Takeko kujo
Encyclopedia
was a humanitarian and founder of the Buddhist Women's Association
in order to promote the status and solidarity of Buddhist women in Japan, and later overseas.
as the daughter of Ōtani Koson (Myono), the 21st hereditary head of the of Jōdo Shinshū
branch of Japanese Buddhism. Her elder brother, Ōtani Kōzui
was the 22st head of the sect, and a noted explorer of Central Asia
, while another brother, was Ōtani Sonyu, was a politician who served in the House of Peers
in the Diet of Japan
. Her mother was a secondary wife, and the daughter of a samurai
from Kii Domain. She was educated at the predecessor to the Kyoto Women's University
.
In 1903, on the death of her father, she came into the care of her brother Kozui. Her public life began during the Russo-Japanese War
of 1904-1905, when she co-founded the Buddhist Women's Association
, which was active in sending care packages to soldiers at the front, and to helping families who had lost their sons in combat.
In 1909, she entered into an arranged marriage
with Baron Kujō Yoshimasa, the brother of her sister-in-law. She went to England
where her husband attended Cambridge University. She returned to Japan after one year, leaving her husband (who was later assigned to the branch of the Yokohama Specie Bank
in London
) behind. The couple lived apart for most of their lives.
After the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake which devastated Tokyo
and the surrounding Kantō region
, Kujō sponsored various humanitarian efforts, which let to the reconstruction of the Tsukiji Hongan-ji
temple, and the foundation of Asoka Hospital, one of Japan's first modern medical centers.
Kujō was also a noted poet, having studied under Nobutsuna Sasaki. She wrote numerous poems and gathas about her Nembutsu faith, publishing her first volume of poetry, Kinrei (金)鈴) in 1920, followed by a stage play Rakuhoku (洛北) in 1925. A second volume of poetry followed in 1928, Kunzen (薫染) and an autobiography, Shirokujaku (白孔雀) in 1930.
She died after contracting Septicemia during her work in one of Tokyo's poor districts. She is commemorated through memorial services conducted by Jōdo Shinshū temples in Japan and the United States.
Buddhist Women's Association
The Buddhist Women's Association is the English name of the worldwide auxiliary lay organization of the Nishi Hongwanji-ha branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. Its Japanese name is Fujinkai. Many Jodo Shinshu temples in Japan, mainland United States, Hawaii, South America, and Canada have BWA chapters...
in order to promote the status and solidarity of Buddhist women in Japan, and later overseas.
Biography
Kujō was born in KyotoKyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
as the daughter of Ōtani Koson (Myono), the 21st hereditary head of the of Jōdo Shinshū
Jodo Shinshu
, also known as Shin Buddhism, is a school of Pure Land Buddhism. It was founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran. Today, Shin Buddhism is considered the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan.-Shinran :...
branch of Japanese Buddhism. Her elder brother, Ōtani Kōzui
Otani Kozui
was the 22nd Abbot of the Nishi Honganji sub-sect of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism in Kyoto, Japan. He is known for expeditions to Buddhist sites in Central Asia, such as Subashi....
was the 22st head of the sect, and a noted explorer of Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, while another brother, was Ōtani Sonyu, was a politician who served in the House of Peers
House of Peers (Japan)
The ' was the upper house of the Imperial Diet as mandated under the Constitution of the Empire of Japan ....
in the Diet of Japan
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
. Her mother was a secondary wife, and the daughter of a samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
from Kii Domain. She was educated at the predecessor to the Kyoto Women's University
Kyoto Women's University
is a private women's college in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1899, and it was chartered as a university in 1949.-External links:*...
.
In 1903, on the death of her father, she came into the care of her brother Kozui. Her public life began during the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
of 1904-1905, when she co-founded the Buddhist Women's Association
Buddhist Women's Association
The Buddhist Women's Association is the English name of the worldwide auxiliary lay organization of the Nishi Hongwanji-ha branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. Its Japanese name is Fujinkai. Many Jodo Shinshu temples in Japan, mainland United States, Hawaii, South America, and Canada have BWA chapters...
, which was active in sending care packages to soldiers at the front, and to helping families who had lost their sons in combat.
In 1909, she entered into an arranged marriage
Arranged marriage
An arranged marriage is a practice in which someone other than the couple getting married makes the selection of the persons to be wed, meanwhile curtailing or avoiding the process of courtship. Such marriages had deep roots in royal and aristocratic families around the world...
with Baron Kujō Yoshimasa, the brother of her sister-in-law. She went to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where her husband attended Cambridge University. She returned to Japan after one year, leaving her husband (who was later assigned to the branch of the Yokohama Specie Bank
Yokohama Specie Bank
is a Japanese bank founded in Yokohama, Japan in the year 1880. It later became The Bank of Tokyo, Ltd. in 1947. The bank played a significant role in Japanese trade with China...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) behind. The couple lived apart for most of their lives.
After the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake which devastated Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and the surrounding Kantō region
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
, Kujō sponsored various humanitarian efforts, which let to the reconstruction of the Tsukiji Hongan-ji
Tsukiji Hongan-ji
, sometimes archaically romanized Hongwan-ji, is a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple located in the Tsukiji district of Tokyo, Japan.Tsukiji Hongan-ji's predecessor was the temple of Edo-Asakusa Gobo , built in Asakusa in 1617 at the behest of the 12th monshu, Junnyo Shōnin.The temple burned during a...
temple, and the foundation of Asoka Hospital, one of Japan's first modern medical centers.
Kujō was also a noted poet, having studied under Nobutsuna Sasaki. She wrote numerous poems and gathas about her Nembutsu faith, publishing her first volume of poetry, Kinrei (金)鈴) in 1920, followed by a stage play Rakuhoku (洛北) in 1925. A second volume of poetry followed in 1928, Kunzen (薫染) and an autobiography, Shirokujaku (白孔雀) in 1930.
She died after contracting Septicemia during her work in one of Tokyo's poor districts. She is commemorated through memorial services conducted by Jōdo Shinshū temples in Japan and the United States.