Good morning, everyone, and congratulations on the completion of the Mokichi Okada Memorial Museum.

I would like to start by expressing my deepest appreciation to our distinguished guests for taking the time from your very busy schedule to attend this ceremony and for your continuous support and understanding in our activities. Just a while ago, we observed a religious service to offer our thanks to God for the successful completion of the museum and now, I am delighted to hold this inauguration ceremony together with all of you. Let me express my most sincere gratitude to those of you who have been involved in the designing and the construction of the museum including its beautiful interior garden. I am particularly thankful that you understood our ideas and wishes for the museum and materialized them in such a perfect manner.

For us, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of our religion. I am certain that the successive spiritual leaders, founding pioneers as well as many reverends and ministers who built the foundations of our Church are truly happy that the Memorial Museum is completed in this commemorative year. To us who look up to, revere and love Mokichi Okada, or Meishu-sama, as we call him respectfully, the completion of the museum that bears his name brings enormous joy. I hereby would like to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all the followers who made a financial contribution to this project and/or volunteered to take part in the construction work. Without your great efforts, we would never have been able to see the completion of the museum.

To the guests who have just toured the museum, let me say one thing. This Memorial Museum just opened today. Like our founder who always strived to make steady progress throughout his life, I am determined to improve how we utilize this place and what we exhibit, so please do revisit from time to time.

Mokichi Okada has left us a calligraphy that reads “Heaven Exists Within My Heart.” When I see this calligraphy, I always feel that our founder is trying to teach us that not only within his heart, but within each one of our hearts, there exists heaven – the true home of our soul. Our founder constructed three beautiful gardens in Hakone, Atami and Kyoto, which we regard as our sacred grounds and are open to anyone. I believe he has left us these three gardens so that we can recall the heaven existing within our hearts.

Mokichi Okada held a deep respect and admiration for the city of Kyoto, its beauty and history. When I reflect on the fact that this Memorial Museum has been built in this great city, I feel that our founder is trying to teach us the importance of understanding and appreciating the culture and the beauty of Kyoto. Hand in hand with the people of Kyoto, we are therefore determined to make progress and to continue seeking the true essence of what our founder has taught us. I sincerely hope that those who visit the Mokichi Okada Memorial Museum will be able to perceive their inner heaven and its perfect tranquility and feel as if they live in heaven or the “House of Tranquility,” as I like to call this place.

To close, I would like to once again express my deepest gratitude to the distinguished guests who are here today and ask for your continuing support.

Thank you very much.