マクロビオティックの創始者 桜沢如一とは
桜沢如一は、いまや世界に広がりを見せるマクロビオティックの提唱者です。如一は「ゆきかず」（通称「じょいち」や「にょいち」とも呼ばれる）と読み、海外ではジョージ・オーサワ(George Ohsawa)として知られます。
1893年（明治26年）10月18日に京都で生を受け、明治、大正、昭和の激動期を駆け抜け、1966年（昭和年41年）4月24日、享年74歳でこの世を去りました。
生い立ちと「食養」との出会い
貧困と病気の家庭に育ち、父の家出、母と3人の弟妹を結核で失い、自身も同じ病気で倒れた17才の時に、石塚左玄の「食養」に出会います。食物だけで健康になる方法を体得した如一は、1912年、苦学しつつ京都府立第一商業高校を卒業し、貿易商店に入社、実業界に活躍しながら、食養運動を続けます。そして、1924年には、左玄の残した「食養会」の復興に専念し、人生を「食養」の普及に捧げます。
フランス留学と食養会での活躍
桜沢如一は、石塚左玄の食養の原理である「夫婦アルカリ論」に、東洋哲学の原理である陰陽論を見出し、「食養」を単なる健康法だけでなく、宇宙の真理に至る精神の修養法としての可能性を見出します。1927年には「食養」を世界に広めるため、パリへ無銭旅行を敢行、「食養」の原理説明のため、ソルボンヌ大学やパスツール研究所に学びます。1931年、東洋の精神文化と西洋の物質文化を統合した原理の書、『東洋の哲学及び科学の無双原理』をパリで出版し、世界での「食養」普及の第一歩を踏み出し、1937年に、「食養会」の会長に就任し、月刊「食養」購読者は一万人の盛況をみました。
思想家・哲学者・平和運動家として
戦前、戦中、戦後と激動の時代を生きた桜沢如一は、マクロビオティックの思想や哲学が世界の平和へつながると考え、膨大な著作、講演、教育、研究活動を行ないました。1940年には、陰陽論に基づいた「無双原理」普及のため、食養会を脱会、滋賀県大津に「無双原理講究会」を設立し、「食養運動」から、桜沢の哲学や思想がより反映された「マクロビオティック運動」へ展開して行きます。また、1941年から45年までは、反戦平和活動を活発に行ない第二次世界大戦集結の際には、ソ連に和平調停を申し出にソ満国境の突破を図ったり、戦後はGHQの政策に異を唱え、公職追放を食らったりと社会活動家としても数々の逸話を残します。1945年には「真生活運動」として全国の実践者にマクロビオティック食品を届け、1947年には、「世界政府運動」として、多くの青年を教育し海外に送り出し、活発な普及活動に徹します。
世界を股にかけたマクロビオティック運動
桜沢如一の運動は、常に世界を見据えます。1953年には60才にして、自らインド、アフリカに辻説法を展開し、ランバレーネでは、ノーベル平和賞を受賞したシュバイツァー博士とマクロビオティックの優位性を証明するため対峙します。1956年にはヨーロッパ各地で講演活動を展開し、多数の協力者、共鳴者を得て、パリ市功労賞を授与されます。晩年は、フランスの科学者ルイ・ケルブランと協調した常温での原子転換の研究の推進や日本文化の研究と実践に務めている欧米人を一同に集める世界精神文化オリンピックの開催の企画などに情熱を傾けながら、1966年に逝去しました。著書は300余冊、英仏語の著書や外国語への翻訳多数、主要国に関連する研究・運動団体があり、特に先進国の自然食運動に大きな影響を与えた人物です。
The Founder of Macrobiotics
Yukikazu(Nyoichi or Jyoichi) Sakurazawa, also known as George Ohsawa (GO), is the proponent of macrobiotics which now has spread worldwide. He was born in Kyoto on October 18, 1893. He lived struggling through three periods – Meiji, Taisyo, and Showa – until he died on April 24, 1966 at the age of 74.
Background
He was born in poverty and destitution. His father went away home soon after his birth, and his mother and three siblings died of tuberculosis before he turned 15. He himself also came close to death at 17, and then he made miraculous encounter with “Shokuyo” (or dietetics) of Sagen Ishizuka. After mastering the way to become healthy only through foods, GO graduated from commercial high school in Kyoto in 1912. Before long he became well known in the business world working at a trading company while continuing Shokuyo movement. In 1924 he was determined to put his whole energy on Shokuyo-kai (or association) and devoted his life to the popularization of Shokuyo.
HFrance
GO discovered the traditional oriental principle of yin-yang in Sagen Ishizuka’s Na-K principle known as “Fu-fu (or Marital) Alkaline Theory”. This discovery led him to further find possibilities in Shokuyo to make it the sole approach to the spiritual self-discipline toward the universal truth. It got beyond mere simple healthy dietetics. GO embarked on penny-less journey to Paris in 1927 determined to spread Shokuyo worldwide. He studied at the Sorbonne and Institut Pasteur seeking for the better explanation for the oriental principle of yin-yang. In 1931 he wrote in French “Oriental philosophy and scientific Principle of Unique”. The underlying principle of this book was the integration of spiritual culture in the east and material culture in the west. In 1937 GO became the principal of Shokuyo-kai. The monthly magazine “Shokuyo” was read by over ten-thousand people.
Philosopher and Peace activist
Living through unsteady periods in pre-war, during-war, and past-war, GO realized macrobiotic thinking and philosophy was the key to world peace and did huge amount of writing, lecturing, educating, and studying to achieve this noble goal. In 1940 he left Shokuyo-kai for further popularization of yin-yang theory “Principle of Unique”. GO set up “Center for Research on Principle of Unique” in Otsu, Shiga, which resulted in transforming traditional Shokuyo movement to his Macrobiotics movement. During the war period from 1941 to 1945 GO was well-known earnest peace activist. For one thing he tried to break through Soviet-Manchu border for peace arrangement with Soviet Union. And for another he was arrested because of his protest against the policies of GHQ. He started “True Life Movement” in 1945 and delivered macrobiotic foods to his fellow macrobiotic people nationwide. As “World Government Movement” GO began educating and sending out many youths to overseas in 1947 for the purpose of further promotion of macrobiotics.
Macrobiotic worldwide
George Ohsawa_WEBGO had always been aware of what was happening in the world. In 1953 at the age of 60 he went to India and Africa for street preaching to teach the local macrobiotics. He confronted a novel peace prize winner Dr. Albert Schweitzer in Lambarene, Gabon in order to convince him of the superiority of macrobiotics. In 1956 GO conducted lecturing at many places in Europe and gained many supporters and advocates. He was bestowed Paris city prize for his selfless services. In the later years he was eager to study transmutation in the normal temperature with a French scientist Dr. Louis Kervran. He was also keen on planning to hold Spiritual culture Olympics where many westerners with high intellect on Japanese culture gathered around. GO died in 1966 without fulfilling his last dream. GO wrote more than 300 books. Some of the books were translated into English, French, and other languages. There are a large number of macrobiotic institutes and organizations overseas. GO was also one of the greatest person who influenced natural foods movement in the developed world.
