Daizen-ji (大善寺), a temple of the Shingon sect (真言宗) in Kōshū, Yamanashi: the three principal statues at Daizen-ji (大善寺) centre on Yakushi Nyōrai (薬師如来), locally venerated as “Budō Yakushi” (ぶどう薬師), flanked by his two attendant bodhisattvas, Nikkō Bosatsu (日光菩薩) and Gakkō Bosatsu (月光菩薩). Yakushi, the temple’s hibutsu (秘仏), is shown seated, holding a medicine jar (薬壺 yakko), symbolising his power to cure illness and relieve suffering. Nikkō, associated with sunlight, and Gakkō, associated with moonlight, stand on either side, expressing balance and illumination. The triad reflects both physical healing and spiritual clarity, while the local epithet “Budō Yakushi” links this worship to Kōshū’s long-standing association with grape cultivation.
