, or Reiyà «kai Shakaden, is a Japanese Buddhist new religious movement founded in 1919 by Kakutarà  Kubo (1892âÂÂ1944) and Kimi Kotani (1901âÂÂ1971). It is a lay organization (there are no priests) inspired by Nichiren Buddhism, but not affiliated to any particular sect.
Reiyà «kai considers itself the grandfather of lay-based new religions devoted to the Lotus Sutra and ancestor veneration. Reiyà «kai membership currently stands at 5.14 million members, with the majority living in Japan.
In the 1920s, during the crisis after the 1923 Great Kantà  earthquake and the following economic depression, Kakutaro Kubo began formulating his philosophy for what is now Reiyà «kai. He compiled and published The Blue Sutra (a collection of texts from the Threefold Lotus Sutra), used by members for recitation practice.
In 1930, Reiyà «kai was formally inaugurated, Kakutaro Kubo became Chairman of the Board of Directors and Kimi Kotani became President. In 1937, headquarters were established in the Iikura area of Tokyo. In 1954, the Reiyà «kai Youth Group was inaugurated.
In 1971 Kimi Kotani died and Tsugunari Kubo became president. The next year, a Reiyà «kai Center was established in the United States. It was followed by centers in Brazil and Canada (1975); the Philippines (1976); Mexico, Italy, and Taiwan (1977); the United Kingdom (1978, closed as of March 1998); Peru, Thailand, and France (1979); India, Nepal, and Paraguay (1983); Spain (1984); Korea (1988); Bolivia (1996) and Sri Lanka (1999). In 1980, the Reiyà «kaiâÂÂs Inner Self Development campaign began.
In 1978, the public Bureau of Statistics of Japan counted 2,838,000 members, that is 2.46% of the total population.
In 1985, representatives from 14 countries participated in a Youth Speech Festival in commemoration of United Nations International Youth Year. Since then, national festivals are held annually throughout the world and international festivals are held in the Asian, American and European regions on a regular basis.
In 1990, the Sixth International Youth Year Speech Festival was held in Osaka, Japan, as part of the International Garden and Greenery Expo âÂÂ90. Representatives from 17 countries attended.
In 1992, Reiyà «kai International Operation for Cambodian Relief (RIOCR) opened its office in Cambodia. The next year, Reiyà «kai International Committee was inaugurated.
In 1994, the Tenth International Youth Year Speech Festival was held in Kathmandu, Nepal. In 1996 Tsugunari Kubo resigned as President of Reiyà «kai and Yae Hamaguchi became her successor. The Reiyà «kai-sponsored Lumbini International Research Institute (LIRI) was inaugurated in Nepal and the International College for Advance Buddhist Studies (ICABS) was established in Tokyo. The First Reiyà «kai Supervisory Council was inaugurated.
In 1999, Reiyà «kai established Japanese and English homepages on the Internet. In 2000, the 4th Reiyà «kai International Conference was held in Tokyo. Yae Hamaguchi died, and Ichitaro Ohgata succeeded as President, Yushun Masunaga and Hiromichi Hirakawa as Vice Presidents.
In August 2004, the Reiyà «kai sponsored, together with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the UN World Food Program and the Nikkei newspaper, the World Youth Peace Summit (WYPS) Japan conference, as a direct outcome of the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference. It was held at the United Nations University in Tokyo. Over 400 youth delegates engaged in lively discussion and decided to mark the date, August 5th, as International Youth Peace Day and will organize an event on that day each year. The summit was broadcast by the Japanese national broadcaster, NHK, on its BS Forum.
In 2007, thanks to the contribution of members of Reiyukai Eurasia community, as an NGO committed to rural development acting in India and Nepal, a new eye hospital, the Reiyukai Eiko Masunaga Eye Hospital, was established in Nepal.
From April 8, 2013, Masaharu Sueyoshi is currently the Reiyà «kai International President.
Reiyukai France is a member of the European Buddhist Union (EBU) since 1997.
The Shakaden (éÂÂ迦殿) is an architectural complex that serves as a meeting place and social center for Reiyà «kai members in the local community. In Japanese, "Shakaden" means the "House of Shakyamuni." It is a place where anyone can seek to further practice the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. It consists of the Main Hall, the Plaza, the Kotani Hall, various conference rooms, a cafeteria, a child care room, and a nurse's office. After four years of construction, the Shakaden was completed in 1975.
Shakaden is a 3-minute walk from Kamiyachà  Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line.
Mirokusan (å¼¥åÂÂå±±) is located on the side of Mount Togasa (é 笠山) in the center of the Amagi Mountains (天åÂÂå±±) on the Izu Peninsula. Its building was strongly supported by Kimi Kotani, as a meeting point for young people, for an immersive visit in a natural environment, where members can exchange experiences with other members. It was completed in 1964. It is dedicated to , that is Maitreya, a future Buddha, whose apparition is waited by all Buddhists.
Reiyukai has experienced a number of splits headed by some members; further offshoots from Reiyà «kai are Risshà  Kà Âsei Kai, Bussho Gonenkai Kyà Âdan, Myà Âchikai Kyà Âdan, and Myà Âdà Âkai Kyà Âdan.
Reiyukai is a pacifist movement. For Reiyukai, peace can be achieved through the promotion of oneâÂÂs personal development for the benefit of all humanity.
The Inner Trip Ideologue Research Center (IIC) was founded to raise awareness about the value and importance of engaging people within society, fulfilling oneâÂÂs civic responsibilities, and participating in the political process. As an opportunity to deepen the knowledge of politics and to transmit the voices of people, the IIC organizes various lectures and seminars in different locations within Japan inviting politicians as guest speakers. Also, the IIC publishes a monthly magazine providing a space for politicians to present their political viewpoints. Former Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara is a believer and writes in Reiyà «kai publications.
Claudine Shinoda, of Reiyukai France, has been president of EBU for three years and vice-president for six. In this role, she was a speaker in various international meetings:
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) of United Nations, opening its regular session for 2015, recommended sixteen organizations for special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, including Reiyà «kai Eurasia.