Founding of Soka Kyoiku Gakkai

While Makiguchi was principal of Shirogane Primary School in mid 1928, he was visited by a reporter for a trade paper who was a Nichiren Shoshu adherent. The reporter introduced Makiguchi to a believer named Sokei Mutani. Mitani converted him to Nichiren Shoshu. If this chance meeting had not occurred, the Soka Gakkai, as we know it today, would not exist.

The first volume of Makiguchi's major work, Soka Kyoikugaku Taikai, was published in 1930. The Soka Kyoiku Gakkai is identified as the book's publisher. Thus, the Soka Gakkai considers the publishing date, November 18, 1930, as the founding date of the Soka Gakkai. The formal founding of Soka Kyoiku Gakkai occurred early in 1937 with the first general meeting, about 60 people attending. The second general meeting was held three years later with 3 or 4 thousand attendees. This showed remarkable growth in spite of government imposition of Shinto and emperor worship on the people as part of the nationalist drive. Makiguchi conducted annual summer courses and began publishing Kachi Sozo (Creation of Values).

In spite of government oppression, Makiguchi continued his efforts to spread Nichiren Daishonin's teachings. On July 6,1943, he, along with Josei Toda and other leaders, was arrested. On November 18, 1944, Makiguchi passed away at the Sugamo Detention House in Tokyo.

Information for this series was gleaned from 'Japan's New Buddhism' by Kiyoaki Murata and 'Makiguchi the Value Creator' by Dayle M. Bethel. A few copies of these books are available through Amazon.com resellers. This will be the last article of the Makiguchi series for this year. More in depth articles are slated for November 2008.