For Takeshi Nishide's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
A Shinto priest in charge of a Kyoto nursery school is taking an unconventional approach to early education, seeking to "see what cannot be seen" in children to help nurture their development. Itsuki Murota took the helm of the Iwaya Nursery School in Yamashina Ward ...
The experience of standing by her father's deathbed prompted Jito Sasaki to quit her university job and become a Buddhist nun devoted to hospice care and the emotional and spiritual needs of terminally ill patients. Sasaki was born into an ordinary household and majored in ...
A workaholic-turned Buddhist priest is using his sense of humor to support the aged, according to Buddhist teachings that call on believers to help reduce suffering caused by the four immutable facts of human life — birth, aging, illness and death. "I'll get Buddha to ...
Japanese funerals are traditionally overseen by a Buddhist priest at the deceased's village temple. But people drifting to the cities are increasingly looking for alternatives as ties to their ancestral home loosen. Funeral services are increasingly being supervised by new religious groups and in some ...
A pair of Zen priests have been causing a stir with their campaign to spread a new interpretation of Buddhism in Japan that combines practices from separate branches of the ancient religion. Issho Fujita and Ryodo Yamashita have been running workshops around the country based ...
Gashin Tomomitsu, a 30-year-old Buddhist monk, has organized unique spiritual and cultural events over the past four years, attracting young people who would otherwise have little religious interaction in their daily lives. Offering a chance to experience chanting, flower arrangement, sutra copying and other traditional ...
Taiwan is a leader in Asia in spiritual care, integrating medicine and religion to ease the fear of death for terminally ill patients. When a Japanese group of Buddhist priests and others recently visited a hospital for hospice care run by the Tzu Chi Foundation, ...
A travel agency executive who has spent half a century going abroad believes overseas trips and people-level exchanges help build understanding of the importance of world peace. Jungo Kikuma, 61-year-old chairman of the Japan Association of Travel Agents, is promoting such trips to mark the ...
Women are entering another traditional, male-dominated field in Japan — the Shinto priesthood — at a slow but steadily increasing pace. Nobuyo Otagaki, 43, is one pioneering female Shinto priest, making an unusual career shift from flight attendant. Otagaki was born into a Shinto shrine, ...
In an effort to broaden the understanding of Buddhism among the lay population, some followers are using a traditional form of Japanese storytelling as a teaching tool. Professional storyteller Kyokudo Nankai, 49, is one of the leaders. In late December, Nankai told the story of ...
