Ruins of HOJYO Clan in Nirayama

Ruins of HOJYO Clan in Nirayama

Nirayama is located in the northern part of the Izu Peninsula. In the Heian Age (794 - 1185) , Nirayama was in the territory of the HOJYO Clan.

In the Heian Age (794 - 1185) , Emperors governed Japan as a centralized government with supported by noble people. The second-class noble people were assigned as governors of local territories. Such noble people had the responsibility to collect taxes from assigned local areas. But, they transferred this duty to a local clan and enjoyed their elegant and luxurious life in Kyoto. This procedure enabled local clans to gain power. The HOJYO Clan was one of these local clans.

Battels and conflicts increased between local clans. These local clans became "Samurais", armed groups, and they increased their power. At the end of the Heian Age, the "Heishi" Clan and the "Genji" Clan were the leader of "Bushi" groups.

In 1160, "Heiji" Disturbance occurred and the "Heishi" and the "Genji" Clans fight battels against each other. As the results, "Heishi" won against "Genji". MINAMOTO-NO, Yoshitomo (1123 - 1160) , the leader of the "Genji" Clan, lost his life and his children were banished to rural areas far from Kyoto. MINAMOTO-NO, Yoritomo (1147 - 1199) , who was the third son of MINAMOTO-NO Yoshitomo, was exiled to Hiruga-Kojima in Nirayama. The exile of MINAMOTO-NO Yoritomo changed the destiny of the HOJYO Clan and also the destiny of Japan in the Middle Age.

Hiruga-Kojima is located on a slightly elevated area, surrounded by rice fields on low-humidity areas.

At first, TAIRA-NO Kiyomori (1118 - 1181) , the leader of the "Heishi" Clan, decided to kill the sons of MINAMOTO-NO Yoshitomo. But, "IKE-NO Zenni" (1104? - 1164?) , who was the stepmother of TAIRA-NO Kiyomori, strongly asked TAIRA-NO Kiyomori not to kill them.

MINAMOTO-NO Yoritomo was thirteen years old when he was exiled to Hiruga-Kojima. During his exile, he met HOJYO Masako (1157 - 1225) , who was the elderly daughter of HOJYO Tokimasa (1138 - 1215) , the leader of the HOJYO Clan. They got married in 1177.

From Hiruga-Kojima, you will see Mt. Fuji, as shown in the above picture. When I was visited there, it was partially clouded.

To the southwest from Hiruga-Kojima, Mt. Moriyama is located.

The foot of Mt. Moriyama was the base of the HOJYO Clan. It will take you approximately twenty minutes on foot from Hiruga-Kojima to the foot of Mt. Moriyama.

To the northwest of the foot of Mt. Moriyama, the ruins of HOJYO Residence are located. The excavational investigations of the site of the residence were conducted from 1992 to 1993. The area of the site is approximately twenty-five ares (= 2,500 square-meters).

After MINAMOTO-NO Yoritomo got married with HOJO Masako, TAIRA-NO Kiyomori seized real power. However, TAIRA-no Kiyomori behaved as a noble person and used his power only for his family's prosperity. Many "Samurais" especially in the eastern Japan Area were against TAIRA Clan and supported MINAMOTO Clan. "Genji" had battels against "Heishi" and destroyed "Heishi" at Dannoura Bay in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture. MINAMOTO-NO Yoritomo opened his government in Kamakura. These things happened in 1185.

Tsurugaoka-Hachiman-Gu was the family shrine of the MINAMOTO Clan, "Genji",
Please refer the page of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura:
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/TravelDestinations/Kanto/Tsurugaoka_E.html

From the top of Mt. Moriyama, you will see town of Nirayama. To the north, you will see Mt. Fuji, if it is fine. When I visited, unfortunately it was clouded.

The below picture shows the view to the north-east direction from the top of Mt. Moriyama. In the middle of the below picture, Hiruga-Kojima is located. There are a couple of related temples in the village at the foot of the mountain.

To the south of Mt. Moriyama, "Shinjyuin" Temple is located. It was built in the Kamakura Age (1185 - 1333) . A pink apron and a red cap on Stone Buddha Statues were very impressive.

The "Yaehime" Hall is located in the "Shinjyuin" Temple. The hall was built to worship ITO Yaehime, who was a daughter of ITO Sukechika (? - 1182) . Yaehime and MINAMOTO-NO Yoritomo fell in love and they had a baby.

ITO Sukechika was a guard of MINAMOTO-NO Yoritomo. He was strongly afraid that the baby would be accused by "Heishi" and killed the baby. Yaehime lost all one's hopes in the world and made a suicide.

If you walk to the north from "Shinjyuin" Temple, you will see the site of "Ganjyojyuin" Temple. The temple was originally built by HOYO Tokimasa (1138 - 1215) at the beginning of the Kamakura Age. He was a father of HOYO Masako, who was the legal wife of MONAMOTO-NO Yoritomo.

The existing "Ganjyojyuin" Temple is located to the next of the site of the original "Ganjyojyuin" Temple. The view of the main hall through the gate is impressive.

When MINAMOTO-NO Yoritomo became the first "Shogun" in the Kamakura Age and opened his government in Kamakura, HOYO Tokimasa was in the position of the regency to support MINAMOTO-NO Yoritomo. However, he assassinated the second "Shogun", MINAMOTO-NO Yoriie to increase his power. Finally he lost his power and came back to his hometown, Nirayama from Kamakura.

The grave of HOYO Tokimasa is located at "Ganjyojyuin" Temple.

HOYO Tokimasa indulged in the political power, resulting in ruins himself. He spent the rest of his lonely life in Nirayama. His grave is small and frugally, compared with his regency position at his golden age.

If you walk further to the north, Jyofukuji Temple is located to the north of Mt. Moriyama. Jyofukuji Temple was originally built as the hall where the private Buddha statue of TAIRA-NO Tokiie, who was the father of HOJYO Tokimasa, and the grandfather of HOJYO Tokiko.

As the HOJYO Clan moved to Kamakura when MINAMOTO-NO Yoritomo opened the "Kamakura Bakufu", Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun, Jyofukuji Temple was moved to Kamakura. In 1289, HOJYO Masamune, who was the son of HOJYO Tokimune (1251 - 1284) , the eighth regency of the "Kamakura Bakufu", rebuilt Jyofukuji Temple in Nirayama.

HOJYO Masamune built his parents graves in Jyofukuji Temple, as shown the above-left picture. Also, the grave of HOJYO Masamune is located in the temple. When HOJYO Tokimune was in the eighth regency of the "Kamakura Bakufu", the Mongol invasions of Japan by the Yuan Dynasty in China occurred in 1274 and 1281. The Yuan dynasty was very strong and huge dainastly. The Invasions was the national crisis of Japan.

HOJYO Tokimune was in the very serious situations when the Mongol invasions happened, and also he should have many difficulties to expel Mongolians. However, his grave is in silent and stood in obscurity.

There are many historical sites and temples related to the HOJYO Clan in Nirayama, Izuno-Kuni City. Those were mainly related to the histories from the late twelfth century to the thirteenth century. These histories were sometimes very sanguinary. But, now these sites and temples are in very silent and the scenery of Nirayama is beautiful.