Origin of Yahashi Iwane Jizō

Its origin dates back to the era of Emperor Yūryaku in ancient times when a great flood occurred. During this flood, a boat-shaped rock emerged from the depths of the valley, and the Jizō statue was found seated atop it. As a result, it came to be called Iwane Jizō. This Jizō is said to appear in the dreams of those who believe in it, helping to alleviate their suffering, which led to a deep and fervent faith over time. Temples and bell towers were constructed, attracting many visitors for worship.
However, in the first year of the Ten'an era (857 AD), a forest fire caused significant destruction to the temples and towers. Soon after, they were rebuilt, and it became a sub-temple of Kōtokuji in Kumon Village. From the 9th year of the Kan'ei era, it came under the jurisdiction of Daigenji, the temple of Tsuda Kō.
Later, during the Manji era (1658–1661), another fire led to its destruction, but there were no individuals willing to rebuild it. At that time, the Jizō appeared in the dreams of an elder in the nearby village, stating, "I wish to go to Shimotsuke Province to save the people of the eastern lands through my Buddhist connections." He then traveled to Iwane Mountain in Shimotsuke Province (present-day Iwafune Town, Tochigi Prefecture), where he continued to perform miracles, earning a reputation as Iwane Jizō and gaining fervent devotion from the local populace.
On August 2, 1796, he appeared in the dreams of a female merchant in Yahashi Shimmachi, saying, "I am Iwane Jizō, and I have decided to return to the original place, Iwane in Yahashi. I wish for a temple to be built for me." In response, the merchant became the patron and raised funds to rebuild the small temple. Until around 1820, the small temple was actively worshiped, but over time it fell into disuse. Today, only the rock in the valley and the stone Jizō retain a faint semblance of their former presence.