A new film from Japan, “The Cherry Bushido,” lands at the perfect time to remind us to re-examine our convictions and spiritual fortitude in the face of today’s daunting challenges. 

Similar yet distinct from chivalry, the western code of honor handed down from the gallant knights of yore, Bushido is the organizing principle of samurai moral values and ethics that has been at the heart and soul of Japanese culture for centuries. Like chivalry, Bushido is typified by virtues like righteousness, benevolence, respect, honor, fidelity, and courage. Unlike the chivalric code, the true Bushido spirit is based on the belief that we are spiritual beings who will eventually return to the spiritual world. 

Having experienced relative peace and prosperity in recent years, many have relaxed their self-vigilance and blurred the convictions that can mean the difference between victory and defeat on the spiritual as well as physical plain. With the pandemic and the social, political, and geopolitical turbulence we are experiencing today, now is a good time to consider the Bushido spirit and virtues that can anchor and guide us to act on our beliefs in these trying times. 

Yoichi Utebi is a producer and world lecturer for Happy Science. Born in Japan in 1968, Utebi grew up in Beirut, Lebanon and New York City. Raised in a rare Japanese Christian family, he was deeply touched by Muslim culture and the beauty of Lebanon during his formative years in Beirut. However, the Middle East also exposed Utebi to the horrors of war, as he and his family dodged bullets and bombings before fleeing to London and back to Japan, leaving everything behind in a sudden evacuation. In the 7th grade, Utebi moved to New York for 10 years, where he was exposed to friends from multiple cultures and ethnicities. His rock band produced a popular album and gained quite a following in the city before Utebi decided to forego his musical pursuits and return to Japan. 

After 12 years of experience in marketing and senior management at various American IT companies in Japan, Utebi joined Happy Science in 2010, where he quickly rose to Director of International Communications. Utebi is currently a minister and world lecturer for Happy Science’s and a producer on The Cherry Bushido.

About The Cherry Bushido

The Cherry Bushido is a film from Japan about a young Kendo (Japanese swordsmanship) devotee and group of friends who unite to protect Japan from threat of extinction by its neighboring country. The Cherry Bushido will be released in limited theaters in North America this March.

Available on VOD summer 2022. See the movie trailer here https://cherrybushidomovie.com

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