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“Gacchiri Monday” is a Japanese variety TV show that introduces successful businesses with unique ideas that are making money in a niche market.
Today’s program is about shrines and temples. Japan has 76,634 temples and 80,709 shrines, while there are 56,000 convenience stores. According to the Ministry of Education, 40% earn JPY 3 million or less annually, and 30% are likely to disappear soon. Against this background, some companies are expanding their business to focus on shrines and temples.
Kirie Goshuin (a cutout picture) is a big hit.
Eternal in Yanaka, Tokyo, is a consulting firm for shrines and temples. The company offers a new type of Goshuin—Kirie Goshuin. Shrines and temples have a Goshen, a unique seal that belongs to that institution.
When visiting these sites, visitors pass their book to a shrine official who inscribes the date and name of the shrine or temple in calligraphy along with the Goshuin seal stamped in vermilion. Collecting seals in Goshuin-cho has surged in popularity among younger people and tourists as a way to create a book of memories.
If you don’t have a Goshuin-cho (notebook), Kirie Goshuin, a piece of Goshuin in a cutout picture, also makes a beautiful souvenir. One temple official said Goshuin sales had jumped from 30 to 10,000 after introducing paper cutting.
Moreover, the company provides a new style of cemetery. The modular structure for charnel house boxes, as opposed to individual graves, is becoming popular, especially in cities. This service has spread nationwide, including Kyoto’s Ninna Temple and another 30 temples. The number of new-style cemeteries has also increased from 20 to 4,000.
Steel Torii gates are strong and more durable
One example is JFE Engineering, a global engineering company engaged in the building of infrastructure, including the Yokohama Bay Bridge. The company also constructed the steel Torii gate at Washimiya Shrine, Saitama Prefecture. A Japanese Torii gate is a symbol of the Shinto religion and is usually made of wood or stone.
Due to the recent intensification of natural disasters and difficulties in sourcing raw materials, JFE Engineering is building more Torii gates across Japan using steel, accounting for 60–70% of the total market.
Steel Torii gates are strong and guaranteed to last 200 years. The company’s expertise in technology allows it to paint its Torii gates five times—twice for durability, twice for coloring, and one final coat for details.
A steel Torii gate 4 m W x 6 m H costs JPY 20 million, excluding the foundation work. The paint job can be done in more than 100 colors. For example, many color variations exist for red, including vermillion, crimson, and scarlet red. The company will also create suitable colors based on a shrine’s request.
It is interesting to see how some companies have led in innovating a niche market, shrines and temples.
Source: Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
Goshuin from Hie-Shrine and Sengen Shrine
Smartphone voice guide service
The second company is ON THE TRIP, which provides a smartphone voice guide service. When a user scans a QR code on their smartphone, they can access the company’s services in English and Chinese. A service for kids is also available. The user can listen to a voice explanation while they are moving because it is linked to their location information.
Moreover, the explanation is similar to storytelling and refers to things that one would not usually notice on a visit. It also helps to reduce the number of standing signboards at each site. Thus, the company’s voice guides are a solution to replace signboards that spoil scenery.
Posted on 24th December, 2024
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