Kurozumikyō (黒住教), literally "the Teachings of Kurozumi," is a
Japanese new religion
Japanese new religions are new religious movements established in Japan. In Japanese, they are called or . Japanese scholars classify all religious organizations founded since the middle of the 19th century as "new religions"; thus, the term refe ...
largely derived from
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 ...
roots and founded in 1846. The founder, a Shinto priest by the name of Kurozumi, is claimed to have had a Divine union with
Amaterasu
Amaterasu, also known as Amaterasu Ōmikami () or Ōhirume no Muchi no Kami (), is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. One of the major deities (''kami'') of Shinto, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the ''Kojik ...
, Goddess of the sun and chief ''
Kami
are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
'' in the Shinto
pantheon
Pantheon may refer to:
* Pantheon (religion), a set of gods belonging to a particular religion or tradition, and a temple or sacred building
Arts and entertainment Comics
*Pantheon (Marvel Comics), a fictional organization
* ''Pantheon'' (Lone St ...
, in 1814.
The core beliefs of the sect center around this idea, and the assertion that Amaterasu is the source of all light and life, and
creator of all the universe. Mankind is believed to be able to tap into the divine power of Amaterasu in order to heal the sick and perform other miracles. The sect is based in
Okayama
is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1889. , the city has an estimated population of 720,841 and a population density of 910 persons per km2. The total area is .
The city is ...
, and focuses on the virtues of sincerity, selflessness, hard work, and affirmation of the established social order.
Though Kurozumi's divine experience occurred in 1814, the sect was not formally organized until 1846, when the priest and senior disciples assembled the ''Osadamegaki'', putting into writing all the beliefs, values, and laws of the sect. Originally, their religious and missionary activity was tolerated by the feudal Okayama lord, as it did not threaten his power or conflict greatly with the religious beliefs already practiced in the area.
By the time of the
Meiji Restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
in 1868, the sect had gained followers in Kyushu and western and southwestern Honshū, all the way up to Tokyo. It gained independence from the Board of Shinto Affairs in 1876, and established its own Shinto shrine, the
Munetada Shrine, in Okayama in 1885. As of 1978, the group claimed 218,000 followers.
Muneharu Kurozumi, the Sixth Chief Patriarch of Kurozumikyō, is affiliated to the openly
revisionist lobby
.
[Nippon Kaigi website]
References
* Murakami Shigeyoshi (1985). "Kurozumikyō."
Kōdansha Encyclopedia of Japan. Tokyo: Kōdansha Ltd.
External links
Marukoto: The Teaching of Roundness
1846 establishments in Japan
Japanese new religions
Religious organizations based in Japan
Religious organizations established in 1846
Shinto new religious movements
13 Shinto Sects
{{Sect Shinto