Kōtama Okada () (birth name: Yoshikazu Okada (; born February 27, 1901,
Minato, Tokyo
is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is also called Minato City in English.
Minato was formed in 1947 as a merger of Akasaka, Tokyo, Akasaka, Azabu and Shiba, Tokyo, Shiba wards following Tokyo City's Local Autonomy Ac ...
; died June 23, 1974) was the founder of the
Mahikari new religious movement
A new religious movement (NRM), also known as a new religion, is a religious or Spirituality, spiritual group that has modern origins and is peripheral to its society's dominant religious culture. NRMs can be novel in origin, or they can be part ...
in Japan (''
Shinshūkyō
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 ...
''). Today, both
Sukyo Mahikari
Sukyo Mahikari (Japanese: 崇教眞光, ''Sūkyō Mahikari''; "Sukyo" means universal principles and " Mahikari" means True Light) is a Japanese new religion (''shinshūkyō''). It is one of the Mahikari movement religions and has centers in more ...
and
World Divine Light recognize him as the founder of their religions.
Biography
Yoshikazu Okada was born on February 27, 1901 in the
Aoyama area of
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
's
Minato Ward. He was born into a wealthy family as the son of Inasaburo, a
major general in the
Imperial Japanese Army
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...
. Okada, who studied with
Prince Chichibu
was the second son of Emperor Taishō (Yoshihito) and Empress Teimei (Sadako), a younger brother of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) and a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. As a member of the Imperial House of Japan, he was the patron of seve ...
(Yasuhito) and others who came from prominent Japanese families, graduated from the Japanese Army Officer Training School in 1922 and was commissioned a lieutenant in the Japanese Imperial Guard. After serving in military campaigns in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
and
Indochina
Mainland Southeast Asia (historically known as Indochina and the Indochinese Peninsula) is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to th ...
, Okada retired from the army in 1941 due to a back injury with the rank of
lieutenant colonel.
On the morning of February 27, 1959, Okada received a divine revelation from the Su-god, who told him, "The time of heaven has come. Rise. Your name shall be Kōtama 光玉 ("jewel of light"). Raise your hand. The world has entered severe times." This event marked the founding of the Mahikari religious movement.
Originally a follower of
Sekai Kyūsei Kyō, Okada established L. H. Yokoshi no Tomo in 1959, and in 1963, registered a religious organisation under the name "Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan."
Legacy
In 1974, after Okada's death, there were court hearings held over eight years. After an amicable settlement was reached (''wakai''), Sakae Sekiguchi assumed the leadership of Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan (now known outside Japan as the
World Divine Light Organization), and Keishu Okada established
Sukyo Mahikari
Sukyo Mahikari (Japanese: 崇教眞光, ''Sūkyō Mahikari''; "Sukyo" means universal principles and " Mahikari" means True Light) is a Japanese new religion (''shinshūkyō''). It is one of the Mahikari movement religions and has centers in more ...
.
Selected books
* Okada, Kōtama 岡田光玉. 1967. ''Mioshieshū'' 御教え集
oly Teachings Tōkyō: Seikai Mahikari Bunmei Kyōdan.
* Okada, Kōtama 岡田光玉. 1969. ''Goseigen'' 御聖言
oly Words Tōkyō: Seikai Mahikari Bunmei Kyōdan.
* Okada, Kōtama 岡田光玉. 1973a. ''Gokyōji senshū 1'' 御教示選集
nthology of Holy Teachings 1 Tōkyō: Yōkōbunmei Kenkyūkai.
* Okada, Kōtama 岡田光玉. 1973b. ''Yōkōshi norigoto-shū'' 陽光子祈言集
rayerbook of the Sunshine Children Tōkyō: Seikai Mahikari Bunmei Kyōdan.
See also
*
Japanese new religions
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 ...
*
Mokichi Okada
Mokichi Okada (岡田茂吉 ''Okada Mokichi''; 23 December 1882 – 10 February 1955) was the founder of the World Church of Messiah, that later became the Church of World Меssianity. He also acted as the spiritual leader of Shumei and the Johr ...
References
External links
Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan (World Divine Light) biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okada, Kotama
Founders of new religious movements
Japanese religious leaders
Mahikari movement
1901 births
1974 deaths
People from Minato, Tokyo
Japanese faith healers
Imperial Japanese Army officers