| Name | Sukyo Mahikari |
|---|---|
| Headquarters address | 2-596-1 Kamiokamoto-machi, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan |
| Contact number | (81) 577-34-7008 |
| The first oshienushi | Kōtama Okada |
| The second oshienushi | Keishu Okada |
| The third oshienushi | Kōō Okada |
| Membership | Approximately one million members across seventy-five countries |
| Sukyo Mahikari centers | Approximately 1,000 (Japan) and approximately 300 (Overseas) |
Kōtama Okada was born on February 27, 1901, in Aoyama, Tokyo. His father was a military officer and his grandfather was a tutor to the governor of the Kishū region in Japan. In accordance with his father’s wishes, he entered the military academy, and upon graduation he was assigned to the Imperial Guard Division. He spent part of his adult life serving as an officer in attendance on members of the Imperial Family. At the age of forty, he suffered from caries of the vertebrae and he was given the prognosis of only three years to live. However, he made a miraculous recovery, and with this as a turning point, he began to follow the path of God. Transferred to the army reserves, he dedicated himself to contributing to his country by establishing several manufacturing enterprises, including an aircraft factory. However, he lost all his assets during air raids and fell into poverty. He was in such a state of despair that he contemplated ending his life. Hearing the voice of God, he was saved from the brink of death and started working as a salesman to pay off his enormous debts. In accordance with divine guidance, he gave up his material attachments and applied himself to bringing salvation to people. By 1959, he was miraculously able to repay all his debts. He felt the strong desire to repay the blessings he had received from God. It was around this time that he received a revelation: “Rise. Your name shall be Kōtama. Raise your hand. Severe times are approaching.” Thus, at the age of 58, he established the Mahikari organization. With the fundamental tenet “The origin of the earth is one, the origin of the universe is one, the origin of humankind is one, and the origin of all religions is one,” he proceeded with the great divine work of bringing salvation to humanity through the God-given practice of the art of True Light and the teachings based on the divine principles. Since then, God’s Light and teachings have spread throughout the world. In 1972, he received the decoration of Knight Commander of the Sovereign Greek Order of Saint Dennis of Zante. In 1973, he had a meeting with Pope Paul VI. Through his efforts, the foundation for Sukyo Mahikari today was established.
Keishu Okada is the daughter of the founder, Kōtama Okada. She became his first disciple and served as his main assistant once the organization was established. In June 1974, she succeeded to the spiritual leadership of the organization. To fulfill a covenant between Su God and the first oshienushi, she commenced preparations for the construction of Suza, the World Shrine, which was inaugurated in November 1984. In 1986, the first Yoko Civilization International Conference was held with scholars and professionals from the fields of religion, science, medicine, education, and more. Furthermore, she arduously promoted the work of bringing God’s Light and salvation to people around the world, undertaking tours of Light in South America, Europe, and Australia-Oceania. Moreover, she oversaw the construction of Hikaru Shinden (a shrine dedicated to the founder), the Hikaru Museum, and the Sukyo Mahikari Youth Center. The construction of these four holy sites established a spiritual foundation for realizing a better world.
Kōō Okada was born in 1947 and became a practitioner of the Light at sixteen years of age. From the time he was a university student, he became closely involved in youth education, pioneering the formation of the Mahikari Youth Group, in which he would later play a leading role. In 1970, he was admitted to the inaugural class of the Staff Training Institute, becoming a disciple of the founder and first oshienushi, Kōtama Okada. Kōō Okada subsequently trained under the direct guidance of the second oshienushi, Keishu Okada, and in 2009, he was appointed as the third oshienushi. Succeeding to the will of the founder and the second oshienushi, Kōō Okada is presently working on promoting interreligious (interfaith) cooperation that transcends the barriers of religion and religious denomination. He has also been undertaking activities throughout the world to contribute to the realization of world peace. In 2017, he was awarded the National Order of the Southern Cross by the Federative Republic of Brazil. From 2018, he served as the chairperson of the Federation of New Religious Organizations of Japan over four years. In 2019, he served as the chairperson of the Japanese Association of Religious Organizations for the year, and, as a representative of the religious communities of Japan, he met with Pope Francis on his papal visit to Japan. The organization is engaged in initiatives to promote the purification and restoration of the natural environment. These initiatives include ongoing tree-planting activities across Africa and the generation of energy from renewable energy resources, such as hydroelectric, solar, and wood-based biomass, in Takayama, Japan. In 2020, the Second Shrine, Aiwakan, was constructed. Thus, a steadfast spiritual foundation to eternally worship the Creator, Su God, has been established in the land of Hidama.
