Nakayama Miki

Who was Nakayama Miki?

Nakayama Miki was the Japanese foundress of Tenrikyo who is worshiped by that religion as the Shrine of God the Parent. Tenrikyo is, arguably, the largest current religion to have a woman founder. The official Tenrikyo biography states she was a holy woman born to a wealthy farming family in what is now Nara prefecture. She was said to be very devout and wished to become a Buddhist nun, but was forced into a difficult marriage to Nakayama Zenbei which she bore with what followers of Tenrikyo regard as admirable patience and virtue.

According to the Tenrikyo scriptures, in 1838, at the age of 40, she became a medium for God after taking part in a Shugendo exorcism ceremony. During the ceremony "God the Parent" spoke through her, saying, "I am God of Origin, God in Truth. There is causality in this Residence. At this time I have descended here to save all humankind. I wish to receive Miki as the Shrine of God."

She stated that its name was Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, but she also referred to it as Tsuki-Hi and, as Tenrikyo members still do, "God the Parent". After the death of her husband she was claimed to have miraculous healing and prophetic powers, which served the mission that she and her daughter began. They chose a life of poverty, giving away what they could to the less fortunate and founding a new religion.