Reviewed by Florian Coulmas Japan has sometimes been called an irreligious country, but students of religion know that this is only because Western notions of religiosity do not necessarily apply to Japan, and because the Christian mission has been remarkably unsuccessful in this country. How important a role religion plays in Japanese life is perhaps best attested by the many religious movements that came into being in addition to Buddhism, Shintoism and Christianity, the three creeds officially recognized by the Meiji government in the late 19th century as part of its modernization efforts. They are collectively known as "new religions" and have at times attracted a numerous following, especially during hard times.
Many of these religious movements were founded by charismatic leaders who appealed to people suffering from economic hardship and the uneasiness brought about by rapid social change in the wake of modernization and Westernization. One of them was Deguchi Onisaburo (1871-1948).
In the book under review, Nancy K. Stalker describes Onisaburo's rise from peasant boy to founder of a highly successful syncretistic sect that came to be known as Oomoto. What she tells is the remarkable story of an energetic individual whose manifold talents allowed the religious movement he cofounded to flourish and develop into a force of national import.