[Tsuno Daishi]

When you walk through the streets of Kyoto, you frequently see chimaki decorated for the Gion Festival at entrances, and statues of Shoki glaring at you from the roofs. Even in Nishijin, where the Imadegawa Showroom is located, you see these statues on a daily basis. Another impressive feature is the “Tsuno Daishi” talismans, depicting demons with unique and powerful brush strokes, which are pasted at entrances and doorways. In fact, although I had been curious about their existence for some time, I did not know much about their detailed origin and meaning.

The Tsuno Daishi is a talisman depicting Ryogen, a high priest of the Heian period known as Jie Daishi or Ganzan Daishi, in the form of an ogre. Ryogen is considered to be a restorer of the Hieizan Enryaku-ji Temple and was known for his spiritual power to ward off evil and misfortune.

There are various theories as to the origin of this amulet, but it is said that during a plague that was spreading in the capital, the god of plague attacked Ryogen, and when he tried to confine the god of plague in the tip of his little finger, he felt intense pain all over his body and developed a high fever. When Ryogen gathered his disciples together and began praying for the plague to disappear, his appearance in the mirror was quickly transformed into that of a demon. Ryogen had his disciples copy the image and print it on woodblocks, which were then affixed to the doors of private homes. The talisman was then called “Tsuno Daishi,” and was affixed to doorways as a charm to ward off evil.

Even today, temples of the Tendai sect offer Tsuno Daishi talismans to ward off evil and protect families. The figures depicted on Tsuno Daishi talismans vary slightly from region to region and from temple to temple. It is believed to keep away bad luck and protect the house, especially when placed at the gate or entrance. Prayers for protection from misfortune and peacefulness, contained in Tsuno Daishi talismans, continue to quietly protect people's lives over time.

Imadegawa Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/imadegawa.html

References
https://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~rozanji/index.html
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%89%AF%E6%BA%90
https://souda-kyoto.jp/blog/00958.html