Saichiro Fujita

Saichirō Fujita (藤田左弌郎, Fujita Saichirō, 1886 – 1976), a native of Yamaguchi Prefecture,[1][2] was the second Japanese to become a member of the Bahá'í Faith from Japan. He was also distinguished by serving for many years at the Bahá'í World Centre through many of the heads of the religion from the time of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, the period of the Custodians, and then the Universal House of Justice.[3]

While attending school in Oakland, California he joined the religion in 1904-5.[4] Later he met `Abdu'l-Bahá during his journeys to the West in 1912. Initially Fujita was living in Cleveland working for a Doctor Barton-Peek, a female Bahá'í, but failed to meet `Abdu'l-Bahá as he came through. Later on `Abdu'l-Bahá's next trip west Fujita caught up with him when he reached Chicago at the home of Corinne True[1][5] and from there traveled with `Abdu'l-Bahá to the west coast and back.[2] During the trip there was an incident similar to the well known one of Louis George Gregory in that at a dinner a place at the table was not set for Fujita and `Abdu'l-Baha asked for a place be set.[4]

Fujita was separated from `Abdu'l-Bahá when he left the United States[6] until 1919 when `Abdu'l-Bahá offered an invitation for him to server the interests of the religion in Haifa at the Bahá'í World Centre as it came to be called.[2] During his lifetime two tablets were addressed to Fujita specifically by `Abdu'l-Bahá. Siegfried Schopflocher, who would later be appointed a Hand of the Cause, converted to the Bahá'í Faith during a meeting with Fujita in 1921 shortly after the death of `Abdu'l-Bahá.[7]

From his arrival in Haifa Fujita would serve the rest of his life there except during the tensions of World War II. At the end of World War II contact was re-established with Fujita after some searching[8] by Michael Jamir[2] and later Fujita was able to return to continue to serve at the Bahá'í World Center. He attended the first Asian Regional Teaching Conference, held in Nikko, Japan, 1955.[9]

Until his death in 1976 he continued to serve in Haifa.[10]

He is buried in Haifa.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Alexander, Agnes Baldwin (1977). Barbara Sims, ed. History of the Bahá'í Faith in Japan 1914-1938. Osaka, Japan: Japan Bahá'í Publishing Trust. pp. 4–5, 35.
  2. 1 2 3 4 R. Sims, Barbara (1989). Traces That Remain: A Pictorial History of the Early Days of the Bahá'í Faith Among the Japanese. Osaka, Japan: Japan Bahá'í Publishing Trust. pp. 1–2, 41–50.
  3. ↑ JOURNEY TO HAIFA
  4. 1 2 3 Interview of Sachiro Fujita, by Sylvia Ioas
  5. ↑ Mahmúd's Diary (on Thursday, September 12, 1912)
  6. ↑ Hiru no Hoshi Archived 2014-04-22 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ Schopflocher, Siegfried (1877–1953)
  8. ↑ BAHÁ'Í world: an international record. Vol. 16: 1973-1976
  9. ↑ The Macau Bahá'í Community in the Early Years Archived 2008-11-21 at the Wayback Machine., Compiled by Barbara R. Sims, 1991, page 15-16
  10. ↑ Bábí and Bahá'í history, Volume 1 By Moojan Momen
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