Learn how Buddhism, founded in India, evolved to a more populist form in Japan in this video adapted from Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler. The monk Kobo Daishi, who studied the Buddhist path to enlightenment in China, brought a new form of the religion, known as Shingon Buddhism, to Japan about 1,200 years ago. While Buddhism in Japan was previously practiced only by the elite, Kobo Daishi’s teachings popularized it, offering everyone the same chance of enlightenment. Buddhism in Japan is infused with the love of nature from Japan’s traditional religion, Shintoism. This resource is part of the Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler Collection.