Hōdō

Hōdō (法道) or Hōdō Sennin (法道仙人) was an Indian hermit and sage. According to legend, from the 6th to 7th centuries CE, Hōdō traveled from India through China and the Korean kingdom of Baekje and eventually arrived in Japan. He is recognized as the founder of temples in the mountains of Harima Province and is associated with several chokugan-ji (勅願寺), Buddhist temples built at the request of the reigning emperor. Tradition holds that when Hōdō came to Japan, he was accompanied by the deity Gozu Tennō (牛頭天王; Sanskrit: Gośīrṣa devarāja), who was later enshrined at and Yasaka Shrine.

Hōdō

Hōdō (法道) or Hōdō Sennin (法道仙人) was an Indian hermit and sage. According to legend, from the 6th to 7th centuries CE, Hōdō traveled from India through China and the Korean kingdom of Baekje and eventually arrived in Japan. He is recognized as the founder of temples in the mountains of Harima Province and is associated with several chokugan-ji (勅願寺), Buddhist temples built at the request of the reigning emperor. Tradition holds that when Hōdō came to Japan, he was accompanied by the deity Gozu Tennō (牛頭天王; Sanskrit: Gośīrṣa devarāja), who was later enshrined at and Yasaka Shrine.