Millennialism and Social Protest Key Words + Other notes

Question 1

Tenrikyō

Answer 1

One of the earliest new religions during the Bakumatsu period is the religion called Tenrikyō (lit. Sect of
divine reason) founded by Nakayama Miki (1798-1887)

Human salvation come through the enactment of the story of creation, as enacted in one of two important dances: Songs for Service (Mikagura-uta)

Joyous living (as shown in Te-odori or “dance with hand movements)

Main scripture: Ofudesaki (The Tip of the Writing Brush)

Will become one of the thirteen sects of Shinto (state religion)

Hinokishin - show you are thankful to the gods - understand group living as a community

Question 2

Tenrikyō — Nakayama Miki

Answer 2

Founder of Tenrikyo

joined by Izo buri

Lost two daughters to illness; sought to cure son of illness. Medical doctors could not relief the illness; sought help from yamabushi; served as a medium

“Living Shrine” for Tenri God

Mid-wife— healer

Encountered opposition from yamabushi

Question 3

Ōmotokyō

Answer 3

Their own Ofudesaki — Ōmoto Shin’yu

Expanded gradually after the Sino- and Russo-Japanese wars

Used printing press

God was Ushitora Conjoin (og from Konkokyo)

Ushitora above Amaterasu

Question 4

Ōmotokyō — Deguchi Nao/Onisaburō

Answer 4

Founder of Omotokyo

Deguchi Nao lived through a time of great social change. No education but was able to write

Nao was in contact with Tenrikyō and Konkōkyō (another new religion). Ushitora Konjin is also
one of the gods in Konkōkyō.

Ushitora Konjin revealed to Nao that he “intended to “reform and renovate” the entire world…
and establish an agrarian utopia…”

Question 5

Pilgrimage to Ise (Okagemairi)

Answer 5

Prays to amaterasu

Offering spiritual/emotional relief from harness and everyday life

Temporary respite

Lower classes leaving work to make the arduous trek → deep anxiety

Incapability of traditional religious establishments to answer the sense of crisis

Lack of communal/spiritual resources amongst the lower class

Question 6

Bakumatsu New Religions — Context

Answer 6

New religious movements provided new forms of community

Recruited from broad spectrum of society (across SPAM) and represented people attempting to
define themselves beyond confines of official ideology

Usually non-hierarchical

Most of them millennialist and utopian, promising this-worldly-benefits to its followers

Unlike mappō that emphasized faith in the next world, Bakumatsu new religions often limit themselves to everyday mundane benefits (safe childbirth, healing, etc.) and “renewing” the world (yonaoshi)

Conflict with Yamabushi