Emperor Sutoku (1119-1164), the eldest son of Emperor Toba (though rumored to actually be the son of Toba’s grandfather, Cloistered Emperor Shirakawa), reigned from age 5 until forced abdication at 23. Defeated in the 1156 Hogen Rebellion against Emperor Go-Shirakawa, he was exiled to Sanuki Province (modern Kagawa). There he wrote the five Mahayana sutras in his own blood, but the Kyoto court rejected the offering as cursed. According to legend, he then wrote “May I become the greatest demon of Japan, making emperors into commoners and commoners into emperors” and died in 1164 with hair and nails uncut, transformed into a tengu. Subsequent disasters at court including the 1219 assassination of Sanetomo and the 1221 exile of Go-Toba were attributed to his vengeful spirit. In 1868, Emperor Meiji built Shiramine Jingu in Kyoto to formally pacify his soul before the Meiji enthronement.