Japanese monk and musician Yakushiji emphasizes ‘healing of the heart’ ahead of first performance in Korea

“I think the power of music is to remind us of the importance of ‘feeling.’”

Nursing Yakushiji, a Japanese monk and musician, said, "In a world overflowing with information and knowledge, we are increasingly forgetting what we feel. I hope that people will have time to reflect on their feelings through music, such as thinking of something while looking out the window of a train or feeling the wind in nature."

Nurse Yakushiji is the 16th deputy head priest of Kaizenji, a temple in Imabari, Japan, a Zen monk, and a musician. It attracted attention for its music that combines Buddhist scriptures and modern music, including electronic genres.

His reinterpretations of 'Heart Sutra' and other music have accumulated over 100 million views on YouTube and digital platforms, and he continues to perform in many countries, including Asia.

Nurse Yakushiji said in a written interview with Yonhap News on the 6th, "Everyone wants healing in an age where it is easy to lose peace of mind, and I think this music is a good fit for that age."

On the 30th of next month, their first performance in Korea, 'Circle of Harmony', will be held at Yes24 Wonder Rock Hall in Seoul.

Ahead of his first performance in Korea, he said, "I never dreamed that I would get the opportunity to perform in Seoul. I'm really happy," and added, "Rather than forcing an answer to my music, I hope it becomes music that listeners can feel freely and understand their own hearts."

In the video containing nurse Yakushiji's music, the dominant comment, written in various languages, is 'I feel at ease.'

He analyzed the factors that captivated many people, saying, "The scriptures have a unique sound of words that have been refined over a long period of time. When you hear that sound in your voice, it feels like your mind is reset. At that point, it seems that differences in borders, religion, and culture were not that important."

Nursing Yakushiji also revealed that the most important principle in combining Buddhist scriptures and modern music is to convey its own message and resonance.

He said, “I think it is important to express freely through music that modern people can naturally access without damaging the essence of the scriptures that have been passed down for a long time.”

He cited his training experience in Kyoto, Japan as the reason he started making music that combines Buddhism and modern music.

He said that when he was practicing, he would recite sutras with about 10 monks every day at 4:30 a.m. “When the voices overlapped, there was a feeling of calming my mind, and it stayed for a long time,” he said. “I thought I might be able to recreate that feeling if I built up the harmony myself.”

Nurse Yakushiji explained, "Among them, the Heart Sutra is one of the most widely known sutras recited by many sects in Japan. I have also memorized it every morning since I was in elementary school, and it was the first sutra I learned. I thought that if I were to arrange a sutra into music, the only way to do it was the Heart Sutra, and I chose it without hesitation."

Regarding the recent increase in interest in Buddhism, meditation, and peace of mind among the younger generation in Korea, he said, "It may be because they do not know how to deal with vague anxiety," and added, "I hope that Buddhism goes beyond the framework of religion and exists as a tool to calm the mind and get to know oneself."