Propagation to the Japanese and analysis of the management strategy used

Due to the progress of globalization, the propagation of religion has accelerated in many directions. In recent years, the expansion of traditional religions and new religious movements from foreign countries into Japan has been striking. This chapter examines a case that is an example of this trend: Wat Phra Dhammakaya (Dhammakaya Temple), a branch of Thai Theravada Buddhism, and its propagation in Japan.

In June 2009, I requested permission to conduct research on the Tokyo branch of Wat Phra Dhammakaya. I requested information about their missionary work among the local Japanese population, and was interested in the difficulties of propagating their work in a different culture. The chief monk of the branch temple in Tokyo declined my request, saying that the activities of Dhammakaya Temple in Japan were directed to Thai people living in Japan and that they had no plans to conduct missionary work among the Japanese either at that time or in the future. It therefore seemed slightly strange to me that a few days after receiving this reply, a short ordination course to enter the priesthood was advertised in the official temple blog, as well as in a newspaper of religious affairs in Japan (Chūgai Nippo 2009). The course was targeted at foreigners, including Japanese, and was to be held in Thailand.

Introduction

Some of the new religious groups in Japan, including Perfect Liberty Kyōdan, Church of World Messianity [Sekai Kyūsei Kyō] and Sūkyō Mahikari, are well-known for their huge sacred places. A common element among these sacred places is beauty. The sacred places, which combine traditional or novel (or sometimes even bizarre) buildings with natural scenery, cleverly apply a Japanese aesthetic of beauty. The Church of World Messianity (hereinafter called Messianity) is a Japanese new religion known for its practice of jōrei, meaning ‘purification of the spirit’ in Japanese, the foundation of all its activity.

Messianity has actively been proselytizing in Brazil since 1955. According to a census in 2000 (IBGE N.d.), the number of its followers is 109,310. There are 410,000 according to Messianity's website in Japan (Izunome 2008).

In 1995, Messianity founded its extensive and well-maintained sacred place, Guarapiranga, in the suburbs of Sao Paulo. Many Brazilians, both adherents and non-Messianity followers, have visited the site since then. Messianity calls the 320,000 m2 site beside Lake Guarapiranga ‘heaven on earth’ [paraiso terestre], and ‘sacred place’ [solo sagrado]. It is a space that incorporates natural features such as the lake and forest. A woman in her 30s who visited there told me it is ‘Beautiful, just beautiful! I have no words to explain’. Many followers responded in the same way when asked about their impressions on visiting Guarapiranga for the first time.