六浦山 上行寺

六浦山上行寺は、もとは真言宗で金勝寺といい、源平の壇ノ浦合戦(1185)の頃にできたと云われています。日蓮宗に改めたのは、中山法華経寺第三世日祐上人でした。

開基日荷上人はもと六浦平次郎（荒井平次郎景光）といい、日祐上人に帰依し、出家して六浦妙法と呼ばれました。上行寺には、日荷上人が隣村（金沢村）の称名寺住持と仁王像を賭けた囲碁に勝ち、譲り受けた仁王像を身延山まで背負って運んだという話や、日蓮上人の船中問答の話などの逸話が伝えられています。

境内には、日荷上人が身延山から持ち帰って植えたという樹齢700年の榧の木や、日荷上人の墓碑、牛馬六畜供養塔、船繋ぎの松などがあります。また、上行寺裏山に「徒然草」の著者･吉田兼好が草庵を建てて住んでいたという記録もあります。

About Nichika Shonin（Saint Nichika）

Jogyoji Temple was founded by Nichika Shonin, who was originally known as Mutsu-ura Heijiro. After becoming a disciple of Nichiyu Shonin, the third head priest of Nakayama Hokekyoji Temple in Chiba, he became a Buddhist priest and took the name “Mutsu-ura Myoho.”

A tradition preserved at Jogyoji holds that Nichika Shonin once played a game of Go against the chief priest of Shomyoji Temple in a neighboring village, with a pair of Nio guardian statues at stake. After winning the match, he is said to have carried the statues on his back all the way to Kuonji Temple on Mount Minobu in Yamanashi. Because of this legendary feat, Nichika Shonin has long been revered as a guardian of victory, strong and healthy legs, and great strength.

  Within the grounds of Jogyoji stand a large Japanese torreya (kaya) tree and the gravestone of Nichika Shonin. The tree, now approximately 700 years old, is said to have been planted by Nichika Shonin after he brought it back from Minobu. Notably, at Kuonji Temple — the head temple of Nichiren Buddhism — a Nio Gate, which was also donated by Mutsu-ura Heijiro, still stands today and is now known as the “Shishinkaku Nio Gate.”