Tokyo -
At first glance, the cafe, that also serves alcohol, looks like any other except for an altar next to the countertop bar with a Buddha statue set against a gold backdrop. Its name, Tera Cafe, is a another hint – Tera is Japanese for temple.
The menu confirms this is something different. It lists classes for 1 500 yen (about R160) in weaving prayer beads, calligraphy with sutras, or lines of scripture, and consultations with a Buddhist priest.
Hirotake Asano, head priest at the Shingyoji temple near Tokyo who opened Tera Cafe in 2013, said Buddhist priests had to enter society to build links.
A photo posted by Yuki Kusama, Tokyo Japan (@yuki.kusama) on Apr 18, 2016 at 2:46am PDT
“I wanted to bring the temple to the people,” said Asano, who owns four restaurants and a golf shop.
Other businesses with Buddhist themes are rent-a-monk services from Amazon Japan and retail giant Aeon, for funerals and rituals.
Reuters