is a Japanese-based

Nichiren Shoshu Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of ...

Buddhist lay group, affiliated with

Taisekiji , more commonly just , informally known as , is the administrative center of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism. It is located in the foothills of Mount Fuji in Kamijo, Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Taiseki-ji was founded i ...

Head Temple since 1942 at the Myokoji Temple in

Shinagawa is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. The Ward refers to itself as Shinagawa City in English. The Ward is home to ten embassies. , the Ward had an estimated population of 380,293 and a population density of 16,510 persons per km2. The total are ...

, Tokyo and was originally called . After engaging in conflict with fellow Hokkeko members due to tolerating

Soka Gakkai is a Japanese Buddhist religious movement based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese priest Nichiren as taught by its first three presidents Tsunesaburō Makiguchi, Jōsei Toda, and Daisaku Ikeda. It is the largest of the Japanese ...

interferences, it transferred to Myoenji Temple in

Sumida, Tokyo is a special ward located in Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. The English translation of its Japanese self-designation is Sumida City. As of May 1, 2015, the ward has an estimated population of 257,300, and a population density of 18,690 persons per km ...

. It upholds the

Taiseki-ji , more commonly just , informally known as , is the administrative center of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism. It is located in the foothills of Mount Fuji in Kamijo, Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Taiseki-ji was founded in 1290 by Nikkō Shōn ...

Head Temple to possess the true

Dai Gohonzon The Dai Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teachings, commonly known as the Dai Gohonzon (Japanese: 大御本尊 ''The Supreme (Great) Gohonzon'' or Honmon—Kaidan—no—Dai—Gohonzon, Japanese: 本門戒壇の大御本 ...

of Nichiren Daishonin, although it does not control the Head Temple. Its national headquarters are located in Ōmiya-ku,

Saitama Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (1 January 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 km2 (1,466 sq mi). Saitama Prefecture borders Tochigi Prefecture ...

. The organization asserts that only the

Emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial House of Japan, Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his positio ...

has the sole privilege to elect and declare

Kosen-rufu Kōsen-rufu (広宣流布), a phrase found in the Japanese translation of the Buddhist scripture Lotus Sutra, is informally defined to as "world peace through individual happiness." It refers to the future widespread dissemination of the Lotus ...

for the widespread propagation of the Nichiren Shoshu religion. After the demise of 67th High Priest

Nikken Abe Nikken Abe (阿部日顕, Abe Nikken; also known as Nikken Shonin; 19 December 1922 – 20 September 2019) was a Japanese Buddhist monk who served as the 67th High Priest of Nichiren Shōshū Buddhism and chief priest of Taiseki-ji head Temple ...

in 2019, its senior adherents and younger leaders have been widely permitted to enter the “Gokaihi” audiences at the

under an oath of anonymity and discretion. Its present

Chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...

is Mr. Shoei Asai, and claims an active registered membership of 2.18 million in July 2020.

History

Its founder, Jinbei Asai was born in

Aichi prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefectur ...

on 9 May 1904. Asai was converted to

Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of ...

in April 1926 at the Myoko-Ji temple in

Shinagawa, Tokyo is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. The Ward refers to itself as Shinagawa City in English. The Ward is home to ten embassies. , the Ward had an estimated population of 380,293 and a population density of 16,510 persons per km2. The total are ...

via his fellow

Shakubuku ''Shakubuku'' is a term that originates in the Chinese version of the Buddhist text, ''Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra''. The term has historically been used to indicate the rebuttal of false teachings and thereby break negative patterns ...

sponsor Mr. Shirasu Ikuzo. * In 1936, both Ikuzo and Asai transferred their religious activities in Myoko—kuji Temple in

Itabashi is a special ward located in Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. In English, it calls itself Itabashi City. Itabashi has sister-city relations with Burlington, Ontario, in Canada; Shijingshan District of Beijing in the People's Republic of China; and ...

, Tokyo. * In 1942, Asai received permission from the Head Temple Taisekiji to found the lay group Myoshinko. In the same year, the 60th High Priest Nichikai Shonin granted a special transcription of the Dai Gohonzon copied by 26th High Priest Nichikan Shonin (designated for layperson usage) towards their proposal for wider propagation. * In 1952, Asai ran the “Nichiren Shoshu Seiten

Magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

Press” commemorating the 700th Anniversary of the Head Temple Taisekiji. * In 1955, he was appointed by 64th High Priest Nissho Shonin as the Chief Lecturer on Nichiren Shoshu doctrines at the Grand Hodo-in Temple in

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

. * In January 1958, their organization transferred to Myoenji Temple in Tokyo to rebuild that temple for a wider expansion. * On 5 April 1959, the organization obtained permission from 65th High Priest Nichijun Shonin for the newspaper publication of “Nichiren Shoshu Kensho Shimbun”. * On 1 September 1961, more financial donations were gained and the organization expanded a newer Nichiren Shoshu magazine called "Mount Fuji". The magazine called for the conversion of the Japanese

