Koyasu

Koyasu

ALSO KNOWN AS:

Koyasu-sama; Koyasu-gami: Koyasu Kannon

ORIGIN:

Japan

CLASSIFICATION:

Kami; Bosatsu

Koyasu protects children and facilitates safe, easy, successful childbirth. Koyasu-sama is another name for Konohana Sak kuya Hime, Goddess of Mount Fuji, renowned for her powers over childbirth. With the advent of Buddhism, the name Koyasu became attached to Bodhisattvas or spirits who also facilitate childbirth. Event ually identities were merged and it can be hard to disentangle the various female deities addressed by this name. Among these spirits are:

• Koyasu Kannon, one of Kannon’s thirty-three paths or manifestations, venerated in Shinto shrines dedicated to Konohana Sakkuya Hime.

• A theory suggests that Koyasu Kannon is really a Japanese version of Hariti, the reformed child-gobbling Demon whose image has been softened so much that she passes for Kannon

• The bodhisattava Ksitigarbha is sometimes venerated as Koyasu Jizo

SEE ALSO:

Bodhisattva; Hariti; Kannon; Konohana Sakkuya Hime; Ksitigarbha

SOURCE:

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses – Written by : Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.