Hiraizumi, Iwate – the legacy of Golden Capital for 100 years (3/3)
The beginning of Hiraizumi regime was said to be, started by Chusonji-temple and its ending is often talked with a tragedic story of a hero, “Minamoto no Yoshitsune”.
He was younger brother of Shogun in Kamakura Shogunate, “Minamoto no Yoritomo”, and fought for his brother. However, given own brother’s heroic success in battle fields, Yoritomo, the elder, had become scared to be killed by own younger bro, and also to have enviable feeling to him, allegedly said. Yoshitsune escaped to Hiraizumi but chased and killed by Yoritomo, becoming trigger to demolition of Hiraizumi regime.
“Alleged” tomb of Benkei, in front of Chuson-ji temple’s entrance. He was a bodyguard of Yoshitsune. Allegedly, he protected his master by standing in front, hit by many arrows and died with his eyes open and standing at last moment. It says here, Benkei died to protect his master (Yoshitsune) by standing in front, in 289. His “Standing death” became a Japanese word “Tachi-oujou（立往生）”, meaning “stuck on the road (cannot move) “.The entrance. It says “560m to Main Hall and 800m to Golden Hall”. Long way !They are on the mountain.“Benkei Dou”, or a small hall to enshrine Benkei.The gate to Chusonji-temple.The main hall. The statue was built in 2013. The lights in lanterns both side are called “never ending lights” came from Enryaku-ji temple in Kyoto.Stairway to “Golden Hall”, precisely, the hall is an annex of Chusonji-temple. The bodies of three Fujiwara governers, and head of fourth one(Fujiwara no Yasuhira), executed by Yoritomo are buried. You cannot take pictures inside. Its official site is below.
Former “Shelter Hall” for golden statues. It is thought to be built in 16C, and was moved to next to current new shelter hall in 1963.“Gikei-do”, where “a hero” Yoshitsune is enshrined.The tomb stone is in samurai’s helmet shape.Kitakami River. Since the river was more important than ground roads (they used boat, which is easier to convey stuff rather than ground transportation) in Japan, many of cities were developed alongside of rivers. Hiraizumi is not exception.
