Honmichi

Honmichi
ほんみち
The Sennan Temple, Honmichi's main temple
TypeTenrikyo-derived Japanese new religion
ScriptureOfudesaki, Mikagura-uta, Doroumi Kōki
TheologyMonotheistic
LanguageJapanese
HeadquartersTakaishi, Osaka, Japan
FounderŌnishi Aijirō
Origin1925
Nara Prefecture, Japan
Separated fromTenrikyo
SeparationsHonbushin

Honmichi (ほんみち) (also 本道 or 天理本道, lit. 'The True Way [of Tenri]') is a Tenrikyo-based shinshūkyō (Japanese new religion). Honmichi became formally independent in 1925 under its founder, Ōnishi Aijirō (大西愛治郎), also known by the title Kanrodainin no Ri (甘露台人の理, The Principle of the Living Kanrodai). Despite the religion being derived from Tenrikyo with a different interpretation of doctrines such as Sanken Mimune (三軒三棟),: 133  Honmichi's religious structure still maintains the same basic overall characteristics as Tenrikyo. It was reorganized from the earlier Tenri Kenkyūkai (天理研究会; Tenrikyo Research Group).: 3  It had 319,031 followers in 2022 according to the Reiwa 4 (2022) Religion Almanac published by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

History

Honmichi began as a religious movement on July 15, 1913 in Yamaguchi when its founder Ōnishi Aijirō received a divine revelation, during which God told him that he was the living kanrodai. At the time, he was a Tenrikyo missionary in Yamaguchi Prefecture. In January 1925, Ōnishi Aijirō officially established the Tenri Study Association (天理研究会, Tenri Kenkyūkai), which was later renamed as Tenri Honmichi (天理本道) in 1937, and finally as Honmichi in 1950.

Honmichi was a noticeable Japanese religion before World War II due to its leader's active defiance against the Emperor of Japan. There were government crackdowns in 1928 and again in 1938. It quickly re-established itself during the US Occupation of Japan. Honmichi was officially registered as a religious organization again on February 28, 1946. On March 8, 1946, Ōnishi Aijirō's daughter Aiko was appointed as the spiritual leader (教主, kyōshu) and served in this role until her death in 1966, while his son Masanori was appointed as the administrative leader (管主, kanshu) served in this role until his death in 1971. On April 26, 1946, 165 religious officials were appointed within the newly formed Honmichi religious organization.: 253 

In 1958, Ōnishi Aijirō died. Aijirō's grandson, Ōnishi Yasuhiko (大西泰彦), was born in October 1960 and was considered to be the reincarnation of Ōnishi Aijirō, and hence as the new kanrodai.: 258  Although now deceased, Ōnishi Yasuhiko continues to be revered as the kanrodai by Honmichi followers (Ōnishi Yasuhiko is buried at Takenouchi Mausoleum along with his father Masanori and grandfather Aijirō.)

However, a struggle for succession ensued during the following years. In Kawabe, Gifu Prefecture, Saitō Shōgo (斎藤正吾) created a Honmichi splinter group by proclaiming himself to be the kanrodai.: 279  In 1962, Honbushin (ほんぶしん), led by Aijirō's daughter Ōnishi Tama (大西玉; 1916–1969) (whom Aijirō and Honbushin followers claim was the reincarnation of Nakayama Miki), separated from Honmichi: 173  after a failed attempt to take over the Honmichi headquarters in Takishi, Osaka. A coup d'état was planned to be executed on January 26, 1962, but the plot was discovered one week before, and the people involved in the plot were promptly excommunicated. Honbushin was incorporated as a religious organization in 1966. Although Honbushin's roots were in Takaishi, Osaka, it moved to Shiojiri, Nagano after the schism. In 1969, the year Ōnishi Tama died, Honbushin moved to Okayama, where it set up its kanrodai on Mount Kami.

