Originally known in China as Dizāng, the “savior of the damned,” Jizō has evolved into a protector of children and comforter of women in Japan.

In country that followed a time-keeping system with variable hours, the fixed-hour clock of the Europeans had only symbolic value.

India’s forest production company is following the tenets of the master Japanese botanist, restoring biodiversity in resource-depleted communities.

Although Buddhism propelled the popularity of cremation across Asia, its staying power, particularly in Japan, has been for practical reasons.