Kurozumikyō
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Kurozumikyō (黒住教, ) is a
Shinto , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...
-based
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 ...
founded in the 19th century. In 1814, the religion's founder, Munetada Kurozumi ( 黒住宗忠), claimed to have a divine union with
Amaterasu , often called Amaterasu () for short, also known as and , is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. Often considered the chief deity (''kami'') of the Shinto pantheon, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the () ...
, goddess of the sun and chief ''
kami are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...
'' in the Shinto pantheon. The religion is characterized by its daily worship of the sun at sunrise, called ''nippai'' (日拝). Kurozumikyō only worships the sun as its primary deity, a similarity also found in the Ancient Egyptian religion
Atenism Atenism, also known as the Aten religion, the Amarna religion, and the Amarna heresy, was a religion in ancient Egypt. It was founded by Akhenaten, a pharaoh who ruled the New Kingdom under the Eighteenth Dynasty. The religion is described as ...
. Kurozumikyō believes that all
kami are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...
(spirits) are the manifestations of a single supreme deity, namely
Amaterasu , often called Amaterasu () for short, also known as and , is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. Often considered the chief deity (''kami'') of the Shinto pantheon, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the () ...
.


Beliefs

Sun worship, called ''nippai'' (日拝), is the core ritual of Kurozumikyō. The practice originates from
Okayama is the prefectural capital, capital Cities of Japan, city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The Okayama metropolitan area, centered around the city, has the largest urban employment zone in the Chugoku region of western J ...
folk religion, which also had ''nippai'' practices during the early 19th century. Kurozumikyō believes that Amaterasu is the source of all light and life, and is the
creator Creator or The Creator may refer to: Film and television * ''Creator'' (film), a 1985 film starring Peter O'Toole, Vincent Spano, Mariel Hemingway, and Virginia Madsen * ''The Creator'' (1999 film), a French film written and directed by and sta ...
of the entire 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 religion is based in
Okayama is the prefectural capital, capital Cities of Japan, city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The Okayama metropolitan area, centered around the city, has the largest urban employment zone in the Chugoku region of western J ...
, and focuses on the virtues of sincerity, selflessness, hard work, and affirmation of the established social order. The "Five Articles of Sincerity" (五つの誠) are: #Prayer (祈りの誠) #Filial piety (孝養の誠) #Service (奉仕の誠) #Thankfulness (感謝の誠) #Self-reflection (反省の誠) The religion's beliefs are described in the ''Kurozumikyō Kyōsho'' (黒住教教書).


History

Kurozumi's divine experience occurred during the
winter solstice The winter solstice, or hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's geographical pole, poles reaches its maximum axial tilt, tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern Hemisphere, Northern and So ...
of 1814, which also happened to be his birthday. According to Hardacre (1986), The religion was formally established as the Kurozumi Kyōdan (黒住教団) in 1846. Kurozumi and senior disciples assembled the ''Osadamegaki'', putting into writing all the beliefs, values, and laws of the religion. 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 Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...
in 1868, Kurozumikyō had gained followers across Japan, with followers concentrated mainly in western Japan. Okayama, Hiroshima, Tottori, and Shimane prefectures had the most followers, followed by the Kansai region. There were also some followers in Kyushu, Tokyo, and Hokkaido. In 1876, the Board of Shinto Affairs granted Kurozumikyō official status as a Shinto sect called Shintō Kurozumi-ha (神道黑住派). Kurozumikyō established its own Shinto shrine, the Munetada Shrine, in Okayama in 1885. Today, Kurozumikyō Honbu (黒住教本部), the headquarters of the religion, is located on the southeastern summit of Shintō-zan (神道山, or "Mount Shinto") in
Okayama is the prefectural capital, capital Cities of Japan, city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The Okayama metropolitan area, centered around the city, has the largest urban employment zone in the Chugoku region of western J ...
. Every morning before sunset, the sun worshipping ritual ''nippai'' (日拝) is performed at a platform on Shintō-zan to honor the rising sun.


List of Chief Patriarchs

List of Chief Patriarchs of Kurozumikyō: #Kurozumi Munetada (黒住宗忠, patriarch from 1814–1850) #Kurozumi Munenobu (黒住宗信, patriarch from 1850–1856) #Kurozumi Muneatsu (黒住宗篤, patriarch from 1856–1889) #Kurozumi Muneyasu (黒住宗子, patriarch from 1889–1936) #Kurozumi Munekazu (黒住宗和, patriarch from 1936–1973) #Kurozumi Muneharu (黒住宗晴, patriarch from 1973–2017) #Kurozumi Munemichi (黒住宗道, patriarch from 2017–present)


Publications

Selected books published by the Kurozumikyō headquarters in Okayama: *黒住教教書 (Kurozumikyō scriptures) *黒住教教典抄 (Selected Kurozumikyō scriptures) *黒住教教祖伝 (Kurozumikyō founder biography) (English edition: ''The Opening Way'') *教祖様の御逸話 (Kurozumikyō founder stories; contains over 120 stories) (English edition: ''The Living Way'') *哲人宗忠 (Munetada the Philosopher) (English edition also available)


See also

*
Atenism Atenism, also known as the Aten religion, the Amarna religion, and the Amarna heresy, was a religion in ancient Egypt. It was founded by Akhenaten, a pharaoh who ruled the New Kingdom under the Eighteenth Dynasty. The religion is described as ...
in Ancient Egypt


References

* Murakami Shigeyoshi (1985). "Kurozumikyō." ''Kōdansha Encyclopedia of Japan''. Tokyo: Kōdansha Ltd. *


External links

*
Kurozumikyō books



Walking tour of Kurozumikyo headquarters

Sun worshipping ceremony
performed at sunrise on Mount Shinto, Okayama (1 December 2020) * Online texts of the ''Kurozumikyō Kyōsho'' (黒住教教書) ( Wikimedia Commons files) *
''Kurozumikyō Kyōsho'' (黒住教教書)
Volume 1 (Seven teachings and admonitions from the founder, along with a collection of poems and prose) *
''Kurozumikyō Kyōsho'' (黒住教教書)
Volume 2 {{DEFAULTSORT:Kurozumikyo 1846 establishments in Japan Japanese new religions Religious organizations based in Japan Religious organizations established in 1846 Shinto new religious movements 13 Shinto Sects Okayama * Monotheistic religions