Chiba clan
The cult of Myōken is believed to have been introduced to Japan around the 7th century by the "toraijin", immigrants from the Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo and Baekje, and flourished during the Heian period (794-1185). The eastern half of the country (the modern Kantō and Tōhoku regions), where these immigrants were settled, became a notable stronghold of Myōken worship; the Chiba clan, based on what is now Chiba Prefecture, and its offshoots adopted Myōken as their patron deity and spread his cult through their domains across Japan. Myōken also became an important deity within certain branches of Nichiren Buddhism (such as Nichiren-shū) due to the school's connections with the Chiba.