Breaking Sacred Ceilings: Women's Leadership in Japanese New Religious Movements

This panel addresses women's leadership in Japanese new religious movements (NRMs), an understudied intersection that challenges three persistent biases in religious studies: androcentrism, antiquity bias, and preference for established religions. Three papers examine women leaders across different historical periods and explore how women navigate leadership in traditionally male-dominated religious spheres. The first paper investigates Itō Asako of Muga No Ai, examining connections between her religious leadership and feminist politics. The second analyzes media representations of Okano Kimiko, founder of Kōdō Kyōdan, whose neutral-to-positive portrayal contrasts typical negative depictions of female NRM leaders. The third presents case studies of Shinsō Itō (Shinnyo-en) and Kōshō Niwano (Risshō Kōseikai), examining how they balance tradition and innovation in their leadership approaches. By positioning these women within concentric circles of personal religious experience, family dynamics, and societal engagement, the panel offers fresh perspectives on religious authority, leadership strategies, and gender in modern Japanese religion.