The second group being Sūkyō Mahikari ("True Light Supra-Religion"), which was founded after Okada's death. The thriving Japanese religious landscape is much more diverse than most outsiders realize, with many so-called new religious movements, in addition to Christian churches and Islamic centers. This page was last edited on 27 February 2021, at 03:52. List of Figures Acknowledgements Note on Japanese names, terms and transliteration Introduction 1. The traditional syncreticism between Shinto and Buddhism ended and Shinto became the national religion. It gained few followers at the time, and the Tokugawa family suppressed Christianity in the seventeenth century. Clarke, Peter B., Somers, Jeffrey, editors (1994). Japan’s new religious movements are as diverse as new religions in the United States, where Mormonism and Scientology have emerged only relatively recently. Our second focus is on other lay-centred religious groups that offer an alternative avenue of adherence and faith to the mainstream. Kauffner 00:47, 31 May 2012 (UTC) That's an interesting idea. Table of contents. Tenrikyō (天理教) originated from revelations to a 19th-century Japanese woman named Nakayama Miki, known as Oyasama by followers. By contrast, temple Buddhism and shrine Shinto have been in decline since the end of the World War II. The postwar decades in Japan had seen a surge in new and novel forms of religion that blended imported New Age texts with longstanding Japanese traditions. After Japan lost World War II, its government and policy changed radically during occupation by Allied troops. The problem centers around two questions relating to the meaning of "new", which is a very relative term. New religious movement (NRM), the generally accepted term for what is sometimes called, often with pejorative connotations, a “cult.”The term new religious movement has been applied to all new faiths that have arisen worldwide over the past several centuries.. NRMs are characterized by a number of shared traits. It referred to two types of ”new” religions: first, as in The New Religions (1970) by Jacob Needleman, it covered various forms of eastern spirituality that were new to most west… ", In the 1950's Kiriyama Seiyu had a religious revelation. Teaching as practice: ritual, benefits and the costs of devotion 4. Status: Active. Sōka Gakkai has not released figures for 1989 and 1990, so this figure is the membership number for 1988, Most of the statistics in these charts are from the 1991 edition of the Shūkyō Nenkan (Religion Yearbook, Tokyo: Gyōsei). Major goals of Shinshūkyō include spiritual healing, individual prosperity, and social harmony. The main religions in Japan are Buddhism (69.8%) and Shinto (70.4%). From the first half of the nineteenth century onward, a new stratum of religious affiliation has emerged in Japan that is not directly related to the traditional customs, practices, and beliefs of Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples, and household gods. Losing the protection of the Japanese government which Buddhism had enjoyed for centuries, Buddhist monks faced radical difficulties in sustaining their institutions, but their activities also became less restrained by governmental policies and restrictions. Tubinger Ostasiatische Forschungen. Japanese "new religions" (shinshūkyō) have used various media forms for training, communicating with members, presenting their messages, reinforcing or protecting the image of the leader, and, potentially, attracting converts. Major Shinshūkyō became one of the so-called "vote-gathering machines" in Japan, especially for the conservative parties which merged into the Liberal Democratic Party in 1955. He believed had become free of. Prior to WWII, the National Diet was restricted and the real power lay with the executive branch, in which the prime minister was appointed by the emperor. The common media portrayal of new religions in sensationalistic and negative tones I went to a Japanese Cult. Well-known American SGI converts include musician Herbie Hancock and singer Tina Turner. Christianity entered Japan first in the sixteenth century, when Catholicism was introduced in 1549. The concept of suicide continues to be an integral … The fact that no social phenomenon is ever completely new and that none is ever completely unchanging can make the term ”new” problematic. Wilson, Bryan R. and Karel Dobbelaere. ism are known as the New Religions or the New Religious Movements of Japan. According to the cosmologies, [1], Data for 2012 is from the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Staemmler, Birgit, Dehn, Ulrich (ed. … Teaching as practice: ritual, benefits and the costs of devotion 4. Japanese Internet Suicide Clubs. He believed he had been saved by the Bodhisattva Kannon. In Japan, Jehovah's Witnesses tend to be considered a Christianity-based Shinshūkyō, not only because they were founded in the 19th century (as were other major Shinshūkyō), but also because of their missionary practices, which involve door-to-door visiting and frequent meetings. Sōka Gakkai (創価学会) (literally, "Value-Creation Society") is a new religious group boasting are more