Dakeiji/Sagara Castle Connection/Pine Tree - Fujieda

Sagara Castle site is located in another place in Fujieda City. The palatial residence was later relocated to this temple. 

This is the history from the JCastle website:

Sagarajō was built starting in 1767 by Tanuma Okitsugu. Sagarajō was originally the site of a Sengoku period fort (now called Sagarakojō) built by Takeda Katsuyori, and from 1586 it was refashioned as Sagara-goten by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who used it as a base for falconry. In the Edo period it was reconstituted as Sagara-jin'ya, which Tanuma Okitsugu took over in 1758. Sagarajō finally returned to castle status in 1767 when Tanuma's income increased dramatically. Tanuma had became a castle lord only after a long and successful career in Edo serving under the Shogunate. Tanuma was known for being impossible to bribe and he was consistently promoted by Tokugawa Ieharu, the tenth Tokugawa shōgun. Sagarajō, however, was completed only by 1780. It featured a three-tier tenshu (donjon), which is interesting because by that time it was not common for new tenshu to be constructed. Tokugawa Ieharu died in 1786, and, unfortunately for Tanuma, the new boss was not keen on him, reducing his holdings considerably. Tanuma Okitsugu retired and was succeeded by his grandson, Tanuma Okiaki, who was soon transferred to another domain in 1787. Thereupon Sagarajō, which had lasted for twenty years but had only been completed for seven, was decomissioned and thoroughly dismantled. Parts of the castle were recycled elsewhere, most notably the shoin (drawing room) of the goten (palace) which was relocated to the temple Daikeiji and still survives, at least in part, to this day. It is said also that some ishigaki (stone wall) remains along the bank of the Hagami River from the time of the castle.

This was my first view of the temple grounds as I approached it. I immediately saw Kuon no Matsu, a 700 year old, 25 meter high pine tree, planted by holy priest Nichiren, founder of the important Nichiren school of Buddhism.

The wood carvings on the buildings here are quite beautiful.

This is the palace residence moved from Sagara Castle.

I was the only person visiting this beautiful temple site when I was there.

Karigane Festival 2025

Going to this fire festival every year in October has become a tradition with my friends and I. It’s scary, but fascinating. One year, we participated as fire throwers, but once was enough. Since then, we’ve been happy to just watch. 

This is how it works - there are three straw baskets on high poles. Fire throwers wearing long pants, long sleeves, gloves, helmets, and goggles, throw wood blocks that are on fire and tied with a rope as high as they can, trying to get them in the basket. The baskets catch fire and eventually the poles fall down. There are safety people with hoses ready for when the fire gets out of hand.

The festival ends with fireworks.

Maybe this is only in Japan.

Myohoji - Fujieda

This beautiful little temple has a website. It must be important.