

Buddhas of the Henro: Bishamonten
Bishamonten (Sanskrit"Vaiśravaṇa") has been one of Japan's most popular deities since Buddhism's arrival in the 6th century. Dressed in a warrior's armor, he holds a spear in his right hand and a Stupa or "Treasure Tower" in his left.
10 hours ago6 min read
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Buddhas of the Henro: Kannon
An image of Kannon from the Chichibu Kannon Pilgrimage Route Kanzeon (more commonly Kannon), the Bodhisattva of Compassion, is the...
Feb 245 min read
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How to Pray on the Henro
Last year I made a couple of videos about the standard Henro prayer service done by most modern pilgrims for people to learn and practice...
Jan 81 min read
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Buddhas of the Henro: Dainichi Nyorai
A wooden image of Dainichi Nyorai from Fukusho-ji Temple in Wakayama Pref. In the center of Shingon's mandalas we find a youthful figure,...
Dec 24, 20244 min read
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Buddhas of the Henro: Jizō
For thousands of years, Buddhist art has vividly depicted the scene of the Buddha's death. In Japanese these are called nehan-zu...
Aug 5, 20243 min read
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Goeika: Songs of the Shikoku Pilgrimage
Several months ago I started working on poetic translations of the Goeika (御詠歌 - Sacred Songs) of the Shikoku Henro. Goeika are waka ,...
Jul 24, 20249 min read
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Buddhas of the Henro: Amida Nyorai
The smashing popularity of the show Shogun seems to have brought the martial history of Japan back into the Western cultural spotlight....
Jul 2, 20244 min read
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