Tokyo is often a heaving mass of contrasts, and Buddhist prayers in the capital’s brand filled Ginza district certainly don’t contradict that.
Very different approaches with hopefully equally dissimilar wishes.
Big brands and Buddhist prayers
Photographs from a small group of islands
Ed says
The priest looks definitely better than the one in your previous post, http://goo.gl/YNHmg. In better shape, younger, stylish, polished like a movie star. And somehow artificial to me in the same way… Lovely shot, btw.
Lee says
Cheers!
Yes, there’s a huge difference between the two, isn’t there? An element, at least in relation to this fella, that brings up the real or fake debate that always seems to surrounds such figures.
Personally I reckon the previous monk you mentioned is the real deal. This one I’m not so sure…
Hans ter Horst says
I like the contrast of the monk with the Wako department store: the notion of letting go of all earthly attachments and good versus the buy-buy-buy frenzy of the heart of Ginza. The moment I mention monks in Ginza, my Japanese friends all tell me that there are many imposters but I find that difficult to believe mainly because a monk will probably only collects a few hundred yen a day 🙂
I kept running into this monk outside Kawagoe station with a special face mask and all. He would turn around when being photographed and I feel sort of bad having captured him in this shot: http://monochrome.me.uk/blog/p/1246
Lee says
Yeah, in Ginza especially this contrast always strikes me. Complete opposites really. Or at least they should be, but that fake argument always rears its head…
I’d love to get some real answers rather than just hearsay and speculation, but perhaps that element of the unknown makes them all the more interesting. Also, I have seen people drop in Â¥1,000 notes, so there is at least some money to be made. But enough to warrant the outfit and time?
Nice! I don’t think you need to feel bad though. His face isn’t visible at all.
Ed says
Hans, this is my problem in the picture. I don’t see the contrast. Looks to me like the monk just came out of this very same department store for his break. He is all about buy-buy-buy; every cell in him shouts that… He is more likely the manager of the store 🙂
Squidpuppy says
I’ve always wondered if these Tokyoite monks come from a central temple, or if they represent local shrines (assuming they’re real). I admit, I’ve had funny images run through my mind of a concrete slab building from whence these guys come streaming at the crack of each dawn, and return at sunset…
Lee says
Same here. It’d be interesting to get some real answers rather than just speculation.
Not quite a concrete slab building, but I did see a monk in Ueno heading into a capsule hotel. Not quite sure why, but it came as something of a surprise.
El-Branden says
Try not to view these monks through a Western prism of what Buddhism, or even religion, is presumed to be. All things are not equal, and neither are they what they seem.
All genuine monks have a central temple, depending on the school they follow, which they are assigned to. Also, let it be known that a monk’s life is not at all the vacation that many think. Two weeks ago, I met with an American Zen monk, who has resided at a monastery for two years. It sounded like hell!
As for the practice of alms giving, the purpose is to generate the practice of compassion and generosity. I know many Zen monks, who have very little money, and survive on donations.
AV says
Same: showing off cute bowls in exchange for cash ; Different: one does not give you the bowl after payment [joking]
Lee says
And all the best jokes contain an element of truth!