Honmichi (Tenrikyo offshoot, Onishi Aijirō)
Tenrikyo schism organised by Onishi Aijirō in 1925 (and twice suppressed for lèse-majesté in 1928 and 1938) on the basis of the living-Kanrodai revelation. ~300,000 adherents at peak; today substantially smaller.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
0 — Tenrikyo schism (1913→1925) suppressed twice under Imperial Japan for lèse-majesté; living-Kanrodai doctrine.
Profile facts
In context
Onishi Aijirō broke from Tenrikyo in 1913 and formally organised Honmichi ('Original Way') in 1925. The movement criticised the Imperial system, was prosecuted twice under the Peace Preservation Law (1928 and 1938) for lèse-majesté, and recovered after the 1945 disestablishment. Doctrine combines Tenrikyo cosmology with the living-Kanrodai pillar claim. Honbushin (separate entry) later split from Honmichi over succession.
Recovery resources
- ICSA Helpline — International Cultic Studies Association — questions about high-control groups, referrals to cult-aware therapists, peer support.
- Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Steven Hassan's organisation — BITE Model assessments, exit-counselling resources, family education.
- ICSA Cult-Aware Therapist Directory — ICSA-maintained directory of licensed mental-health professionals with specific cult-recovery training.
- Combatting Cult Mind Control — Steven Hassan, 1988 (revised 2018). The foundational BITE Model book; CLCI Hub's core methodology source.
- Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships — Janja Lalich & Madeleine Tobias, 2006. Practical recovery workbook.
See the full curated list at /resources.
Lifton's 8 criteria of thought reform
Robert Jay Lifton's 1961 framework, complementary to BITE. Criteria this group exhibits according to the cited sources.
- Mystical ManipulationEngineering experiences that appear spontaneous but are designed to demonstrate the group's higher purpose.
This profile is in progress — history, deeper BITE evidence and survivor voices are still being added. Contributions welcome via GitHub.
Timeline
- 1913Onishi begins living-Kanrodai teaching
- 1925Honmichi formally organised
- 1928First state suppression
- 1938Second state suppression
- 1945Reorganises after the war
Sources
- Trevor Astley, 'A New Religious Movement in Japan: Honmichi' (1995) search ↗
- Helen Hardacre academic work search ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. The search ↗ link runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.