NAGOYA, Japan–Even a centuries old tradition is now going cashless. Japan's Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples are increasing going cashless, allowing visitors to replace small coin offerings by swiping their smartphones.
According to the Nikkei Asian Review, the reception to the modern day convenience to the ancient tradition has been “mixed. While some tout the convenience of not having to deal with change, others worry that it is a difficult way to convey devotion, and other fret that it enables payment operators to track how individuals worship.”
The technology allows worshippers to make small a small offering, known as saisen, by scanning a smartphone over a QR code affixed to a board near an offering box, according to the Nikkei Asian Review, which documented one woman who entered an amount using an app to access her account at what was described as a local credit union.
But another man, 64, told the news outlet, “Shopping and worshiping are two different things; cashless somehow doesn't feel sacred."
Traditionally, saisen was originally made by offering deities small bags of rice. But as currency spread through Japan, small coins replaced rice offerings, Nikkei Asian Review reported.
The chief priest of one temple explained, "I want to keep up with social changes. The number of users is only a few people a month, but it is popular among young people.”
Some Concerns Raised
But there are concerns, noted the report.
“Despite the benefits of going cashless, the Kyoto Buddhist Organization, which counts about 1,000 temples as members, said in June that because the technology allows payment operators to track how much money is given by specific individuals to specific shrines, it violated freedom of religion laws,” Nikkei Asian review stated. “Cashless payments also raise the issue of offerings losing the tax-exempt status because payment operators collect a commission. This also puts the institution at risk of being a for-profit business and be subject to taxation.”