In the far away land of anime and manga, Indian culture has spread wide and holds a great significance. Lord Ganesha has brought the two unique traditions of India and Japan together. In the 8th-century Matsuchiyama Shoden temple, resides a Kangiten, the Japanese version of Lord Ganesha. There are around 250 such temples in and around the country of Japan.
Our beloved Ganapathi goes by several names in the Japanese land — Kangiten, Shoten, Ganabachi, or Binayakaten. The earliest worship of the deity dates back to 8th or 9th century CE which mainly originated in Odisha. The culture first travelled to China and then to Japan and now it is celebrated with quite grandeur.
Shingon Buddhism in Japan was founded by the scholar Kukai, who travelled to China to study esoteric Buddhism and gained deep knowledge of Hindu deities and tantric practices. Upon his return, he introduced these teachings to Japan. Initially, Kangiten was worshipped as a minor deity within Shingon Buddhism, but by the Heian period, he had emerged as a distinct and significant figure. References to Kangiten appear frequently in the Besson Guides, a collection of Japanese religious texts from that era.
Japanese idols of Kangiten are typically kept enclosed in a box, only occasionally revealed during special rituals. Reports describe the deity as having muscular limbs, with a prominent trunk and tusks that emphasize a strong, masculine presence. The idol is usually seen embracing an elephant and since the embracing looks quite erotic, it is preferred to be kept inside a box.
In later years, as more temples dedicated to the deity were established, Kangiten came to be worshipped primarily for good fortune and prosperity. Unlike in Indian traditions, devotees in Japan typically brought rice beer and radishes as offerings when visiting the temples.
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