The Tsuyama Culture Center opened on Aug. 16, 2018, to serve as a proud bastion of hope for the Mimasaka region in northern Okayama Prefecture. Just one month earlier, in July 2018, its mission came into sharp and powerful relief when devastating floods swept through Okayama, forcing residents from their homes and testing their deepest reserves of courage. The center became more than a building; it became a living testament of hope, as members poured all their energy into encouraging others and helping rebuild their community.
Though Ikeda Sensei never visited the Tsuyama Culture Center, the members’ vibrant spirit reflects the profound and unbreakable bond of mentor and disciple. That bond can be traced back to a pivotal district leaders meeting held in Okayama on June 3, 1962, when Sensei delivered a lecture on Nichiren Dai-
shonin’s writing “The Day Before Yesterday” (WND-2, 391). In it, he emphasized that the struggle for kosen-rufu, in one sense, is a war of words—a battle waged not with weapons but with our humanity, to awaken people to the truth of Buddhism and the Soka Gakkai’s people’s movement. Sensei explains:
What’s crucial is whether we have the courage to fight injustice. Slander can be vanquished by sincerity, by an impassioned cry of the truth for all to hear. We will win when every member of the Soka Gakkai stands up, brave as a lion, and testifies to the rightness of our cause, pleading our case with honesty and sincerity. (The New Human Revolution, vol. 6, revised edition, p. 210)
The members responded with equal determination, forging a powerful shared vow that reverberates to this day, visible everywhere at the Tsuyama Culture Center. A “Welcome Wall” showcased hundreds of photos of home visits and activities. The center itself is adorned with cherry blossoms, a fitting symbol of how their collective efforts have caused flowers of happiness to blossom in their community.
This spirit is deeply tied to Okayama’s history with the future division. On July 23, 1978, during a visit to the Okayama Culture Center, Sensei composed a song for high school division members, later known as “Torchbearers of Justice.” With boundless hope, he entrusted the future to the youth.
When the future division members in Tsuyama sang this beloved song, it illuminated the unbroken thread that ties Okayama’s past to its future—each voice a pledge to pass the baton of kosen-rufu ever forward to new “Torchbearers of Justice.”
Centering My Life on Kosen-Rufu
Nathalia Lopez Dallas
I truly enjoyed the Tsuyama exchange meeting, especially how every aspect was thoughtfully tailored to guests. They chose not to do gongyo and included mini experiences from both new and longtime members, showing diverse journeys in faith.
The most impactful part of the training course was our time in Hiroshima, the starting place for peace. Listening to the testimony of the hibakusha Keiko Ogura moved me. Her statement that with nuclear weapons present, there is no future, has been replaying every day in my mind. I strengthened my sense of mission to ensure the abolition of nuclear weapons through sincere and genuine
dialogue. It is up to us to show great actual proof based on Ikeda Sensei’s guidance.
Throughout this training course, I renewed my vow with Sensei to keep the Gohonzon and kosen-rufu at the center of my life. I’m determined to break through in all aspects of my life so all the young women in my zone can do the same!
Creating a Place Where Everyone Belongs
Gabe Batmanglidj Erie, Colo.
One thing that stood out to me at the Tsuyama exchange meeting was how open, inviting and sincere everyone was. Initially, I was nervous, but our interactions quickly felt natural, as though we had already known one another. This made me realize that no matter where I go, there will always be an SGI community where I can feel that I belong and that I am never alone.
The most impactful part of the training course was visiting the Hall of the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu. It was my first time there, and while chanting, I focused all my emotions into my prayer and determined: No matter what, I will accomplish kosen-rufu in America. I vowed to always find a way forward, to support and introduce as many people as possible to this Buddhism and continue winning through faith and action.
My determination is to never give up on this vow. I want to become someone who can truly support and encourage others and introduce more people to Buddhism. No matter what obstacles arise, I’m determined to face them with strong faith, continue chanting daimoku and always find a way forward. I will strive to live in a way that reflects my mission for kosen-rufu—taking action and speaking up for peace.
May 15, 2026 World Tribune, pp. 10–11
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