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which is five years before, so if Zenkyūin was founded in Kōji 2, there would be no time for the third generation Kōan to serve as head priest, making this theory even more unbelievable. Moreover, after the second generation Kōkoku transferred Zenkyūin to the third generation Kōan, he established temples called Zuikōin in Shinano Province and Chōyōin in Furikusa, Atsumi District. According to the theory recorded by the seventeenth generation priest Banri of Zenkyūin, the old bell at this Chōyōin was cast in Tenbun 11 by Kōan and bore Kōkoku's inscription. And there is a ridge-beam inscription preserved at Zenji temple in Niino Village, Shimoina District, Shinano Province that reads:
"Tenbun 2, year of Mizunoto-mi, ninth month, sixth day, former Eiheiji, Zuikō current resident Kōkoku Shungyoku-sō wrote"
Based on these facts, Chōyōin was built at least before Tenbun 11, and Kōkoku moved to Zuikōin before Tenbun 2, so at this time Zenkyūin was already in the generation of the third priest Kōan. Therefore, it can be proven that Zenkyūin existed much earlier than Tenbun 2. What makes this theory even more credible is that Buddhist writings in Kōkoku's own hand still exist at Zenkyūin, most of which date to the Eishō period. From these points, it can be inferred that the establishment of Zenkyūin was not, as mentioned before, founded by Yoshimitsu, but rather built by his son Norimitsu after Munemitsu's death for his father's spiritual repose, and it would be reasonable to believe that this occurred in the late Meiō period or early Eishō period. Therefore, based on these facts, there would be no reason to build a temple in a place with no connection, so Ninrengi Castle must have been built by Munemitsu at least in the early Meiō period, before the founding of Zenkyūin, and then renovated by Yoshimitsu in Tenbun 10. This theory seems correct. Of course, regarding Zenkyūin as well, after Yoshimitsu's residence there, the temple buildings were greatly expanded, and there is evidence for this, so it is believed that this renovation took place in Kōji 2.
Now, after Munemitsu's death, as mentioned before, Norimitsu succeeded to Tahara, and since this person was called Danjōchū, when Imahashi fell and Makino Kohaku died in battle in Eishō 3, this person was the lord of Tahara Castle. However, after the fall, Imahashi was
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defended by a person called Toda Kinshichirō, and this Kinshichirō was Norimitsu's second son, as can be seen in various records. The Toda clan was quite prosperous at that time, and the Hankanfu, quoting the Sōgyōki, records: "Ruling over castles including Tahara, Ninrengi, Imahashi, etc., with the eldest son Ukon-no-jō Masamitsu at Ninrengi and the second son Kinshichi at Imahashi." This Norimitsu's Buddhist name was Zenchū, and it is generally transmitted that he died at Tahara on the first day of the eleventh month of Eishō 10 and was buried at Chōkōji temple. However, the facts are that around Eishō 13 to 15, he transferred Tahara Castle to his son Ukon-no-jō Masamitsu and moved to Kawawa in Chita District, where he died, living at least until Daiei 7. There is still a temple called Zenchūji in Kawawa today, which is said to have been built by Masamitsu for his father.
Under these circumstances, Masamitsu succeeded his father as lord of Tahara Castle, but soon retired to Nisaki in Atsumi District and transferred Tahara to his son Danjō-shōhitsu Yasumitsu. However, as mentioned in the previous chapter, in the early years of Daiei, Kohaku's son Shigekazu and others rose up and retook Imahashi Castle, so Kinshichirō was forced to withdraw from there. After that, the Makino clan's power gradually grew stronger, so it appears that the Toda clan sought to make peace with them instead. However, in Kyōroku 2, the Makino clan was defeated and destroyed by Matsudaira Kiyoyasu. Originally, the Tahara Toda clan and the Matsudaira clan had intimate relations, as I mentioned before, so the friendly relations between the two sides had not changed since Munemitsu's time. Indeed, in the famous document called the Daijuji joint letter from Bunki 1, someone called Tahara Magojirō Iemitsu is included among the Matsudaira family members and co-signed the document. There are theories about this Iemitsu, but I think it is correct that he was Norimitsu's brother. In any case, this was the situation, but when the Imagawa clan invaded in Eishō 3, Norimitsu initially supported them, so temporarily the Matsudaira became enemies, but soon the Matsudaira and Imagawa made peace, so relations between the Matsudaira and Toda naturally returned to their former state. However, the Matsudaira clan, under Nobuyasu son of Nagachika, was in a state where the local lords would not submit, so between these two houses
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