09-15-2006, 08:48 AM
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Indra in Japan</span>
<img src='http://www.np.emb-japan.go.jp/graph/indra.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Taishakuten, a very popular deity in Japan, is a clear adoption of Indra. His vahana (vehicle), elephant Airavata, was reduced in size to a horse there, due to the fact that ancient Japanese never had an opportunity to see a real living elephant. There is a famous movie serial in Japan named Futen-no-Torasan (Mr. Tora, a hobo). Mr.Tora, the Protagonist in the movie, used to declare proudly that he was born and bred in Shibamata, Katsushika, which is a downtown area of Tokyo, and he received ablutions in the temple of Indra (Taishakuten) when he was born.
<img src='http://www.np.emb-japan.go.jp/graph/indra.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Taishakuten, a very popular deity in Japan, is a clear adoption of Indra. His vahana (vehicle), elephant Airavata, was reduced in size to a horse there, due to the fact that ancient Japanese never had an opportunity to see a real living elephant. There is a famous movie serial in Japan named Futen-no-Torasan (Mr. Tora, a hobo). Mr.Tora, the Protagonist in the movie, used to declare proudly that he was born and bred in Shibamata, Katsushika, which is a downtown area of Tokyo, and he received ablutions in the temple of Indra (Taishakuten) when he was born.