple, the embankment was repaired in 1289 and 1361.  During the Warring States period, the maintenance and management was handed over to 12 irrigated villages (Ikejiri, Nakai, Midoro, Araki, Omachi, Haruki, Kamori, Yoshii, Komatsuricho, Tajime, Shimoikeda, and Nishioji Villages) and they formed Kumeda-ike Union.  Kumeda Pond is still the largest pond in Osaka Prefecture.

     During the Heian period (794-1185), Kumeda-dera Temple was under the control of Ichijo-in Temple, a branch temple of Kofuku-ji Temple in Nara.  In the Jokyu War in 1221, samurai invaded and devastated the temple, but it was revived by Ando Rensho (1239-1329) under the Kamakura Shogunate.

     After the collapse of the shogunate in 1333, some samurai threatened the temple’s territory.  Under the Ashikaga Shogunate, it was designated as one of the Ankoku-ji Temples nationwide.

     During the Warring States period, it was almost destroyed by fire in the Battle of Kumeda in March, 1562, in which Miyoshi Yoshikata (1527-1562) and Hatakeyama Takamasa (1527-1576) fought.  When Oda Nobunaga attacked Ishiyama-Hongan-ji Temple from September 12th, 1570, to August 2nd, 1580, the temple was burned down.  It was reconstructed in 1674 under the Tokugawa Shogunate.  Repairs were carried out from 1751 to 1763, and its main hall was rebuilt in 1770.

Address: 934 Ikejiricho, Kishiwada, Osaka 596-0813

Phone: 072-445-0392

     When I pilgrimed the westernmost leg of the Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, I actually tried to visit #27 Kisshoon-ji Temple.  As I approached the temple, the street became narrower, and I finally gave up the call.  I stopped depending on a navigation system, and checked the map carefully.  Today, I parked my car in a nearby supermarket, and visited the temple on foot in the hot sun.

#27 Kisshoon-ji Temple

     In the latter half of the 7th century, an eleven-faced Ekadasamukha statue emerged from the sea on a seashell.  The statue on the shell went up the Mide River and arrived at Kaida, on the left bank of the river.  Somehow, it crossed the river and was enshrined in Kisshoon-ji Temple on the right side of the river.  It is enshrined in the Kannon-do Hall in the precincts of the temple.

     Kisshoon-ji Temple has a Sri-mahadevi statue, which was mentioned in the Record of Miraculous Events in Japan, which was compiled by Monk Kyokai at the beginning of the 9th century.

     Kisshoon-ji Temple exceptionally has no supporting families, but is supported by its individual believers.

     The temple has a picture of the Sixteen Arhats, who are a group of legendary Arhats in Buddhism: Pindola Bharadvaja, Kanakavatsa, Kanaka Bharadvaja, Subinda, Nakula, Sribhadra, Mahakalika, Vajriputra, Gopaka,Panthaka, Rahula, Nagasena, Angaja, Vanavasin, Ajita, and Cudapanthaka.  The picture was painted by Cho Densu (1352‐1431).   Matsudaira Yasusada (1748-1807), the lord of the Hamada Domain in Iwami Province, took it away to Hamada Castle, and made it a folding screen.  Then, the castle has tragedies, and he was troubled and annoyed everynight.  He finally returned it to the temple. 

Address: 703 Oji, Kaizuka, Osaka 597-0051

Phone: 072-423-1654

Day 9

     I rented an electric bicycle near JR Izumi-Fuchu Station, and left eastward.  I first found the stone monument of Kannonji Fortress Site.  Kannon-ji Temple was down the hill along a winding farm road.

#20 Kannon-ji Temple

     Kannon-ji Temple was founded at the foot of Mt. Kannonji, where the Fujiwara Clan built a fortress sometime between 729 and 749.  The foundation of the temple could go back to those days.  In the Southern and Northern Courts Period (1336-1392), the forces of Kitabatake Akiie (1318-1338) were based in the fortress to prepare against the attacks by the Northern Court Army.  The present main hall was built sometime between 1751 and 1764.

Address: 128 Kannonjicho, Izumi, Osaka 594-0065

Phone: 0725-41-2303

     After Kannon-ji Temple, I headed to, or at least tried to head toward, Hokoku-ji Temple.  Winding farm roads are chopped by rather modern prefectural roads, which are cut up by highways.  I think I cycled a couple of times more than the shortcut between the 2 temples.

