Carving the Divine Official One Minute Trailer from Yujiro Seki on Vimeo.

The journey to preserve the legacy of a centuries-old custom in a rapidly changing modern world can be a struggle. The process is amplified if younger generations underestimate the challenge of mastering and maintaining that tradition. That’s certainly the case for the practitioners of a 400-year-old Buddhist woodcarving tradition in Japan, which is showcased in the new documentary, ‘Carving the Divine.’

Yujiro Seki served as the director and cinematographer on the movie. The feature is now available on digital, courtesy of Film Hub.

Throughout the feature’s production, the filmmaker had the rare opportunity to follow a guild of Buddhist sculptors from the studio of Busshi. One such sculptor is Koun Seki, a former apprentice of the legendary Busshi, Kourin Saito, a pioneer in preserving and advancing the art of Busshi. He not only has taken many apprentices under his wing, but he’s also established a school for the Japanese public to learn the craft.

The documentary also features one of Japan’s foremost Busshi –Saito himself. Grand Master Saito shows not only the craftsmanship, but also the passion and discipline it takes to master this demanding art form.

Lastly, the filmmaker was also granted rare access into the life and rites of Buddhist priests, and especially those of Shigon, or “True Word” Buddhism. While discussing the movie, the helmer said: “When I explained the import of the film, these priests granted me the honor and privilege of filming from within their altar area, a secretive space within temples that are usually off limits to anyone outside the priestly class.”