This week, Japanese monks and nuns strutted their stuff on the catwalk in Tokyo, Japan, with the hope of promoting Buddhism. And while Buddhist monks usually wear simple black robes, in order to appeal to fashion-conscious Japanese youth, this time monks donned multi-layered robes in vibrant colors with gold trim.
The goal of the show was to raise awareness of Buddhism among Japanese youngsters and to win back previous followers who had since moved on. According to Gadling go there, Buddhism has an extremely strong foundation in Japan where it first arrived 1,200 years ago from mainland Asia.
CNN Asia reports that people’s ignorance of Buddhism has sent many of the country’s 75,000 temples into financial trouble. As a result, the Tsukiji Honganji in Tokyo has extended its services and now offers theological seminars in English for foreign visitors, and has also fitted out its main hall with a pipe organ for Western-style weddings to attract young couples.
Some of other temples have also introduced modern-designed cafes, art galleries and other innovations to reach out to young people who are interested in a different lifestyle, but nothing perhaps could compete with this latest development in the attempt to re-popularize the religion. Following a rap version of a Buddhist sutra, five monks from each school walked onto the catwalk, chanted prayers, and then took part in a grand finale complete with confetti resembling lotus petals.
GroundReport quotes one of the monks in the show, Koji Matsubara, as saying:
“We wanted to show the young people that Buddhism is cool, and temples are not a place just for funerals.”
Standing for national beliefs and traditions is always so encouraging, but now it might even be fashionable.
Photo: © zyzzyzva
