Mt. Koya’s 1200th Anniversary Commemorative Production

Anxiety and doubt often comes into life. This is a story of me becoming an abbot at age 24, and the journey thereafter of finding my way.

Cry, laugh, and be healed –
The birth of a “monk” entertainment piece, filled with hints to our life.

Koen Shirakata, age 24. With the sudden death of his grandfather, he became an Abbot of Eifukuji, the 57th of 88 temples on the Shikoku pilgrimage route. Although he was born and raised in this temple, stepping into the Buddhist world as a monk was a much deeper experience than he had ever imagined. At times getting excited seeing special monk tools for the first time, or meeting unique monks, while also worrying about relations with worshippers of the temple. As a monk, he observes people’s weddings and funerals, but also has to act as the “face” of the community. Through observing many people’s lives and deaths, it is a natural part of the job to ponder about the meaning of life and death. What can the rookie monk Koen do? And what messages can he convey? Through much trial and error, Koen grows bigger also as a person…