KOYA, Wakayama Pref. (Kyodo) In a dimly lit hall in the sacred Koyasan temple complex, a Swiss-born Buddhist priest joins other monks in reciting sutras in the early morning as foreign tourists watch the solemn 90-minute ceremony with intense interest.

Kurt Genso, 57, whose real name is Kurt Kubli, then invites the visitors into a tatami room for tea with the other monks, and helps the foreigners feel at home by asking them in English where they are from and answering questions about the ceremony or other matters related to Buddhism.

This is no longer a surprising scene at the 1,200-year-old mountaintop Buddhist retreat nestled in Wakayama Prefecture. The temple has seen a sharp rise in foreign tourists since it was registered as a World Heritage site in 2004.