Beliefs and practices

The term Honmichi comes from the Ofudesaki and can be found in Ofudesaki 1:49, 3:37, 4:75-77, 5:30, 5:82, 6:17, 6:28, and 17:22.

Honmichi considers itself, rather than Tenrikyo, to be the true, original religion of Nakayama Miki.: 171–2  Devout Honmichi members are called "people of the way" (みち人, michibito) rather than yōboku (ようぼく) as in Tenrikyo. Kami-sama (神様; God) is also known as Tsukihi-sama (月日様; Moon-Sun), who is thought of as two distinct divine entities rather than one divine entity as in Tenrikyo. Nakayama Miki is referred to as the Gokyōso (御教祖; Foundress), while Onishi Aijiro is referred to as the Kanrodai-sama (甘露台様).

The mantra Namu Kanrodai (南無甘露台) or Namu Kanrodai-sama (南無甘露台様): 33  is frequently chanted by adherents of Honmichi. Honmichi utilizes the gagaku in its service (かぐらづとめ, kagura-zutome).

Every year, Honmichi followers celebrate "the establishment of the human Kanrodai" (甘露台人のおふみとめ, Kanrodai nin no o-fumitome) to commemorate their founder.: 129  Honmichi Foundation Day, the anniversary of Honmichi's founding, is celebrated on August 15. Followers also regularly attend lectures called jyoseki (定席).

Volunteer service (ひのきしん, hinokishin) is a central part of Honmichi practice. Religious buildings and facilities are constructed and maintained exclusively by followers, without the use of outside contractors. Religious staff members typically do not receive salaries from the organization and are supported by family members and acquaintances.

Honmichi opposes abortion, since children are considered to be the reincarnations of previously existent people.

Honmichi has an apocalyptic theology. The religion teaches that the end of the world, called the Great Sweeping of the World (世界の大掃除, Sekai no Ōsōji), is coming soon, and that only righteous believers will be saved.: 302 

Scriptures and texts

Some of the main scriptures used in Honmichi include the Mikagura-uta, and Ofudesaki which also form the basic scriptural canon of Tenrikyo. The Osashizu, written by the second spiritual leader of the original establishment, Iburi Izō, was also sometimes consulted by Ōnishi Aijirō. The Doroumi Kōki is part of Honmichi's scriptural canon as well. The Kyōgi Ichiban (教義一斑), written by Ōnishi Aijirō, is also used. Other scriptures include Mune Sanzun (胸三寸). Commentaries and doctrinal texts include Michi Shirube (道しるべ), which consists of various lectures, and Honmichi Kyōri Kyōgi (ほんみち教理教義) (lit. 'Honmichi Doctrines and Teachings'). Honmichi Kyōri Kyōgi (ほんみち教理教義) includes the full texts of the Mikagura-uta and Doroumi Kōki, as well as chapters about the Eight Dusts, innen (いんねん), and Kami ichijō (神一条). Sacred books, or the words of God, often have red covers. Explanatory books typically have white and blue covers. Divinely revealed scriptures are compiled into a volume called the Goshingon (御神言).

Locations

Honmichi is currently headquartered in the Hagoromo (羽衣) neighborhood of Takaishi, Osaka, near Hagoromo Station. However, the main worship hall, which is not open to the general public, is located in Sennan, Osaka.

Apart from the headquarters, there are several other locations, including two main offices (支部, shibu):

There are several branches (出張所, shutchōjo), including one in the United States:

Honmichi also has a few other facilities:

Sacred sites in Yamaguchi include:

Schisms

The following religious movements and organizations are founded by former Honmichi members.

Further reading

During the 1970s, Shigeyoshi Murakami (村上重良) and Masaki Umehara (梅原正紀) published a few books about Honmichi:

Notes

  1. ↑ The chapters of the 1962 edition are 借物の理 (Kashimono no ri), 八つの埃 (Yattsu no hokori), 因緣一條 (Innen ichijō), 道の三段 (Michi no sandan), 神一條 (Kami ichijō), 甘露台一條 (Kanrodai ichijō), and 御敎祖樣略傳 (Gokyōsosama ryakuden).

