Legend has it that this temple was built as successor to Hashimoto ("foot of the bridge") Temple constructed around the year 615 by royal command from Empress Suiko and dedicated to Iwa-uji who sacrificed his life to build Nagara Bridge. Iwa-uji was a very wealthy man in Suita area, but his sense of gratitude was great, and in order to relieve the suffering of people he sacrificed his own life by substituting himself as a human pile for the bridge.
This is the most famous of Yodogawa Ward legends, but the temple also contains gifts presented by Emperor Goichijo when the name of the temple was changed to Daigan-ji, including "Warai Jizo" (the laughing Buddhist saint Jizo), made by Jocho, the grave of Iwa-uji, "Patron Saint Iwa-uji," "Iwa-uji Memorial Tablet and Portrait," and the Nagara Bridge pile to which Iwa-uji tied himself, and other treasures. In ancient times this was a Zen temple, but in 1709 money exchange administrator TENNOJIYA Miuemon changed it to a Nichiren-shu Sect temple. Miemon's grave is here. |
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