Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei (2002)

The world's most extraordinary athletes aren't found in the Olympics or professional leagues, but among the "Marathon Monks" of Japan's Mount Hiei. For seven years, these monks, known as "running Buddhas," train to symbolically circumnavigate the globe on foot. During a grueling 100-day period, they run 52.5 miles each day – twice the distance of an Olympic marathon. Their goal isn't reward, but enlightenment. This documentary follows Tanno Kakudo, one of these remarkable monks, and the sacred mountain where he trains, guided by the philosophy of Tendai Buddhism in his pursuit of spiritual perfection. The film explores his extreme practices: a life-threatening fast, a vegetarian diet, handmade straw shoes, and intense endurance rituals like a mummifying fire ceremony. Based on the book "Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei" by John Stevens, published by Shambala Press.