Kannō-in (感応院) & Mishima Daimyōjin (三島大明神)

Kanno-in

Kanno-in (感応院) is a Buddhist temple of the Shingon sect located in the Daigiri district of Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Founded in 1218, the temple is said to have been patronized by Minamoto no Sanetomo (1192–1219). It is considered one of the oldest temples in Fujisawa-shuku (藤沢宿), one of the 53 shukuba (post stations) along the former Tokaido Route, now mostly inherited by National Route 1.

In 1609, the Edo shogunate designated the temple as a Danrinsho (檀林所), a Buddhist academic institute.

It is the first pilgrimage site of the Sagami-no-kuni Jun-Shikoku 88 Temples (相模国準四国八十八箇所), a replica pilgrimage of the Shikoku Pilgrimage (四国八十八箇所) consisting of 88 temples located in Fujisawa, Chigasaki, Samukawa, and Izumi-ku of Yokohama.

The temple is also part of the Fujisawa Shichifukujin (Seven Lucky Gods), as it enshrines a statue of Jurojin (寿老人) in its main hall. It is open to the public during the Fujisawa Shichifukujin Meguri (藤沢七福神めぐり) event, usually held from January 7 to January 31 each year.

Mishima Daimyojin

Southwest of the temple is a shrine hall enshrining Mishima Daimyojin (三島大明神). In 1193, during a hunting expedition at the foot of Mount Fuji, Minamoto no Yoritomo enshrined the kami (deity) of Mishima Jinja (now in Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture) as a protective deity for travelers. This shrine hall is unique in that it can rotate.

References:

• Fujisawa City Tourist Association. (n.d.). 感応院. 藤沢市・湘南江の島 藤沢市観光公式ホームページ. https://www.fujisawa-kanko.jp/spot/fujisawa/06.html
• 藤沢市ふじさわ宿交流館. (n.d.). 感応院. 藤沢市ふじさわ宿交流館. https://fujisawashuku-kouryukan.com/kyutoukaido/osusume/26-osusume.html