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!
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