H1 Houwa Grand Prix: Bringing 'Houwa' to the World – Delivering 'A Talk You Want to Hear Again' to the World
The H1 Houwa Grand Prix is launching a global initiative to share the art of 'Houwa' (Buddhist sermons) by releasing the 2025 Grand Prize-winning talk in English, French, and Spanish on YouTube. By transcending religious and cultural boundaries, the committee aims to share these deeply human stories with a worldwide audience.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 15:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 08:05
Our committee supports 'April Dream,' an initiative that encourages people to share their dreams on April 1st. This press release represents the dream of the 'H1 Houwa Grand Prix Executive Committee.'
[Image: From the H1 Houwa Grand Prix 2025]
The H1 Houwa Grand Prix will dub the sermon of Mr. Genpo Takahashi, the Grand Prize winner of the 2025 competition, into English, French, and Spanish, and release it to the world on YouTube starting April 1, 2026.
▼ Watch here (H1 Houwa Grand Prix Official Channel)
https://youtube.com/@h1houwa?si=u1G5t8HDBMKmtrxr
Religion is sometimes spoken of as something that divides people. Even within the same faith, differences in positions or ways of thinking can create distance.
However, Japan has a culture where people of different sects have gathered under one roof to engage in conversation.
We envision a future that extends this culture: a dream of opening a 'place for Houwa' to the world, where people can meet and connect across sectarian lines.
That is the H1 Houwa Grand Prix.
We believe that the practice of Houwa, refined within this space, is inherently more open and possesses the power to connect people. Even in today's world, where the distance between people and religion is growing, we hope that Houwa will quietly accompany people in their daily lives and serve as an opportunity for them to reflect on themselves.
Furthermore, we have prioritized delivering talks that make listeners think, 'I want to meet this person again,' rather than simply conveying 'teachings' in a one-way manner.
When you feel the desire to encounter those words once more, it means that something has already reached your heart.
Transcending language and culture, we want to deliver talks that make people think, 'I want to meet this person again,' to the world.
Through this challenge, the H1 Houwa Grand Prix will open up new possibilities for the practice of Houwa.
About the H1 Houwa Grand Prix
The H1 Houwa Grand Prix is a new type of Houwa event where monks from various sects gather to compete based on the criterion of delivering a talk that makes the audience think, 'I want to meet this person again.'
At the 2025 event, we drew approximately 1,500 people to the Nara Centennial Hall. Additionally, we held live viewings at 15 Aeon Cinema locations across the country, achieving a scale and response unprecedented for a religious event.
Streaming Information (YouTube)
English (English dubbing)
Releasing April 1, 2026
https://youtu.be/SQEVNLxbbWs
Français (French dubbing)
Releasing April 2, 2026
https://youtu.be/pJa-NQJiOaE
Español (Spanish dubbing)
Releasing April 3, 2026
https://youtu.be/VNXRaHKtH7Y
Overview
Release Date: Sequentially starting April 1, 2026
Content: H1 Houwa Grand Prix 2025 Grand Prize Sermon (Multilingual Dubbed Version)
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Platform: H1 Houwa Grand Prix Official YouTube Channel
https://youtube.com/@h1houwa?si=u1G5t8HDBMKmtrxr
[Image: From the H1 Houwa Grand Prix 2025]
The H1 Houwa Grand Prix will dub the sermon of Mr. Genpo Takahashi, the Grand Prize winner of the 2025 competition, into English, French, and Spanish, and release it to the world on YouTube starting April 1, 2026.
▼ Watch here (H1 Houwa Grand Prix Official Channel)
https://youtube.com/@h1houwa?si=u1G5t8HDBMKmtrxr
Religion is sometimes spoken of as something that divides people. Even within the same faith, differences in positions or ways of thinking can create distance.
However, Japan has a culture where people of different sects have gathered under one roof to engage in conversation.
We envision a future that extends this culture: a dream of opening a 'place for Houwa' to the world, where people can meet and connect across sectarian lines.
That is the H1 Houwa Grand Prix.
We believe that the practice of Houwa, refined within this space, is inherently more open and possesses the power to connect people. Even in today's world, where the distance between people and religion is growing, we hope that Houwa will quietly accompany people in their daily lives and serve as an opportunity for them to reflect on themselves.
Furthermore, we have prioritized delivering talks that make listeners think, 'I want to meet this person again,' rather than simply conveying 'teachings' in a one-way manner.
When you feel the desire to encounter those words once more, it means that something has already reached your heart.
Transcending language and culture, we want to deliver talks that make people think, 'I want to meet this person again,' to the world.
Through this challenge, the H1 Houwa Grand Prix will open up new possibilities for the practice of Houwa.
About the H1 Houwa Grand Prix
The H1 Houwa Grand Prix is a new type of Houwa event where monks from various sects gather to compete based on the criterion of delivering a talk that makes the audience think, 'I want to meet this person again.'
At the 2025 event, we drew approximately 1,500 people to the Nara Centennial Hall. Additionally, we held live viewings at 15 Aeon Cinema locations across the country, achieving a scale and response unprecedented for a religious event.
Streaming Information (YouTube)
English (English dubbing)
Releasing April 1, 2026
https://youtu.be/SQEVNLxbbWs
Français (French dubbing)
Releasing April 2, 2026
https://youtu.be/pJa-NQJiOaE
Español (Spanish dubbing)
Releasing April 3, 2026
https://youtu.be/VNXRaHKtH7Y
Overview
Release Date: Sequentially starting April 1, 2026
Content: H1 Houwa Grand Prix 2025 Grand Prize Sermon (Multilingual Dubbed Version)
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Platform: H1 Houwa Grand Prix Official YouTube Channel
https://youtube.com/@h1houwa?si=u1G5t8HDBMKmtrxr