Synopsis

In the wake of the 2011 tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan's Higashi-Matsushima City, Buddhist priest Yasuhiro Koike dedicated himself to comforting the bereaved. He sought not only to lay the victims to rest but also to offer solace to their families and alleviate their grief. He began carving statues of the Buddha, offering them to survivors as a means of connection. These figures, he believed, evoked a sense of presence from lost loved ones. Over seven years, Koike has crafted more t