Japanese variants of the legend of the Dual Kangiten emphasize that union of Vinayaka (the male) and Vainayaki (the female) transforms an evil obstacle creator into a reformed individual. [[File:Hozan-ji.jpg|thumb|Kangiten's most famous shrine, Hōzan-ji]]  Kangiten is considered to be endowed with great power. Kangiten is regarded as protector of temples and worshipped generally by gamblers, actors, [[geisha]]s and people in the business of "pleasure". Because of Kangiten’s esoteric sexual nature, his image is often shrouded from view. [[Mantra]]s are often prescribed in ritual texts to appease the deity and even to drive away this obstacle-maker. Rice wine ([[sake]]), radishes ([[daikon]]) and "bliss-buns" (kangi-dan), a deep fried confection filled with red-bean paste which is based on the [[modak]] offered to Ganesha, are offered to the god. While Kangiten is worshipped throughout Japan, [[Hōzan-ji]] on the summit of [[Mount Ikoma]] is his most important and active temple. Though the temple is believed to have been founded in the sixth century, it came in the limelight in the 17th century when the monk Tankai (1629–1716) made the temple's "[[Gohonzon]]", a Heian period, gilt-bronze image of the Dual Kangiten, the centre of attraction. In the [[Genroku]] era (1688–1704), [[Osaka]] merchants, especially vegetable-oil sellers, joined Kangiten's cult, attributing their success to his worship. Business people still continue to worship him at the sanctuary and figurines of the Dual Kangiten are found in shops around the temple. The central Dual Kangiten icon is kept under a phallic cover called the "linga-kosa", when not being worshipped. Besides Shingon worship, as of 1979, Kangiten's worship was recorded in at least 243 Japanese shrines. [[Category:Ganesha]] [[Category:Japanese gods]] [[Category:Animal gods]] [[Category:Buddhist gods]] [[Category:Buddhism and sexuality]]