Universal Life Force. The difference lies in the specifics, with the Supreme Spirit of the Universe originating from Shinto, and Gochi Nyorai originating from Buddhism. The third object is Gedatsu Kongo Sonja, in respect to his role as the founder of the church. The church holds multiple festivals annually to celebrate and appreciate the blessings they receive from ancestors and guardian spirits. Gedatsu-kai is non-sectarian, which allows it to be practiced in conjunction with other religions. The church, especially in the United States, is open to members of other religions to partake in church services. Location Gedatsu-kai has branches throughout Japan. The church's administrative headquarters are located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, but its sacred grounds, or goreichi, are located in the founder's home town in Kitamoto, Saitama. There are also several branches in the United States, where the organization is called "Gedatsu Church". The largest branches are located in Los Angeles, California, Sacramento, California, and Honolulu, Hawaii. The goreichi of the United States is located on the church grounds in Sacramento. References Bibliography Earhart, H. Byron. (1980). Gedatsukai: One life history and its significance for interpreting Japanese new religions , Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 7 (2-3), 227-257 Earhart, H. Byron. (1983). Review: Gedatsukai: Its Theory and Practice (A Study of a Shinto-Buddhist Syncretic School in Contemporary Japan) by Minoru Kiyota, Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 6 (1), 154-156 Hardacre, Helen (1991). Review: Gedatsu-Kai and Religion in Contemporary Japan: Returning to the Center by H. Byron Earhart, Journal of Japanese Studies 17 (1), 211-217 External links Gedatsu-kai website Gedatsu Church USA website Japanese new religions