than 12 million members of Sōka Gakkai International in 192 countries and territories. This book examines the nature and extent of this religious… New Year’s Day - Ganjitsu (元日) You might be confused by two different yet similar words, ganjitsu … As a result, she and her son-in-law Deguchi Onisaburo founded Omoto, which centered on this god. Japanese new religions are new religious movements established in Japan.In Japanese, they are called shinshūkyō (新宗教) or shinkō shūkyō (新興宗教).Japanese scholars classify all religious organizations founded since the middle of the 19th century as "new religions"; thus, the term refers to a great diversity and number of organizations. In Japanese, they are called shinshūkyō (新宗教) or shinkō shūkyō (新興宗教). The other main religious denominations in Japan are Christianity (1.4%) and other (6.9%), which includes Islam, animism, Judaism, Hindu, and the Baha’i Faith. The teach-ings and thought of Japan's New Religions have been translated into many languages and have been accepted by people of widely different Under the Meiji regime lèse majesté prohibited insults against the Emperor and his Imperial House, and also against some major Shinto shrines which were believed to be tied strongly to the Emperor. In the 1960s it adopted Portuguese, rather than Japanese, as its language of instruction and communication. The two groups follow many of the same ideas and practices, some of which derive from Shinto. There are three books with the phrase "Japanese new religions" in the title, see here, here, and here. Namely, reports published in the popular media can be thought of as reflections or projections of the vague impressions and fears of ordinary Japanese citizens toward the new religions. Move to Japanese new religions. The emergence of a number of new religious movements (shin shukyo) offers alternative modes of religious faith and belonging. [1] Most of those who joined Shinshūkyō in this period were women from lower-middle-class backgrounds. The 19th and 20th centuries saw an explosion of new religious movements across the world, and in Japan, these movements helped shape the way many Japanese perceived "religiousness." After World War II, the structure of the state was changed radically. Japanese new religions are new religious movements established in Japan. 14 This is a noteworthy development, given the fact that the sects of established Japanese religions have generally taken little or no interest in missionary activities among non-Japanese people. [2], Soka Gakkai has a particular influence to politics since 1964, thanks to their affiliated party Komeito, later New Komeito. Two other noteworthy components of the Japanese religious tradition are Christianity and the new religions. The average person typically follows the religious rituals at ceremonies like birth, weddings and funerals, may visit a shrine or temple on New Year and participates at local festivals ( matsuri ), most of which have a religious … The story of a religious founder: Kiriyama Seiyu, turmoil, charisma and experience 3. Celebrity Gods: New Religions, Media, and Authority in Occupied Japan, University of Hawaiʻi Press. Section 24 Eastern Family, Part II: Buddhism, Shintoism, Japanese New Religions Source for information on Section 24: Eastern Family, Part II: Buddhism, Shintoism, Japanese New Religions: Encyclopedia of American Religions dictionary. Japan - Japan - Religion: The indigenous religion of Japan, Shintō, coexists with various sects of Buddhism, Christianity, and some ancient shamanistic practices, as well as a number of “new religions” (shinkō shukyō) that have emerged since the 19th century. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. After the collapse of Tokugawa control and the opening of Japan to the world in the Meiji period (1868-1914), Christianity was again introduced by Protestant missionaries. The social tension continued to grow during the Meiji period, affecting religious practices and institutions. GHQ invited many Christian missionaries from the United States to Japan, through Douglas MacArthur's famous call for 1,000 missionaries. (1994). Many also hold a belief in Apocalypticism, that is in the imminent end of the world or at least its radical transformation. "Japan is becoming more and more secularized, and young people are interested in survival and earthly values. The SGI has steadily gained members while avoiding much of the controversy encountered by some other new religious movements in the US. Although the Occupation Army (GHQ) practiced censorship of all types of organizations, specific suppression of Shinshūkyō ended. The first being Sekai Mahikari Bunmai Kyodan ("World Religious Organization of True Light"), which was founded by Okada Kotama who was trying to save the people from the end of the world. Tenrikyo's worldly aim is to teach and promote the Joyous Life, which is achieved through acts of charity and mindfulness (, Above is a picture of the Mahikari World Shrine. Major sects include Risshō Kōsei Kai and Shinnyo-en. It also began to advertise itself as philosophy rather than religion in order to avoid conflict with the Roman Catholic Church and other socially conservative elements in society. View Academics in Japanese New Religions on Academia.edu. Kiriyama became an ascetic for a number of years and then had a further revelation. image of the new religions, the opposite potential must also be considered. Western influences include Christianity, the Bible and the writings of Nostradamus.