Ōmoto’s Impact on Modern Shintō and Japan’s Evolving Spirituality
Deguchi Nao and Onisaburō’s Visions That Inspired a Religious Revolution
In this article, I will discuss the founding of Ōmoto (大本), which is essential when talking about modern Shinto.
Since the introduction of Buddhism in the mid-6th century, Shintō has undergone a complex evolution, often intermingling with Buddhism and transforming under its overwhelming influence.
However, a major shift began in the late 18th century with the emergence of a new academic field known as Kokugaku (National Learning). This movement aimed to restore the purity of Shintō by eliminating foreign elements such as Buddhism and Confucianism.
By the early 19th century, Hirata Atsutane (1776–1843), a Kokugaku scholar and an exceptionally talented Shintō thinker, further developed this movement. Hirata infused Shintō with a highly spiritual element, significantly altering its character. It is important to recognize that Shintō before and after Hirata underwent a fundamental transformation.
This new form of Shintō later inspired the emergence of Shintō-based new religions such as Kurozumikyō, Tenrikyō, and Konkōkyō in the 19th century, ultimately contributing to the ideological foundation of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
After the Meiji Restoration, the new government officially recognized these emerging religions, granting them permission for nationwide propagation. Due to ongoing social instability, many people sought guidance outside of established religious traditions, leading to a rapid increase in the number of believers.
Amidst this religious revival, a defining moment occurred in the late 19th century in a remote mountain village in Ayabe, Kyoto Prefecture. In 1892, a woman named Deguchi Nao (出口なお, 1837–1918) experienced divine possession, marking the beginning of the Ōmoto movement.
She proclaimed a divine revelation calling for the "Remaking and Renewal of the World" and began producing automatic writings known as “Fudesaki (筆先)”—messages dictated by the kami through her hand.
Over 26 years, until her death in 1918, Nao produced an immense volume of writings, reportedly filling 200,000 sheets of paper.
Despite being illiterate, she recorded these messages in hiragana, without using kanji. The contents of these texts included numerous prophecies, the most famous being her prediction of the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895). This prophecy elevated her status as a divine messenger.
Furthermore, Nao's mysterious abilities reportedly resulted in miraculous healings and supernatural occurrences, rapidly spreading her reputation beyond Ayabe and attracting a large following.
However, she never established a religious organization herself. Instead, the foundation of Ōmoto required the arrival of one crucial figure—Ueda Kisaburō (上田喜三郎, 1871–1948).
Kisaburō was born into a farming family in Kameoka, Kyoto Prefecture. He had a rebellious nature and was expelled from school, leading him to wander through various occupations, all of which ended in failure. It was not until 1896, at the age of 26, that he found success in the dairy business. Up until that point, he had little interest in religion.
However, around that time, his father passed away, he became involved in constant fights, and even his grandmother abandoned him.
These events forced him to rethink his life, prompting him to take his first steps toward spirituality. In 1898, he encountered a mysterious figure with spiritual powers and undertook a week-long retreat in Takakuma-yama, a sacred mountain in Kameoka. There, he experienced a profound mystical revelation that convinced him of his divine mission.
Recognizing himself as a messianic figure, Kisaburō decided to leave his business to his younger brother and embark on a journey across Japan, seeking spiritual wisdom. During this period, he deepened his understanding of the Hirata School of Shintō, which emphasized spiritual and mystical elements.
In 1899, guided by divine revelation, Kisaburō visited Deguchi Nao for the first time. Soon after, he married her daughter, Deguchi Sumiko, and devoted himself to developing the Ōmoto movement.
He later changed his name to Deguchi Onisaburō (出口王仁三郎), becoming a central figure in pre-war Japan's religious and ideological landscape.