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According to the aural
tradition in Dojoji, Miyako Fujiwara, the wife of the 42nd Emperor Mommu,
founded the temple. She is also known as the ‘Long-haired Princess’ for her
marvelous black hair.
Miyako is an official first wife of the 42nd Emperor Mommu and the mother
of the 45th Emperor Shoumu. Regardless of her high royal status,“Shoku
Nihongi”, the official chronilcle of the government at that time recorded
very little about her. The aural tradition in Dojoji is much different
from the government records. Some scholars think the Dojoji's legend is
a fantasy, while others are suspicious of political omission of irregular
background of the princess.
The visitors to Hobutsuden
Museum can listen the legend of the long-haired princess everyday. English explanation
is available on reservation.
Let’s see her legend according to "Miyako hime denki", the picture
scroll of her life-story.
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It was about 1300 years ago,
a girl baby was born in the house of the chief of a fishermen. She had no hair
on her head. Her parents took every possible care, but in vain.
In the same time, a
mysterious light shined in the neighboring sea. The fishermen couldn’t fish at
all. They suspected the light disturbed their fishing. But no one wanted to go
to see the source of the light.
The mother of the poor girl
without hair thought there had been any reason of her daughter’s trouble and
decided to seek the source of the light on behalf of fishermen. She eventually
found a tiny image of Kannon in the bottom of the sea.
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She picked up the image,
brought it home and prayed to it everyday. For everyone’s surprise, the hair of
the girl grew longer. She was grown up into a fabulous girl with gorgeous long
hair. People called her the long-haired princess.
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The fame of the long-haired
princess reached to the capital city Nara. Minister Fuhito Fujiwara invited her
to the capital.
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Minister Fuhito adopted her
into his family, named her Miyako Fujiwara and send her to serve in the palace
of the Emperor. In 697, Miyako was chosen to be a bride to the Emperor.
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Miyako was worrying about her real parents and small image of Kannon in
her home village. The Emperor came to know her worry and ordered to build
a Buddhist temple there.
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