Introduction
The decreasing interest of Japanese people on Buddhism raises challenges required temple priests to come up with several approaches to re-attract people. Priests with conservative ideology prefer preserving traditional rituals while some other priests with innovative mindsets suggest applying experimental Buddhism. To address advantages as well as disadvantages of each approach, this essay will analyze the case study between Midnight Nembutsu representing the traditional way and Honen-in Sanga as the innovative outreach.
Midnight Nembutsu vs Honen-in sanga
Midnight Nembutsu is the well-known event occurring annually from 8:00 pm of April 18th until 7:00 am of April 19th at the Chion-in Sanmon in Kyoto City since 1996. During this occasion, practitioners are offered an opportunity to chant the Buddha’s name, specifically …show more content…
Among the Honen-in sanga activities, one of the most attractive events is the Honen-in Mori no Kyoshitsu (Forest classroom) sponsored and supported by the volunteer group called Honen-in Mori no Senta (Friends of the Forest Center). This monthly Forest classroom provides attendees with nature walks and hikes combined with talks conducted by specialists aiming to raise awareness and appreciation of the surrounding nature. As the Honen-in is getting more popular, some famous musicians and artists like the Cellist Mari Fujiwara has approached Kajita and asked for his permission to perform on the temple ground. Until the article about the Honen-in was written by Jane Singer in 2012, the latest event successfully attracted more than 100 attendees per night. Despite the fact that the Honen-in is relatively small, thanks to the new experimental Buddhism approach of Kajita, the popularity of the Honen-in has been remarkably spreading