Emperor Showa Emperor , commonly known in English-speaking countries by his personal name , was the 124th emperor of Japan, ruling from 25 December 1926 until his death in 1989. Hirohito and his wife, Empress Kōjun, had two sons and five daughters; he was ...

to the religion of Nichiren Shoshu and the erection of the National Ordinary Platform (Honmonji Kaidan). * In July 1962, the Hokkeko federation was founded in the Grand Hodoin Temple, but neither Asai nor his son registered for membership. * In August 1964, their lay organization to register for new Tozan pilgrimages was officially suspended due to non-compliance with the Hokkeko Federation at the wider pressure of the

movement along with the decision of 66th High Priest Nittatsu Shonin. * In October 1965, the proposal to erect the Shohondo building began with a ceremony. Myoshinko was pressured to participate for the sake of “Itai Doshin” unity. * On 25 March 1970, the Myoshinko organization could no longer accept the growing influence and interferences of the

and through the Hokkeko Federation, and submits a formal lawsuit to "Sue to the sectarian authorities for the Sho Hondo" which was intercepted by High Priest Nittatsu Shonin to protect the

. * On 12 August 1974, the 66th High Priest Nittatsu Shonin formally expelled the Myoshinko organization from the Head Temple. * On 4 November 1974, the 33 appointed doctrinal Myoshinko lecturers teaching at the Grand Hodoin Temple were also expelled from the Head Temple at the influence of the

. * In March 1978, the Nichiren Shoshu Kensho-ji Temple in

under Reverend Yagi Naomichi was also expelled for supporting the Myoshinko organization. He became the first chief priest openly supporting the organization. * On 9 October 1982, the organization decides to rename itself as “Nichiren Shoshu Kenshōkai”, appointing his son, Mr. Shoei Asai as

of the organization. Mr. Jinbei Asai died on 9 April 1984. * On 18 November 1996, the name of their corporation "Nichiren Shōshū" was replaced with "Fuji Taisekiji". * In December 2019, the 68th High Priest Nichinyo Shonin discreetly granted select senior members and younger leaders of the Kenshōkai to enter the

, beginning at the first private Tozan Pilgrimage of New Year 2020 at the 800th Anniversary of

Nichiren Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of B ...

. Furthermore, the “Letter of Disassociation” against Kenshōkai was removed from the official Nichiren Shoshu Taisekiji website. Taisekiji Kaidan no Dai Gohonzon

Since 1942, the Kenshokai organization used a transcribed copy of the

by 26th High Priest Nichikan Shonin in the year 1728. This was authorized for reproduction by 60th High Priest Nichikai Shonin, who is the ancestral father of 67th High Priest Nikken Shonin, sourced from the Head Temple. Currently, its members are also conferred a contemporary

Gohonzon is a generic term for a venerated religious object in Japanese Buddhism. It may take the form of a scroll or statuary. The term typically refers to the mainstream use of venerated objects within Nichiren Buddhism, referring to the calligr ...

transcribed by previous or incumbent High Priest of the Taiseki-ji sect. * The present

of the organization is Shōei Asai (浅井昭衛), the son of Jinbēi Asai (1904—1984) the original founder of Myoshinko. * General Women's Managers: Ms. Kumiko Takayashiki and Ms. Etsuko Yuasa * General Corporation Manager is Mr. Jomamoru Asai.

Sectarian influences

Jacqueline Stone Jacqueline Ilyse Stone (born June 30, 1949) is an emeritus Professor of Japanese Religion in the Department of Religion at Princeton University's Department of Religion and a specialist in Japanese Buddhism, particularly Kamakura Buddhism, Nichi ...

opines that Kenshōkai represents the: The nationalistic group is considered one of the fastest-growing and least studied religious movements in Japan. By its own account it has 1,370,000 registered members (2011) most of which are in the Kantō and Chūbu areas. Unlike Soka Gakkai, it has a highly rigid structure and does not belong to any political organization.

Branch Halls

Hokkaido

230px, Fuji Taiseki-ji Kenshoukai Sapporo Branch *

Sapporo ( ain, サッ・ポロ・ペッ, Satporopet, lit=Dry, Great River) is a city in Japan. It is the largest city north of Tokyo and the largest city on Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of the country. It ranks as the fifth most populous city ...

Tohoku

Sendai is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Miyagi Prefecture, the largest city in the Tōhoku region. , the city had a population of 1,091,407 in 525,828 households, and is one of Japan's 20 Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, desig ...

Kanto

Asia

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

Taipei Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...

References

External links

Official Website
* Wani Yukio
Barren Senkaku Nationalism and China-Japan Conflict
The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus. This article appeared in Shukan Kinyobi on May 25, 2012. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kenshokai 1942 establishments in Japan Buddhist new religious movements Critics of Sōka Gakkai Nichiren Buddhism Religious organizations based in Japan Japanese new religions