Researcher Lives Inside Japanese Fuji Mountain Cult for Three Months and Publishes Findings

Dr. Shahar Lilia Griffin, a 36-year-old researcher from Tel Aviv, spent three months living with the "Sakoya Family," a community of about 90 members at the base of Mount Fuji, Japan. Invited as a researcher from Kyoto University, Griffin adopted the community's lifestyle, which involves strict routines, communal living, and spiritual practices aimed at raising humanity's spiritual level. The Sakoya Family, founded in 1994 by Isami Okawa (nicknamed Okumon), lives as a chosen family rather than by blood ties, practicing sustainable agriculture and working every day of the year to achieve spiritual elevation.

Okawa claims a spiritual transformation guided by Shinto beliefs led him to establish the community, which members describe as a cult due to its closed nature, strict leadership, minimal outside contact, and relinquishment of personal property. Griffin's doctoral research, now published as a book, reveals the community's history and personal stories shared openly by members, including those who joined to escape difficult pasts. One poignant story is of Mai, a 39-year-old widow and mother of two, who fled an abusive previous cult and struggles with guilt over her ex-husband's suicide.

Griffin noted the intense mental and physical demands of the community's lifestyle, which leaves little time for personal reflection and requires members to suppress their egos. Despite the challenges, she was warmly received and had to constantly remind herself she was an observer, not a participant. Leaving the community was marked by a heartfelt farewell ceremony, including gifts of organic produce. The community insists membership is for life, though Griffin learned some members have left, sometimes leading to disputes over returned contributions.

The Sakoya Family's daily schedule is rigorous, with work from early morning until evening, communal meals, and nightly meetings. Griffin's research sheds light on the complex dynamics of this spiritual community and its appeal to individuals seeking healing and transformation through strict communal living and spiritual discipline.