Shinnyo-en
The Shinnyo-en, or “Garden of Truth,” was begun by Ito Shinjo and his wife Tomoji after WWII. Originally affiliated with the Daigo Shingon school of tantric Buddhism, the Shinnyo-en became a fully independent sect in 1953. They have branches around the world, and nearly one-million followers. Their practice includes community work, volunteer service, tithing, spreading their teachings, and guided meditation sessions with teachers trained to see into the practitioners life through the spirit world. The links below will take you to their homepage and the sites for several of their philanthropic endeavors.
The Shinnyo-en International website
The Shinnyo-en Foundation--a philanthropic organization founded by the Shinnyo-en in the United States.
The ITO Foundation for International Education Exchange
The Lantern Floating Ceremony in Hawaii
Articles on the Shinnyo-en:
Hubbard, Jamie, "Embarrassing Superstition, Doctrine, and the Study of New Religious Movements" in Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Vol. 66, No. 1 (Spring, 1998), pp. 59-92.
Nagai Mikiko, "Magic and self-cultivation in a New Religion: The case of Shinnyoen," Japanese Journal of Religious Studies vol. 22, nos. 3-4 (1995), pp. 301-320.
Sakashita, Jay. "Shinnyoen in the UK," Journal of Contemporary Religion, vol. 10, no. 2 (1995), pp. 167-179.
Shiramizu, Hiroko, "Oganizational mediums: A case study of Shinnyo-en," Japanese Journal of Religious Studies vol. 6, no. 3 (1979), pp. 413-444.
Usui Atsuko, "Women’s “Experience” in New Religious Movements: The Case of Shinnyo-en" in Japanese Journal of Religious Studies vol. 30, nos. 3–4: 217-241
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