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Maverick Buddhist nun dedicated to helping the needy and homeless
Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012
By TAKESHI NISHIDE
Kyodo
Koshu Hirao, 58, is not your ordinary Buddhist nun.
Since leaving the Jishu sect about 20 years ago because of discord over her antinuclear activities, she has kept her head shaved and her religious garb but has stayed fervently independent.
But this unorthodox devotee — who jokingly refers to herself as a "fake nun" who enjoys "costume-playing" — has found her mission in helping the needy, setting up shelters for homeless people and refugees, and providing nursing care for those with severe illnesses.
While Hirao has been doing this for years, her activities have increasingly come under the spotlight as many people have become more aware of the importance of social bonds after the March disasters.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/rss/nn20120202f3.html
By TAKESHI NISHIDE
Kyodo
Koshu Hirao, 58, is not your ordinary Buddhist nun.
Since leaving the Jishu sect about 20 years ago because of discord over her antinuclear activities, she has kept her head shaved and her religious garb but has stayed fervently independent.
But this unorthodox devotee — who jokingly refers to herself as a "fake nun" who enjoys "costume-playing" — has found her mission in helping the needy, setting up shelters for homeless people and refugees, and providing nursing care for those with severe illnesses.
While Hirao has been doing this for years, her activities have increasingly come under the spotlight as many people have become more aware of the importance of social bonds after the March disasters.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/rss/nn20120202f3.html