Ethnohistory of the creation of a new religion in multicultural Japan

Abstract

Japan as a multicultural and polyreligious society is illuminated in this article by reference to the creation of Ijun, which is both a revival of Ryukyuan culture and a new religion of Japan. The similarity between Ijun and Seichō no Ie can be understood by reference to ethnohistoric context, to international activity, and to flows of information, religious ideology and capital. The philosophy, histories of the founders, ritual and Japanese vocabulary are compared in order to show differences and similarities that reflect two cultural contexts, Ryukyuan and Japanese. The personal history of Ijun’s founder adds strength to the conclusion that Ijun is similar to Seichō no Ie, despite differences attributed to Ryukyuan influence on Ijun. Takayasu’s creation of an international organization makes Ijun into a center that replicates and reverses the center-periphery relation between Japan and Okinawa, while also modeling Seichō no Ie’s international organization.