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Today, I would like to introduce an interesting advertisement video for a Buddhist temple named “Honko-ji”. Honko-ji is a regular Buddhist temple located in Ichikawa city, Chiba prefecture. However, the words to describe the video are not regular…. but rather funky, shocking, and unprecedented ^^;

The video has a mild and dignified introduction, but aggressive music soon begins and a narrator (?) suddenly begins shouting like a heavy metal singer. Enjoy the video with my rough translation 😀

[Narration]

What is a temple?

What is the difference between a temple and a shrine?

You don’t have to care about such a thing. That’s because it’s written in Wikipedia! (lol)

But, we just wanna let you know about our temple, Honko-ji.

OK. Let’s go!

Ha hi fu he…HONGO-JI!!! (>>parody of a line of hiragana syllabary)

[a man with a floppy Mohawk haircut speaks]

There is nothing special here, but still…it’s something. You should come anyway. You’ll get into Honko-ji!

[Narration]

Do you hesitate to visit temples?

No! You don’t have to feel like that.

Temples are actually quite casual!

Just come and relax, have a date, feel the nature, ask monks’ advice, appease your thirst, have manju buns, and enjoy candies!

OK! Now, you’re happy!

Just come and pray, exorcise, hold a service for departed souls.

You can have a funeral here, too!

You can find “thank you” and “I’m sorry” in your mind.

OK! Now, you’re happy!

Honko-ji… That is where to purify your heart!

[a bespectacled monk speaks]

We want many people to gain power at Honko-ji, so we are trying to make our temple casual and easy to visit like a park or a convenience store.

[Song]

Honko-ji! That’s the place where to give you power!

Honko-ji! That’s the place where to purify your mind!

Honko-ji! That’s the place where to make you smile!

Chiba prefecture, Ichikawa city, Ono-cho, 3-1695-1 (>>street address)

Now, do you feel like a visit to Honko-ji? 😉

Source: Honko-ji website and YouTube

This is JAPAN Style!