Encyclopedia of Shinto

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カテゴリー1： 8. Schools, Groups, and Personalities
カテゴリー2： Modern Sectarian Groups
Title
Worldmate (formerly Cosmomate)
Text
A Shinto-derived new religion founded by Fukami Seizan (aka Fukami Tōshū) (1951-). Fukami, whose real name is Handa Haruhisa, was born in Nishinomiya in Hyogo Prefecture and is a graduate of Dōshisha University. From his teenage years he was influenced influenced by the thought of Sekai Kyūseikyō and then of Ōmoto, and he became strongly inclined towards Shinto, but it was from around 1985 that he embarked on concrete religious activities. In 1978 he set up a private preparatory school (juku) known as the Misuzu Gakuen in Nishi-Ogikubo in Tokyo, and this became a pillar of an expanding organization, while he also brought together devotees with the help of Tachibana Kaoru and other confederates. He also set up a young people's association under the name Seizan Juku (Seizan academy).
Overall, Fukami's group has had relatively weak organizational cohesion and has largely focused on proselytizing activities designed to readily attract younger people. For example, it has marketed various pendants, rings, and other so-called "religious goods." The movement also carries out practices for members aimed at redeeming bad spirits—practices known as kyūrei ("spirit-salvation") acts—while it proclaims that a special aspect of its teachings is that they incorporate secret rituals connected to ancient Jewish spiritual laws. The movement's shrine, Kōtai Shrine, is located in Izu, and the group has the status of a registered religious corporation. Fukami has also written numerous books, such as Koi no shugorei (Guardian Spirit of Love) and Kiseki no kaiun (Cultivating Miraculous Fortune).
Headquarters: Tokyo
Nominal membership: approximately 30, 000 (No source given)

—Inoue Nobutaka

Pronunciation in Japanese/用語音声

No movie/映像なし