What if a place of worship could offer solace and connection? Right here stands the Konkokyo Senriyama Church. This church is a beacon of spiritual guidance in Osaka.
Let’s explore the essence of Konkokyo Senriyama Church. This church belongs to the Konkokyo religion. Konkokyo is a Shinto sect with roots in Shinbutsu-shugo beliefs. Believers worship the spirit and energy. It flows through all things. This is known as musubi, a core Shinto belief. They call it Tenchi Kane No Kami. This means the Golden Kami of the Heavens and Earth. In Japanese, Heavens and Earth also means the Universe.
Tenchi Kane no Kami is omnipresent. It is the energy that penetrates the universe. It gives all things consciousness. This Kami is not all-powerful. It directs the workings of nature. Konkokyo texts refer to the physical universe as Kami’s body.
The relationship between Kami and humanity is interdependent. Kami is like a divine parent. It offers love, support, and protection through blessings. Konkokyo teaches that Kami loves all people. This love is for everyone regardless of race or gender. Tenchi Kane no Kami is neither male nor female.
Tenchi Kane no Kami wants individual humans to be happy. Konkokyo aims to ease human suffering. It does this by realizing two things. First, all events in life are gifts from Kami. They are part of the natural order. Second, the self and the universe are part of Tenchi Kane No Kami. Humans should serve their role in the universe with inner peace. They should find joy through healthy and natural indulgence.
Tenchi Kane No Kami has other names. These include Tenchi No Kami-Sama and Oyagami-Sama. Kami-Sama is another name. Or simply Kami. In English, Kami can be Divine Parent of the Universe. It can also be Principle Parent.
Kawate Bunjiro founded Konkokyo in 1859. He was born in 1814 in Okayama Prefecture. In 1855, he fell ill. An oracle revealed he had offended the deity Konjin. Bunjiro apologized and recovered. This experience shaped his faith.
Tenchi Kane no Kami asked Bunjiro to become a priest. He was to help people by listening and praying. Bunjiro gave up farming. He devoted himself to helping others.
He taught that Tenchi Kane no Kami wishes to help people. But it can only do so through other people. By helping others, one does the work of this deity. People and this deity depend on each other.
After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, there were limits on Konkokyo teachings. This was because Tenchi Kane no Kami was not in the Kojiki. The Kojiki is an ancient record of Japanese deities. Bunjiro documented his spiritual experiences. These writings preserved Konkokyo’s history.
Konko Ieyoshi succeeded Bunjiro. The Konko family continues to lead Konkokyo. They pass on the teachings of Tenchi Kane no Kami.
Everything relates to each other in Konkokyo. Kami is present in this world. The universe is the body of Tenchi Kane no Kami. Suffering comes from high expectations. It also comes from unwillingness to compromise. Disregard between all things causes suffering too. Konkokyo focuses on improving life. It teaches appreciation, upright living, mutual help, and prayer. By living these virtues, anyone can become an ikigami. An ikigami is a living kami. They help others unconditionally and have inner peace. After death, spirits remain in the universe. They are mitama-no-kami or divine ancestral spirits.
Bunjiro taught that one receives Kami’s help. This is done by having sincere faith. Konkokyo believes in a mutually dependent relationship. People cannot exist without Tenchi Kane No Kami. Tenchi Kane No Kami cannot exist without people.
Toritsugi or mediation is unique to Konkokyo. It connects people to Tenchi Kane no Kami. A minister relays a visitor’s words to Kami. Kami’s message is then relayed back. This offers guidance and relief.
Tenchi Kane No Kami asks people to understand the universe. By working within its laws, people avoid suffering. Lay members are encouraged to practice Toritsugi.
Konkokyo desires all people to work together. This is regardless of race or gender. It respects all religions. Women are esteemed. Many are head ministers. There are no food or drink restrictions. Celibacy is not required. Believers do not have to pay dues or make donations.
Konkokyo Senriyama Church offers a place to connect with these beliefs. It is a community. It is a center for prayer and support. It is where you can feel the presence of Tenchi Kane no Kami.