Bruno Carmeni's Judo Blog

Shozen Nakayama 9th Dan Judo - 2nd Shimbashira Tenrikyo

In order to describe the charismatic personality of the 2nd Tenrikyo Shimbashira, Shozen Nakayama 9th Dan Judo (1905 1967), the first thing to do is to go over a statistic of the various religions of the world. It is necessary to interpret his thoughts on why judo has common traits with various religions.

We know that humanity is divided as follows:

33% Christian

21% Islamic

16% Agnostic

14% Hinduism

6% Indigenous

6% Traditional Chinese

6% Buddhism

Others

When talking about Japan which is the focus here we know that there are two main streams, Buddhism and Shintoism. As a matter of fact in the Japanese dojos on the honors side called Shomen you will find the founder’s picture and underneath a table with flowers, which is the typical Shintoism altar. By the way Shintoism is Japan’s State Religion.

Besides these two main Religions there is also another modern one called Tenrikyo, literally ‘Teaching of the Divine Reason’ which was founded in 1838. Maegawa Miki Nakayama was born in the village of Sanmaiden in the district of Yamanobe (today’s Prefecture of Nara) on 18th April 1798. She was the oldest daughter of Maegawa Masanobu the Head of the Village. She got married to Shoyashiki Zenbei Nakayama in 1810.

Miki Sama started to elaborate Tenrokyo’s religion after her husband and son got sick. In 1837 her family asked Ichibei Nakano to perform a ‘Mystic Ritual’ The people in her village started to spread the word, that Miki Sama had outstanding prophetic and healing skills. In a special session with the Shaman Ichibei she fell into trance and it is when she had her 1st revelation. God started to use Miki’s body as his temple and from that day on she was called Oyasama.

The following year she built with her daughter the Tsukihi Sanctuary literally ‘Moon Sun’ in other words God seen as the creator of nature and its laws. He came to earth to save humanity.

In 1868 with the Meiji Restauration the Tenrikyo Religion is banned and only seven years later in 1875 the Kanrodai, the Blue Pilaster, is built where humanity started. The place is called ‘Giba’ and was located by Miki in the village of Shoyashiki, today part of the Tenri City. The government stopped the construction work and arrested Miki Sama several times.

On 26th January 1887 Mika Sama leaves this world and her successor becomes her nephew Shinnosuke Nakayama (1866-1914) who took the name of 1st Shimbashira, which means carpenter. His son Shozen folowed him at age 9 acquiring the Title of 2nd Shimbashira in 1914.

Part 2 to follow next week