A Lotus Flower Blooms Beautifully in Murky Waters.
A World Imagined by Hokke-ji’s Empress Kōmyō

1300 years ago Empress Kōmyō was first born as a non-royal family civilian. It was an age where you can only be part of the royal family through direct familial relations. In order to not dilute royal blood, marriages were only organized between near relatives within the imperial family. The founder of Hokke-ji Temple, Empress Komyo, was the first to be an exception to this established custom.

The Empress was a faithful Buddhist. After being the top female student in her studies, she set up Hidenin and Seyakuin hospitals to take care of the sick and orphaned. She used her own funds to gather medicinal herbs and distributed them free of charge. She energetically pursued social activities. You could say she was like Mother Teresa.

This guide will explain how Hokke-ji Temple came to be. As we follow history, we want you to have a vicarious experience in a world imagined by Empress Kōmyō. From civilian to empress, head of a nunnery, and a sponsor of medical facilities, she set many new precedents. Let’s catch a glimpse at the mind of Empress Kōmyō.

How to Use this Guide
There are two parts to this guide. First in sections 1-3, we will learn about the character of Empress Kōmyō. In sections 4-9, we will check out a few spots in Hokke-ji Temple. If you go around all of the spots, the small points form a larger story, and you can see the type of world the Empress envisioned.