FEATURE: Japan's "Chanson Monk" uses song, sutras to spread message of peace

French chanson and Buddhist sutras may seem an unlikely combination, but for 87-year-old priest Miruo Nakano, they have become a way to convey a deeply personal message about peace and the preciousness of life.Known as the "Chanson Monk," Nakano, from Ichinomiya in central Japan's Aichi Prefecture, began singing chanson as a hobby when he was around 60, developing a distinctive performance style that combines the French songs with Buddhist chanting. He has even performed in Paris.Warning that "a new prewar era is approaching," Nakano draws on painful memories of his childhood during World W…READ FULL ARTICLE