4.4.1 Kuukai

Kuukai, also called Kobo Daishi, was born in Sanuki (now Kagawa) 1200 years ago. He became a priest and went to Tang, China, to study Buddhism. Upon his return, he brought back not only Buddhism but also various other gifts, art and culture. He contributed greatly to the progress of Japan and was one of Japan's greatest pioneers of international exchange.