I Interviewed a Real Shugendo Monk in Japan

I interviewed a real Shugendo monk in Japan at Jingo-ji temple in Kyoto. Itoku is a Yamabushi practitioner who practices ascetic discipline in the Japanese mountains. In this fascinating interview I ask him why he practices Shugendo, what spirituality means to him, what his practice involves, whether Shingon Buddhism differs from Shugendo, and whether there is a distinction between doctrine and practice. Through his own words, we can better understand this ancient Japanese spiritual tradition, of which only a small amount of adherents remain. What emerges from the interview is a fascinating insight into a fading tradition, of loyalty towards Japanese customs and the desire to share with others the practice that helps many overcome adversity through discipline and connection with the wider environment.