It all began on a crisp morning in 1838, when a peasant woman named Nakayama Miki felt an overwhelming divine presence wash over her. In a tiny hamlet in Japan’s Yamato region, she received a revelation from Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto—often called the “Divine Parent”—and soon assumed the role of Oyasama, the Holy Parent. Over the next twenty years, her inspired verses and sermons, later compiled as the Ofudesaki, became the bedrock of a faith centered on joyous living and mutual care.

By the 1870s, Tenrikyo’s message of “tanno” (joyous acceptance) began to ripple beyond rural villages. Yet authorities, wary of new religious movements, branded it a superstition and launched persecutions. Gradually, however, persistence paid off: in 1883 it gained provisional recognition under the Meiji government, and by 1934 secured full status as an independent religious organization.

Post-World War II saw Tenrikyo sprout branches across every continent. Pilgrims journey to Tenri City—where a sprawling sanctuary and university stand—seeking community services, musical Kagura dances, and the famed Grand Service, now live-streamed worldwide. A recent initiative on social media platforms offers daily snippets of “kagura rhythm” and reflections on siblinghood, resonating especially in times when people crave connection.

Today's adherents find fresh relevance in teachings about care for one another—an ethos that mirrors modern calls for social solidarity. As climate challenges and global health crises unfold, Tenrikyo’s age-old invitation to a life of gratitude and mutual support feels remarkably in step with the needs of our day.