Japanese monk balances Buddhist duties with boxing

By day, Chiyuki Yanaru is the head priest of a centuries-old temple in Buzen, Fukuoka Prefecture. By night, he frequents a nearby boxing gym.

"1-2! Good punch!" The voice of 48-year-old Chiyuki Yanaru echoes through the Raigoji Boxing Club in Buzen, Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan. He's the head priest of the 400-year-old Raigoji Temple, part of the Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land) sect of Buddhism.

"The spirit of boxing shares common ground with Buddhist teachings," Yanaru says. The gym opens three nights a week, catering to about 20 students aged 3 to 60. According to the Japan Boxing Federation, it's the only boxing gym in the country run by a head priest.

In Japan, Buddhist monks and nuns are permitted to marry and have children. Many Japanese Buddhist temples are now inherited by families through generations.

As the eldest son of Raigoji Temple's previous head priest, Yanaru was expected to inherit the temple. Initially, he resisted following in his father's footsteps. However, his perspective changed in high school, when his grandfather, on his deathbed, told him, "You were born in a temple and given the opportunity to face the Buddha. Find the meaning in that."

Head priest Chiyuki Yanaru spars with a student at Raigoji Boxing Club in Fukuoka Prefecture. Photo: Mainichi

Head priest Chiyuki Yanaru spars with a student at Raigoji Boxing Club in Fukuoka Prefecture. Photo: Mainichi

After graduating from Buddhist college at 22, Yanaru began working at a temple in Nagasaki. Knowing no one and without friends, he joined a nearby boxing gym to pass the time.

Yanaru was confident in his physical abilities, having dedicated himself to sports in junior high, then switching to baseball in high school and college. Just three months after starting boxing, he was sparring.

For Yanaru, boxing was captivating. It involved not only strength but also breathing, timing, speed, and strategy. "It's a very intellectual sport, always demanding calmness and judgment."

Yanaru excelled in the featherweight division (under 57 kg) and represented Nagasaki Prefecture in the National Sports Festival for 4 consecutive years from 2002. He placed third nationally in the 2005 tournament.

After 5 years in Nagasaki, Yanaru moved to a temple in Yukuhashi, back in his native Fukuoka. Though intending to quit boxing, he eventually turned professional at 30, unable to refuse an offer. He fought three professional bouts, balancing his roles as both a monk and a boxer.

Head priest Chiyuki Yanaru stands at the main gate of Raigoji Temple on 10/7. Photo: Mainichi

Head priest Chiyuki Yanaru stands at the main gate of Raigoji Temple on 10/7. Photo: Mainichi

After turning pro, Yanaru began teaching boxing to children at the request of a fitness club in Buzen, where he often trained.

"Each child has their own strengths, and my role is to develop those strengths," he says, adding that teaching boxing naturally aligns with his role as a monk.

In 2016, at 39, he became the 17th head priest of Raigoji Temple. In early 2022, with the help of relatives, he opened his own boxing gym near the temple.

"In boxing, you punch your opponent and understand their pain. At the end of the match, both appreciate each other's efforts: that's the spirit of mutual respect," he explains, drawing a parallel between boxing and Buddhism. "This is also the spirit of the Nembutsu (chanting 'Namu Amida Butsu') in Jodo Shinshu."

Boxing also begins and ends with formal greetings. Yanaru hopes his young students will learn valuable life lessons through their training.