Also known as: Amitabha, Buddha of Infinite Light and Life
A celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahayana school of Buddhism who became a buddha after achieving infinite merits from good deeds in countless lives as a monk named Dharmakara. He created the Pure Land, where those who called upon him could go after rebirth and be instructed in the Dharma, thereby becoming bodhisattvas and buddhas in their turn.
Intoned by the Yasha-shuu at the beginning of choubuku, 'bai' is the "seed syllable" for Bishamonten, originally known as Vaiśravaṇa.
The Sword of Bishmonten is an incarnation of Bishamonten, a physical blade which can be summoned only by the general of the Meikai Uesugi Army. It contains the power of «choubuku», and any spirit cut by it is exorcised; however, none-spiritual objects are not harmed by its blade.
Its summoning calls upon Namu Tobatsu Bishamonten with the incantation "on beishiramandaya sowaka". Its dismissal uses the incantation of unsummoning, "on basara bokisha boku."
The discipline-binding lash is a weapon conferred by Bishamonten made of spiritual power which paralyzes spirits into pebble-shape (but does not exorcise them). It is summoned with the following incantation:
"On beishiramandaya sowaka, on beishiramandaya sowaka.
For this demon discipline-binding, lend me thy demon-conquering lash!"
Also known as: choubukuryoku (調伏力)
The special power given to the Yasha-shuu to banish onryou to the Underworld using the dharani of Uesugi Kenshin's guardian deity, Bishamonten. The types of choubuku include "kouhou-choubuku", "ressa-choubuku", "kekkai-choubuku", etc. Each choubuku is begun with the incantation "bai" and the ritual hand gesture of Bishamonten's symbol.
Choubuku does not work against kanshousha, who have bodies of their own.
The westernmost area of Japan on the island of Honshuu comprised of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi.
Lake Chuuzenji, located in Nikkou National Park in the city of Nikkou
, Tochigi Prefecture, is one of Japan's 100 famous views. It is the 25th largest lake in Japan and drains through the Kegon Falls.
Historically: The name Fuuma Kotarou was given to each leader of the Fuuma Clan/organization of ninjas which served the Later Houjou Clan, starting with its first leader. The clan started information-gathering and espionage activities in the time of Houjou Souun, the founder of the Later Houjou Clan. The clan name began as 風間, composed of the characters for "wind" and "space", but was changed to its present form, a homophone composed of the characters for "wind" and "evil/demonic/magical."
In its 100 years of service to the Houjou Clan, the most renowned Fuuma Kotarou was the fifth, who served Houjou Ujimasa and his son Houjou Ujinao (unknown - 1603). Stories say that he was 7'1". One of his most famous exploits was in 1580 and the Battle of Kise-gawa, during which he slipped into the enemy camp at night and caused mass chaos. Another famous ninja, Ninokuruwa Isuke, also belonged to the Fuuma Clan.
After the destruction of the Houjou Clan, Kotarou and the Fuuma Clan became thieves near Edo. Kotarou was captured and executed in 1603 from information given by Kousaka Jinai, another ninja-turned-thief who formerly served the Takeda Clan.
In Mirage of Blaze: Fuuma Kotarou leads the Fuuma ninjas in service to the Houjou Clan. He is described as a tall, slender man with broad shoulders and a muscular but supple body. He wears his hair long, tied in a long tail that reaches to his waist.
Also known as: gebakuhou (外縛法), gaibaku
Lit.: "outer bind"; a method of tying a spirit body or physical body to one place such that they cannot move, also commonly called "paralysis". Kagetora and company use gebakuhou when they wish to perform «choubuku» on especially powerful spirits or a large host of spirits during "kouhou-choubuku" or "kekkai-choubuku", etc.
The Guardian Demon King, or Defender Lord of Kurama Temple is identified with Sanat Kumara and is said to be a bodhisattva who came to Earth from the planet Venus 6.5 million years ago. His appearance is that of a sixteen-year-old boy.
