Hello everyone. How do you do?

I am Junsei Nagayoshi. I will begin my training here at the Nichiren Mission of Hawaii. I am very grateful and honored to be given the opportunity, by the grace of the Odaimoku, to be able to be with and to speak to all of you.

I am 29 years old. I am from Omuta City of Fukuoka Prefecture in Japan. A town such as Omuta is not so big with under 100,000 people. Omuta City is close to a mountain and near the Ariake sea which is famous for its sea weed. There is a Miike coal mine which is famous for the Tankou bushi song and dance. Fukuoka is next to Saga where is the hometown of Rev. & Mrs. Hirai and Rev. Maeda.

I have parents, an older brother and a younger brother. My parents run a barbershop, so a temple is not my birth place. But my parents attend the temple very eagerly and they are very devoted to Lotus Sutra and Odaimoku. When I was little, I sat at the family altar with my family and remember praying together. Watching my parents praying, I was blessed in the link to Buddhism and decision gradually arose to become a minister.

At the age of 18, I trained at Shimanobo in Mt. Minobu, Yamanashi for about 1 year. But I broke my foot in an accident and sitting straight was not possible. Later I entered night classes at Rissho University of Tokyo. While attending classes, I trained at a temple in Tokyo. But, my foot did not heal nicely. I could not sit in Seiza. I left the temple and lived in an apartment. I attend classes between my part time jobs.

After graduation from Rissho University, I trained at Joshinji temple in Kotoku for five years. Also my older brother is a minister and works at Joshinji temple, so there was a time when I trained together with my brother. I had attended a special propagation program for ministers at Minobusan for six months.

When I worked at Joshinji temple, I thought that it would be very wonderful if all the people in the world united into one with the Lotus Sutra and the Odaimoku although we all had different backgrounds such as nationalities, races, language and others. I hoped to be an overseas minister. That's why I am here at Nichiren Mission of Hawaii.

I know that I need to learn English more and more. I may not be able to understand what you are saying and to tell you what I want to say. You may have a hard time to communicate with me. However, I will try my best to know you and want to share both joy and sorrow together with you. I want to be a minister standing by your side all the way. And, I wish to go to Minobusan together someday.

Thank you very much.