References

  1. ↑ Bocking, Brian (1996). A Popular Dictionary of Shinto. Milton Park: Routledge. p. 55. ISBN 978-1138979079.
  2. 1 2 Staemmler, Birgit; Dehn, Ulrich M., eds. (2011). Establishing the Revolutionary: An Introduction to New Religions in Japan. Münster: LIT Verlag. p. 323. ISBN 978-3643901521.
  3. ↑ "혼미치". 현대종교 (in Korean). 2008-04-25.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Forbes, Roy Tetsuo (2005). Schism, orthodoxy and heresy in the history of Tenrikyō : three case studies (Thesis). University of Hawai'i Department of Religion.
  5. ↑ Yamashita, Akiko (1998). "Eschatology of Japanese New and New New Religions from Tenri-kyo to Kofuku no Kagaku". Inter-religio: A Network of Christian Organizations for Interreligious Encounter in East Asia. 33 (Summer): 10. Nevertheless, as MURAKAMI Shigeyoshi points out, "Honmichi is the rare religious group that held a doctrine of denial of the Emperor despite arising from the indigenous Japanese spiritual climate."
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Umehara, Masaki 梅原正紀 (1977). Tenkeisha no shūkyō Honmichi: kanrodai sekai ni itaru dō 天啓者の宗教ほんみち:甘露台世界にいたる道 (in Japanese). Kōdōsha 耕土社.
  7. ↑ Takeda, Sōshin 武田 宗真 (1993-04-26). 自体無 二 宇宙本体論随筆記. Plus-One プラスワン出版社. ISBN 4-938753-80-4.
  8. 1 2 Yumiyama, Tatsuya. "Encyclopedia of Shinto". 國學院大學デジタルミュージアム. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  9. ↑ 竹内良一 (1973). 天理解説（正解）:天理教話集 (in Japanese). 岐阜県加茂郡川辺町中川辺大北: ほんみち（岐阜）代表.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Hon-Michi (2010). The Book of Hon-Michi (3rd ed.). Sennan, Osaka: Hon-Michi Kohobu. (English edition; the first English edition published on October 26, 1987)
  11. ↑ Buijs-Drăgușin, Cornelia (January 2013). "#6: Gagaku and Tenrikyo". Liturgical Music in a New Japanese Religion : the Formation, Survival and Repositioning of Tenrikyo through Music (M. Mus. thesis). p. 193. The new religion Honmichi, which splintered from Tenrikyō, also uses gagaku in its service; its followers attempted to incorporate gagaku into their paraliturgical festivities, but failed.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Honmichi (1980). Honmichi Kyōri Kyōgi ほんみち教理教義. Hagoromo, Osaka: Honmichi.
  13. ↑ Melton, J. Gordon; Baumann, Martin, eds. (2002). "Honmichi [Original Way]". Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices. Vol. 2. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. p. 606. ISBN 1-57607-223-1.
  14. ↑ Honmichi (2024). Michi-Shirube – Hon-Michi: a Guidepost for the Right Path in Life. Sennan, Osaka: Honmichi Headquarters. (English edition)
  15. ↑ "ほんみち教とは – 大阪わらじの会". osakawaraji.jpn.org (in Japanese). 2009-09-08. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
  16. ↑ "若宮様御生誕記念建家". Yahoo!マップ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-04-05.
  17. ↑ Kisala, Robert (1999). Prophets of Peace: Pacifism and Cultural Identity in Japan's New Religions. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 144–5. ISBN 0-8248-2228-5.
  18. ↑ "おうかんみち" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  19. ↑ "甘露台霊理斯道会" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-06-04.

34°31′56.5″N 135°26′19.4″E / 34.532361°N 135.438722°E / 34.532361; 135.438722