Nippon Vedanta Kyokai

[Vedanta Society of Japan]
- A Branch of the Ramakrishna Mission -

Golden Jubilee Celebration
(May 2009 - May 2010)

Some Important Perspectives

    This Society is the Japanese branch of the Ramakrishna Order, a worldwide spiritual and philanthropic organization founded by the great Swami Vivekananda [1863-1902] in 1897 and headquartered in India.

    Swami Vivekananda became a celebrity in the West as a result of his addresses on the harmony of religions at the first Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. He went on to inspire many souls, both in the West and India, with his elevating discourses on Vedanta and Universalism. Many great contemporary and later day Indians including Mahatma Gandhi, the poet Rabindranath Tagore, the statesman Jawaharlal Nehru, freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose, Jamshedji Tata, founder of the famous Tata Iron and Steel Company, also drew inspiration from Swami Vivekananda. Some illustrious Westerners were also influenced by Swamiji, for example, Nicolo Tesla, the famous Scientist and John D. Rockefeller, philanthropist of U.S.A, Leo Tolstoy, the great author of Russia and Romain Rolland, the Noble laureate of France, who wrote a classic biography of Vivekananda.

    Swamiji also has a special association with Japan as he spent nearly three weeks here in July of 1893 on his way to that momentous Chicago Parliament. During this visit he praised what he observed were sterling qualities of the Japanese, such as love of country, hard work ethic and aesthetic sense. These praises are noted in a letter written from Yokohama on 13 July.

    We know that famous Japanese art historian, Okakura Tenshin, was introduced to the works of Vivekananda through a visiting art student, Josephine MacLeod, a devoted disciple of Swamiji. Okakura later visited the new Ramakrishna Math and Mission headquarters near Calcutta and urged Vivekananda to revisit Japan and give some discourses on Hinduism. Due to Swamiji's failing health, however, he was never able to take advantage of this invitation.

    A similar invitation also came from quite an unexpected quarter, none other than the celebrated Meiji Emperor Mutsuhito. Though we do not know many details or background regarding this invitation, it is recorded that the Consul of the Japanese Consulate in Calcutta, the then capital of British India, had gone to Mission Headquarters to invite Swamiji to Japan in early 1902 at the order of the Japanese Emperor. However, Swamiji’s health would not allow him to accept this honour either.

    That Swami Vivekananda's message is relevant today is evidenced by the fact that celebrated thinkers, religious leaders and statesmen still quote him. In fact, during an address to a special joint session of the Indian Parliament in August of 2007 then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe quoted several remarks Swami Vivekananda had made so long ago at the Parliament to highlight the absolute necessity for harmony today in the context of world events.

    The appeal of Swami Vivekananda’s message and personality is so great and so universal that his birthday, January 12th, has been declared as ‘Youth Day’ by the Government of India, presenting Vivekananda to the nation’s youth as the ideal hero.

    The Vedanta Society of Japan was established and formerly inaugurated by Swami Nikhilanandaji, head of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York on May 2, 1959 in the presence of Japanese and Indian intellectuals and admirers and the Ambassador of India. The Society was officially affiliated to the Ramakrishna Order in 1984 with the posting of Swami Siddharthananda, our first resident monk, in June of that year.

    Since its inception and throughout it first fifty years, the Society has been striving to preach and practice the wonderful message of Vedanta and Ramakrishna-Vivekananda in this country through various spiritual and cultural programmes such as discourses, meditation training, songs and hymns, publication of books and magazines, birthday celebrations of the prophets, Yoga sessions, private interviews etc. Thanks to the support and assistance of devotees, friends and well-wishers of this Society, the importance of its selfless services and message of religious harmony and spiritual values is being recognised by all cross-sections of the population of this country.
 
       This Society’s special role in propagating Indian culture and philosophy in Japan and promoting the Indo-Japanese relationship is also recognized and supported by the Government of India as it has released financial grants over a long period for the Society’s activities through the Indian Embassy of Japan.


    On this historic occasion of its Golden Jubilee our ardent hope and prayer is that the Vedanta Society of Japan serves the Japanese people more extensively and meaningfully with the active help of you all and Sri Ramakrishna’s blessings for many, many years to come.