Sayo Kitamura

Founder of Amaterasu Omikami Shrine (the dancing religion). Born in Hizumi Village, Kuga County, Yamaguchi Prefecture (now Hizumi, Yanai City), she married Kitamura Seinoshin of Tabuse Town, Kumage County, Yamaguchi Prefecture at the age of 21. A tomboyish, cheerful and caring woman, she was able to endure the heavy labor imposed by her mother-in-law. A devout follower of the Jodo Shinshu sect, she met the prayer master Hirai Kenryu after a fire at her house in 1942 (Showa 17), and began to practice water asceticism and visit shrines daily. Two years later, she experienced a divine possession in which she believed a god was residing in her womb, giving her charismatic qualities, and in 1945 (Showa 20), she formed a religious organization centered around her. She became famous as the "Dancing God" for her sermon "Wake up, maggot beggars" and her "Dance of Selflessness." After that, she traveled around Japan and more than 20 countries around the world to spread her teachings, nurturing her followers.

[Kenji Fujii June 19, 2018]

"Wake Up, Maggot Beggars" by Hideto Mori (1975, Yamato Publishing)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

天照皇大神宮教(てんしょうこうたいじんぐうきょう)（踊る宗教）の教祖。山口県玖珂(くが)郡日積(ひづみ)村（現、柳井(やない)市日積）に生まれ、21歳で同県熊毛(くまげ)郡田布施(たぶせ)町の北村清之進(せいのしん)に嫁ぐ。男勝りの陽気で世話好きな女性で、姑(しゅうとめ)の課す重労働にもよく耐えた。浄土真宗の篤信者だったが、1942年（昭和17）自宅の火事をきっかけに祈祷師(きとうし)平井憲龍(ひらいけんりゅう)と知り合い、水行(すいぎょう)や神社への日参を始めた。2年後、腹中に神が宿るという神がかりを体験してカリスマ的資質を身につけ、1945年（昭和20）に彼女を中心とする教団が形成された。「蛆(うじ)の乞食(こじき)よ目をさませ」という説法と「無我の舞(まい)」とで、「踊る神様」として有名になる。以後、国内や世界20か国以上を布教に巡り、信者を育てた。

［藤井健志　2018年6月19日］

『森秀人著『蛆の乞食よ目をさませ』（1975・大和出版販売）』

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