Bishamon

Bishamon, the brother of Kisshōten, the God of fortune in battle is the defender of the laws of the Buddha, and one of the Seven Fortunes. He is a Kami who came to Japan from China and India and found a place that welcomed him. He used to wear Chinese armor, carry a Chinese halberd in one hand, and the pagoda that holds the scrolls of Buddha’s laws in the other.

During the Sengoku Jidai, the Warring States Period, Bishamon blessed his most fervent follower, Uesugi Kenshin, Kanrei of the Kanto region, with such skill in battle that he was never defeated in battle. He could only be killed by a ninja at night in a latrine. Amongst the Kami, it is said that Bishamon guided the Japanese leaders during the early stages of the Pacific War, but that he abandoned them when he discovered their unclean and anti-Buddhist actions in China. Bishamon seemed to never recover from the shock of the Pacific War. For decades he appeared dressed as a Buddhist monk. He concerns himself with right action and Buddhist law. But things might be changing for him and his Scions.

His Scions for the past several generations have been focused on guarding temples, practicing law, or Buddhism as priests. However, during the early days of the Iraq Invasion by Coalition Forces, a Scion of Bishamon was revealed when he drove his medical truck laden with casualties through enemy fire and not a single round touched him or his vehicle. Bishamon revealed himself in full Japanese Defense Force Regalia and praised the young Scion. Since that time, several more Scions of Bishamon as Warrior have been discovered.