Sixty-five million years ago a meteorite fell to earth. This is the legend of Kurama-dera’s Okunoin Mao-den. Here before us stands Kurama Temple’s Tengu King Hall. It is a small shrine. It houses a piece of that ancient meteorite.
Kurama-dera is a significant temple. It sits high in the Kurama mountains north of Kyoto. The temple was founded in 770. It’s associated with the powerful guardian deity Bishamon-ten. Pairs of tigers guard the temple. These tigers symbolize the beginning and end of life.
The temple became a center for Shugendo practices. Shugendo is a Japanese esoteric tradition. It involves rigorous mountain asceticism. Practitioners sought transformative power. This power was to benefit others. The practices were demanding. They included solitary confinement. Fasting and sleep deprivation were also part of the process.
The Tengu King Hall is connected to the legend of Sojobo. Sojobo is the king of the tengu. Tengu are elusive forest spirits. They are part human part animal. They are associated with warrior monks. Sojobo even instructed the famous samurai Minamoto no Yoshitsune.
The Kurama school was established in 1947. It’s an esoteric sect. It combines Shugendo with environmental awareness. The Kurama school has a trinity of gods. One is the Daitengu Mao-son another avatar of Sojobo. Mao-son is linked to the meteorite. He is believed to control creation and destruction. His spirit dwells in an old cedar tree.
The Tengu King Hall is a place of mystery and power. It blends Shinto and Buddhist beliefs. It speaks to the enduring influence of tengu in Japanese culture. It is a tangible link to ancient legends. This is a place where the spiritual and natural worlds converge. The meteorite’s presence adds a unique element to this sacred site. It remains a vital part of Japanese mountain tradition.