Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi’s Message at Founding Day Celebration
Let’s Realize the Ideal of Japan’s Founding Through the Movement that is One with Nature
The Founding Day Celebration was held at the Seicho-No-Ie Headquarters on February 11. Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, President of Seicho-No-Ie, addressed the 312 attendees for 20 minutes in his capacity as the Superintendent.
Rev. Taniguchi began his address by mentioning that February 11 is the day of Japan’s founding, which is recorded in the mythology of the Kojiki (Ancient Chronicle) and Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan). He noted that it is rare for a country to have such a founding day. He referred to the myth that Emperor Jimmu succeeded in uniting Japan by proceeding with the sun on his back according to God’s will, because the ancestral deity of the Imperial Family, Amaterasu Ohmikami, is the sun.
Rev. Taniguchi next stated that these myths cite three prerequisites for the nation’s central figure: (1) live according to God’s will, (2) possess virtues to win people’s respect, and (3) be harmonized with the natural world.
The President continued and said that Amaterasu Ohmikami is a female God, or Sun Goddess, and therefore, when we think of the sun, we have an image of woman. Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi and Rev. Seicho Taniguchi also associated the sun with an image of woman, which is shown in their works: Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi’s book, Onna wa Taiyo da (Women Are the Sun); and Rev. Seicho Taniguchi’s song, Hi no Kagayaku yoni (As the Sun Shines) and his book, Taiyo wa Itsumo Kagayaite iru (The Sun Is Always Shining).
Rev. Taniguchi next referred to a book by psychologist Hayao Kawai and introduced that the fact that Amaterasu Ohmikami is female despite the fact the Sun God in most myths around the world is male suggests that Japan was a matriarchal or maternal society in the olden time. He also noted that in Japanese mythology, the male is also honored, as can be seen by the fact that Amaterasu Ohmikami was born from the left eye of a male deity, Izanagi no Mikoto. The President said that Dr. Kawai’s observation was that the Japanese people do not attach definite superiority on either the male or female.
The President then made a point that similarly, the Seicho-No-Ie Movement’s current policy is that the Brotherhood Association and White Dove Association are treated as equal partners in carrying forward the Movement. He stressed that as Prerequisite (3) above shows, it is important that both men and women promote the Movement according to God’s will, including becoming one with nature. He stated that to carry on this ideal in our present Movement leads to the realization of Japan’s True Image.
Rev. Taniguchi concluded his address by saying that the Headquarters’ move to the “Office in the Forest” is a way to actually live a life that is one with nature and realize Japan’s ideal. He asked the attendees to promote a bright Movement.
The Founding Day Celebration started at 10:00 a.m. Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi served as the Superintendent. Mrs. Junko Taniguchi, President of Seicho-No-Ie White Dove Association, was also present. The Ceremony began with the singing of the national anthem and the Seicho-No-Ie song, Jisso o Kanzuru Uta (Song to Visualize the True Image). It was followed by deep bows to the Ise Grand Shrine and Kashihara Grand Shrine. There was a message by Rev. Kazuo Isobe, Chairman and CEO of Seicho-No-Ie, before Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi gave an address. After the singing of Kigensetsu Hoshukuka (Song to Celebrate Japan’s Birth), the Celebration ended at 10.41 a.m.