Category Archives: Footsteps of Our Predecessors

The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 75

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, ,

*The above is a translation of Part 75 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the March 2009 (No. 483) issue of Taimō, pp. 34–35. This translation is a preliminary one and thus may require further revision.

Part 75: The Tears of a Grand Church Head Minister

Japan’s defeat in World War II forced Keijo Daikyokai to abandon its property and building in Korea in November 1945, but its ministers still had not come to a decision on a place fitting enough to call its new home. Even as Kuraji Kashiwagi spent day and night engaged in o-tasuke, he still had the task of restoring Keijo to its former glory on his mind.

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 74

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations,

The following is a translation of Part 74 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the February 2009 (No. 482) issue of Taimō, pp. 34–35. This translation is a preliminary one and thus may require further revision.

Part 74: “My Pedestal to Discipline the Live-ins”

In March 1908, the eldest son of Akiyo Shirokihara graduated from primary school and she had finished closing her business. So she began working at as a live-in at Tohon Shikyokai. Her husband Meikichi had already started living at Tohon, and was engaging in missionary work at the time with Kurakichi Nakagawa, the eldest son of Tohon’s head minister.

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 73

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, ,

The following is a translation of Part 73 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the January 2009 (No. 481) issue of Taimō, pp. 34–35. This translation is a preliminary one and thus may require further revision.

Part 73: Making Earnest Efforts Toward O-Tasuke

In 1894, Kano Murofushi departed Shizuoka for Oshu, accompanying her husband Yasubei to engage in missionary work. Whenever they arrived at a fork in the road, they took off their footwear and threw them in the air. They then went in the direction their footwear happened to fall toward.

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 72

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, , ,

The following is a translation of Part 72 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the December 2008 (No. 480) issue of Taimō, pp. 34–35. This translation is a preliminary one and thus may require further revision.

Part 72: A Mark on the Parent

In the summer of 1879, Tamezo Yamazawa was studying at a teacher’s school in Sakai to become a primary school instructor. However, the school was temporarily closed due to an outbreak of cholera in the city. Tamezo had no choice but to go back home. He soon got word from the school to resume his studies since the outbreak had settled. Tamezo’s heart was filled with anticipation as he prepared to go back to school, thinking, “I’ll be able to teach after studying just a little more.”

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 71

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations,

The following is a translation of Part 71 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the November 2008 (No. 479) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

Part 71: Offer What Happens to Flow Down (Part 2 of 2)

In 1922, Yasu Yoshifuku, a student enrolled in the six-month Bekka course at Tenri Seminary, obeyed Rev. Michioki Masuno — the headmaster of Tenri Seminary and the head minister of Shikishima Daikyokai — who instructed her to “Collect donations in three days and three nights.”

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 70

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, ,

The following is a translation of Part 70 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the October 2008 (No. 478) issue of Taimo , pp. 36–37. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

Part 70: Offer What Happens to Flow Down (Part 1 of 2)

In 1922, Yasu Yoshifuku enrolled in the six-month Bekka course at Tenri Seminary. Since it was a year after the official inauguration of the preparatory period leading to the 40th Anniversary of Oyasama (that was to be held in 1926), the Tenrikyo congregation as a whole was passionately occupied in pre-anniversary activities. The words “40th Anniversary” were deeply inscribed in the mind of every follower, with Yasu being no exception. She willingly forewent sleep, waking every morning at 2 a.m. to head to the offering preparatory room at Church Headquarters and frantically devoted herself to hinokishin until her dormitory finished their daily toilet-cleaning sessions that began at midnight.

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 69

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, ,

The following is a translation of Part 69 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the September 2008 (No. 477) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

Part 69: “If the Spirit Lives, the Body Will Live”

In 1893, Kichitaro Matsumura contracted a severe case of dysentery. He suffered from diarrhea several times a day, which left him emanciated in a blink of an eye. Although he went to see a number of doctors, they all concluded that his case was beyond help. The first Shinbashira took the time to visit Kichitaro and said: “Matsumura-san, you’ve really lost weight. Do you have anything to tell me while you have the chance? I’ll listen to anything you have to say.”

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 68

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, ,

The following is a translation of Part 68 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the August 2008 (No. 476) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

Part 68: In the Face of a Knot

In 1912, Masayoshi Ando enrolled himself in the eighth session of the six-month Special Course (Bekka) at Tenri Seminary. One day at the seminary, one of his classmates received a telegram saying, “Mother is critically ill.”

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 67

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, ,

The following is a translation of Part 67 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the July 2008 (No. 475) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

Part 67: A Pure and Innocent Faith

Eigoro Furuta first heard the teachings of Tenrikyo from Sasuke Uehara in 1886. They were teachings of a kind that he had never heard before, yet each of them penetrated his heart one by one. He continued to visit Uehara after coming home from work to listen to the teachings over the next three days.

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 66

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, ,

The following is a translation of Part 66 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the June 2008 (No. 474) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

Part 66: Prepared to Risk His Life

“I will do it.”

Yosaburo Miyamori was prepared to risk his life.

In September 1880, police surveillance over the Residence became increasingly severe and it troubled Shuji very much. Out of his desire to allow followers to perform the Service in the open and prevent Oyasama sentenced to police detention, Shuji decided to create a religious fraternity named the Tenrin-O-Kosha affiliated with the temple Jifukuji located on Mt. Kongo.
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