Oceania Hinokishin Day 2008

Tenrikyo Hinokishin Day in the 171st Year of Tenrikyo was observed throughout the world as well as in Japan on 29th April and a great number of followers of the path dedicated themselves to engage in hinokishin in unity of mind.

As informed in the previous issue of this newsletter, Hinokishin Day in the Oceania region was held on the 6th April in Melbourne and the 27th April in Syd-ney. In the month of May, Hinokishin Day was also held in three venues: on the 18th in Brisbane, the 25th in the Gold Coast, and the 31st in Auckland, New Zealand respectively. A total of 206 people gathered together in the five venues engaging in hinokishin activities in unison by using their body, that is, a thing borrowed from God the Parent. Please see the details in the attached chart.

In the Brisbane District, Hinokishin Day was conducted immediately after the May Monthly Service of the Oceania Centre as it has been over the previous years. Blessed with brilliant autumn weather once again, 38 people, most of whom were the service attendees, participated in cleaning and picking up rubbish on the streets, in the park and around the shopping centre near the Oceania Centre. After hino-kishin, all of them enjoyed the post-service lunch together which satisfied their thirst and hunger.

On the 25th, the following Sunday, Gold Coast Hinokishin Day was held under a beautiful blue sky. A total of 37 participants, most of whom were from Brisbane, assembled and spiritedly engaged in hinokishin by picking up rubbish in Hollindale Park including the beach area located at Main Beach, north of Surfers Paradise. After hinokishin, the participants deepened their friendship by having a BBQ lunch and playing together on the beach.

At the very end of May, Hinokishin Day in Auckland, New Zealand, successfully took place. As in the previous years, it was conducted in a park called Bation Point in the Orakei district, from which we could enjoy a panoramic view of the Auckland city centre as well as its harbour. The participants spiritedly engaged in hinokishin mainly by weeding and planting around the small flax trees in the park. One of the distinctive features in the Auckland district is that two fellowships as well as some devout followers in Auckland had made their efforts as one to actively invite as many people as possible to this event, and, as a result, a lot of non-Tenrikyo followers, over 70 % of the total, did participate in hinokishin on the day. During the past 3 or 4 years, the number of the participants increased gradually and a total of 55 people including adults and children assembled this year. The event has become firmly established as Tenrikyo Annual Hinokishin Day, and seems to be a great opportunity for sprinkling the fragrance of the teachings. After hinokishin, all the participants enjoyed a BBQ lunch provided by the city council, and had a good time together. As to the details on Hinokishin Day in Auckland, please refer to the article entitled Having successfully ended this years Hinokishin Day on page 7.

Taking Tenrikyo Hinokishin Day this year as our new start, all of us, Yoboku and followers in this diocese, would like to make our further efforts in unity of mind to outpour our joy and gratitude toward our local communities and to show people around us how wonderful this path is and how precious Gods providence is.