Lit.: "wall of self-protection"; the goshinheki is a barrier constructed for an instant using spiritual energy. The goshinha is effective when maintained, but the goshinheki takes shape in the instant the caster is attacked and is a basic method of self-protection. However, its weakness is that it cannot protect the caster against 100% of the damage caused by the attack.
Hakone is a town located in the western part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It is a popular tourist location, hosting many hot springs, Hakone Shrine on the shore of the caldera lake, Lake Ashi, the volcanically-active Great Boiling Valley, and beautiful views of Mt. Fuji.
Hijirizaki, "Sacred Cape", is the northern-most point of Itsuku Island.
A brief list of honorifics used in address:
san (さん) - the most common honorific, usually used to address someone outside one's immediate circle with respect
kun (君) - usually used towards boys and men of junior status or equal age and status
chan (ちゃん) - a diminutive used mainly towards children, and intimate friends, especially women; also used as an endearment for girls
sama (様) - the formal form of "san", showing a high level of respect
senpai (先輩) - used to refer to someone with a more senior status, such as a freshman towards a senior
sensei (先生) - often translated as "teacher", but can actually be used to show respect for anyone with superior knowledge in a field, including doctors and writers
dono/tono (殿) - an antiquated term which roughly translates to "lord", used to show great respect for the addressee, who can be of equal or higher status than the speaker
uji/shi (氏) - in ancient times, carried the meaning "of the ~ clan" or "of the ~ surname"; now used in formal speech and writing to refer to someone unfamiliar to the speaker.
hime (姫) - used to denote a princess or lady of higher/noble birth
Title: Sagami-no-Kami
Also known as: The Tiger of Sagami, The Lion of Sagami
Son of Houjou Ujitsuna and third head of the Late Houjou Clan, one of the greatest daimyo of the Sengoku in both military and political arenas. He expanded the Houjou holdings to five territories and battled both Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin over the Kantou and Suruga regions.
He retired in 1560 and handed over the clan to his eldest son Houjou Ujimasa, but continued to guide the clan until his death of palsey or stomach cancer in 1571. He made an alliance with the Takeda Clan in 1562 and gave over his 7th son, Houjou Saburou, to Takeda Shingen for adoption.
Houjou Ujiyasu was a great admirer of poetry, culture and learning as well as a outstanding administrator who created unique bureaucratic organizations such as litigation processes for the ruling of his lands. He was much beloved of his people and widely mourned at his death.
A fortified Buddhist temple established in 1496 which was home to warrior monks, priests, peasants, and local nobles (Ikkou-ikki) who opposed samurai rule. Oda Nobunaga, who feared the power and influence of the monks, set siege to the fortress in 1570 while Kennyo was its chief abbot. The siege lasted for 10 years, and the temple finally fell in 1580.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi began construction of Osaka Castle on the same site three years later.
Also known as: Yoshuu (予州)
An ancient province of Japan located in present-day Aichi Prefecture .
Formerly the provinces of Osumi and Satsuma, Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwestern tip of Kyuushuu Island.
Also known as: Kanzeon, Kwannon (Japan), Kuan Shi Yin, Kuan Yin (China), Avalokiteśvara, Avalokiteshvara, Lokeshvara (India)
Kannon, represented in both male and female forms, is the Goddess and Bodhisattva of mercy, or Lord of Compassion whose name means "observing the sounds of the world". She is one of the most widely worshiped divinities in Japan and mainland Asia, and has many manifestations, such as Fukuukenjaku Kannon, Juuichimen Kannon, Juntei, Senjuusengan Kannon, etc. According to the Mahayana school of Buddhism, Kannon made a vow to listen to the prayers of all sentient beings in times of strife and to postpone his own perfect enlightenment until he has helped every being on earth achieve nirvana.
During the Tokugawa Shogunate, when Christianity was punishable by death in Japan, some underground Christian groups disguised the Virgin Mary as statue of Kannon; these statues are known as "Maria Kwannon".
Mount Kasa is a 112 m (~367 ft) volcano located in the northeastern part of Hagi City, Yamaguchi prefecture. It appears to have gotten its name (Kasa= Conical Hat) because it's shaped like straw hats worn by women.
