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Konkokyo is a religion founded in 1859 by Konko Daijin, a farmer in Japan. It is based on his belief in and teachings about Tenchi Kane No Kami, the Principle Parent of the Universe. There are around 1,500 churches and around 400,000 believers throughout the world. The headquarters is located in a small town called "Konko-cho" in Okayama Prefecture in Japan. The current spiritual head is the Reverend Hiromichi Konko, the great-great-great grandson of the Founder. Konko means "golden light," and it signifies the desire to shine a bright light on humanity with teachings of the universe.
* All personal names follow the Japanese practice of the family name coming before the given name except when a title such as "Reverend" is given.
Name in Japanese | |||||||
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Name in English | Konkokyo/Konko Religion/Konko Faith | ||||||
Founded | 1859 in Asakuchi City, Konko-cho, Okayama Prefecture, Japan | ||||||
Deity worshipped | Tenchi Kane No Kami Ikigami Konko Daijin | ||||||
Spiritual Leader | The Rev. Hiromichi Konko since 2021 | ||||||
Chief Administrative Director | Rev. Michiyo Iwasaki | ||||||
Number of Adherents | around 400,000 | ||||||
Number of Ministers | 3,474 (as of December 1st 2021) | ||||||
Number of Ministers' Assistants | 1,307 (as of December 1st 2021) | ||||||
Number of Churches | 1,491 (as of December 1st 2021) Including A Number of Overseas Churches and Propagation Halls
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The Konkokyo Crest:
See above. The kanji character for "Kon" (gold) is enclosed in a circle with eight petals. The petals signified all the directions on Earth in which the Founder's teachings would be disseminated.