[1][2]. ... Europe, and Japan… The Religion, Scriptures, and Spirituality series describes the beliefs, religious practices, and the spiritual and moral commitments of the world's great religious traditions. Most came into being in the mid-to-late twentieth century and are influenced by much older traditional religions including Buddhism, Shinto and Hinduism. In 1999, it was estimated that 10 to 20 per cent of the Japanese population were members of a Shinshūkyō.[2]. Japanese New Religions in the West, Japan Library/Curzon Press, Kent, UK. Mahikari was named for two Japanese religions. As social conflicts emerged in this last decade of the Edo period, known as the Bakumatsu period, some new religious movements appeared. The 19th and 20th centuries saw an explosion of new religious movements across the world, and in Japan, these movements helped shape the way many Japanese perceived "religiousness. The Jehovah's Witnesses missionaries were so successful that they have become the second largest Christian denomination in Japan, with over 210,000 members (the largest is Catholicism with about 500,000 members). Tubinger Ostasiatische Forschungen. New Religions to non-Japanese, so conspicuous from the 1960s on. Chinkon Kishin: Mediated Spirit Possession in Japanese New Religions Volume 7 of Bunka - Wenhua. Japanese New Religions: An Aspect of Modern Religious Consciousness Tsushima Michihito, Nishiyama Shigeru， Shimazono Susumu，and Shiramizu Hiroko This paper aims to clarify the structure of teachings presented by Japa­ nese New Religions through an analysis of their conception of salva­ tion. In 1892, a Japanese woman named Deguchi Nao became possessed by the folk deity Ushitora-no-Konjin. In generalizations about the healing practices of the new religions, Jōrei and Okiyome, the purification rituals of Sekai Kyūseikyō, Shinji Shumeikai, and Mahikari, have been mislabeled as forms of faith healing. And many "New New Religions" are viewed with suspicion, as potential Aum Shinrikyos. Followers of Tenrikyo believe that God, known by several names including Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, expressed divine will through Nakayama's role as the Shrine of God, and to a lesser extent the roles of other leaders. Tuebinge Volume 7 of Bunka - Wenhua. Above is a picture of the Mahikari World Shrine , a major shrine for one of many new religions in Japan. I get 3,260 (458 deghosted) post-1990 English language GBook hits for "Japanese new religions", 264 (119 deghosted) for Shinko-shukyo OR Shinkoshukyo. Despite the influx of Christian missionaries, the majority of Shinshūkyō are Buddhist- or Shinto-related sects. The official status of State Shinto was abolished, and Shinto shrines became religious organizations, losing government protection and financial support. Helen Hardacre :: New religious movements represent the most vital sector of Japanese religions today. [3], In Brazil Shinshūkyō, like Honmon Butsuryū-shū, were first introduced in the 1920s among the Japanese immigrant population. Situating Agonshu: the concept of 'new religions' in modern Japan 2. "New Religions" that prospered in the postwar period have hit a slump. While the membership in Japanese new religions has been rising since 1945, the ties between the people and their temples and traditional shrines are tending to weaken since 1945. Missionaries arrived not only from traditional churches, but also from some modern denominations, such as Jehovah's Witnesses. Conversion from traditional faith was no longer legally forbidden, officials lifted the 250-year ban on Christianity, and missionaries of established Christian churches reentered Japan. 30 We may classify the new religions into three groups according to the dates they emerged. Religion does not play a big role in the everyday life of most Japanese people today. Dormann, Benjamin (2012). Some new religions, however, reach out to non-Japanese in their proselytization attempts, rather than to Japanese or people of Japanese origin. LIT, Münster, 2011. By 1988 it had more than 2.4 million members in Brazil, 85% of them not of Japanese ethnicity. In addition to the traditional religions of Shinto and Buddhism, Japan is also home to more than 600 “new religions” (shinko shukyo), which incorporate Buddhist, Shinto, and Christian elements.In this video series, Harvard University professors Theodore Bestor and Helen Hardacre discuss the impact of religious values and traditions on Japanese life. Numbers marked with this footnote are from other sources, https://web.archive.org/web/20140827014822/http://www.bunka.go.jp/shukyouhoujin/nenkan/pdf/h24nenkan.pdf, New Religions through the Eyes of Ōya Sōichi, ’Emperor’ of the Mass Media, SCAP’s Scapegoat? Table of contents. At present S6ka Gakkai and other groups have reached out to virtually every corner of the world through their missionary activity. ): Establishing the Revolutionary: An Introduction to New Religions in Japan. Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. Most Japanese people identify as members of both faiths. “Since this month’s earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, other types of organized aid networks have…largely been neglected by the news media, including the Japanese news: those managed by […] Although it is a term in common use in Japan today, and although its signification is quite generally understood, its exact delimination is not always made clear. Seicho-no-Ie now has the largest membership in the country. Japanese scholars classify all religious organizations founded since the middle of the 19th century as "new religions"; thus, the term refers to a great diversity and number of organizations. In the 1950s, Japanese wives of American servicemen introduced the Soka Gakkai to the United States, which in the 1970s developed into the Soka Gakkai International (SGI). List of Figures Acknowledgements Note on Japanese names, terms and transliteration Introduction 1. The introductory essay, ” Japanese New Religions: An Overview ” examines the new religions’ general characteristics and analysing the significance of these movements both collectively and individually. ‎Since the 1960s virtually every part of the world has seen the arrival and establishment of Japanese new religious movements, a process that has followed quickly on the heels of the most active period of Japanese economic expansion overseas. Government suppression was especially severe during the early 20th century, particularly from the 1930s until the early 1940s, when the growth of Japanese nationalism and State Shinto were closely linked. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. This presentation discusses the dynamic new Japanese religions formed during the last century and a half. [8], New religious movements founded in Japan since mid-19th century, Edifices and emblems of various Japanese new religions, The (1925) date refers to the Hito-no-Michi Kyōdan, the mother organization of Perfect Liberty Kyōdan. Japanese people clearly understand the meaning of the word and that is why when asked if they are “atheist” they say “no”, but when asked if they have no religious affiliation they say “yes”, as they pick and choose to believe maybe different things from many different religions at the same time. Situating Agonshu: the concept of 'new religions' in modern Japan 2. In the 1950s and 1960s some started to become popular among the non-Japanese population as well. The new religions, at the same time, are often heavily influenced by the traditional reli­ gions. Dr. Barbara Ambros, associate professor of Religious Studies, contributed an opinion piece to CNN’s Belief Blog on the responses of Japanese new religions to the recent crises. Especially in the House of Councillors, one third of whose members were elected through nationwide vote, nationwide organizations found they could influence national policy by supporting certain candidates. Among them were Tenrikyo, Kurozumikyo and Oomoto, sometimes called Nihon Sandai Shinkōshūkyō ("Japan's three large new religions"), which were directly influenced by Shinto (the state religion) and shamanism. The Authorities, New Religions, and a Postwar Taboo, INFORM (Information Network Focus on Religious Movements), Academic study of new religious movements, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Japanese_new_religions&oldid=1009175309, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2014, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Ōyama Nezunomikoto Shinji Kyōkai (大山ねずの命神示教会), God Light Association Sōgō Honbu (GLA総合本部), Extra-Sensory-Perception Kagaku Kenkyūjo (ESP科学研究所). In the 1860s Japan began to experience great social turmoil and rapid modernization. The Japanese new Religions literally means "Newly Arisen Religions". Not one of the religions is dominant, and each is affected by the others. But around the late 1960s the term ”new religious movement” (NRM) started to be used to describe a special subject of study within the scholarly community of North America and Western Europe. Under the new Constitution of Japan, the Diet had the supreme authority for decision making in state affairs and all its members were elected by the people. And like many other new religious movements, Millah Abraham is dreaming big, with hopes to supersede Christianity and Islam as the dominant Abrahamic faith. The Japanese government was very suspicious towards these religious movements and periodically made attempts to suppress them. The government strengthened its control over religious institutions that were considered to undermine State Shinto or nationalism, arresting some members and leaders of Shinshukyo, including Onisaburo Deguchi of Oomoto and Tsunesaburō Makiguchi of Soka Kyoiku Gakkai (now Soka Gakkai), who typically were charged with violation of lèse majesté and the Peace Preservation Law. The story of a religious founder: Kiriyama Seiyu, turmoil, charisma and experience 3. It …