Ry H Kawa

Ryūhō Ōkawa, born Takashi Nakagawa (1956–2023), was a Japanese religious and political figure who founded the organization Happy Science and the Happiness Realization Party. He also chaired affiliated companies and authored numerous books. His organization has faced criticism, with adherents worshipping Ōkawa, who asserted he was the reincarnation of a divine being named "El Cantare," as well as other historical and spiritual figures like Hermes and Gautama Buddha.

Ōkawa's early life was influenced by his parents' religious beliefs and his father's intellectual pursuits, which included spirituality and various philosophical and religious traditions. Despite initial aspirations to be a scholar or diplomat, and a period of academic study including a stint at Tokyo University, his path shifted towards spiritual pursuits. He claimed to have experienced a "Buddha Enlightenment" in 1981, leading to alleged communications with spirits, including Nikkō Shōnin and Nichiren. These purported divine messages formed the basis of his early writings.

Ōkawa's spiritual journey intensified in 1981, when he claimed to have received divine messages, starting with "good news" from the spirit of Nikkō Shōnin, a disciple of Nichiren. This was followed by daily communications with the spirit of Nichiren himself, who imparted the message "Love others, nurture others, and forgive others," which became central to Ōkawa's teachings. Around this time, the spirit of Shinji Takahashi, a religious leader, allegedly informed Ōkawa of his destiny to establish a new religion. His father, Saburō Yoshikawa, played a significant role, transcribing and adapting these spiritual communications, which were published by Chōbunsha. Ōkawa published numerous books presenting these spiritual messages, initially under his father's pen name to conceal his identity from his employer, TOMEN Corporation. These early works, including "The Spiritual Messages of Nichiren," gained popularity, with some later publications becoming best-sellers.

Beyond channeling messages from various historical and spiritual figures, Ōkawa asserted a profound personal divine identity. He claimed to be the reincarnation of Gautama Buddha and, more significantly, the incarnation of a supreme spiritual entity known as "El Cantare." According to Ōkawa, El Cantare was one of ten such supreme beings, a revelation he attributed to the consciousness of Gautama Buddha. This self-understanding solidified his conviction that his life's mission was to disseminate truth on Earth. His teachings emphasized love and forgiveness, derived from the initial spiritual guidance he received.

Ōkawa pursued a business career at TOMEN Corporation after graduating in 1981, working in foreign exchange and later in bank negotiations. During this period, he also undertook studies in the United States. Despite his business responsibilities, he claimed his alleged spiritual communications continued. In June 1986, he stated that he left his corporate career based on advice from "high spirits" to establish his own religious movement. He officially resigned from TOMEN Corporation in July 1986 and founded Happy Science in October of the same year, adopting the name Ryūhō Ōkawa.