Tosanobo Shoshun (土佐坊昌俊)
Shoshun TOSANOBO (1143 - November 26, 1185) was busho (Japanese military commander) as well as a Buddhist priest in the last Heian period. Shoshun TOSANOBO was his priest's name and his real name was Konnomaru SHIBUYA. He was a son of Shigeie SHIBUYA, who belonged to the Chichibu lineage of Kanmu Heishi (the Taira clan). When Shigeie SHIBUYA, who had been without child for a long time, prayed for the birth of a child, he received the oracle of Kongoyashamyoo (金剛夜叉明王) and was blessed with a baby boy soon and therefore, he named his son Konnomaru (金王丸) using the first and last Chinese characters of 金剛夜叉明王 (Kongoyashamyoo).
He served MINAMOTO no Yoshitomo as a page from his early years. He accompanied Yoshitomo for the Heiji War in 1159, but after Yoshitomo was defeated by TAIRA no Kiyomori, he went to Owari along with Yoshitomo who left from the battle line. When Yoshitomo was murdered by Tadamune OSADA in Owari in 1160, he tried to take revenge but failed, and broke through the enemy line by slaying tens of Osada's soldiers while covered all over with wounds. After returning to Kyoto, he informed Tokiwa Gozen of Yoshitomo's death and thereafter, he entered the priesthood as a priest of Saikon-do of Kofuku-ji Temple in order to pray for Yoshitomo and called himself Shoshun TOSANOBO.
Thereafter, he was captured by Sanehira DOI because he committed an outrage in Hari no sho Manor in Yamoto Province. However, MINAMOTO no Yoritomo, who was also engaged in the Heiji War and remembered Konnomaru SHIBUYA, appreciated Shoshun's loyalty to his father and employed Shoshun as a vassal whilst pardoning the crime.
At the secret behest of Yoritomo, he tried in November of 1185 to assassinate Yoshitsune by assaulting his residence, located at Horikawa in Kyoto, but failed. Subsequently, he escaped to Mt. Kurama but was captured by Yoshitsune's soldiers and on November 26, he was decapitated at the Rokujo-gawara riverbed and his head was kept on public display. He died at 43.
Konno Hachiman Shrine (Konno Hachiman-gu shrine)
Shibuya in Tokyo, where Konno Hachiman-jinja Shrine is located, coincides with Yamori no sho Manor of Toshima-gun in Musashi Province that was awarded in 1051 to KAWASAKi no Kaja Motoie of Chichibu Party, who was a grandfather of Shoshin TOSANOBO and insisted that he was a descendant of Prince Takamochi, a grandson of Emperor Kanmu, for his military exploits in Zen Kunen no Eki (Former Nine Years' Campaign). It is believed that Hachiman-jinja Shrine occupies a part of the site of Shibuya-jo Castle, which used to be the castle of successive Shibuya clans, and it was constructed in 1092 by Motoie KAWASAKI at a corner of the castle.
Even at present, Konnomaru-eido Hall, which enshrines Shoshin TOSANOBO, namely Konnomaru SHIBUYA, is located at the corner of Konno Hachiman-jinja Shrine and next to it, there exists a stone that has been handed down as 'the stone used for the fortress of Shibuya Castle.'
Address: 3-5-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku Ward, Tokyo Prefecture
Enshrined deity: the Emperor Ojin