The History of Josenbo Temple
Traditional Origins
Josenbo is traditionally believed to have originated as a Shingon Buddhist temple called Saikoji. According to tradition, Saikoji was founded by Gyoki, a renowned Buddhist monk of the Nara period.
In 1382, after the fall of Akasaka Castle in Kawachi Province, Kusunoki Masakatsu, the grandson of the famous warrior Kusunoki Masashige, established a residence at the temple as a place of retirement. This event strengthened the temple’s connection with Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.
Kusunoki Masashige himself had become a follower of Kakushin of Honganji, and this religious connection is said to have influenced his descendants.
The Change of Buddhist School and Rennyo
A grandson of Kusunoki Masakatsu known as Kamonnosuke entered the Buddhist priesthood and received the Buddhist name Jogan from Sonnyo of Honganji. He subsequently converted the temple from Shingon Buddhism to the Honganji branch of Jodo Shinshu, after which various temple buildings were constructed.
On February 18, 1499, the influential Jodo Shinshu leader Rennyo is said to have conveyed his final instructions to Jitsunyo at Josenbo. Following this event, the temple adopted the name Josenbo.
The name is traditionally associated with Rennyo’s emphasis on the spirit of single-minded devotion.
War and Relocation
Connection with the Ishiyama War
During the Ishiyama War, the long conflict between Oda Nobunaga and Honganji around the end of the 16th century, Josenbo and its third chief priest, Ryoken, are recorded in the Ishiyama Senki as having taken part in the fighting with a large group of warriors.
In 1647, the name Josenbo came into formal use.
Expansion and Relocation
During the time of the temple’s sixth chief priest, Shinsen, Josenbo also established another temple building in Tenma, in what is now Kita Ward, Osaka City, and operated it concurrently.
In 1900, the Yodo River improvement works affected the temple’s original site, as the land was scheduled to become part of the riverbed. Josenbo was therefore relocated to its present location in Toyosato, Higashiyodogawa Ward.
Highlights of the Temple Grounds
The Bell Tower and Temple Bell
A historic bell tower stands within the temple grounds. The large bronze temple bell hanging there is traditionally said to have once been used at Ishiyama Honganji.
The bell provides a tangible connection between Josenbo and the turbulent history surrounding Honganji during Japan’s Warring States period.
Stone Gorinto Memorial Towers
The temple grounds also contain gorinto, five-ring Buddhist memorial towers traditionally associated with Kusunoki Masakatsu, Kusunoki Masamori, and Kusunoki Morinobu.
These memorial towers are said to have been erected to commemorate members of the Kusunoki family and offer visitors another reminder of the temple’s connection with medieval Japanese history.
The Significance of Josenbo
Josenbo has played an important role in the religious and local history of Higashiyodogawa. Its connections with Rennyo, the Kusunoki family, and the Honganji tradition provide insight into the development of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism and the turbulent history of medieval Japan.
The temple has survived numerous changes, from the Warring States period through the modernization of the Meiji era, including the relocation caused by Yodo River improvement works. Its continued presence today reflects the long history of the local community.
Visitors interested in Japanese Buddhist culture and history can explore the temple grounds and discover the stories preserved in its bell tower, memorial towers, and traditional architecture.
Access
From Kamishinjo Station: Approximately 14 minutes on foot south from Kamishinjo Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Main Line.
From Daido-Toyosato Station: Approximately 10 minutes on foot west from Daido-Toyosato Station on the Osaka Metro Imazatosuji Line.
A Temple Connecting Buddhism and Osaka’s History
Josenbo Temple is a place where the religious history of Jodo Shinshu intersects with stories of the Kusunoki family and the conflicts of Japan’s Warring States period. Its traditional origins, association with Rennyo, and connection with Ishiyama Honganji make it a distinctive historical site in Higashiyodogawa.
A visit to Josenbo offers an opportunity to look beyond Osaka’s modern cityscape and discover a quieter side of the city shaped by centuries of Buddhist tradition and regional history.