Sacred “Eternal Flame” Preserved After Fire Destroys Historic Buddhist Hall in Japan
Justin Whitaker
26 May 2026
Buddhist Temple hosting “eternal flame” in Japan burns down for second time since 2000
Kyoto University Researchers Introduce AI-Powered “Buddharoid” to Address Japan’s Aging Clergy
Justin Whitaker
26 February 2026
The initiative raises ethical and theological questions about spiritual authority and machine intelligence in contemporary Japan
Japan’s Temples and Shrines at Risk of Misuse amid Growing Sales
Justin Whitaker
24 September 2024
As a surge in the sale of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines sweeps across Japan, some are concerned about buyers exploiting religious properties for tax benefits
World’s Tallest Bronze Buddha Statue in Japan Undergoes Annual Cleaning
Justin Whitaker
10 September 2024
The 120-meter-tall statue was built to honor Shinran, the founder of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism
Book Review: Hakuin’s Song of Zazen
Raymond Lam
14 March 2024
Zen teacher Yamada Mumon Rōshi’s series of essays on Hakuin’s poem receives a rich and faithful English translation
“Homeless” Kodo Sawaki: From Brothel Worker to Buddhist Monk
Victor M. Parachin
31 January 2024
Exploring the life, teachings, and sayings of one of the important and insightful 20th century Zen masters in Japan
From Nichiren to Ikeda: The Soka Gakkai’s Socially Engaged Buddhism
Dipen Barua
27 December 2023
From Nichiren to Daisaku Ikeda, this is the story of one of the largest and most influential lay Buddhist organizations in the world
Buddhist Priest in Japan Combines Buddhist and Christian Iconography in New Art Piece
Justin Whitaker
14 December 2023
Buddhist priest worked with a Catholic painter to create a unique piece of art in the hopes of bridging divides between religions
What is Violence? Self-immolation in Japanese Buddhism
Gereon Kopf
22 November 2023
Digging into the question of harm and violence given a deep philosophical understanding of Buddhist concepts
Sangha Luso-Hispana Jinen-kô: An Online Shin Buddhist Community
Pearl Delores Smith Farmer
13 November 2023
An online sangha brings the Jodo Shinshu tradition to a Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking audience with Dharma talks, rituals, and connection
Court Orders Stolen Buddhist Statue in South Korea to be Returned to Japan
Justin Whitaker
30 October 2023
The statue was likely made in South Korea in 1330 but has spent most of its life enshrined in a temple in Japan
Where/What/When is nirvāṇa?
Gereon Kopf
16 October 2023
Most people with even some tangential knowledge of Buddhism have heard about the concept of “nirvāṇa.” But what is its significance for the pilgrims after weeks of solitary hiking ready to rejoin the society?