Per local legend, Nichiren called at the house of his old friend, Tokimitsu while on his way to exile in Sado. Tokimitsu's wife was going through a difficult childbirth. When Nichiren prayed for a safe delivery and made a blessing with a willow twig a spring of pure water sprang up on the spot. Nichiren then had Tokimitu's wife hold the willow twig while water from the spring was poured into her mouth whereupon she soon gave birth to a healthy baby boy. There used to be a large willow tree beside the pond at the temple, and it is said that this tree grew from the twig that Nichiren used to bless the birth. The tree is no longer there today.