A Tokyo-based firm offering tours at temples in Tokyo and Kyoto, where visitors can transcribe Buddhist sutras and meditate in a zazen seated position, says the attraction is proving popular among tourists.
The operator, Share Wing, which started the service in collaboration with travel agencies in August last year, said it was aimed mainly at foreign travelers but also helping temples struggling with a decline in the ranks of danka (financial supporters).
"When I was working in a job handling goods from overseas about 11 years ago, I found out that many people from overseas were interested in temples and shrines and eager to visit them," said Naoko Unrinin, Share Wing's 38-year-old co-president.