Marishi-ten / Higashiyama / Kyoto

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Marishi-Ten, a revered deity of Buddhism's Zen tradition, holds significant importance within Shingon and Tendai sects. This esteemed deity extends protection and victory to Japan's brave warriors of yore, depicted in illustrations perched atop an Inoshishi, a formidable boar. Certain ancient martial arts schools, including the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu, which pays homage to Futsunushi no o kami, believe that if a practitioner fails to uphold their allegiance to the school as marked by the Keppan, a blood pledge contract, they will face punishment from Marishi-Ten. To receive her safeguarding presence, it is essential for one to tenderly stroke with both hands the statue of this revered deity. A fascinating aspect of Japan's spiritual landscape is that just like other deities, Buddha and Bodhisattva can be represented in feminine form, despite being male in reality.