Dai Gohonzon

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The Dai Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teachings
Japanese: 大御本尊, English: Dai Gohonzon
Artist	Nichiren Daishonin (ink scribed) Nippo Shonin (carved to)[citation needed]
Year	12 October 1279[citation needed]
Medium	Woodcarving half-log of Japanese camphorwood
Subject	The image as enshrined inside the Hoando storagehouse.
Dimensions	143.5 cm × 65.02 cm (56.5 in × 25.60 in)
Location	Taiseki-ji Temple complex, Hoando storage house, Fujinomiya, Japan

The Dai Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teachings, commonly known as the Dai Gohonzon (Japanese: 大 御 本 尊 The Supreme (Great) Gohonzon or Honmon—Kaidan—no—Dai—Gohonzon, Japanese: 本 門 戒 壇 の 大 御 本 尊) is a venerated mandala image inscribed with both Sanskrit and Chinese logographs on a median log trunk of Japanese camphorwood.

The image is worshipped in Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, which claims to possess within both the Dharma teachings and Tamashi of Nichiren as inscribed by him on wood, then carved by his artisan disciple Izumi Ajari Nippo.

The High Priests of Nichiren Shoshu copy and transcribe their own rendition of the image, which is loaned to the followers of the sect. Due to its accorded sacrosanct nature, the mandala can only be audienced to registered Hokkeko believers.^{[citation needed]}

The image was first explicitly mentioned in the last will and testament of Nikko Shonin for his designated successor Nichimoku, annually displayed every April 6 or 7 during the Goreiho O-mushibarai Daiho-e ceremony (English: The Airing of Sacred Treasures; 御霊宝虫払大法会) at the Head Temple.

Buildings at Taiseki-ji Head Temple in Shizuoka, Japan that have housed the Dai Gohonzon are the Shimonobo (1290), the Mutsubo (1332), the Mieido (1680), Gohozo (1717), the Hoanden (1955), the Shohondo (1978), and the Hoando (2002).^{[citation needed]}