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History of Jokoji Temple

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Jokoji Temple is located about 1,100 m east of Jokoji station at JR chuo-line
(former national railway), and the mountain where it stands is called 'Oumuzan'.
The temple belongs to Myoushinji sect of Rinzaishu-religion, one of Buddhism,
and has been established by the Reverend Kakugen about 650 years ago.
The both sides along the approach to the temple are covered with green leaves
and many waterfalls. Fantastically shaped rocks rise from the ground around there.
So, this area is very scenery and called as 'Arashiyama of Owari'.(See Note 1)
This mountain is opened by a man of Chiba family from Higo district (Kumamoto
prefecture at present). His mother felt miraculous dream of Jizo-Bosatsu
(See Note 2) at a night and he is said to be born. He became a priest at the age
of 9 to train himself at Kenchouji Temple in Kamkura (Kamakura city at present).
Then, at the age of 54, he traveled the country of Owari (See Note 3) and
predicted the future of a Mizuno, a region where no huoman being has ever set foot,
and sat in Zen meditation. People from places both near and far heard it indirectly
and asked for the teachings and many became believers. 5 years later, the main temple
was decided to be built and the location was decided. At a night at that time, all monks
undergoing Zen training had a dream that they digged out a statue of spirit called
Joko-butsu ('butsu' means Buddha.) from the location. Therefore, Zen master,
Rev.Kakugen named the main temple as 'Jokoji' and the mountain as 'Ou-mu-zan'
('Ou' literally means 'correspond', 'mu' means 'dream', 'zan' means 'mountain';
Connecting each words leads to mountain corresponding dream,)

Note:
1 Arashiyama is very scenery mountain in Kyoto city. Owari stands for one district
of Aichi prefecture consisting of two districts such as Owari and Mikawa.

2 'Jizo' stands for a guardian deity of children; 'Bosatsu' stands for Buddhist saint.

3 Unlike the present governing system, at that time, each district such as Owari had
its own proper law independent from national law and Japan consisted of about
60 self-governing countries. (Such countries were called as 'Han'.)
Shogun was the mightiest person governing all districts irrespective of such law
system and also controled the Imperial Court essentially. Shogunate or the office
of shogun was assumed from generation to generation by Tokugawa family or clan
who's family came from Mikawa disctrict - one disctict of Aichi prefecture at present.