“When people no longer need things, or if they hate them, they destroy them… If people love things however, they care for them and make them last.” (Of Arcs and Circles, p. 46)
Although Japan is the land of the rising sun, with its indigenous religion centering around the sun goddess, we cannot overlook the importance of the moon in Japan’s culture.
In the mid-1980s, a Japanese salaryman declared himself the reincarnation of Buddha and Hermes. Now his religious organization claims millions of adherents.
When the new Emperor takes his throne in 2019, Japan’s taxpayers will spend billions on a Shinto religious rite. Some – including a Prince – say that’s unconstitutional.
From drone-riding Buddhas to monk rentals on Amazon, Japan’s temples and shrines are finding unique ways to stay solvent during uncertain times.
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