Lit. "barrier exorcism"; a ritual exorcism that first encloses the target and the caster in a spiritual shield, strengthening the caster's power and preventing the target from escaping.
Also known as: Hongan-ji Kennyo, Hongan-ji Kousa
Chief Abbot of Ishiyama Hongan Temple, fortress of the Ikkou-ikki, Kennyo became the 11th head of the Hongan Temple in Kyoto upon his father Shounyo's death in 1554, when he was 12. Kennyo was renowned as a strategist who engineered many alliances in the Sengoku Era and made Ishiyama Hongan Temple virtually unbreachable. His wife was the third daughter of Sanjou Kinyori (sister to Takeda Shingen's wife, Sanjou-no-kata), and they got along very well.
Kennyo aided Shingen by persuading the Ikkou sectarians in Kaga Province to rise up against Uesugi Kenshin. He allied himself with Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki and created an anti-Oda alliance with the Takeda, Asakura, Azai, and Mouri clans. The alliance failed upon Takeda Shingen's death in 1573.
In 1570, Oda Nobunaga laid siege to Ishiyama Hongan Temple, a siege that would last 10 years, the longest in Japan's history. Kennyo left the temple to attempt to raise reinforcements, and his son surrendered to Nobunaga by request of the Emperor.
Kennyo later enlisted the help of Ikkou sectarians for Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who granted Kennyo a new Hongan Temple (now known as Nishi-Hongan Temple) in 1589.
Kodama Narikata was a retainer of the Mouri Clan in Mouri Takamoto's service. He commanded the Mouri Navy and was lord of Kusatsu Castle in Aki.
In Mirage of Blaze, Narikata continued to serve Mouri as the commander of its navy and was on board the 'Yamato' with Kikkawa Motoharu during the battle of Itsuku Island.
A unit of volume used in ancient Japan which is equal to approximately 278.3 liters. It was originally defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year.
During the Edo Period, the wealth of a han was defined in koku, and many samurai received stipends in koku.
Also known as: Oda Navy, Shima Navy
Based in Shima-no-kuni, the Kuki Navy was a powerful navy lead by the Kuki Clan which controlled the seas around the Kinki region during the Sengoku era. It served Oda Nobunaga and won a great victory for Oda in the Second Battle of Kizu River-mouth against the Mouri Navy with Kuki Yoshitaka as admiral. The Kuki Navy was the first to use Oda's tekkousen in battle.
Kuki Yoshitaka was the 8th head of the Kuki Clan and Kuki Navy. He was born in Shimo Province as the second son of Kuki Sadataka and served both Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi in a brilliant career encompassing many campaigns, including the siege of the Ikkou Sect at Ishiyama Hongan Temple, during which he built armored ships to rebel fire from the Mouri Navy.
Yoshitaka also participated in the Subjugation of Kyuushuu in 1587 and the Siege of Odawara in 1590. He retired in 1597 in favor of his second son, Kuki Moritaka. However in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, he fought on the Toyotomi side while his son fought for Tokugawa Ieyasu. Moritaka begged Ieyasu for his father's life, which Ieyasu granted, but Yoshitaka committed suicide before the message reached him.
Also known as: Koubou Daishi (弘法大師), or High Priest Koubou
A Japanese monk, scholar, poet, calligrapher, and artist who founded the Shingon school of Buddhism. He is credited with inventing kana (which includes hiragana and katakana) of the Japanese writing system as well as introducing homosexuality (or at least shudo) to Japan.
He studied in China from 804 to 806, where he was initiated into the Esoteric Buddhism tradition. He returned to Japan to establish the Shingon school, which would become the dominant Buddhism sect for the next 300 years. His teachings and his many writings, such as Attaining Enlightenment in This Very Existence, The Meaning of Sound, Word, Reality, The Ten Stages of the Development of Mind, and Ten Abiding Stages, synthesized Buddhism into a coherent whole, and displaced Confucianism with Buddhism as the official Japanese state ideology.
He was contemporaneous with Shaichou, the founder of the Tendai school.
