Who Is The Widow / The Great Serpent (Kiyohime)?

Kiyohime is the woman in the Dōjōji legend of "Anchin and Kiyohime" who turns into a giant serpent out of rage at being betrayed. In early sources such as Konjaku Monogatari she has no name and is described as a widow who runs her household. The name Kiyohime spread later through plays and other retellings.

In Episode 10, she falls for a young monk staying at her house at first sight and confesses her love that night. Believing his promise to stop by on his return, she counts the days. When she learns he has gone home another way, she shuts herself in her bedroom and dies, then rises as a venomous serpent five hiro (about 9 meters) long and pursues him. At Dōjōji she finds the monk hidden inside the temple bell, coils around it, burns him to death, and leaves with tears streaming from both eyes. In the end an old monk copies the Lotus Sutra for them, and both are saved.

The story inspired the Noh play Dōjōji and the kabuki dance Kyōganoko Musume Dōjōji.