Shugendô Now

This feature documentary is an experiential journey into the mystical practices of Japanese mountain asceticism. In Shugendo (The Way of Acquiring Power), practitioners perform ritual actions from shamanism, "Shinto," Daoism, and Tantric Buddhism. They seek experiential truth of the teachings during arduous climbs in sacred mountains. Through the peace and beauty of the natural world, practitioners purify the six roots of perception, revitalize their energy and reconnect with their truest nature -- all while grasping the fundamental interconnectedness with nature and all sentient beings.

More poetic than analytical, this film explores how a group of modern Japanese people integrate the myriad ways mountain learning interacts with urban life. With intimate camera work and a sensual sound design the viewer is taken from deep within the Kumano mountains to the floating worlds of Osaka and Tokyo and back again.