Kasuisai

This is a Soto sect temple in Kuno, Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture. It is called Banshozan and also known as Akiba Sohonden. It was founded in the Oei era (1394-1428) when Jochu Tengin built a hermitage here. It fell into disrepair for a time, but the fifth head priest, Tairo Ichijun, was inspired by a spiritual dream of Bishamonten and rebuilt it, naming it Toyoken. The 11th head priest, Senrin Tozen, rescued the young Tokugawa Ieyasu, who had been held hostage by the Imagawa clan, and was treated well by Ieyasu, who later became the lord of Hamamatsu Castle. He became a famous temple that oversaw the temples of the four provinces of Suruga, Totomi, Mikawa, and Izu as the Chief Priest of the Tokai region. It is said that the temple got its name Kasuisai when Senrin Tozen visited Ieyasu in Hamamatsu and fell asleep due to fatigue and old age, and Ieyasu sympathized by saying, "The priest may sleep." The Akiba Main Hall at the rear of the temple grounds was relocated from the Sanjakubo Itoku Daigongen, originally located at Akiba-dera (Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture), and is commonly known as Akiba Sanjakubo or Sanjakubo Daigongen. It is famous as a sacred Buddha for fire prevention. The Great Fire Prevention Festival is held on December 15th. The grounds are large and include many buildings, such as the main hall, monks' hall (Zendo), and abbot's quarters, and is also known as a famous spot for flowers such as peonies and egret flowers.

[Akira Suganuma]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

静岡県袋井(ふくろい)市久能(くのう)にある曹洞(そうとう)宗の寺。萬松山(ばんしょうざん)と号し、秋葉総本殿とも称される。応永(おうえい)年間（1394～1428）に恕仲天誾(じょちゅうてんぎん)がここに草庵(そうあん)を結んだのが始まりで、一時荒廃したが、5世の法祖大路一遵(たいろいちじゅん)が毘沙門天(びしゃもんてん)の霊夢に感じて再建し、東陽軒と称した。11世の仙麟等膳(せんりんとうぜん)は、今川家の人質となっていた幼少の徳川家康を助けたことにより、のちに浜松城主となった家康の厚遇を受け、東海の大僧録司(そうろくす)として駿河(するが)、遠江(とおとうみ)、三河、伊豆4か国の諸寺を取り締まる名刹(めいさつ)となった。可睡斎という寺号は、仙麟等膳が浜松に家康を訪れたとき、疲れと老齢のために居眠ったのを見て、家康が「和尚(おしょう)睡(ねむ)る可(べ)し」といたわったことによるといわれる。境内後方にある秋葉総本殿は、もと秋葉寺（静岡県浜松市）にあった三尺坊威徳大権現(だいごんげん)を移したもので、俗に秋葉三尺坊、三尺坊大権現といわれ、火防(ひぶせ)の霊仏として名高い。12月15日に火防大祭が行われる。境内は広く、本堂、僧堂（禅堂）、方丈など多くの伽藍(がらん)を有し、ボタン、サギソウなど花の名所としても知られる。

［菅沼　晃］

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