Kakushinni (覚信尼)

Kakushinni (1224 - December 21, 1283?) was the youngest daughter of Shinran, the founder of Jodo Shinshu (the True Pure Land Sect of Buddhism) who was active in the Kamakura period. Her mother was Eshinni. Her secular name was O Gozen. She hailed from Hitachi Province.

She served for Michiteru KUGA as nyobo (a court lady) and was called Hyoe no kami no tsubone. She married Hirotsuna HINO and gave birth to Kakue and Kogyokuni, but after the death of Hirotsuna, she remarried Zennen ONOMIYA and gave birth to Yuizen.

When Shinran returned to Kyoto, she followed him, in lieu of her mother Eshunni, in order to take care of Shinran. As she supported Shinran's propagation activities throughout his life, she became, after Shinran's death, the organizer of propagation activities conducted by Shinran's disciples. It can be said that such activities by her led to the establishment of a religious community within the Jodo Shinshu sect.

With the help of Kenchi, Shinran's direct disciple, she constructed a mausoleum at Higashiyama Otani of Kyoto, assumed a position of Rusushiki (custodian or caretaker of Shinran's Mausoleum at Otani) and laid the foundation of Hongan-ji Temple.

[Original Japanese]