Shinjō Itō

Shinjō Itō (伊藤真乗; March 28, 1906 – July 19, 1989) was the Japanese founder of Shinnyo-en, a Buddhist new religious group.

He was born in Yamanashi Prefecture in Japan. After a career as an aeronautic engineer, he dedicated himself to a religious life. He trained at the Daigo-ji monastery and became a Dai-Ajari of Shingon Buddhism and later founded Shinnyo-en in 1936.

Besides his work as a Buddhist teacher, Itō is also known as a Buddhist sculptor and photographer. His works were featured in a Centennial Exhibition throughout Japan in 2006 and a major exhibit at the Milk Gallery in New York City in 2008. Other exhibitions include a solo exhibit at the Westwood Art Forum in Westwood, Los Angeles, California from May 8, 2008 – June 29, 2008.

Works

• Ito, Shinjo, Shinjo: Reflections, Somerset Hall Press, 2009.

Further reading

• Kido, Shuri (2019), Sculpting the Buddha Within: The Life and Thought of Shinjo Ito. Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 9781614296195
• Collins, Casey Ray (2015), Mapping the Garden of Truth: Buddhist and idiosyncratic elements in the religious space of Shinnyo-en, Vancouver: The University of British Columbia, doi:10.14288/1.0166249
• Dignan, Stephen (21 February 2008), "In Sculpture, Closer to Joy", THe New York Sun, retrieved 10 April 2012
• Yabuuchi, Y.; Miles, M. R.; Enomoto, T. (2008), The Vision and Art of Shinjo Ito, Alinari 24 Ore, ISBN 978-886302002-1

External links

• Official website
• Buddhist Master Shinjo Ito Honored at Milk Gallery, Art Knowledge News
• Shinjo Ito Center