Kokusho Myojin
Kokusho Myojin
The very beginning was the divine oracle of Kokusho Myojin, who cared for the nation and worried about evil people. This was over 1,300 years ago. Guided by dazzling light emitted every night, En no Gyoja encountered Kokusho Myojin in the form of an elderly man at this place and founded Kokusho-ji (present-day Anjo-ji).
Kokusho Myojin appeared frequently thereafter, sometimes in the form of a beautiful celestial maiden wearing heavenly robes, caring for the nation and worrying about evil people through divine oracles.
Safe childbirth and fertility
Kokusho Myojin - Origins
1.Divine Oracles of Kokusho Myojin
Toward the end of the Asuka period, guided by the divine oracle of Kokusho Myojin, En no Gyoja was led by a brilliant light to this place. En no Gyoja met Kokusho Myojin, who appeared in the form of an elderly man, and established Kokusho-ji (later Anjo-ji). It is said that Kokusho Myojin appeared many times afterward, sometimes in the form of a beautiful celestial maiden.
2.Establishment of Anjo-ji
Founded by En no Gyoja, the patriarch of Shugendo, Anjo-ji was initially named “Kokusho-ji.” The origin comes from when En no Gyoja pursued a great light that appeared to the south of Mount Katsuragi and met an elderly man (Kokusho Myojin) in Imai village of Uchi district. The elderly man identified himself as the land deity of this area, who prayed for the safety of the realm and the fertility of the land.
3.The Wish of Kokusho Myojin
The elderly man lamented that people were indulging in selfish actions and did not understand the principle of cause and effect. He wished for En no Gyoja to save people through Buddhist teachings. En no Gyoja honored this divine message, created an eleven-faced deity statue, and established the temple. Afterward, he held festivals for Kokusho Myojin and prayed for national safety and abundant harvests.
4. The True Form of Kokusho Myojin
Once, Kokusho Myojin appeared to En no Gyoja in the form of a celestial maiden with six arms holding various objects, riding on seven boar cubs. The deity declared the ability to dispel the four demons and three obstacles, destroy evil, and then disappeared again. En no Gyoja identified this as the form of Marishi-ten and carved this image on a board to pass down to future generations.Once, Kokusho Myojin appeared to En no Gyoja in the form of a celestial maiden with six arms holding various objects, riding on seven boar cubs. The deity declared the ability to dispel the four demons and three obstacles, destroy evil, and then disappeared again. En no Gyoja identified this as the form of Marishi-ten and carved this image on a board to pass down to future generations.
5. Change of Temple Name
The temple, initially named “Shinkosan Kokusho-ji,” was derived from En no Gyoja’s encounter with Kokusho Myojin, guided by light. However, more than 100 years later, the temple’s name was changed to “Shinkosan Anjo-ji.” After this renaming, Anjo-ji became renowned as a temple of miraculous efficacy for safe childbirth and conception blessings.
In this way, Anjo-ji was established by En no Gyoja in response to the wishes of Kokusho Myojin, and while changing its role with the times, it has attracted the faith of many people.
Illustrations & Votive Tablets
Signboards
Kunitokotachi no Mikoto（Kuni no Tokotachi no Kami）
