In this article and the next, in continuing my exploration of the association between the Japanese religious sect known as Oomoto (or Omotokyo), I am going to briefly tell the story of another extraordinary person: Onisaburo Deguchi.
In 1871, in the Kyoto region, a child prodigy was born into a small farming family. His name was Kisaburo Ueda but we will refer to him by the name by which he is widely known: Onisaburo Deguchi.
When Onisaburo was only 3 years old, he was entrusted him to the care of his maternal grandmother whose father had been a well educated man. Onisaburo, therefore, received instruction in poetry and the esoteric science of Kotodama. Kotodama, literally, "Word Soul" and roughly translated as "Spirit Sounds," is a Japanese term that denotes the existence of words, sounds, or "resonances" which are perceived to be creative forces, able to evoke a spiritual feeling or state. Morihei Ueshiba, later to become known as O'Sensei, the founder of Aikido, (which was discussed in the forum associated with the previous article,) referred to Kotodama as "the merciful teacher of Aiki." And Aiki means "the harmony of spirit, the blending of intention".)
http://www.aikidofaq.com/history/index.h...
Onisaburo is said to have displayed "extraordinary psychic abilities" and also began to teach younger children in 1883 when he was only 12 years old. But when he was 26 years old his father died and Onisaburo began drinking heavily. His performance, while taking part in a theatrical production, was so bad the he was dragged from the stage and severely beaten. This beating, however, was a blessing in disguise because while recovering, he was approached by a man who took him to the sacred mountain, Mt. Takakuma. There, Onisaburo "spent a week undergoing spiritual training and profoundly studied many mysteries of the spiritual world, realizing a high degree of skill in clairvoyance, telepathy and prophecy." Shortly afterwards he travelled to Ayabe City and there he met Nao Deguchi, foundress of the Oomoto religion.
Onisaburo was converted to the teachings of Oomoto and in 1900 he married Nao's daughter, Sumiko, and took the name of Onisaburo Deguchi. He showed great talent as an organizer and during the next 18 years, he developed the learning and skills necessary for the development and expansion of Omoto. and devised and codified the form of Oomoto rituals. He lectured extensively and sent out other members of the sect to conduct missionary work and to try to establish a base in Tokyo..
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