A Summary of Disaster Relief Hinokishin Efforts in Iwate

Rev. Shoji Otani, chief officer of Iwate Diocese Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps (DRHC) and head minister of Kamaishi-ko Bunkyokai, sprang into action and cooperated with local government after the earthquake. On March 12, the day after the quake, Rev. Otani surveyed the immense tsunami damage in Kamaishi City where he lived and went to Kamaishi […]

Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps to Run Operations from Higashimatsushima, Miyagi

Tenrikyo Disaster Relief Headquarters (headed by Honbu-in Yoshitaro Ueda) has established a base in Miyagi Prefecture for the Tenrikyo Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps (DRHC) to run future operations. The corps will operate from a community center located in Higashimatsushima City, which suffered immense tsunami damage.

Disaster Relief Corps Activities in Iwate and Miyagi

Offering two March 28 news updates here: The Saitama Diocese Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps has been dispatched to affected areas between March 20 and 31. Members are helping distribute water in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture, where many areas are still without running water. (To Japanese article: 災救隊 気仙沼市で給水活動(3月28日記)) The Toyama Diocese Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps […]

Disaster Relief Corps in Miyagi and Fukushima

The following is a March 23 update on the water trucks dispatched on March 16 and Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps members’ subsequent efforts distributing water in areas affected by the March 11 earthquakes and tsunamis. Ten members of Oyasato Diocese’s Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps left Tenri City on March 16 to deliver water trucks to […]

Tenrikyo to Accept 3,000 Displaced By Recent Disaster

Tenrikyo-Related Facilities to Accept Up to 3,000 People Displaced by the Great Tohoku-Kanto Earthquake Until the End of September According to the situation as grasped by the National Police Agency, the number of evacuees from Fukushima, Miyagi, and other prefectures that have been greatly impacted continue to increase. Numerous evacuees currently find themselves having no […]

Disaster Relief for Fukushima Prefecture

Another quick update from the Japanese Tenrikyo website: On the morning of March 22, Yuji Tanaka, the director of Tenrikyo Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps Headquarters, delivered a monetary donation of 10 million yen to the Fukushima Prefectural Government. He also used the occasion to notify prefectural officials that preparations have been made at Tenrikyo-related facilities […]

Relief to Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures

News from the Japanese Tenrikyo website:

On March 19, Tenrikyo Church Headquarters delivered monetary donations of 10 million yen each (equivalent to US $123,564,000) to the prefectural governments of Miyagi and Iwate. Honbu-in* Yoshitaro Fukaya went to Miyagi while Honbu-in Zensuke Nakata went to Iwate. They also informed prefectural officials that preparations were being made at Tenrikyo-related facilities in Tenri to welcome and accept disaster evacuees.

Disaster Relief Corps Distribute Water in Sendai City

The latest news from the Japanese Tenrikyo website:

The Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps has sent their first unit, composed of Niigata Diocese Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps members, to the disaster zone. The unit distributed water in areas without running water in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture.

The unit is scheduled to stay between March 18 and 21.

More Tenrikyo Disaster-Related News

Offering a summary of Tenrikyo news articles in translation concerning the recent earthquakes and tsunamis: In response to the Great Tohoku-Kanto Earthquake, Tenrikyo Church Headquarters has set up the Great Tohoku-Kanto Earthquake Tenrikyo Disaster Relief Task Force. It will be headed by (Director-in-Chief of Administrative Affairs) Yoshitaro Ueda. The task force will hereby coordinate a […]

Prayer Service at Church Headquarters (March 12–14)

The day after the Great Tohoku-Kanto Earthquake on March 11, a special prayer service (onegai-zutome) was conducted at the Main Sanctuary of Tenrikyo Church Headquarters. The Shinbashira*, Zenji Nakayama, led the prayer service on wooden clappers while the former Shinbashira Zenye Nakayama sat in front of the kazutori (counter).