COMMUNICATIONS

At the start of June, I went to Kathmandu in Nepal. There was an AAS-in-Asia gathering there, and I went along to promote Nichibunken. That, after all, is the director’s role. I believe that I successfully fulfilled my duties.

Between panels, I walked the city streets, and toured Hindu temples. What struck me as I wandered was that many Buddhist objects resembled those of Buddhism in Japan. The vajra (tokko in Japanese) and the mandala, too, were reminiscent of esoteric Shingon Buddhism. I was left with a sense that Japanese Buddhism occupies a corner of the East Asian cultural sphere.

You can see people enjoying cricket as it is broadcast on TV. So Nepal is part of the cricketing cultural sphere. In this sense, the Nepalese, it seems, partake of British sports culture.

One of my pleasures in life is watching professional baseball. I am a Hanshin fan. I had no awareness of this till now but, having seen the Nepalese enthuse about cricket, I realize that I am a participant in American sports culture.

In terms of religious culture, Japan shares similarities with Nepal. However, when it comes to the enjoyment of sports, there is a gap between the two countries. I realized that the study of cultures presents real challenges.

For details of the AAS-in-Asia (The Association for Asian Studies) 2025, click on the link below.
https://www.nichibun.ac.jp/ja/topics/news/2025/06/20/s001/