Lit. "power-absorbing barrier": a unique barrier which absorbs the «power» of anyone trapped inside such that they cannot call upon their spiritual abilities. The maker of the barrier must put considerable negative energy, such as anguish and enmity, into its creation, either from him/herself or from other souls.
Also called: Mori Nagasada (森長定), possibly Shigetoshi (成利), Nagayasu (長康)
Historically: A vassal of Oda Nobunaga who served as his attendant from
an early age. His father, Mori Yoshinari, was also a vassal of Oda Nobunaga. Favored by Nobunaga for his talent and loyalty, he also followed the tradition of shudo with his liege-lord. He and his three younger brothers died with Nobunaga at the Honnou-ji on June 21, 1582.
Lit. "Hail Eight-Sword Bishamonten" Chanted during "light-enclosing exorcism," the summoning of the Sword of Bishamonten, and other invocations to Bishamonten.
Shingon of both Śakra and the 'God of Thunder.' Unique to Japanese Buddhism, Śakra, Lord of the Devas (Śakro devānām indraḥ) is worshiped as the 'God of Thunder' and is often paired with the God of Wind.
"naumaku sanmanda bodanan" = a devotion to the Buddhas/"homage to all the Buddhas"
"indoraya sowaka" (also "indaraya sowaka") = reverence to Śakra, or "hail Śakra!"
Also: "onee-san (お姉さん)", "onee-sama (お姉さま)", "onee-chan (お姉ちゃん)", "nee-sama (姉さま)", "nee-san (姉さん)", "nee-chan (姉ちゃん)", "ane-ue (姉上)"
"Older sister"—like nii-san, one of those very simple terms which is unfortunately difficult to translate because of the differences in usage between English and Japanese. In Japanese, it is much more natural to call your (older) sister "nee-san" or "onee-san" rather than by their given name. It connotates a degree of respect and at the same time a certain closeness. ("Onee-sama" indicates more formality; "ane-ue" indicates even more formality, i.e. "honorable sister"; "onee-chan" indicates less familiarity.)
One can also use "onee-san" to refer politely to an unrelated slightly older female.
In Mirage of Blaze, Takaya initially calls Ayako "Onee-san" (actually, "おねーさん") and later "Nee-san" ("ねーさん"), which has a somewhat slangy feel to it, and might actually be translated as "Sis" if it had the same rough connotation as "Bro".
「のうまくさまんだ ぼだなん ばいしらまんだや そわか」
A mantra of Bishamonten which protects the caster from fatigue and calamity, usually used when starting a long or complex invocation.
"noumakusamanda bodanan" = a devotion to the Buddhas/"homage to all the Buddhas".
"Baishiramandaya" = a reverence to Bishamonten, or "hail Bishamonten!"
The mantra of Fuuten, a transliteration of the original Sanskrit which in English is usually written:
namaḥ samanta-buddhānāṃ vāyave svāhā
It means "Homage to all Buddhas! To Vāyu, hail!".
Also called: Oda Kippoushi
Title: Kazusa no Suke, Owari no Kami
Historically: The first of the "Three Unifiers"; born in Owari to a samurai, his unbridled, ruthless ambitious and military tactical genius enabled him to gain control of the imperial court in 1573 after having driven the shogun out of Kyoto. His seal read "the realm subjected to military power". Murdered at the age of forty-nine by his vassal Akechi Mitsuhide in the Honnou-ji in Kyoto.
The mantra of Kannon, a transliteration of the original Sanskrit which in English is usually written:
Oṃ Ālolik Svāhā
It means "Oh, Unstained One, Hail!" or "Salutations to the Pure One".
「オン・ベイシラマンダヤ・ソワカ」
A mantra calling upon / a homage to Bishamonten. (Beishiramandaya = Bishamonten.)
The western half of present-day Aichi Prefecture, this province was the birthplace of Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Peace Park in Nagasaki was built in 1955 to commemorate the atomic bomb dropped on the city on August 9, 1945. The bomb's hypocenter is located in nearby Hypocenter Park and is marked by a monument with a black pillar. Each year on the anniversary of the bombing, the mayor of Nagasaki delivers a peace declaration in the Peace Memorial Ceremony.
