The new year brings a fresh start, symbolized in some cultures by the cherubic baby New Year who replaces the old year that ...

In Japan, children look forward to a visit from Hotei, a jolly Japanese god with a rotund frame. Ganref As Christmas approaches, children in many parts of the world look forward to a visit from the ...

TOKYO — What is the meaning of happiness? Why not ask AI Buddha, a tool made by Japanese researchers that brings spiritual guidance from ancient scriptures to your smartphone. The software, ...

The great number of Buddha statues Japan boasts are cherished not only as artworks but also as relics from ancient times. The appearances and expressions of Buddha statues that are over a thousand ...

Tucked away in the folds of the peaceful mountain town of Sasaguri, just north of the bustling city of Fukuoka, rests the Buddhist retreat of Nanzo-in temple where a bronze titan can be found jutting ...

There the Great Buddha of Kamakura sits, as he has done for hundreds of years, with a gentle smile on his face. He’s the same green as the Statue of Liberty but, unlike her, is seated—and not standing ...

A bag of 'Snot from the nose of the Great Buddha' sweets Priests at one of Japan's most famous temples have taken steps to block the sale of a sweet marketed as the "Snot from the nose of the Great ...

(The Conversation) — Hotei, a Japanese god who carries a large sack, has come to be identified with Santa Claus – except that he brings the goodies on New Year’s Day instead of Christmas. (The ...

The software, co-developed by a team of religion and computing academics at Kyoto University, has been programmed to memorise around 1,000 teachings from Buddhist texts such as the Sutta Nipata and ...