Seisen-Ryo

Abstract

Chapter 7 joins Rusch after he retired from the army, having arrived in the United States to begin his nationwide fund-raising tour for Seisen-Ryo. Rusch envisioned a rural life training center, and by that time Communism was seen as an increasing threat by American citizens, a development that favored Rusch’s attempts to raise money on the theory that Rusch’s enterprise could help teach the Japanese “Christian democracy.” Rusch often asserted that the Japanese would accept Western values, such as democracy and Christianity, if they were “wrapped in a kimono.” Part of Rusch’s initiative was to teach the Japanese Western methods of agriculture, including the introduction of a dairy farming to highland Japan. Toward that end, Rusch made an effort to send both dairy and beef cattle to Kiyosato, with some humorous results. Though Rusch received the support of the Episcopal Church in the beginning, after a while Rusch’s connections to the church waned as he tried to appeal to a broader audience. Because of his efforts to build youths’ interest in farming through a kind of 4-H program, Seisen-Ryo hosted the first county fair, a regional festival that became an enduring trademark of the lodge and the region.