Japan’s monks-for-rent business a sign of changing times

AFP| February 2, 2017   Demand for monk delivery services is gaining popularity 
as more lose ties to local temples - and lose faith in the temple donation system.

FUNABASHI: In a quiet room thick with the smell of incense, 
Buddhist monk Kaichi Watanabe chants sutras to commemorate 
the one year anniversary of a woman’s death.

The 41-year-old may look like a traditional holy man in Japan – 
but he wasn’t dispatched by a temple. Instead, the family ordered 
him through a fast-growing rent-a-monk business that has angered 
traditionalists who warn it is commercialising the religion.

Watanabe’s employer, Tokyo-based firm Minrevi, said demand for its 
monk delivery service has spiked since it started in May 2013, as 
more and more Japanese lose their ties to local temples – and lose 
faith in an opaque donation system.

The monk later rings a small traditional bell and bows to relatives as 
the 30 minute ceremony winds down at the grieving family’s home 
near Tokyo.

“There are many temples in the neighbourhood, but I didn’t know 
where to call,” said the deceased woman’s middle-aged son, who 
asked not to be named.

“Also, I have no idea how much I should donate. But this has a clear 
pricing system.”

At the click of a mouse, customers can hire a monk from Minrevi from 
35,000 yen (RM1,372) depending on the ceremony.

Retailing giant Aeon sent shockwaves through Buddhist circles in 2010 
when it started a service that had a price list for introducing customers 
to temples for funeral services.

The open pricing flew in the face of a longstanding system in which monks 
collect donations, known as “ofuse”, in return for performing ceremonies.

But there has been growing unease about the murky system which leaves 
the amount up to families, who have to make several more donations after 
a funeral for more than a decade.

Commodified donations

Japan’s Buddhist temples count on donations to carry out renovations, 
which can cost several million dollars, but there has been criticism that 
they’re more interested in raising revenue than offering spiritual guidance.

Chiko Iwagami, an executive member of the Japan Buddhist Federation, acknowledged that some monks have improperly demanded specific 
amounts of money at memorial services, hurting public trust.“That ignores 
the spirit of donations,” Iwagumi said, noting that monks are not supposed 
to expect financial rewards for performing their duties.

Aeon’s fledgling operation outraged the federation, which demanded it 
take down the price list. The company complied but still runs its service.

Earlier this year, the federation also blasted online retailer Amazon for 
listing Minrevi’s monk-renting service.

“They have commodified donations. This is extremely unfortunate,” 
Iwagami said.

But Minrevi’s vice-president Masashi Akita brushed off the criticism, 
saying the company is just offering a “platform” to connect customers 
with monks.

The firm has a roster of about 700 monks nationwide with business on 
track to grow by 20% this year, he added.

Akita, who grew up in rural community where his neighbours regularly 
visited a temple, said the business is just a sign of the times.

“I was shocked when I first learned that some people didn’t know how 
to contact a monk,” he said.

“So I wanted to be that bridge.”

Community ties

The Japanese government does not keep track of the religious 
identification of citizens, but participation in rituals related to both 
Buddhism as well as native Shintoism – the two major religions in 
the country – is common across the nation.

Some firms also offer Shinto priests’ services.

But attachment to religion has fallen into decline.

As the population rapidly ages and small rural communities shrink, 
some 30% of Japan’s 75,000 Buddhist temples are at risk of closing 
by 2040, said Kenji Ishii, a professor of religion at Kokugakuin 
University in Tokyo.

“Japanese have maintained ties with temples because of funerals 
and other types of community-related events, not for religious 
reasons,” he added.

“Buddhist leaders now have to think how they’re going to run their 
sects with shrinking revenues. But it seems like they don’t want to 
look at the reality.”

Watanabe, who conducted the service near Tokyo, doesn’t see a 
clash between the business and spiritual aspects of his job.

“I want to spread the teachings of Buddhism,” he said.

“This service gives us more opportunity to visit homes. I think it’s 
meaningless if we cannot be there to help.”