Japanology Plus - Season 7 - Eps 16: Japanophiles: Gyoei Saile
Kohfukuji, a World Heritage Site, is a prominent Buddhist temple in Nara, western Japan. One of its priests is Gyoei Saile, from Germany. In a Japanophiles interview, he tells Peter Barakan how his interest in Buddhism developed, and we learn about the extremely difficult exam he had to pass in order to become eligible to assume the abbacy of Kohfukuji. Saile also takes us through his daily routine, and offers thoughts on the role that Buddhism can play in contemporary Japan.
About Japanology Plus

Title: Japanology Plus
First Air Date: 2014-04-03
Last Air Date: 2025-03-13
Status: Returning Series
Rating: 6.4/10 (from 5 votes)
Language: EN
Seasons: 13
Total Episodes: 330
Network: NHK WORLD-JAPAN
Genres: Documentary, Talk
Production Companies: NHK, NHK Educational
Synopsis
Host Peter Barakan delves into various aspects of Japanese culture; exploring practices, history, and modern innovations in such areas as ramen, rice, sushi, geisha, bonsai, and so much more. Local experts discuss their passions at fascinating length, and American Japanophile Matt Alt experiences the food, practices, and cultures in each episode in depth. Viewers will finish each half hour episode with a new understanding of an area of Japanese life through demonstrative videos and explanations, all delivered respectfully and true to the Japanese way of life.
Cast

Peter Barakan
Self - Host