Monument of Nabezuka [pot mound]

It is the monument of Matsuura Takeshiro, an explorer between the late Edo Period and the Meiji Era [the mid to late 19th century], and his favorite pot was buried there. It was built in July 1883 and stands on a plateau to the west of Miidera Kannondo Hall.
Matsuura went to Ezo [now Hokkaido], explored and researched the whole island in 1844. Later he produced Sanko Ezo Nisshi (Journal of Ezo) and Ezo Daiezu (Illustration of Ezo), and so on. He was appointed as a government urban planner in 1869 and was well employed even after the Meiji Restoration [between 1868 and 1889]. He was engaged to rename Ezo to Hokkaido and to enact the names and the borders of provinces and districts of Hokkaido.
According to the monument inscription, Matsuura was involved with the restoration of the pilgrimage route of Mt. Omine, a sacred place of the Japanese mountain asceticism whose founder is Enno Gyoja. As Mt. Omine was under the jurisdiction of Miidera Temple, his favorite pot used for cooking during his exploration of Ezo was reportedly buried in Miidera Temple.