Imperial Prince Takaoka (高岳親王)
Imperial Prince Takaoka (799 - 865) was a member of the Imperial family and a priest during early Heian period. He was the third Prince of Emperor Heizei.
Monk-Imperial Prince Shinnyo
His children were ARIWARA no Yoshibuchi and others. His descendants were named the Ariwara clan. His nephew was ARIWARA no Narihira.
In 809 after his father, Emperor Heizei passed the throne to Emperor Saga, he became Crown Prince. He lost his position of Crown Prince after the Kusuko Incident in 810. He got his honor back by receiving Shihon (the fourth rank of Imperial Prince's rank) in 822, but he entered into priesthood and changed his name to Shinnyo. He practiced asceticism as the disciple of Shuei, Shuen and Kukai. He became one of Kobo Daishi's, (Great Teacher) ten great disciples, and opened the Shino-in Temple on Mt. Koya. He received the rank of Ajari (master in esoteric Buddhism; a high priest), and wrote "Taizo Sidai."
In 835 when Kukai died, he attended the burial of Kukai's remains as one of the Kukai's best disciples.
In 855 during an earthquake, the head of a Buddhist statue fell off, specifically, it was the Rushana Bu of Todai-ji Temple, he was ordered by the Kengyo (supervisor of the temple affairs) of government office of the Great Buddha of Todai-ji Temple to repair the damage.
After that, he applied to the Imperial Palace of Nitto Guho (entered Tang and continuing to pursue Buddhism). In 861 twenty three people of the Imperial Prince's group went from Nara to Kyushu. In 862 they sailed from Dazaifu and arrived at Meishu (Ningbo).
In 864 they arrived at Changan. They were welcomed by the Saimyo-ji Temple thanks to arrangements made by Ensai, who was a monk who had lived overseas in Tang for forty years. However due to Wu Zong's policy of suppressing Buddhism (the anti-Buddhist movement during the Kaisho era) in Tang at the time, Buddhism was on the edge of a decline, the Imperial Prince was not able to find his great teacher in Changan. Due to this situation, he decided to go to Tenjiku (India). In 865, after obtaining Emperor's Imperial sanction, he left for Tenjiku (India) from Canton with three other aides, however there was never any news heard about him since then.
According to the "Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku" (Veritable Records of Three Reigns of Japan), a report was received from monks based overseas in Tang saying that the Imperial Prince had died in a country called Raetsu (presumed to be located on the southern edge of the Malay peninsula) sixteen years later in 881. It is also said he was attacked by a tiger.
Currently in the cemetery of Japanese people in Johor Baharu, there is a memorial tower of the Imperial Prince made of granite stones which were brought from Japan by Imperial Prince in.
This story was the model for "The Record of Imperial Prince Takaoka's Voyage" by Tatsuhiko SHIBUSAWA who has since passed away.
It became the name of the sixth soldier of 'Go Go Sentai (squadron) Bokenja', Goken Silver: Eiji TAKAOKA (written with a different character).