Stories of the Japanese 00621 [Early Kamakura Period] The Assassination of Sanetomo: A Sudden Stomachache*

When Sanetomo's party arrived at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu and entered the shrine grounds, Hojo Yoshitoki, who was scheduled to participate in the ceremony as the sword-bearer (the role of carrying the sword), suddenly fell ill and had to rest at the Jinguji temple within the Hachimangu complex. Minamoto no Nakaakira was appointed to serve as the sword-bearer in Yoshitoki's place.
The Azuma Kagami records more detailed information regarding this sudden illness.
On July 8, 1218, six months before the assassination of Sanetomo, Sanetomo, who had become the Minister of the Left, visited Tsurugaoka Hachimangu for a ceremony of paying respects. Hojo Yoshitoki, who was accompanying him, returned to his residence that night to rest, when suddenly the Dog Deity appeared in his dream and said,
"The Shogun's visit this year was safe, but do not accompany him on the day of the visit next year."
This Dog Deity is one of the Twelve Heavenly Generals who serve the Medicine Buddha (Yakushi Nyorai).
Upon waking from the dream, Yoshitoki was puzzled by the content of the oracle, but he ordered a temple hall to be built to house a statue of the Medicine Buddha.
When his retainers heard this, they advised him,
"We have been forced to spend a great deal of money due to the Kamakura-dono's visit this year. If we carry out large-scale construction on top of that, we will be in the red. Let us make the peasants bear the burden of the construction work."
However, Yoshitoki said,
"Since this is to pray for my own personal safety, it should be completed by the Hojo family alone without burdening the peasants," and it is said that the construction was carried out only by the retainers of the Hojo family.
In this way, a hall called the "Okura Yakushido" was built, and the completion ceremony was held on December 2 of the same year. The principal image, the Medicine Buddha statue, was the work of Unkei (1150?–1224).
Now, although Yoshitoki had been told "do not accompany him on the day of the visit next year," he broke this oracle and accompanied Sanetomo on the day of the visit in question.
However, shortly after entering the grounds of Hachimangu, when he saw a white dog near the gate, Yoshitoki was suddenly struck by a stomachache and was forced to give up on accompanying him. Yes, this white dog was the Dog Deity of the Twelve Heavenly Generals statue having changed its form, and it had appeared to warn Yoshitoki of the danger.
While it is a story that is far too convenient and can hardly be considered historical fact, this is how Yoshitoki was able to escape disaster thanks to the Dog Deity.
Incidentally, the Okura Yakushido was later reborn as a temple called "Kakuon-ji," and you can still worship that Medicine Buddha statue today.