‘Are you from Japan?’ Foreigners must pay to pray at this temple
‘It is not discrimination,’ Nanzoin Temple’s head monk said, insisting that the money was needed to address tourists’ nuisance behaviour
Since May, Nanzoin Temple in Fukuoka prefecture, known for its 41-metre (135-foot) long reclining Buddha statue, has been charging foreign visitors 300 yen (US$2) to enter, saying the funds are needed to address nuisance behaviour.
An expert said that the move “lacks transparency”, as debate over the pricing policy for foreign tourists – whose numbers have reached a record high – has intensified.
A sign reading “Visitors” in English stands at the entrance to the area surrounding one of the world’s largest statues of its kind, where foreigners queue up to pay a fee at a reception window. Those with proof of long-term stays in Japan for work or study are exempt.
As Japanese people are not charged, no explanation in Japanese appears on the sign. Staff or security guards confirm verbally, asking questions like “Are you from Japan?” before directing them to bypass the line without waiting.