About this episode

This episode explores the rise of Happy Science in Japan during the 1980s and its rivalry with Aum Shinrikyo.

Kofuku no Kagaku or Happy Science was one of the most popular new religious movements in Japan in 1980s and became a major rival to the deadly Aum Shinrikyo organization. Its founder, Okawa Ryuho, claimed to be an incarnation of the Buddha and published volumes of predictions channeled from various spirits from the higher worlds including Nostradamus. These predictions became best sellers in Japan, leading to the group's more famous venture into full-length animated films.

People in this episode

Host: The Alchemical Actors

Topics covered

• new religious movements
• Japan
• spirituality
• predictions
• animated films

Keywords

• Happy Science
• Kofuku no Kagaku
• Okawa Ryuho
• Aum Shinrikyo
• predictions
• Nostradamus
• animated films

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Kofuku no Kagaku, Happy Science, Aum Shinrikyo

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