Also known as: reisa-nouryoku (霊査能力)
Lit.: "Spiritual investigation"; the ability to use the spiritual senses to distinguish between residual thought signatures, and thus recognize spiritual entities. A person with a high-level form of this ability could potentially recognize souls by the pattern of their "soul-nucleus", which is the part of the soul that remains unchanged through purification and rebirth, especially if they had met that person before previously. Haruie and Kousaka both excel at this ability, though Kousaka seems to be one of the few to possess a very high-level form of it.
Lit. "rend-exploding exorcism"; a type of choubuku which uses the incantation "ari nari tonari...." Described as gun-like, as opposed to kouhou-choubuku.
A place along the Kamo River riverbank in Kyoto frequently used in ancient times to execute political rebels. Also an ancient battlefield.
Three Demonic gods from the Shingon Sect tengu creed, the Sanki Daigongen are primarily enshrined at Misen's Sanki Temple within Daishou Temple and are attended on by tengu of all sizes. They use their mighty divine power to save all living things.
They are:
- Tsuichou-kishin (追帳鬼神) - the demonic god who governs happiness and prosperity and is an avatar of Dainichi.
- Jibi-kishin (時眉鬼神) - the demonic god who governs wisdom and is an avatar of Kokuuzou.
- Mara-kishin (魔羅鬼神) - the demonic god who governs submission and is an avatar of Fudou-Myouou.
A type of medium-sized fast military boat used from the Warring states period until the Edo period.
Also known as: Realm Divide
The Battle of Sekigahara was fought on October 21, 1600 between the forces of those loyal to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's young son and heir, Toyotomi Hideyori (forces of the West) and Tokugawa Ieyasu (forces of the East). The battle took place in Sekigahara in modern Gifu Prefecture and was the decisive battle which led to Tokugawa taking control of all Japan.
A flat glassy area at an elevation of 333m (1093 ft) located in Susa which overlooks the Sea of Japan and several islands. It contains a campground, cafe, and hiking trail.
Also known as: Toyokuni Shrine, Houkoku Shrine
A shrine on Itsuku Island which is a subordinate shrine to Itsuku Island Shrine. Its area encompasses 857 tatami mats, which appears to be how it got its popular name (Senjou = 1,000 tatami). It was founded as a grand library by Ankokuji Ekei at Toyotomi Hideyoshi's command based on Hideyoshi's desire to read a thousand sutras. Its ceiling and outer structure were only completed after Hideyoshi's death.
Shichiri Yorichika started out as a minor samurai at Hongan Temple, but caught Kennyo's eye and became a temple official and the commander of the Ikkou-ikki forces in Kaga Province.
During Oda Nobunaga's siege of Ishiyama Hongan Temple, he attacked the Oda army repeatedly, earning him the nickname "the Kaga General". As his power and influence increased, so did his arrogance, leading to violent outbursts of anger that sometimes resulted in the executions of his underlings over disputes. Shimozuma Rairen interceded, and in the end Yorichika was driven out of the temple. This resulted in internal strife between the Ikkou sectarians of Echizen and Kaga, providing Nobunaga an opening which he took in August of 1575. Yorichiki fled without putting up a fight.
In the following year he accused the master of the Ikkou castle of Mattou of rebellion and attacked, but was defeated and killed.
A monk who served as an official under Kennyo at Ishiyama Hongan Temple, he along with Suzuki Shigehide commanded the Hongan Temple army against Oda Nobunaga. For this reason they were called the "Left and Right Generals of Osaka".
When Hongan Temple surrendered to the Oda army in 1580 by order of the Emperor, Rairen's signature was among those on the official letter. Afterwards, he left with Kennyo to persuade the Ikkou-ikki of various parts of the country to rise up against Nobunaga.
After Takeda Shingen's death, when both Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu requested help from the Ikki forces, Rairen opposed and remained neutral throughout. In 1589, Hideyoshi bestowed land on him and made him a magistrate.
In Mirage of Blaze: he continues to clash against Nobunaga and eventually performs kanshou on a man of some means named Watanabe, who appears to be a man of amiable disposition and wears silver-rimmed glasses.
