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Religious Repression in Prewar Japan: Morihei Ueshiba, Onisaburo Deguchi, and the Second Omoto Incident
The Second Omoto Incident 第二次大本事件, which occurred in 1935, was a significant event in Japan’s modern history, involving the suppression of the Omoto religion by the Japanese government. Founded by Nao Deguchi 出口直 in the late 19th century, the Omoto religion combined elements of Shinto 神道 and other beliefs, promoting peace and universal harmony. It was led by Nao’s son-in-law, Onisaburo Deguchi 出口王仁三郎, a charismatic figure with ambitious visions for world peace and universalism. Omoto attracted followers nationwide; however, the religion’s perceived unconventional teachings and political influence attracted the scrutiny of the Japanese government, which led to the first major suppression in 1921, known as the First Omoto Incident 第一次大本事件.…
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The Rise of a New Religion That Shaped Aikido and Sparked the First Omoto Incident
In the early 20th century, Japan witnessed the rise of Omoto 大本 (commonly called Omoto-kyo 大本教, though the formal name omits the “kyo” meaning religion). Its teachings significantly influenced the development of Aikido. Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, was known to be a devoted follower of Omoto. However, the religion’s perceived unconventional teachings and political influence attracted the scrutiny of the Japanese government. The first major suppression of Omoto occurred in the early 1920s, marking a turbulent chapter in its history. Omoto-kyo, often considered a new Japanese religion with roots in Shinto 神道, was founded by Nao Deguchi 出口直. Nao, an ordinary housewife from the small town of Ayabe,…
