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In the Nara era,an old man and wife lived in the country called Kuama(now Kawabe town).
The man's name was Hayataka,and his wife's was Nagisa.
As they were rich and loved each other,people envied them and said "They know no desires."
But they had no children because both he and she were over forty years old.
So Nagisa went to Hachiman Shrine everyday,and prayed " Dear God.Please give us a baby."
No one knows whether God answered her prayers or not,but Nagisa bore a baby girl.
The man and wife were much pleased,and they named the baby Miya because they thought the
baby had been born in answers to Nagisa's prayer.
Miya was much loved by them and grew up well.But she had no hair.
As she was beautiful,people often said,"It is pity for her to have no hair."
Her parents applied medicine to her head and prayed to God,but there was no effects.
Simply looking at her head made them nervous.
One day something began to shine at the bottom of the sea near Kuama.
Because of this strange light,people couldn't catch any fish.
The fishermen in Kuama said,"Perhaps a monster is in the sea.We must kill it as soon as we can,or we might die."
No one wanted to examine what the light was,but one day Nagisa decided to examine it.
She thought ,"This light must be the reason my daughter has no hair.
I'll dive into the sea as a penitential act."
All the people tried to stop her,but she shook them off and dove.
Her husband,Hayataka,and all the villagers had watched the sea with great fear.
Soon Nagisa came up to the surface holding something shining under her arm.
When they looked closer at,they found it was a statue of Kannon.
The villagers thanked her for this Kannon and prayed to it.
They were happy they could fish again.
Some nights later,Kannon appeared in Nagisa's dream.
Kannon said,"I have come out of the sea because of you,I'll grant your any request."
Nagisa said,"I desire nothing.Only I pity my daughter who has no hair."
As soon as Nagisa replied,she woke up.
That morning,her daughter's hair began to grow.
Her hair grew and grew everyday and even outgrew her stature.
Villagers soon called Miya the"Long-haired princess".
After some days,a sparrow picked Miya's fallen hair up and flew off.
At that time Fuhito Fujiwara,who was a high ranking lord,lived in the capital of Nara.
One day he found a beautiful long strand of hair hanging by the roof of palace.
He said,"What a beautiful and long hair this is !!"
He then gathered his followers and ordered them to find the owner of the hair.
In those days the chief requirement of a beautiful woman was that she has long hair.
His followers went everywhere in the Kinki district,at last in the country of Kuama a
follower found Miya.
The follower explained to Miya's parents the mission he was sent to accomplish.
After asking her parents for permission,he brought Miya back with him to Nara.
Fuhito was very pleased to see her and pleased again because she is not only beautiful,but had beautiful long hair and a beautiful heart.
Fuhito made her an adopted daughter and named her Pricess Miyako.
One day Emperor Monmu met Princess Miyako and fell in love with her at first sight.
She married him and became an empress.
However,she didn't forget her parents,the country of Kuama,and the golden Kannon.
In time,she bore a baby boy,and he became emperor Shomu,who built the Buddaha statue and
Todaiji Temple in Nara.
In commemoration of the empress,he also built Dojoji Temple near her home along the Hidaka river.
This little known legend of Dojoji Temple has been replaced by the now more famous legend
of Anchin and Kiyohime which was born out of the Heian era.