Sogo Regio Sanctuary

 temple, mausoleum, museum, cemetery, grave, buddhist temple

Sogo Mausoleum (Shisui) and Toshoji the memorial temple.

(Temple of Shingon Buddhism Toyoyama group).

This is a memorial temple of a popular hero Sogo, once a local village head.
In the middle of the 17th century, Sogo (Sogoro Kiuchi) boldly made a plea to the Shogun to save farmers who were suffering from famine and oppressive taxation. The plea was granted as a just one. Nevertheless, because direct appeals to the Shogun were prohibited at that time, Sogo was crucified and his children decapitated as punishment, while his widow was permitted to become a nun. The story of Sogo has become known nationwide - also as a play called "Self-Sacrificing Man Sakura Sogo". Toshoji is Sogo’s family temple.

There is a Sogoro museum on the premises which depicts the hero's story in life-size figures, and a museum of donations to the temple, which includes pictures, sculptures, calligraphy, tableware, some tools, and more curious objects like an airplane propeller or a jinrikisha cart.

The place is a popular pilgrimage and tourism spot, and the temple garden is very nice.

www17.ocn.ne.jp/~sougorei/