The Founder of Naritasan Shinshoji Temple
The founder of Naritasan Shinshoji Temple was the monk Kancho Daisojo (916–998). He was a grandson of Emperor Uda (867–931) and the first chief abbot of Shingon Buddhism. In 939, he came to the Kanto region by order of the emperor to suppress an ongoing rebellion against the imperial court led by a samurai named Taira no Masakado (died 940). He brought with him a sacred image of the Buddhist deity Fudo Myoo, which he enshrined at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple. He performed a Goma sacred fire ritual before the statue. On the last day of the ritual, the rebellion was quelled and a temple was built here and named Shinshoji (“New Victory Temple”). In addition to Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, Kancho Daisojo also founded Henjoji Temple in Kyoto.