Oomoto

Oomoto (Japanese大本, dt " foundation " ), also known as Oomoto - kyō (大本 教), is a Japanese religion, often called Shinshūkyō ( new Japanese religion) and offshoot of Shinto is considered. The religion was founded in 1892 by Nao Deguchi (出口 なお, Deguchi Nao ). The spiritual leaders of the movement were always women. Since 2001 she is from her fifth leader, Kurenai Deguchi (出口 红, Kurenai Deguchi ) passed.

Since the time of their co-founder Deguchi Onisaburo the planned language Esperanto plays an important role in the writings of Oomoto religion. Almost all of the 45,000 active members have learned a little Esperanto and about 1000 speak the language fluently.

From 1925 to 1933 Oomoto maintained a mission in Paris. From here missionaries traveled through Europe to spread the message that Onisaburo Deguchi a Messiah or Maitreya is who will unite the world. From 1935 to 1942, the movement experienced severe persecution in Japan and was banned. 1950, the movement regrouped.

Oomoto has two large centers in Kyoto. In Ayabe there is a temple and in Kameoka is a mission in a large park ( at the former site of the castle Kameoka ), offices, schools and a publishing house and includes shrines. Art plays an important role in Oomoto. The members want to make the world more beautiful through art and believe that art brings people closer to the divine.

The members of Oomoto believe in several Kami. The most important are Kunitokotachi - no-Mikoto (国 常 立 尊), Ushitora and Hitsujisaru, but also the inventor of Esperanto, LL Zamenhof. All of these "gods" including Zamenhof, however it is believed, be aspects of a single God. The members usually recognize also important religious figures of other religions.

One of the more well-known supporters of Oomoto is Ueshiba Morihei, founder of Aikido. It is generally believed that Ueshiba's increasing tendency to pacifism in his later years, and the view that Aikido should be an " art of peace ", were inspired by his relationship with religion. Oomoto priests keep Ueshiba's honor every year on April 29 at the Aiki Shrine (合 気 神社Aiki Jinja ) in Iwama over a ceremony.