Mitsunori Otani (1880s)

1880s Otani Koson of Kyoto (February 4, 1850 - January 18, 1903) Otani Koson of Kyoto was born as the fifth child of Hironyo, the 20th head priest of Nishi Honganji Temple. He had four sons and a daughter, but all of them died prematurely, so he appointed Tokunyō (Kōwei) as the new head priest, and Myōnyō himself became the new head priest as Tokunyō's adopted son. In 1872, upon the death of Hironyo, he succeeded him as the 21st abbot of Hongan-ji. During the period of great change that followed the Meiji Restoration, he promoted a series of institutional reforms of the modern religious order as the young head priest. At the same time, he was one of the first to send his close associates and promising young priests abroad to study, thereby paving the way for a religious order that could compete with Western civilization. These achievements were carried over to the establishment of Japan's first parliament (Sokai), which preceded the Meiji government, and to the later religious administration of the 22nd Otani Mitsuzui. In addition, in order to prevent the dissipation of the church's assets during the chaotic period of the Meiji Restoration, the Honganji Protectorate Foundation and other foundations were established, following the Western foundation system. In terms of education, he promoted reform of the Gakurin (later to become Ryukoku University), and worked to nurture human resources for the new era. In the area of missionary activities, Honganji lagged behind Higashi Honganji in Hokkaido and other regions, but it expanded overseas and quickly established missionary bases in Asia, Europe, and the United States. In addition, he laid the foundation for later Buddhist social programs such as military consolations, military missionary work, prison chaplaincy, and helping the socially disadvantaged. Portrait of famed calligrapher Otani Koson (Mar. 7, 1850 to Jan. 18, 1903) who was from an influential and controversial Kyoto Buddhist family. (Japanese names listed surname first.)