Kasugaryūjin

春日龍神 The Kasuga Dragon God

1 Source and/or Related Material

Collection of Things Written and Heard in Past and Present

2 Author

attributed to Komparu Zenchiku

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Hōshō, Komparu, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

The monk Myōe (waki) travels to Kasuga Shrine (Nara) with some fellow monks (wakitsure) to announce his departure for China and India. There, he meets an old man (shite), who tells him that the deities of Kasuga are opposed to his departure and that the Pure Land can be found at Kasuga itself. Myōe, convinced by the old man’s words, decides not to leave Japan. When Myōe inquires about the man’s identity, the man reveals that he is the spirit of Tokifū Hideyuki, who accompanied the Kasuga deity when it was first enshrined on Mt. Kasuga, then he vanishes. The god of a lesser shrine at Kasuga (ai) appears and reports that, in exchange for Myōe’s decision to remain in Japan, the Kasuga deity will display a vision of scenes from the Buddha’s life. Kasuga is bathed in golden light, and a dragon god (nochishite) appears before Myōe. The god shows Myōe a vision of scenes from Shakyamuni’s life, and having confirmed that Myōe will indeed remain in Japan, he disappears into the waves of Sarusawa Pond.