A short history of Osu Kannon Temple
Originally Osu Kannon Temple was situated in Osu-go, Nagaoka village in the domain of Owari,
which is presently Hashima City in Gifu Prefecture. The founder of this temple is known as Noushin
Shounin ( a Holy Priest ).
In the fourth year of the Genkyo era ( 1324 ), the Emperor Godiago gave an order to build Kitano
Tenmanngu Shrine in Nagaoka village.
The Emperor Godiago liked notion and also took refuge with him. Thus, on the third year of the
Ginkgo era ( 1333 ) the Emperor Godaigo appointed Noushin as the head priest of the Shrine and at
the same time Osu Kannon Temple was given the title " Kitano-San Houshyouin Shinpukuji. "
In order to find the temple, Noushin retreated to Ise Shrine for one hundred days and prayed with
great passion to ask who will He enshrine at the temple in order for the people to be rescued and be
blessed. His wish was granted at last , one evening he had a spiritual dream, in which he received a
revelation the great compassion of Kannon ( Avalokitesvara ) offers compassion which is of infinite
benefit and is therefore venerable to all people; and then he saw the holy figure of Kannon. This Holy
figure took the exact same form as the image in Shitennouji Temple in Sessyu ( Osaka ) which had
been carved by Kobodaishi ( the founder of Shingon sect ) long ago.
The mystery of the spiritual dream was heard by the Emperor Gomurukami who gave an order to
relocate the Shitennouji temple's Kannon to Osu Kannon Temple, and since then we have been
dedicated to Kannon. The spiritual power of Osu Kannon Temple increase over time. The Emperor
Gomurakami also took refuge with the Noushin and gave an honorable royal order, which requested
new temple buildings, a large area of padi fields and that Osu Kannon Temple shall be a royal prayer
temple.
Noushin was a very studious individual, and collected many important text books which were in
Osu Kannon Temple's library. ( Shinpukuji Library ) and were also venerated by people. One time a
shinto maiden brought to him a high priest robe ( sougyarii ) and another time a deity brought a mask
which was shaped just like a devil's head ( kimen ), then told Noushin " this mask is an embodiment
of the Kannon, and therefore by the power of Buddha it can eliminate people's misfortune and give
them happiness. " These objects continue to be kept as treasures of the temple to the present day.
Over the years, the spiritual power of Osu Kannon Temple became known around the country.
Shinyu Shounin was appointed as the second head priest and Ninyu Houshino was appointed as the
third. The temple's farmland increased and most of the Shingon temples in Ise, Mino ( Gifu ), Owari
( Aichi ), Mikawa, Toutomi (west part of Shizuoka ) and Shinano ( Nagano ) were affiliated with Osu
Kannon Temple.
After this Japanentered the age of wars; in this period Osu Kannon Temple received a large
amount of farmland from Oda Nobunaga. In the seventeenth year ( 17th ) of the Keicyo era 17
(1612), Tokugawa Ieyasu built Nagoya Castle and relocated the temple to the present Location
nearby the castle. Since then, a lot of good women and men pay homage at the Osu Kannon Temple
which is the commonly called " Osu Kannon " and it flourished as a center part of the City to this day.
It remains a main temple in Chizan denomination.
