Konkokyo Organization

Konkokyo Organization

Administrative Office
Chief Administrative Director
Churches
Organs
Classification of Konkokyo Members

Administrative Office

Konkokyo is registered with the Japanese government as a religious corporation. The Konkokyo organization (Kyodan) is run by the Konkokyo Headquarters' Administrative Office (Konkokyo Hombu Kyocho). It is located in a tall, modern building (left picture) at Konkokyo Headquarters.
The Administrative Office consists of the following departments:

General Affairs Department
Human Resources Development and Church Affairs Department
Propagation Affairs Department
Worship Hall Affairs Department
Financial Affairs Department

These departments are headed by department and section heads who are all Konkokyo ministers. There are also a number of committees which participate in the administration of the Konkokyo organization. The Administrative Office plans and executes Konkokyo's propagation, religious, and social activities. They oversee Konkokyo churches, regional offices and centers, and other facilities. They also manage Konkokyo's personnel, finances, and properties.

Rev. Hajime Suzuki
Chief Executive Director

The Administrative Office is headed by the Chief Executive Director (Kyomu Socho) who was appointed to a renewable four-year term by Kyoshu Konko-Sama, the Spiritual Leader through an advisory committee. He assists the Spiritual Leader and bears responsibility for the overall administration of Konkokyo.
The current Chief Executive Director is Rev. Hajime Suzuki who has held this position since 2002. He first became a Konkokyo minister in 1968 and served in a number of Konkokyo committees and administrative positions before being appointed to his present post.

The Konkokyo organization also includes a seminary, research institute, propagation centers, an international center, administrative offices, schools and other facilities in Japan. The whole Konkokyo organization is run totally on unsolicited donations from believers.
Overseas, there are the Konko Churches of North America (KCNA) located in Sacramento, the Konko Missions in Hawaii (KMH) located in Honolulu, Activity centers in South Korea and Paraguay.

Churches

Konko Church of San Francisco

In Japan, there are 1,607 Konkokyo churches (as of 2001). They are scattered all over the country. The churches are large and small. Churches often serve as the minister's residence as well. Each church has a head minister (Kyokai-cho) and there may be other assistant ministers. Anyone, believers and non-believers, is welcome to enter a Konkokyo church. The church is usually open every day from about 6 a.m. to about 9 p.m. A minister is always available during this time. Konkokyo churches are readily identifiable by the Konkokyo crest which is displayed prominently outside the church. It may be on a flag, lantern, or wall.

In North America, there is the Konko Churches of North America (located in Sacramento), an organization of twelve churches and one propagation hall in the U.S. Mainland and Canada. In Honolulu, Hawaii, the Konko Missions in Hawaii oversee six churches in that state. Other overseas missions include four churches and two propagation halls in Brazil and activity center in Paraguay and South Korea. While respecting the respective country and locality's faiths, beliefs, and rules, Konkokyo aims to propagate in other countries.

Organs

Konkokyo Nagoya Center	Konkokyo Propagation Centers and Administrative Centers Konkokyo divides Japan into thirteen administrative blocks. Each block is managed by a propagation center or administrative center. The propagation centers in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka also collect information deemed necessary for the Konkokyo organization.
Konkokyo Center Building where KIC, the Konkokyo Tokyo Center, and Konko Shimbun Tokyo Office are located.	Konkokyo International Center (KIC) Located in Tokyo, KIC gathers overseas information for Konkokyo and disseminates information about Konkokyo to people overseas. It participates in international non-governmental organization (NGO) activities, investigates possibilities for overseas propagation, and makes proposals to Konkokyo Headquarters for international activities. It also issues a quarterly newsletter entitled "Face to Faith" and holds KIC-Club gatherings for international exchange.
	Konkokyo Seminary This is a training institute for ministerial candidates. It is within the grounds of Konkokyo Headquarters. Several tens of students enter the seminary every year. Those who complete the year-long curriculum become eligible to apply to become a Konkokyo minister.
	Konkokyo Research Institute Also at Konkokyo Headquarters, this is Konkokyo's research arm which conducts research on the Founder, history, and doctrine of Konkokyo. It also preserves Konkokyo archives and offers information on Konkokyo to religion researchers. A scholarly journal entitled "Journal of the Konkokyo Research Institute" (Konko Kyogaku) is issued annually.
	Konkokyo Peace Activity Center Located in Konko-cho, Okayama Pref., this center is an NGO active in the Philippines, Thailand, and Cambodia. It has branch offices in Hiroshima, Manila, and Bangkok. For more information on its activities, click here.
	Konko Library Located in the Konkokyo Headquarters building in Konko-cho, Okayama Prefecture, the Library collects, houses, and lends religious books, videos, cassette tapes, and other materials. General-interest materials are also available. The library is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays, national holidays, and Friday mornings.
	Konkokyo Publishing Department It publishes and sells books, videos, cassette tapes, and postcards. It also publishes the Konko Shimbun newsletter three times a month. You can stop by the bookstore for direct purchases.

Classification of Konkokyo Members

Konkokyo members are those who recognize Konko Daijin as Konkokyo's Founder, believe in the doctrine and beliefs written in Konkokyo Kyoten the Sacred Scripture of Konkokyo, and live their lives or try to live their lives according to Konkokyo teachings. No dues or donations are required to become a Konkokyo member. Konkokyo members are defined as follows:

Ministers (kyoshi)
Ministers are dedicated to religious functions and propagation activities. There is no rank or hierarchy in the ministry based on one's level of religious belief. Both men and women can become ministers. In 2001, there were 4,255 Konkokyo ministers. In Japan, ministers are addressed as "sensei." In English-speaking countries, they are called "reverend."

Adherents (shinto)
Adherents are members who are not ministers. Adherents are registered with a Konkokyo church. In 2001, there were about 400,000 adherents in Japan.

Minister's assistants (hokyo)
These are adherents who have completed a training course and who are contributing to propagation activities of Konkokyo. In 2001, there were about 2,072 such assistants in Japan.

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