Koyasan: News

No.12

Cultural Exchange in Various Countries

The Second Regional Pilgrimage and Missionary
Visit to Sekiganchin, China

May 19 - 26, 1997

The pilgrimage sponsored by the District II Missionary Groupof Koyasan Shingon-shu (Group Leader: Rev. Kakumyo Yasui) to the Sekiganchin Kukai Memorial Hallof Fukken-sho, China, was completed. This was the fourth annual pilgrimage there.

Koyasan

Shingon-shu

International

Exchange Center

October ?92 saw the openingof the Koyasan Shingon-shu International Exchange Center. Since then, it has been developing an educational support program for the Southern Buddhism circle, Especially active in Cambodia, it has been working there on the constructionof the Unarum Buddhist Temple and School, congregational fellowshipof Southern Buddhist circles, and a financially sponsored movement for digging wells.

January 7, 1997

The Koyasan Shingon-shu International Exchange Center formed members of the Miyanma inspection group, (Group Leader: Rev. Giyu Yamahana, The former Head Of planning), after which they departed for Miyanma. Their objective this time was primarily to lend education support to the Buddhist University, and to develop a deeper exchange with the locals.

April 9-15, 1997

This year saw the formation of the "Thai-Cambodia Support and Exchange Group," They inspected the area, and made a pilgrimage to Buddhist ruins. The objective of the exchange group was that of donating funds for educational scholarships for the Thai Koyasan Shingon-shu; at the Unarum Temple in Cambodia, donating funds for the well digging campaign, and at Iroha elementary schools, the giving of gifts to each and every student. With the help of Rev. Enmyo Matsuura (from Mimasaka, the Head of Kannon Temple and a member of the Shukai), they received musical instruments, such as the recorder, pianica and harmonica that are geared for Japanese elementary school students.

Koyasan Shingon-shu Missionary Bureau

January 7-9, 1997

Bishop Yuko Kitahara, Head of the Koyasan Shingon-shu Missionary Bureau made a respectful visit to Pra Maha Preecha Apiwanno who was newly appointed as chief priest of Watliab Temple which has a Japanese mausoleum, "Kobo-en" of the Thai Missionary District, and to the Thai Nihon-jin-kai (Head of Administration: Tomiko Kawamitsu), and held a memorial service at the main hall of the temple and at the mausoleum. At the same time, a donation ceremony for scholarships was held at the International Exchange Center. He also made a repectful visit to the Japanese Association in Thailand (Executive Managing Director/General Manager Tomiko Kawamitsu), and to the Embassy of Japan in Thailand (First Secretary Toyoshi Hori.)