According to legend of the temple, Shotokutaishi
(574-622) founded the temple. It was burned
down to ashes later and a priest named Tennen
reconstructed it as the name of Yubitsukiji.
The head priest of it was Hakuin (1685-1768)
at that time. It was named Zuikoji in the
14th year of Meiji (1729).
There is a bridge in the precinct made
from
whales bones called Setsugeibashi.
When a
priest of it, Tanjuzenji, visited Taijiura,
Nanki district (the northern part of
Wakayama
prefecture) in the 4th year of Horeki
(1754),
the fishermen around there suffering
from
the poor catch asked him to pray for
them.
At first he did not agree with their
request
because "Don't kill others"
is
one of the 5 religious precepts of
Buddhism.
But at last he was obliged to pray
for them
and his pray was answered. The villagers
dedicated 30 ryo of gold coins and
18 bones
of whales, so he made the bridge from
the
bones. The bridge was demolished during
World
War II, but it was reconstructed thanks
to
cooperation of Taijicho in the 49th
year
of Showa (1974). |