#18 Hokoku-ji Temple

     Asukabe Kuromaro was from Naka Village, Asukabe County, Kawachi Province.  He came to the land between Kamiizumi and Sakamoto Villages, Izumi County, Izumi Province, and developed Kurtori Village.  In 759, Ono Hirotachi, the then Governor of Izumi Province, reported Kuromaro's achievement to the Imperial Court, and Emperor Oi (733-765) granted part of the developed land to Kuromaro.  After his death, Kuromaro became the guardian deity of the village and was enshrined in Asuka-Furuie Shrine.  Later, the shrine was renamed Tenman-gu Tenjin-sha Shrine.

     Enpuku-ji Temple was founded as the shrine temple of Tenman-gu Tenjin-sha Shrine but was abolished presumably after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868.  The temple's deity was moved to Hokoku-ji Temple with the deity's hall.

Address: 6 Chome-9-35 Fuchucho, Izumi, Osaka 594-0071

Phone: 0725-41-1710

Kurotori-Tenman-gu Tenjin-sha Shrine

Address: 2 Chome-3-32 Kurodoricho, Izumi, Osaka 594-0022

     After Hokoku-ji Temple, I left Izumi City to enter Izumiotsu City, crossing JR Hanwa Line and National Highway 26.  Seitoku-ji Temple was along another winding ex-farm road sided by private houses.

#17 Seitoku-ji Temple

     It is unknown when Daifuku-ji Temple was founded in the east of Izumi-Anashi Shrine, but it was already an old temple in 1594.  When Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was recorded in the 1680's, Daifuku-ji Temple was its #17 member temple.  The temple was located in today's 2 Chome Toyonakacho, Izumiotsu, Osaka 595-0023, in 1702.  The temple was recorded in 1722 that it had no parishioner.  It was abolished before the Meiji Restoration and its deity was moved to Seishu-ji Temple, which burned down in May, 1848.  Although it was rebuilt but was merged to Seitoku-ji Temple recently.

     It is unknown whether Daifuku-ji Temple had something to do with Izumianashi Shrine or not.  Izumianashi Shrine enshrines the couple: Oshihomimi and Takuhadachiji.

Address: 2 Chome-12-14 Toyonakacho, Izumiotsu, Osaka 595-0023

Phone: 0725-32-3677

Izumi-Anashi Shrine

Address: 1 Chome-1-1 Toyonakacho, Izumiotsu, Osaka 595-0023

Phone: 0725-32-2610

     The area between Seitoku-ji Temple and Kannon-do Hall is laid out in a rather grid pattern.  That made me be off my guard.  Again, the old messed up alleys in an ex-fishing town are confused by the modern highway, and Kannon-do Hall is located in a long and narrow block, which is hardly detected as a block. 

#16 Kannon-do Hall

     According to the legend of Sefuku-ji Temple, Priest Hokai, who revived Sefuku-ji Temple, recognized the image of Kannon Bodhisattva in the sea of Otsu and founded Kannon-do Hall therethe sometime between 770 and 781.

     Sometime after 1573, the temple was destroyed by fire in the battles of Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), but was later rebuilt. Sometime between 1673 and 1681, Priest Unryu, who revived Amida-ji Temple, moved there and spent the rest of his life devoting to chanting Namo'mitabhaya Buddhaya.

     According to the temple and shrine register for the Fuchu area in 1698, it was recorded as Uda Otsu Village Kannon Hall, and Buddhist altar implements with inscriptions from that time still remain.  All in all, the temple could have been a branch of Amida-ji Temple and became independent later.

     The temple was abolished in 1875, but was revived in 1892.  It enshrines an Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha statue.  While many temples have been maintained under the protection of powerful families or high priests of the time, this is one of the few that has continued to be protected by the faith of the local people.

Address: 8-15 Ebisucho, Izumiotsu, Osaka 595-0041

Phone: 0725-32-2464

Sefuku-ji Temple

Address: 136 Makiosancho, Izumi, Osaka 594-1131

Phone: 0725-92-2332

Amida-ji Temple

Address: 118 Onocho, Izumi, Osaka 594-1134

Phone: 0725-99-0358

     After all the fuss, I finished actually visiting all the 33 member temples of the Izumi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage,  adding it to the pilgrimages that I have already accomplished: Fukuhara 33 Kannon Pilgrimage and Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  If I were playing games, I should have gained a skill or bonus points.