Hokkekō

Hokkekō (法 華 講, Hokke kō) is the mainstream lay organization affiliated with the Nichiren Shōshū. It traces its origins to three martyr disciples who were arrowed and later beheaded in the Atsuhara persecutions and a more recent tradition of family lineages between 1726 and 1829 who have historically protected the Dai-Gohonzon over the centuries.

The word Hokke is a reference to the Lotus Sūtra (妙 法 蓮 華 經 Myōhō-Renge-Kyō or 法 華 經 Hokekyō), the Buddhist scripture Nichiren Shōshū bases its teachings on, and kō (講) in this usage means "lay group" or "congregation". Based on the word Hokke Shu inscribed on the Dai Gohonzon, another translation is "Lotus believers". As part of its official doctrine, the same sect teaches that Nichiren designated this term for his own followers during his lifetime.

The Hokkekō lay memberships are headed by local leaders called Koto, and are not affiliated with any political organization. Hokkekō members meet in residential homes and hold a local chapter each year to plan their Tozan religious pilgrimages to the Taisekiji temple.

Prior to 27 December 1997, lay members of the Sōka Gakkai were considered by Nichiren Shōshū to be equal to Hokkekō members, entitled to participate in meetings and see the Dai-Gohonzon, allowing a 7-year span before officially ending their sectarian membership, which went into effect on 1 December 1997. The current Dai-Koto Chairperson for the Hokkekō Federation is Mr. Koichiro Hoshino.