Overview
Roughly hewed, smiling statues of deities and Buddhas... A monk named Enku is believed to have sculpted some 120,000 in Gifu Prefecture, which are beloved to this day. We discover the stunning nature and culture of this area by following in the monk-sculptor's footsteps. We see where he practiced shugendo—rigorous mountain spiritual training; and where he stopped to create his charismatic statues. Actor Jonathan Senior travels to places associated with Enku to learn about his enduring legacy.
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16 - 1The Mountain Spirit of Shiiba Village February 04, 2025 -
16 - 2Kyushu: Land of Samurai Swords February 18, 2025 -
16 - 3Enku's 120,000 Smiles Over Gifu February 25, 2025 -
16 - 4Hokuriku 1: Foods and Flavors of the Trading Ships March 04, 2025 -
16 - 5 -
16 - 6Gunma: Raking in Good Luck March 18, 2025 -
16 - 7Hida: Deep Winter Escape March 25, 2025 -
16 - 8Hokkaido Sapporo: Sensing the City Through Its Architecture April 01, 2025 -
16 - 9NIIGATA: SNOW COUNTRY WONDERLAND April 15, 2025 -
16 - 10Wakayama: The Cradle of Japan's Flavors May 13, 2025 -
16 - 11Kure Port, Kochi — The Lure of Katsuo May 27, 2025 -
16 - 12Izu Peninsula: Volcanic Beauty June 10, 2025 -
16 - 13Nagaoka: Water, the Wellspring of Abundance June 24, 2025 -
16 - 14Matagi: Yamagata’s Spiritual Hunter-Gatherers July 01, 2025 -
16 - 15Nishio: Whisking up the Global Matcha Boom July 08, 2025 -
16 - 16Tochigi: Life Away from the Sea July 22, 2025 -
16 - 17Okinawa: A World in Bloom August 05, 2025 -
16 - 18With Isabella Bird — Part 6: On the Road to Biratori August 12, 2025 -
16 - 19SHAKOTAN: Out of the Blue, Into the Flames August 19, 2025 -
16 - 20The Ontake Kodo Path to Sacred Peak September 16, 2025 -
16 - 21Mishima: Festival Rhythms Run Deep September 30, 2025 -
16 - 22Higashikawa: Picture-Perfect Town October 14, 2025 -
16 - 23Kochi Shimanto River: Pristine Water and Premium Fishing October 28, 2025 -
16 - 24Discovering Japan's Hidden Christians November 18, 2025 -
16 - 25Hiking the San'in Coast: Tottori November 25, 2025 -
16 - 26Unearthing a Love for Seto December 16, 2025 -
16 - 27SHIMANE: In Search of Izumo's Gardens Past and Present December 23, 2025


