Kujō was born in Kyoto as the daughter of Ōtani Kōson (Myōnyo), the 21st abbot of the Nishi Hongan-ji and the head of the Honganji-ha Jōdo Shinshū branch of Japanese Buddhism.

[2] Her public life began during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, when she co-founded the Buddhist Women's Association,[1][2] which was active in sending care packages to soldiers at the front, and to helping families who had lost their sons in combat.

She returned to Japan after one year, leaving her husband (who was later assigned to the branch of the Yokohama Specie Bank in London) behind.

She wrote numerous poems and gathas about her Nembutsu faith, publishing her first volume of poetry, Kinrei (金)鈴) in 1920, followed by a stage play Rakuhoku (洛北) in 1925.

On February 7, 1928, she contracted blood poisoning due to overexertion from her efforts in the earthquake reconstruction projects and passed away at the age of 40.