This story comes from the Shozan-ji Temple area of Kamiyama.

Once upon a time, a great snake with supernatural powers lived in Kamiyama. The great snake would cause heavy rains to fall and strong winds to blow, causing the people much suffering.

Just as Kobo Daishi was visiting the area as part of his training, the great snake had just spat fire and caused the mountain before the Kobo Daishi to go up in flames, like a red ocean. Kobo Daishi felt that something was not quite right, and he began to climb the mountain while chanting prayers, and even when people tried to stop him, he just kept going. But wouldn’t you know it, as he climbed the mountain, the fire began to extinguish itself, bit by bit.

The furious great snake tried to stop Kobo Daishi, but the Daishi invoked the Akasagarbha bodhisattva and conquered the great snake, and shut him up in a cave. After that, the natural disasters stopped, and the people were able to live a peaceful life.

And they all lived happily ever after.

(From the June 1, 2008 Tokushima Newspaper)

– Shozan-ji means “Burning Mountain Temple”
– Kobo Daishi, also known as Kukai, was the founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, and also the founder of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. There are many legends in Shikoku about the miracles performed by Kobo Daishi.