During the second half of the thirteenth century in Japan, different actors in local
power struggles, primarily landholding temples, would increasingly recite incidents
involving so-called ‘akutô’ (‘evil bands’) in their appeals to the government for
armed assistance. Through references to specific crimes associated with banditry
and ‘evil bands’ in general, such as murder, theft and arson, the temples aimed to
show the negative impact the conflicts could possibly have on temple economy and
estate control. Simultaneously they could emphasize the political and social danger
posed by their legal opponents as enemies of the Imperial Court and the Buddhist
faith, since a decrease in temple income would jeopardize their religious services
and the divine protection of the country and the Imperial House. Formulaic
descriptions of illegalities thus became increasingly important in invoking state
justice. This chapter will discuss how and why these violent narratives were
employed by local antagonists in their legal struggles. It will thus be argued that
notions of ‘evil’ were used as a rhetorical device in secular struggles in order to put
religious and moral pressure on the government and its local representatives.