Asia

Fire-walking at Mount Takao
Mount Takao is located in a western, wooded stretch of greater Tokyo. It is a prime destination to take in the seasons and escape the asphalt island that is the rest of the city. Plum and cherry blossoms in the spring and crimson maples in the autumn attract the most visitors. An old temple, Yakuōin,…

“I Only Desire”: Poet Monks
Running into a monk at a hostess bar in Kyoto was as jarring to me as bumping into a rowdy rabbi or Baptist minister at a strip club. Though all may marry, there is still something incongruous when holy men revel at establishments where women are the entertainment. But maybe I shouldn’t have been so…

Searching for Sufis
When you look for mystics in a war-torn land, you might find them hiding right in front of you.

Brand Name Buddhism
For Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, it’s alright to get a little dirty, so long as you know which detergent will get your karma clean.