is a

Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...

- Ryukyuan-derived religion founded by

Takayasu Ryūsen Takayasu is both a Japanese surname and a masculine Japanese given name. Surname *, Japanese ophthalmologist *, Japanese sumo wrestler *, founder of the Okinawan Ijun religion *, Japanese footballer Given name *, Japanese professional wrestler. *, ...

(1934-) in

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

. This modern religion started in 1972 and in 1980 became registered under the Religious Corporations Law (''Shūkyō Hōjinhō''). In the same year, the movement joined the ''Shinshūren'' (Federation of Japanese New Religions) and started its overseas activities. Ijun is based in traditional Okinawan

animist Animism (from Latin: ' meaning 'breath, Soul, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct Spirituality, spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—Animal, animals, Plant, plants, Ro ...

and shamanistic beliefs related to ''noro'' (i.e. ''nuru'', an Okinawan term for female diviners/priestesses) and ''yuta'' (an Okinawan term for shamans). This movement, emphasizes the worship of the deity Kinmanmon, an Okinawan god and cosmic deity and describes the mysterious life force of the universe as an "internal power" (''uchinaa'' power) comparable to Japanese Universal '' Ki'' and teaches that people must awaken to this power. Ijun has most of its followers in Okinawa (Uchinaa), but it also has a temple in Yokohama and overseas temples in Taiwan and Hawaii.

References

* SHIMAMURA Takanori. "Okinawano shinshukyo ni okeru kyoso hosa no raifu hisutorii to reino-- 'Ijun' no jirei" he life history and spiritual power of an assistant to the founder of a new religion in Okinawa: an example from the religion of 'Ijun' Jinrui bunka 8 (Tsukuba Daigaku Rekishi Jinruigaku-kei Jinrui Bunka Kenkyukai). * SHIMAMURA Takanori."'Ryukyu shinwa' no saisei: shinshukyo 'Ijun' no shinwa o megutte" (The rebirth of Okinawan myth: the mythos of the new religion of Ijun) (in Japanese), Kagoshima Tanki Daigaku Matsubara KenkyuShitsu, Amami Okinawa minkan bun gei kenkya 15 (July, 1992). * Reichl, Christopher A. The Okinawan New Religion Ijun. Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 1993 20/4

External links

Ijun
Animism in Asia Japanese new religions Okinawa Prefecture Shamanism in Japan {{Japan-reli-stub