2008 November District General Meetings
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (1871-1944), was an educator and scholar who regarded the creation of values that are conducive to a happy life as the purpose of education. He encountered the teachings of Nichiren and the Lotus Sutra that resonated well with his own philosophy of value. In June 1928 Makiguchi converted to Nichiren Shoshu, one of the Nichiren schools and made the Lotus Sutra the foundation of his philosophy. He wrote The System of Value-Creating Pedagogy, which was published by Toda and listed as the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai (Value-Creating Education Society).
On November 18, 1930 Value Creating Society - a Buddhist lay organization was founded by Tsunesaburo Makiguchi who became its first president, and his disciple, Josei Toda (1900-1958) who later became its second president. November 18, 1930, is regarded as the founding date of the Soka Gakkai. At that time, the group primarily consisted of teachers and educators interested in Makiguchi’s educational theories and practice. Although the society met informally, it was not until 1937 that its inaugural ceremony was held in Tokyo with more than sixty members. At the first general meeting in December 1939, Makiguchi was named president of the society and Toda general director. Three to four hundred members gathered at the second general meeting in 1940. The membership of the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai increased to some three thousand by the early 1940s.
Makiguchi died in prison at age seventy-three on November 18, 1944, having continued to challenge the religious and political views of his captors until the end.
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