Honmichi
ほんみち
Honmichi headquarters inTakaishi, Osaka
Type	Tenrikyo-derivedJapanese new religion
Scripture	Ofudesaki,Mikagura-uta
Theology	Monotheistic
Language	Japanese
Headquarters	Takaishi, Osaka, Japan
Founder	Ōnishi Aijirō
Origin	1925 Nara Prefecture, Japan
Separated from	Tenrikyo
Separations	Honbushin

Honmichi (ほんみち) (also 本道 or 天理本道,lit. 'The True Way [of Tenri]') is aTenrikyo-basedshinshūkyō (Japanese new religion) that became formally independent in 1925 under its founder,Ōnishi Aijirō (大西愛治郎), with the title,Kanrodainin no Ri (甘露台人の理,The Principle of the LivingKanrodai).^[1][2][3] Despite the religion being derived from Tenrikyo with a different interpretation of doctrines such asSanken Mimune (三軒三棟),^[4]: 133 Honmichi's religious structure still maintains the same basic overall characteristics as Tenrikyo. It was reorganized from the earlierTenri Kenkyūkai (天理研究会, Tenrikyo Research Group).^[4]: 3 It had 319,031 followers in 2022 according to theReiwa 4 (2022)Religion Almanac published by theAgency for Cultural Affairs.

Devout Honmichi members are called "people of the way" (みち人,michibito) rather thanyōboku ようぼく as inTenrikyo.^[5]

The main scriptures used in Honmichi are two of the three main scriptures from Tenrikyo:Ofudesaki andMikagura-uta.^[6] The only main Tenrikyo scripture that is not accepted by the establishment isOsashizu written by the second spiritual leader of the original establishment,Iburi Izō.

TheKyogi Ichiban (教義一斑), written by Ōnishi Aijirō, is also used.

The mantra "Namo Kanrodai" (南無甘露台,Namu Kanrodai) is frequently chanted by adherents of Honmichi. Honmichi utilizes thegagaku in its service.^[7]

Honmichi began as a religion on July 15, 1913 inYamaguchi when its founderŌnishi Aijirō received a divine revelation, during which God told him that he was the livingkanrodai. At the time, he was a Tenrikyo missionary in Yamaguchi Prefecture. In January 1925, Ōnishi Aijirō officially established the Tenri Study Association (天理研究会,Tenri Kenkyūkai), which was later renamed as Tenri Honmichi (天理本道) in 1937, and finally asHonmichi in 1950.^[4]

Honmichi was a noticeable Japanese religion beforeWorld War II due to its leader's active defiance against theEmperor of Japan. There were government crackdowns in 1928 and again in 1938.^[8] It quickly re-established itself during the USOccupation of Japan.

In 1958, Ōnishi Aijirō died. Aijirō's grandson,Ōnishi Yasuhiko (大西泰彦), took over as the leader in 1960 and was viewed as Aijirō's reincarnation, and hence as the newkanrodai.^[5]

In 1962,Honbushin (ほんぶしん), led by Aijirō's daughterŌnishi Tama (大西玉; 1916–1969) (whom Aijirō and Honbushin followers claim was the reincarnation ofNakayama Miki), separated from Honmichi.^[4] It was incorporated as a religious organization in 1966. Originally, it was headquartered in Takaishi, Osaka, but then moved toShiojiri, Nagano. In 1969, Honbushin moved toOkayama, where it set up itskanrodai on a mountaintop southeast of the Okayama city center.

Honmichi is currently headquartered inTakaishi, Osaka.^[2] However, the mainworship hall is located inSennan, Osaka.

Apart from the headquarters, there are several other locations, including two main offices (支部,shibu):

• Uda office 宇陀支部
• Sennan office 泉南支部. Honmichi's largest building, the Sennan Temple (泉南神殿,Sennan Shinden), is located in Sennan.

There are five branches (出張所,shutchōjo), including one in the United States:

• Central (Chūbu) branch 中部出張所 inOkazaki, Aichi (nearMotojuku Station 本宿駅)
• Western (Seibu) branch 西部出張所 inYamaguchi (nearNihozu Station 仁保津駅)
• Akashi branch 明石出張所 inAkashi, Hyōgo (nearNishi-Akashi Station 西明石駅)
• Kantō branch 関東出張所 inNoda, Chiba
• Hon-Michi Congregation of LA onWilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, United States

• 
  Honmichi headquarters in Takaishi,Osaka Prefecture
• 
  Honmichi Central (Chūbu) branch in Okazaki,Aichi Prefecture
• 
  Central (Chūbu) branch in Okazaki as seen from a train
• 
  Hon-Michi Congregation of Los Angeles

There are also facilities inKatsuragi, Nara (竹之内廟所) andIzumi, Osaka (信太山作業所), as well as a training center (花瀬山修道場) near Fudo Waterfall 不動滝 in Takigawa Valley 滝川渓谷 inTotsukawa,Nara Prefecture (located just to the southwest ofMount Shakka).^[9]

The following religious movements and organizations are founded by former Honmichi members.

• Honbushin (ほんぶしん), founded byŌnishi Tama in 1962
• Tenri Sanrinkō (天理三輪講), founded by Katsu Hisano (勝ヒサノ), originally a Honmichi follower, in 1933
  • Kami Ichijōkyō (神一条教), founded by Yonetani Kuni (米谷クニ) (1889–1974; originally a follower of Tenri Sanrinkō 天理三輪講) in 1942. Upon her death in 1974, her son (米谷千恵子) took over until his death in 1985. The current leader is Nishi Yoshio (西義男). Kami Ichijōkyō is headquartered inHigashiōsaka, nearFuse Station andShuntokumichi Station.
• Sekai Shindokyo (世界心道教), founded by Aida Hide (会田ヒデ), originally a Honmichi follower, in 1948

• Forbes, Roy Tetsuo (2005).Schism, orthodoxy and heresy in the history of Tenrikyō : three case studies (Thesis). University of Hawai'i Department of Religion.
• ほんみち教義部編 (1972).ほんみち概観. ほんみち教義部.

During the 1970s, Masaki Umehara (梅原正紀) published a few books about Honmichi:

• 梅原正紀 (1974).民衆宗教の世界. 講談社.
• 梅原正紀 (1975).ほんみち:民衆宗教の原像. 白川書院.
• 梅原正紀 (1977).天啓者の宗教ほんみち:甘露台世界にいたる道. 耕土社.

• Honmichi (Encyclopedia of Shinto)

34°32′4″N135°26′39″E / 34.53444°N 135.44417°E /34.53444; 135.44417

• Japanese new religions
• Religious organizations based in Japan
• Religions derived from Tenrikyo
• Shinto new religious movements
• Takaishi, Osaka
• Sennan, Osaka
• 1925 establishments in Japan
• Religious organizations established in 1925
• Organizations based in Osaka Prefecture

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