Tsunesaburo Makiguchi

Founder and First President of Sōka Kyōiku Gakkai,

the predecessor of today's Soka Gakkai
 History
• Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (1871–1944) was a reformist educator, author and philosopher.
• As a teacher known for his warmth and consideration.
• He strove to introduce a more humanistic, student-centered approach to education.
• He founded the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai (the forerunner of the Soka Gakkai) in November 18,
1930.
• He fiercely opposed corrupt educational practices.
• He was imprisoned for opposing the policies of the Japanese militarist regime. Thus he,
Toda and senior leaders of Soka Kyoiku Gakkai were confined to prison in July 1943.
• He was subjected to harsh interrogation and extreme hardship as the authorities sought
to force him to recant his beliefs. 
• Most of the Soka Members retreated but neither Makiguchi nor Toda yielded to
Authority. Makiguchi died of malnutrition and old age in prison in November 1944.
Introduction to Nicherine Buddhism
• Was introduced to teachings of 13th-century Buddhist reformer Nichiren
Daishonin by a colleague in June 1928.
• Makiguchi Sensei was particularly impressed by Nichiren’s treatise “On
Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land,” which was
written in dialogue form between a host, representing Nichiren, and a
guest, someone inquiring about the state of society and how to discern
correct Buddhist teachings from erroneous ones.
• He seems to have related to the concerns voiced by the guest in the
treatise and was convinced by Nichiren’s responses. In that sense,
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi was convinced to practice Nichiren Buddhism by
Nichiren Daishonin himself.
 Values and Ideology
• He understood the importance of education and
worked intensively on opportunities to provide
education to everyone (any class whether men or
women)
• He was an early advocate of the idea of
community studies
• Makiguchi refined his educational theories into
practical form. As an educator, Makiguchi was
devoted to the happiness of children, and worked
assiduously to ensure that economically
disadvantaged children were given equal
opportunities.