 In 704, he returned to his birthplace to make his home into a temple, then started to travel around Japan to preach to commoners and help the poor.He formed a volunteer group to help the poor mainly in the Kansai region, building 49 monasteries and nunneries that also functioned as hospitals for the poor.Gyōki and his followers roamed the countryside, teaching common people about Buddhism, building temples that were more like community centers and organizing irrigation and other public works projects.