Priceless sculpture believed to date to 6th–7th century

Kayaking monastic sets sights on Tokyo Olympics in 2020

Japanese monk balances monastic life and athletic training

Monasteries look to tourism market to turn around flagging fortunes

Buddhist monk becomes the first person in Japan in eight years to complete the ritual

Survey also shows that 434 temples have closed in the past decade

Renowned temple hopes businessman-turned-Buddhist-monk can draw new followers