November 8, 2008
He was the first
Canadian-raised minister to head the largest Buddhist
organization in Canada and now, after faithfully serving
the Buddhist community for over five decades, Reverend
Susumu Kyojo Ikuta is retiring.
Kyojo Ikuta was born Kyoto, Japan in 1926. At the age of
ten, his family immigrated to Canada. He grew up in New
Westminster, B.C. with his mother, Mino and four siblings.
Kyojo Ikuta would continue the work of his father, Rev.
Shinjo Ikuta. The senior Ikuta was an early pioneer Jodo
Shinsu Buddhist Minister.
During WWII, like all Japanese-Canadians living on the
Canadian west coast, the Ikuta family was removed from B.C.
during the internment of people with Japanese ancestry. The
Ikuta family was relocated to Raymond, Alberta and Susuma
spent his teenage years working on a sugar beet farm. The
uprooting almost ended Japanese Buddhism and institutional
Buddhism in Canada. But, the hard times would lead to a
spiritual re-awakening. According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, Alberta would
eventually become the most important place for Buddhism
in Canada and would further become the birthplace of the
academic study of Buddhism in all of North America.
The lifting of the War Measures Act in 1949 restored
freedom to those who were interned. And while some Japanese
Buddhists returned to BC, many would stay in Alberta. Kyojo
explored this new freedom and attended the University of
Toronto where he received his Masters in Philosophy. His
quest for spiritual knowledge would continue. He attended
and received his kyoshi (minister training) at Ryukoku
University in Japan. During this time, he also met his
wife, Teruko.
With his new bride, Reverend Kyojo Ikuta returned to Canada
and was first assigned to work at the Kelowna Buddhist Temple. He
later moved to the Vancouver Buddhist Church were he
resided until 1965. Further studies brought him back to
Japan, where Rev. Ikuta obtained his PhD in
Buddhism.
Sensei Ikuta with family and
friends at the JSBTC 2008 AGM in Vancouver
Rev. Ikuta returned to Canada
in 1970, and served as the Head Minister of the Calgary
Buddhist Temple. In 1998, he was elected to become the
Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of Canada. The Bishop was
the spiritual leader of temple ministers and reported to
the Hongwanji, the mother temple in Kyoto, Japan. Rev.
Ikuta later returned to the Calgary Buddhist Temple and was the
Head Minister until his retirement in 2008.
During his time in Calgary, Rev. Ikuta also became a
business entrepreneur opening many restaurants, including
the successful “Edo Japan” franchise. Always caring
for his small congregation, he created this venture so
that the Calgary temple was able to have a full-time
minister, without the burden of his income.
Full of energy, and devotion to the dharma, Rev. Ikuta
lectured and promoted Buddhism across Alberta. He
introduced study clubs on Buddhism and engaged in pastoral
care. He wrote and published articles and books. He also
taught at Calgary’s Mount Royal College. Also a fifth
degree black belt, he was instrumental in bringing the
Japanese sport of kendo to Calgary. But above all, his
proudest accomplishment are his four children, Grant,
Lester, Mari and Roland.
Rev. James Martin, once a student of
Rev. Ikuta, has respectfully succeeded Sensei Ikuta at
the Calgary Buddhist Temple.
WATCH HIS RETIREMENT VIDEO FROM THE
CALGARY BUDDHIST TEMPLE...