| February 1959 | Kōtama Okada receives a revelation regarding the establishment of the organization. |
| August 1959 | L.H. Yokoshi no Tomo organization established. |
| August 1960 | Anniversary ceremony commemorating one year since the organization was founded. |
| August 1964 | The Fifth Anniversary Grand Ceremony. |
| September 1964 | Youth group activities commence. |
| April 1966 | Mahikari Youth Groups are formed. |
| August 1969 | The Tenth Anniversary Grand Ceremony. |
| From 1970 | The Light starts to spread abroad, starting with Paris and countries throughout Europe and Africa. |
| March 1971 | The declaration of the official establishment of a united national Mahikari Youth Group. |
| September 1971 | The first primary course in Paris. |
| December 1972 | Inauguration of Hidama Motomitamaza in Atami. |
| September 1973 | Kōtama Okada travels to Europe. From this time onwards the Light rapidly spreads to North America, South America, Australia, and Asia. |
| June 1974 | Keishu Okada succeeds Kōtama Okada as the second oshienushi. |
| June 1974 | The founder passes away. |
| July 1979 | Construction of the World Shrine commences. |
| October 1979 | The Twentieth Anniversary Grand Ceremony. |
| August 1980 | Procession of Light ceremony commemorating the tenth anniversary since the national unification of the youth group. |
| October 1984 | Construction of the Inner Shrine, Okumiya, completed. |
| November 1984 | The Special Grand Ceremony to inaugurate the World Shrine. The (nine) ceremonies were attended by a total of approximately one hundred thousand representatives from around the world. |
| May 1986 | Keishu Okada travels to Latin America. |
| October 1986 | The first Yoko Civilization International Conference. |
| October 1989 | The second Yoko Civilization International Conference. |
| November 1989 | The Thirtieth Anniversary Grand Ceremony. |
| November 1990 | The twentieth anniversary of the official formation of the Mahikari Youth Group is commemorated by a grand procession of Light. Ten thousand Mahikari Youth Group members participate in the marching procession. |
| June 1992 | Hikaru Shinden inauguration. |
| May 1993 | Keishu Okada travels to Europe and Africa. |
| April 1999 | The opening of the Hikaru Museum. |
| August 1999 | The third Yoko Civilization International Conference. |
| November 1999 | The Fortieth Anniversary Grand Ceremony. |
| September 2000 | Keishu Okada travels to the Australia-Oceania Region. |
| November 2000 | The thirtieth anniversary of the official formation of the Mahikari Youth Group is commemorated by a grand procession of Light. |
| February 2001 | The centennial celebration commemorating the birth of the founder. |
| August 2002 | The opening of the Sukyo Mahikari Youth Center. |
| October 2002 | Kōya Okada (later known as Kōō Okada) appointed as the acting oshienushi. |
| February 2004 | Keishu Okada and Kōya Okada travel to the Asia. |
| August 2004 | Kōya Okada travels to Europe and Africa (followed by tours of Light to places throughout Japan and the world). |
| August 2005 | The Convention for the Practitioners of Divine Principles held at the World Shrine. |
| September 2005 | The fourth Yoko Civilization International Conference. |
| October 2006 | The Annual General Assembly of the Federation of New Religious Organizations of Japan is held at the World Shrine. |
| August 2008 | The Second Convention for the Practitioners of Divine Principles is held at the World Shrine. |
| June 2009 | The ceremony reporting the succession of the spiritual lineage of Light is carried out at Hidama Motomitamaza, Atami, Japan. |
| August 2009 | Established two companies—L. H. Yoko Noen (Yōkō Farm) and the Tanebito (Seed People's) Club to distribute yōkō rice across Japan. |
| November 2009 | The appointment of the third oshienushi. Official announcement of Kōya Okada's new name, Kōō. |
| November 2009 | The Fiftieth Anniversary Grand Ceremony (announcement of reaching the milestone of one million L. H. Yokoshi no Tomo members). |
| November 2010 | The fortieth anniversary of the official formation of the Mahikari Youth Group is commemorated by a grand procession of Light. |
| August 2013 | The city and the state of São Paulo, Brazil, designate February 27 as Sukyo Mahikari Day. |
| August 2014 | In recognition of tree-planting activities throughout Africa, Sukyo Mahikari is presented with an award for excellence in tree-planting activities by the government of Côte d'Ivoire. |
| October 2014 | Promoting the conservation of the environment—construction of small-scale hydroelectric power station number two is completed. |
| September 2016 | The second oshienushi, Keishu Okada, passes away. |
January 2017 |
Sukyo Mahikari Day has been designated in over thirty cities and states throughout Brazil. |
| May 2017 | Inauguration of the newly constructed Hidama Motomitamaza in Atami. |
| June 2019 | Inauguration of small-scale hydroelectric power station number one. |
| October 2019 | February 27 is designated as Sukyo Mahikari Day for the Federative Republic of Brazil. |
| November 2019 | The Sixtieth Anniversary Grand Ceremony. |
| November 2020 | The Special Grand Ceremony for the Completion of the Second Shrine. |
| September 2021 | Seishuden inauguration. |
| October 2021 | The fiftieth anniversary of the official formation of the Mahikari Youth Group is commemorated by a grand procession of Light. |
