Tenrikyo (redirected from Tenriism)

Tenrikyo

Largest and most successful of the modern Shinto sects in Japan. Its founder, Nakayama Miki (1798–1887), was a charismatic peasant who, at age 40, claimed to be possessed by a god of divine wisdom. She developed a form of worship characterized by ecstatic dancing and shamanistic practices, and a doctrine emphasizing charity and the healing of disease through mental acts of faith. Her writings and deeds were considered divine models. Tenrikyo was one of the most powerful religious movements in Japan immediately after World War II, and its membership reached about 2.5 million in the late 20th century.