Franklin Street appears to be undergoing a bit of a renaissance—it’s possible I’m overexcited about Billy’s Bakery opening this Saturday—but one storefront seems slightly out of place. Between Church and Broadway is a store with “Happy Science” in dignified lettering above the door. “Who is Ryuho Okawa?” asks a poster in the window. Forgive me for not going in, but I thought it best to poke around online first. According to the Happy Science NY website, Ryuho Okawa is the president and founder of Happy Science, and “he has devoted his life to the exploration of the Truth and bringing happiness to people all around the world.”

But wait, there’s more: “He was born on July 7th, 1956, in Tokushima, Japan. After graduating from the University of Tokyo, he joined a Tokyo-based trading house. While working at its New York headquarters, he studied finance at the City University of New York. On March 23rd, 1981, he achieved Great Enlightenment, and awakened to the hidden part of consciousness, El Cantare, whose mission is to bring happiness to all humanity. In October 1986 he established Happy Science to convey the Truth.” Okawa gives lectures and designs spiritual workshops, and he has published over 500 books and produced films based on his works.

According to the website, Okawa’s acolytes do the sort of things one might expect—”reading the books of Master Okawa,” “watching lecture videos at local branches,” “attending weekly prayer services,” “hosting open public seminars”—but there are also less insular pursuits, such as “supporting charity activities in Africa and Asia” (which presumably include some missionary behavior), “hosting ‘Friends Against Suicide Campaigns,'” and “hosting ‘Anti-Bullying Campaigns’ for schools.” Visitors to the New York outpost can attend book clubs, tea parties, and meditation sessions. There are also prayer sessions devoted to topics such as fighting infectious diseases. Visiting hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

I called to find out when the New York outpost opened, and was told it was last year. (Guess I need to get to Franklin Street more often! I suppose Billy’s Bakery will help with that goal….) There’s surprisingly little about Happy Science on the Internet—beyond what has been posted by members—so if anyone ventures inside for a closer look, please drop me a line to know what it was like.